I don’t know if anyone from the band (or their management) reads these
emails, but in hope that someone does I’m reaching out.

I went to the Styx / REO Speedwagon / 38 Special Can’t Stop Rocking show
on 6/26/09 at the Borgata in Atlantic City, NJ. I had purchased my
tickets from the company ‘I Love All Access’, which has partnered with
Styx (and other musicians) to give fans a better concert experience. For
a higher ticket price you get good seats, some food, and usually a
special t-shirt or collectible. For this particular show, the big draw
was originally attendance at the sound check, but when the bands stopped
doing them on the tour it was changed to a ‘meet & great with photo op’.
As a 30+ year Styx fan (since the Crystal Balls days) I was thrilled
that I would finally get a chance to meet the band that I had so admired.

Unfortunately, the event was somewhat less what was indicated. Myself, a
friend who attended with me, and about a dozen other people met a few
hours before the show. Eventually we were told the band was coming in,
and we were asked to line up against the wall. We were also told that
there would be no talking, no signing, and no photos (other than the one
they took of you). The guys came in, took a photo with each one of us
and left. Now I’ve never been to a meet & greet before (despite having
gone to over 40 Styx concerts), but this wasn’t what I have heard
described by other people; yet I was still thrilled by sort of having
met the band.

A few days later I Love All Access posted the (low-resolution) photos on
their website. I had hoped to get the full-size image which I could blow
up and frame, so I emailed the company and politely asked for the
original file. A day later they responded and told me that they ‘might’
get the photos back at the end of the tour. I was surprised by that
answer, since it was obvious someone had emailed them to the
web-company, but I figured I could afford to be patient, so I waited.
When the tour was over I emailed them again. Their response was that the
person still had not yet returned to the office. So began the game…
every few weeks I would email, and each time I got a seemingly plausible
response, but no photo. So after a month or two fruitless emailing, I
decided to call them. I spoke with Bryce on 8/27/09 and he promised me
he would take care of it. Two weeks later (9/10/09) I called and again
spoke to Bryce, who told me he hasn’t been able to get in touch with the
girl who had the camera. But the final kicker came the next day when I
got an email that stated “We regret to inform you that we will not be
able to send the original files from the Styx/REO Speedwagon concert.
Unlike some of our tours, we were specifically instructed by the artists
not to send the original files to fans. We sincerely apologize for the
delay in informing you as it was not until very recently that this
information was given to us.” Sigh. So I asked why I was first being
told this now, some three months and numerous emails later and got this
response: “We have recently updated our photo system, so who you
initially spoke with may have been unsure which specific show you
attended and which artist you saw. For Styx/REO we do not ever get the
files in office. For some of the older tours we do.” Not really what I
would call an explanation (and each email or call gave specific
information about the event I was at and the photo I wanted), so I asked
who at Styx’s management company I could speak with. I was sure this had
to be some sort of misunderstanding – after all, I was just a fan! Their
final response was “We don’t have that information.” So they only
recently were told by management that they couldn’t give me the photo –
but yet they had no contact information for management.

Now I don’t blame the band (who probably knows nothing of these events
and policies), and of course I will keep supporting them by buying their
music and going to shows. But as a fan, I’m seriously disappointed. I
paid extra for the event, and I don’t feel like I got what was promised.
I was even willing to pay extra if they had said they needed to put the
photo on CD and mail it to me. So I think I was being pretty reasonable.
In the end, I’d still like to get the original, full resolution photo.
So if anyone knows someone who might be able to help me, I’d really
appreciate that. Failing that, I guess I want to get the word out there
that when buying from I Love All Access you might get exactly what you
think you are getting.

E.