Tips For Meeting Diana Backstage?

[char44256]

I'm going to see Diana in Cleveland on June 30th. This will be my fifth Krall concert. I'm taking my sister and we are in the orchestra section, seats 101 and 102. That sounds great. The last time I saw Diana was in Houston, Tx in 2004. One other Krall member, named Lisa, actually was able to see her backstage. She waited for about an hour. I could take a picture of all the photos above my computer. That might show how sincere I am about her. Are there any tips that some of you might have for me? This a major goal of mine.

Fellow Krall Member,
Char

[Bud]

Hi Char - Meeting her backstage is pretty hard. Did your friend actually make it backstage without prior arrangement? That would be a pretty rare event. You typically need connections - the only one who seems to have them around here is Greg AKA jazzanddianafan.

With some effort, several of us have managed to catch her when she leaves the venue to catch a limo or go to her bus. She travels in a large, brown bus - think Madden cruiser - so spotting it early helps a lot. I see she has a few days between Cleveland and her next concert in MA. I don't know if she'd leave right away, or spend the night in a hotel. If it’s a hotel, you may need to look for the exit where she'd catch a limo.

If I think of more, I'll add it in. Anyone else have ideas? Good luck!

[CarlG]

I'll chime in here.

Several years ago (Look of Love tour) we waited outside the stage door and were able to get authographs.

Now, I have had a much more recent encounter with DK, and I did not even ask. Didn't even talk to her. If you didn't read the post, last week at Foxwoods, my wife and I wound up in a room 3 doors down from DK. When she got off the elevator after the show, we were 50 feet or so down the hall.
We had a discussion on here so time ago about appropriate and inappropriate times to interrupt someone to ask for an autograph (like when they are out for dinner). To run back down the hall when she was about to go into her hotel room was just way to "stalker" for my taste. Had we just been getting off the elevator and she was there, we might have said something about enjoying the show, and then if she wanted to talk, then I would have asked.



Carl.

[Coda]

Carl, I commend you on your gentlemanly behavior! It must have been difficult not to take advantage of such an opportunity.

[CarlG]

It's too bad to with the special occasion my wife and I were celebrating.


Carl.

[imnoangel1975]

Char, like the others, I recommend waiting at a stage door for her to exit after a show.

We made friends with Diana's drummer at the time, Peter Erskine, before the show and then were told to wait at the stage door exit after the show where she would sign autographs. We were lucky that the crowd was small and she wasn't in too great a hurry to leave (this was a few years ago and before she had her children). We were able to chat with her for about 15 minutes while she signed our autographs and took a couple of photos. Lucky us, we were able to chat with Michelle for a few minutes, as well. What great ladies they are too - so kind to everyone.

[char44256]

I tried so hard to try to see Diana after the show. I went to the head man at the State Theater and he said no. He was my final try along with talking with some very nice ladies ushers in red coats. I thanked them for trying. I did take two pictures from the orchestra section and after two shots ,I got reprimanded. They did not announce no pictures, so I waited until near the end of the hour and half concert before trying. They did not take my camera. I just wish my photos were a bit less fuzzy. It was Diana's best concert so far. She has such a wry sense of humor and thought her ability to improvise songs was marvelous. She played some of Berlin's White Christmas and said that she heard Rosemary Clooney whispering in her ear. She also said she sees no TV, but cartoons such as Ice Age. She has no time to sleep, and works nights and if she does, it's until 11:00 AM until she is up. Elvis was watching her two "delicious" sons, and Elvis is a wonderful cook. She would see them after the show. She had been in Cleveland a few days and visiting with friends, such a Tony Puma. I think it was her best show yet. She sang two songs as an encore, "The Boy From Ipanema" and "Every Time We Say Goodbye." I bought a new tee shirt and a mouse pad. I hated to see the show end. Diana's so great. Diana's agenda was seeing her guys soon. It still was an hour and half concert.
It poured again in Cleveland, twice that day, but just sprinkled until we got into the parking garage.

Char

[Coda]

Char, I understand how you feel. Sounds as if you did your best trying. I think a lot of your chance depends on the venue. In Detroit, at the Fox Theatre, there's a 10-foot high cyclone fence. Kind of hard to shout through the fence to ask for an autograph (which a worker there suggested I do) over the roar of three tour buses. But even without a fence, it can be difficult. When I went to Diana's concert in London, Ontario, in October, 2001, first I went to the back door. The guy there said she was in a meet-and-greet and that she'd probably come out the front door. So I went in front and waited for almost an hour. Then somebody from Diana's team saw me standing around and asked me why. He said she was about to leave out the back door and I should go there and try. So I hurried there and while I was jogging up there, a security guard saw me and shooed me away as I saw Diana exiting the building with a garment bag and go into a waiting car.

Char, I do hope you're successful the next time you try. It sounds as if you had a great time at the concert.

[Bud]

Hi Char - You've definitely proven yourself to be a real Diana fan! I hope that you get your opportunity - as you've heard, it often takes several tries. Coda is right, the set up at the venue makes a big difference.

Really glad to hear that enjoyed the concert. Nice that the timing worked out so well.

By the way, did she do any Michael Jackson tribute?

[char44256]

Diana did not say a word about Michael Jackson, but briefly spoke the name of Johnny Depp. I do what to see "Public Enemy."
Diana did say the she works night, and these are tough economic times and clothes cost a lot.
Diana did sing P.S.I Love You. That's the first time that I heard it at a concert.

Char

[Bud]

Thanks, char. Sounds like the MJ tribute was a short term feature. Those who got to hear it were very lucky!

I don't think I've ever heard P.S. I Love You live, either.