"Ronnie Wood: Not Meet and Fleece"

That is really a bummer - sorry you wasted your money on that - what a disappointment.

Wasn't looking too good, but I was feeling real well.

Sounds like it was very poorly organized. They should have at least had Ronnie sit at a table and sign autographs for people.....But $200 for a meet and greet. I'd rather pay his girlfriend $1000 for a meet and greet.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

I was there.

First of all, it was billed as an exclusive Preview Event, put on by The Butler, to kick off the two month museum exhibit by Ronnie Wood. The invitation read as follows: "A reception to honor artist Ronnie Wood and to view an exhibition of his Paintings, Drawings and Prints." The RSVP card read as follows: "Reception to Meet Ronnie Wood. 8-10 pm"

"Proceeds benefit free Butler children's programs"

The cost was $150 per person Butler Members, and $200 per person non-members.

As we entered The Butler at 8:00 pm, an orchestral group played and hors d'oeuvres were served. Cash Bar. After about 25 minutes, Ronnie was introduced and he and his girlfriend descended the staircase from the second floor. They both looked fabulous. He spoke for approximately 45 seconds. In an attempt to then head back up the stairs, he was confronted by a handful of fans taking pictures and looking to shake his hand. This interaction did not last long, maybe a minute. Security then allowed him, his girl, an extremely old museum-looking gentlemen, and a few handlers to ascend the stairs unaccompanied by any patrons.

Three minutes went by, and the ropes opened up. We climbed the stairs to view his artwork, but certainly not the artist. He was nowhere to be found. The arwork was well displayed and hung on the walls of three rooms. I caught a quick glimpse of him around 9:00, as he apparently was sneaking out the back door. By around 9:20 it was confirmed that Ronnie had left the building.

Enough of the details, now for my personal take...

I drove from Detroit, by my own chosing, to attend this "exclusive" event. I'm angry. If Ronnie had been offended earlier in the evening by someone, sorry for him. Are you trying to tell me that he ignored his adoring public because he was having a bad day? Don't blame The Butler either. Maybe they billed this incorrectly by adding "Meet Ronnie Wood" to the invite, but it certainly sold more tickets.

Memo to Ronnie: I love you. I love The Rolling Stones. I also love some of your artwork and actually own 6 of your prints. Today, I feel like selling a few of them off on eBay. You could have made some people extremely happy last night by just spending less than 90 minutes of your time with them. I didn't expect to you sign a crate of memorabilia, but I would have been thrilled to introduce myself, shake your hand, and maybe get you to pose for a picture. I do not feel like I was asking, or expecting, too much. After all, I was invited to this reception. It's not like I was camped outside your hotel room.

Shame on everyone involved last night.

Oh, I did make myself feel a little better by filling up a plastic cup with the M & M's that had "Ronnie Wood" custom printed on them and taking them for the drive home.

The gallery was not selling his artwork, it was an exhibit. The gift shop had a limited edition run of 60 prints for $700.00..yes $700.00 that was an awful self-portrait, numbered and hand-signed. Size was 12.5 x 13..something like that, but it was really awful. Not even in color. The gift shops still had 30 of them left by 9:30 and most people had already gone home.

The Program from the event was small, but nice. They had 2 versions..unsigned for $20.00 and signed for $40.00 I will later post a photo of it. I bought a few signed ones as they will make great holiday gifts and $40 for an authentic Ron Wood signature is dirt cheap. He only signed a limited amount of them prior to the event and they were all sold out by 9:30.

As for fears of him being mobbed, I would say there were in all actuallity about 12 people who were hanging around (including myself) that were hoping to get a picture taken with and maybe an autograph. I've been to tons of events and this was in no way a security issue for him to mingle. This was an art show not a country music fan fair in Nashville loaded with smelly people wanting their beer can or tattoo signed. My assumtion was that he would mingle after the crowd thinned out. Well, as the expression goes about "assuming" things...

I know a meet & greet never guarantees a photo op or autograph, but you expect the artist, band, etc to at least hang out for a while and at least roam the room and shake some hands. Show some gratitude! Last night was a complete slap in the face. Again, as for the 12 fans who really wanted to meet him, they were harmless and very well behaved.

Some on this discussion thread have commented that paying for a meet & greet is silly. Well, I could argue that someone paying $1,000 + to go to the Super Bowl is silly when they can watch it on TV for free.

Kurt's comments are 100% accurate. However, I would not expect Ronnie to walk around and mingle for 90 minutes, but it's amazing how many people someone can meet in 20 minutes when the guest of honor cooperates and done in an organized fashion.

Thanks Ronnie for the Donkey Punch !

i love ronnie's solo albums. i have them all and think they are, overall, better than any of Mick & Keith's solo albums -- but never in my life would i even consider paying $200, or even $20 (not even $2 for that matter) to 'meet & greet' ... not ronnie, not anyone.

... let me also add, as much as i love ronnie's music, i don't find his artwork that appealing -- i would classify it as gaudy, over-the-top -- or too complicated. not sure i can completely convey what i mean but it is not for me.

Sounds like Ronnie should write an update to the book "How to Make Friends and Alienate People".

......on to the next chapter

I see I need to amend my earlier post. The proceeds did go to charity...well..the museum's own charity programme. I guess Ronnie wasn't totally on board with it, perhaps did not feel comfortable with people paying $200 to meet him.

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Bliss
I see I need to amend my earlier post. The proceeds did go to charity...well..the museum's own charity programme. I guess Ronnie wasn't totally on board with it, perhaps did not feel comfortable with people paying $200 to meet him.

Maybe he had nothing to do with all this??

There is NOTHING that can excuse Mr. Wood's anti-social behavior......it's interesting
that some of you don't want to blame him.

45 seconds?????? and he'd only meet you if you shelled out $50,000 for painting?

Not a good couple of years for Ronnie.

It's events like these that he could use to help him regain some respect.

Would be better (for him) if he'd just not agree to such appearances in the first place.


IORR............but I like it!

Something just doesn't add up. I probably would have been miffed if he pulled that on me. Speaking for 45 seconds? That is pretty weird. Somebody must have really put him down earlier. You know how vicious art snobs can be. Ronnie's probably got a little more laid back view of his art than some other people do. You know, 'you're probably just here because you're famous'. Probably called him a cartoonist!!! Or worse!!! The nerve!!!!!!!

it was the same thing a few years ago at the SF art exchange when ronnie dropped by - but that was a freebie event for a few of us....shook his hand as he walked in and by me....noted my cool shirt...said a few unintelligble words to the folks there and that was that.

Not cool, Ronnie. And for fock's sake as trainrolling says, it's not like ronnie was ata back-assed country fair with people trying to get Ronnie to sign their beercans and tattoos. This is an art opening at a small city museum there people who showed up were completely in thrall of him - and probably cost the museum a LOT of money to pay for him and his entourage to just show up - and he gave them, it sounds like, next to nothing.

Keith--who actually would be more likely to be mobbed in public--would never do some bullshit like this.

Me no like.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-09-23 01:11 by swiss.

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Blueranger
I think Ronnie should be ashamed.

I know McCartney really takes his time during his Meet n' Greetings. He knows how much it means to the people who wants to meet him.

Ronnie obviously, doesn't give a s***, but nontheless agrees to do it and cash-in on it. Who does he think he is? God? People has a desire to meet this guy, and if Ronnie agrees to do it, he should give people want they want for their hard-earned money!

I agree. He has done nothing but act like an ass for too long now and has been a constant embarrassment to the band over the last year. I say throw his ass out of the band and replace him with Mick Taylor! Yeah, that's right, Mick Taylor!

What more would you expect from a cracked out junkie?

Go get me the fork!

Where did he think he was? On his Father's yacht?

The Ronnie Meet & Greet is far better than the M&G I originally thought was the worst one I attended...that was for Mr. James Brown around 1999/2000. VIP Ticketing included a ticket in the first 3 rows and after show reception with James Brown. An hour after the show James comes down the stairs wearing a winter coat and gloves, gets to the bottom of the stairs...sees a man in wheelchair, stands next to him and motions to me to take a picture. I have no idea who the man was, but I still take the photo. After the camera flash goes off he announces to his small entourage "Where's my car" and left. I along with many others were pissed off and I yell "Get him" and we followed him through the theater and out into the street to his waiting car. By the time we got to his car there were about 20 people surrounding it. He kept the door open for a couple minutes and signed some stuff, but it was messed up that he behaved like that.

As for me taking a photo of a gentleman in a wheelchair...I went back into the ballroom and located him and I got all of his info and a few days later mailed him a couple prints and the negatives. He was wondering who the heck I was and why James thought I was an event photographer. See, I'm a decent guy.

I also attended the event last night. I, too, was disappointed that Ronnie only appeared for 2-3 minutes. I was one of the first people to go upstairs after everyone was allowed to do so, and I managed to see Ronnie and his girlfriend head into the executive office. I later saw his girlfriend leave the office at about 9:00. I think it would have been nice to have a receiving line for Ronnie as everyone entered the exhibit so we all could have a chance to shake his hand and say a few quick words. I would have been satisfied with that.

I have one complaint toward the Butler staff. I heard one employee at the gift shop in the front of the museum say that Ronnie didn't get to sign many catalogues. Since that was the case, they really should have limited sales of the signed catalogues to no more than one per person. I tried to get one before I left (close to 9:30), but unfortunately some collector bought the last three available just before me.

I was there as well. I drove from Dayton, about 4 hours, with my wife. EXTREMELY disapointing.

I agree with most of the others who were there and what they've posted here, except- Trainarollin. How could you possibly say only about 12 people wanted to meet him? What do you think all those people paid $150/200 for? To view his paintings? Could've done that today or any time over the next month for the cost of admission to the museum, whatever that is.

When he made that brief, and I mean BRIEF appearance at about 8:30, when he turned away from the microphone he was swamped with fans, well wishers, autograph/photo seekers etc.

While Ronnie gets much of the blame for this rip-off, the Butler Institute is equally responsible.

I've been involved with facility security for 35 years. How could you set up this event, and think you could let Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones just walk into the crowd????

When I was standing in line to get a drink before his appearance, I asked an employee who was standing, guarding a hallway, how things were going to work? She replied, "I don't really know, I just know at some point he's gonna come down here" (into that room from upstairs). I knew right then that wasn't feasible. He would have been crushed (not litterally, but figuratively) by everyone there. EVERYONE wanted to shake hands, get a pic etc. Everyone knew if you did get a chance to approach him it would be extremely brief, so people were all ready to jump at him the moment he appeared.

The proper way to handle this event would have been for them to have Ronnie in a secured area, form an orderly line (much like book signing) and have security telling everyone no pictures (this was spelled out when you received your tickets), and instruct security to keep the line moving when folks got a handshake and a couple words. One way into the room and another way out with no way to get back into the line once you're through. The entire crowd could've gotten through in an hour to 90 minutes.

From what I saw of the Butler and from some phone conversations my wife and I had with them prior to the event, I really don't think they understood the magnitude of the event and how big a of a deal it is to have a Rolling Stone at your event.

Im sure Ronnie used the lack of organization as an excuse to get the hell outta there.

Ronnie AND the Butler share equal blame for this travesty.

"Take all the pain...It's yours anyway"

You got hosed, Tommy, you got hosed.

Well, he is as disgraceful as his 'guitar playing'

As for my comment about 12 people waiting, that means 12 people (including myself) were determined to meet him, by staying in acceptable close proxemity to where Ronnie was hiding. Not directly outside a door, but in a large commen area. We all kind of figured that he was not going to mingle with 150+ people, so we took our chances to see if we could catch him sneaking out. We were well behaved. We were not loud skinheads waiting to meet Metallica. The other 150 or so people were downstairs at the food line, cash bar or checking out the art.

I bought a few of the signed booklets around 8:10 at the rear gift shop behind the cash bar. Everyone else seemed to have went to the one at the main door. The line to the front gift shop caused the early congestion entering the building. Who knew there were 2 gift shops at first?

I'll post some photos tomorrow.

Here's an article on it:

[www.timesonline.com]

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"What I'm doing is a sexual thing. I dance and all dancing is a replacement for sex". - Mick Jagger

Maybe Ronnie just wanted to make sure he was rich enough. Rich enough to forget his name.

The only meet and greet I ever attended was for Keith backstage after one of his solo shows (Seattle). It was very well organized. All the people who had a pass for backstage got in a line and waited patiently. Eventually Mr. Richards appeared, obviously "refreshed" after the show. He patiently and with great humor stood with each person as their picture was snapped. (Still have mine). I paid zero for the privilege. Personally, the idea of shelling out three figures for a few seconds of meaningless face time with a celebrity is not something I am interested in. I wasn't there at the Butler. Perhaps the thing was badly organized. Perhaps Ronnie panicked when he saw the people. Either way it seems like it was a disaster.

Basically, you guys...what's the dif paying $150 to meet Ronnie and paying that much for "reading" by, say, Keith or any other author, where you probably wouldn't even meet him?

I have nothing but empathy for anyone who made a donation to this museum in exchange for the opportunity to chat with Ronnie about art and music. I think it was on paper a really creative thing to think about doing--seeing him in that small venue and having the chance to have an actual conversation (even a shorty) in a atmosphere that would be dignified, chill, and calm - vs backstage or even at a Barnes and Noble with 500 people slavering in line.

Good for you-all for trying. Many people here, I think, may have been jealous at your initiative were the event to have panned out as you had every reason to expect it to.

The "you're suckers" line here is disingenuous. It's easy to say after the fact that something was "obviously gonna" go awry. But the fact is the people who attended made a charitable, tax deductible gift (small consolation but you can write it off) to a nonprofit institution for an evening of meet n greet Ronnie Wood artist and Rolling Stone. The IRS would consider that a reasonable type of event to support a charitable institution. Woody showing his face then running away and hiding is terrible form.

He really is a child, isn't he...?

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swiss


He really is a child, isn't he...?

That's why I said "Yes he can" when someone asked if he still can play.