Contest - I won!

A big thank-you to all of my readers and Twitter followers who helped me win by clicking on my Jamplify link.
I won the contest to see HIM live in concert, which means I was able to take a friend with me who hadn't bought a ticket.

If you're interested in winning tickets like this for yourself, check out Jamplify - a tool artists can use to amplify their fanbase.

Fan rewards

While on the topic of fan rewards - what do you think about contests like these? I was chatting with a friend, and our conversation went to the idea that the fans who  really want to promote the band and the show probably already have tickets. Her thought was that fans would probably like other incentives and rewards - like meet & greet passes, VIP access, a concert t-shirt when the fan got to the venue, etc...

I totally agree - my ideal fan reward (within reason, of course!) would be a press pass - access behind the barrier to get awesome photos for the first three songs. (When I've had press access at concerts before, typically you only get to shoot the first three songs, and no complete song video...) Getting to bring my 'good' camera to a metal show would be amazing for me.

However, even though a huge fan would probably buy tickets on the first day they went on sale (or pretty quickly thereafter to avoid the chance of a sold-out show that he or she would miss) but might have friends who were on the fence about going - friends who might not be as enthusiastic of fans, but might just get on board after being won-over by a fantastic live show.

So, what do you think?

What would be your dream reward for this kind of thing - tickets for your friends? VIP passes? Advanced entry? A phone call on your birthday? A free digital download of a single before the album comes out? A signed poster? A Skype conversation with a band member? A hand-written note? Autographed sheet music? A piece of memorabilia like a shirt or hat worn in a video, drumsticks or guitar pics? What would make you feel really appreciated as a fan, and encourage you to spread the word even more about your favorite bands and artists?

Contest - Help me win!

On HIM's LA street team Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/HeartagramTeam), I saw a contest through Jamplify where you can win tickets to see HIM along with Volbeat, All That Remains and Airborne if the Monster Rock Allegiance tour comes through your city... (Or, in the style of Throwing Horns Abroad - through a city you want to travel to!)

Help me win, by clicking http://jamplify.com/Vl3B8k  - each unique click earns me points towards winning. THEN you can sign up for your own account, and spread the word about the show while earning points towards your own chance of winning free tickets.

Contest - Another Bloodstock giveaway

The Bloodstock contests just keep coming!

In previous posts, I wrote how you could win a one-of-a-kind Toxic Vision vest along with Bloodstock tickets, and how you could win a chance to photograph or cover Bloodstock as a journalist for Epiphone.com.

Amorphis at Tuska Open Air Metal Festival

Well, today I'm letting you know about a contest from Finnish metal masters Amorphis. By entering on their Facebook page, you could win a pair of weekend passes for the festival, and of course check out Amorphis on the Ronnie James Dio stage, along with all of the other acts of the epic metal festival. 

Just visit Amorphis' Facebook page and fill in the contest ballot for your opportunity to win. The competition closes July 26th, 2013.

(Stay tuned for my post about Amorphis at Tuska Open Air Metal Festival!)

Contest - Cover Bloodstock

This blog is still so new, that I don't think I have too many readers in the UK yet... but...

Aspiring Journalists & Photographers...

You could cover the Bloodstock Open Air Festival for Epiphone instruments!

More information is available on their website, but the basic details are:

One photographer and one journalist will have the chance to win a Grand Prize package including media passes, camping tickets, catering passes, as well as Epiphone swag and other goodies... Photos and journalism covering the event will be published on Epiphone.com

Firewind, one of the bands playing Bloodstock

If I were in the UK (or one of the other relevant eligible countries and could afford to make another international trip so soon after my last one!) I'd definitely be applying for this competition! What an amazing experience for an aspiring writer/photographer!

To enter, you'll need to supply some examples of your work - either photography or music reviews within their guidelines from a concert or show of any genre that you recently attended.

If you are already planning to head to Bloodstock, or could make the trip there if you won... entries must be submitted by July 24, 2013.  The competition is only open to residents of France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands, and you must be over 18 years of age, and have no criminal record.  There's a bunch of other rules too you can find on their website.

Bloodstock Open Air music festival is the UK's premier heavy metal festival, held at Catton Hall in Walton-Upon-Trent, England, August 8-11, 2013.  The current line-up includes heavy metal heavyweights like King Diamond, Accept, Lamb of God, Sabaton, Anthrax, Slayer, Devil Driver, Gojira, Firewind, Amorphis, 3 Inches of Blood and many, many more on four stages over four days.  Just check out the website for the full line-up.

Contest - Win a Toxic Vision vest & Bloodstock tickets

If you don't already follow Toxic Vision or designer Sharon Ehman on Facebook, you should. 

Toxic Vision is giving away a pair of tickets to Bloodstock, along with a hand-delivered Toxic Vision vest featuring four of the headline acts (Slayer, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate & Lamb of God) for the UK metal festival. 

If you're lucky enough to be able to travel to the UK (or are already in the UK...) for the show, all you need to do is go to the photo on Facebook, join the nearly 1,000 other people who have entered, and "share" the photo on your wall too. You have until July 16th to enter, and the winner will be chosen at random.

Sharon writes: "I am very excited to announce that I am teaming up with Bloodstock Festival once again this year, and you can WIN this custom Toxic Vision vest (featuring the headliner bands on the back) and a pair of tickets to the festival, simply by SHARING this photo on your wall. I will personally deliver this vest to the winner at the festival (tickets will be mailed beforehand).

Toxic Vision will also be dressing festival director Vicky Gregory for the weekend. The line-up for the festival is killer, I am looking forward to making the trip over to England to party with you guys! If you see me there, stop and say hi!"

Visit Toxic Vision's Facebook page to enter