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Fan Fair 2001: Fantasy or Fiasco

© Steven Lind

Happy New Year! This month, I'm going to take a slight departure. I just received my package announcing the arrangements for the new Fan Fair in June. Starting with new dates and a new venue (or should I say a new set of venues), Fan Fair will never be the same. Will the change be fanciful or a fiasco? We'll also take a brief look at another new concept in internet broadcasting, combining radio with the community experience of the Internet.

Fan Fair 2001

Fan Fair has been, until this next year, located at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds during a week-long (weekdays, Monday-Friday) session in mid-June. Although limited to 24,000 ticket holders, it has not sold out the past two years. Even though the exhibit areas, the same ones that hold the various farm animals during the State Fair, get crowded during the mid-June music celebration, they are conveniently located directly behnd the race-track-turned-dual-stage. That makes it very easy to go back and forth between the music and the artists.

For the 2001 Fan Fair, everything changes! First of all, the schedule changes to Wednesday/Thursday through Sunday, forcing participants to choose between Country Music and Fathers' Day. Secondly, the venue moves to a collection of sites, including the Adelphia Coliseum (where the Tennessee Titans play), the Nashville Convention Center, and Riverfront Park. To get between the venues, you must take shuttle busses. Concerts will now be split between the Riverfront location for new artists during the daytime and the Coliseum for superstar concerts at night. The exhibit areas will be open at the Convention Center during the daytime hours. And the price of Fan Fair changes to a tiered schedule based on stadium seating preferences. The lowest price tickets, which remain at last year's $90 level will get you "end zone" seats across from the stage. The next level, at $100, gets you lower level, sidelines seats; get ready for a stiff neck. The highest level, at $115, gets you either floor seating or club level lounge seats; no details how you get to choose which one. I don't know how the customary picture-taking line in front of the stage will work, if at all, if you're out at the far end of the stadium. Oh, did I mention that Tennessee sales tax and a service charge adds another $10 for each ticket; Parking is extra!

I attended Fan Fair in 1995 and 1999. For me, it was the experience of a lifetime. While I did concentrate on the musical experience, as opposed to the exhibit/autograph experience, I did meet several of the stars. I don't know if I'll ever go back under this strategy. I certainly would wait to see what the reaction is to this year and let the organizers get all the kinks worked out. And I wouldn't believe all you read and hear; remember that the music industry is pretty tight so the established media will all be touting the industry line.

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