The Perfect Fan Experience

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Mar 17, 2000 Source: Elizabeth Ruddell Submitted By: Here is our experience participating in the Perfect Fan. My daughter, Kate, and I went to the BSB concert in Indianapolis, IN at Conseco Fieldhouse March 10 2000. The night before I surfed the web and read some concert reviews on a website so we knew what to expect. I printed off one and left it for my daughter to read Friday morning at breakfast before she went to school and added a note at the top "At one point during the concert they have 5 mothers and daughters come on stage for "The Perfect Fan"....wouldn't we be so lucky ..HA ha ha ! LITTLE DID I KNOW !!!!! We arrived at Conseco Fieldhouse early at about 6:30 and immediately went to the concessions and bought the comic book, program, lunchbox and lightstick and then we decided to go and see where our tickets were located. I had bought these tickets through a ticket broker so I knew we were going to be on the floor in the 11th row. We got to our seats only to be disappointed by seeing that a big camera was directly infront of us with one camera man and 2 security guards. I mean we wouldn't be able to see a thing!!!!(Later we were told that they were filming this concert for a video) I was Very, very disappointed and went over to one of the uniformed ushers and complained to him..he said he would see what he could do. I didn't hold out any hope. No sooner than I walked three steps back to our seats this girl walked up to us. She said, "I see that you are really bummed out about your seats." I told her that we were because we couldn't see anything. She said "Well, I know this might not make up for it but there is this part in the show...." "Yes!!" my daughter said.... "...Where the boys sing a song to some mothers and daughters that we pick from the audience..." "YES!!!!!" my daughter said. We agreed that we would be thrilled to participate and so she walked us over to the side near the BSBs entrance area ("the black box") and we waited until she return with four other mothers and daughters. The daughters ranged in age from 9-12. None of us could believe our great luck!!! She brought us backstage and told us exactly what was going to happen and some rules. She then asked if anyone had a camera so she could take pictures. Only one mom had a camera so we exchanged adresses, we were allowed to use the backstage bathroom and then we were shown to our seats in a restricted area by the soundboard. Everyone was very nice. Some of the roadies talked with us and told us that we were going to have a great time!! When the boys made their entrance on their "hoverboards" they were about 12 feet away. It was a bit bizarre to look up and see them so close...but we were going to get closer still!!! After the seventh song we were escorted to the stage area, let behind the barricade and told to sit on these little ledges. I looked up and saw Nick singing "Don't Want You Back"..I mean he was just inches away.....After the song they brought us over to the stairs and then each of the boys took the mothers and daughters by the hand and brought them onstage. You can't believe how thrilled we were to get KEVIN!!! He is our absolute Fav! Being onstage was overwhelming. You can't hear a thing and the Boys were at different parts of the stage. KEVIN sat us down and was soooo nice. He asked my daughter her name and age (she couldn't hear him...I think she was in shock) I told him she was 10 and I congratulated him on his engagement. He smiled and said "Thanks" then the lights were brighter on us and he asked us our names in the microphone and we spoke in the mic. Everyone in the audience is screaming and let me tell you that when you are onstage with 18 thousand people in the audience you can see very little. It is hard to make out any faces - it's as if you look out onto a sea of movement. They started to sing, and then KEVIN said to my daughter Kate "I'm going to sing now and I'll be right back.." He walked away and sang his bit and then he took Kate by the hand and led her around the stage and told her to wave at her friends (the other Boys were doing this also) when they got back to me Kate sat down and KEVIN got down on one knee and sang directly to us....OH GOD!!!!After he was done he looked at us and said "Clap". "Oh yeah" we thought and we clapped and smiled, smiled, smiled. The song was over so we followed KEVIN off the stage. He led us down the stairs, stopped, turned and thanked us and KISSED each of US!!!!!!!WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! We were then led back out of the barricaded area and back to our seats. Girls were cheering us and screaming as if we were celebrities ourselves!! We were escorted back to our seats and were told that we could continue to watch the concert there (which we did) or go back to our original seat (which the other mothers and daughters did). We were on cloud nine for the rest of the show, looking at eachother and laughing and saying "Oh my GOD I can't believe it!!!" When the show ended we were able to see the guys dash off because we were right near the backstage area. What a Kick!! I was glad that before the show we saw three friends of my daughters on the floor so I knew that she had some witnesses. As we were leaving another one of her friends called out to her from one of the suites where about ten other friends were celebrating a birthday party. They all rushed out to congratulate her and the mother whose daughter had the party said she got pictures!! In all it was an experience we won't ever forget! I guess it pays to go to a concert with your Mother! 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