56 replies to this topic

[malc75]

what an absolute inept autographica! since attending most of showmasters events over the years this has to be the worst show ive attended!
overpriced,and totally uninspiring guests
the only highlight was the collector stalls,and to be honest weve seen all that before.
if you cant get high calibre guests then dont have the event just for the sake of it,im sure like myself that many of you have spent a fortune,and then thought why????????????
im ready for all the liberal replies etc why did you go etc? well i went because i thought it would be good.

[clavius]

Sorry that you didn't enjoy today.  
You're obviously a seasoned attendee so have previous events to compare to.  This however was my first autograph event of any kind and I really enjoyed it.  
I have resently started to collect everything astronaut, knew what I wanted in advance, went there and got it.  The experience was everything I expected, Dave Scott was and absolute gentleman and when I needed help the crew and hotel staff were there for me - eventually.  The stalls etc were a bonus and I had to drag myself away before spending more than I should.  
As far as guests go any astronaut or war veteran would be high calibre in my opinion.
My only small concern was that the entrance to the autographing suite was a bit difficult to find (not very good signposting)and no one during the whole thing asked for or checked my wristband/ticket.  I walked straight in unchallenged.  Staff seemed a bit thin on the ground at times obviously concentrating on looking after the guests but all said and done - very enjoyable, see you next time (hopefully with more astronaut guests).

Footnote to the organisers, if you need any help next time I'd love to volunteer!!!!

[malc75]

glad you enjoyed it,yes if your all things space it certainly was a good event,i am a bit of a veteran of these things so to me it was poor,nice to hear that you got what you wanted.
id totally agree with the directions though,no signs etc
and i lost my wrist band during the break,even though id bought something i had some jobsworth who wouldnt let me in,finally resolved it after several harsh words,
SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT HOME I THINK!

[dwarfbabe]

clavius, on Sep 12 2009, 08:10 PM, said:

Footnote to the organisers, if you need any help next time I'd love to volunteer!!!!

If you're serious about helping out, you need to send an e-mail to Showmasters. The link below will take you to a posting that tells you everything you need to know.

Crewing info

A word of warning though - don't e-mail from a Hotmail address. They often seem to get sent to a junk mail folder (that's what I was told, anyway) so you should probably use a different account.

[scruffy]

malc75, on Sep 12 2009, 07:28 PM, said:

what an absolute inept autographica! since attending most of showmasters events over the years this has to be the worst show ive attended!
overpriced,and totally uninspiring guests
the only highlight was the collector stalls,and to be honest weve seen all that before.
if you cant get high calibre guests then dont have the event just for the sake of it,im sure like myself that many of you have spent a fortune,and then thought why????????????
im ready for all the liberal replies etc why did you go etc? well i went because i thought it would be good.

Since the prices are quoted in advance how can you complain??
You are right to expect the obvious replies saying, why go if prices not to your liking , as it was always downhill from there if you went unhappy
Just my thoughts though  

[HickoryRose]

[quote name='clavius' date='Sep 12 2009, 01:10 PM' post='1425085']
  
I have resently started to collect everything astronaut, knew what I wanted in advance, went there and got it.  The experience was everything I expected, Dave Scott was and absolute gentleman and when I needed help the crew and hotel staff were there for me - eventually.  As far as guests go any astronaut or war veteran would be high calibre in my opinion.



I have recently renewed my interest in all things Astronaut also; I've been inspired by the July 2009 40th anniversary celebrations of Apollo 11. There are only 9 moonwalkers left in this solar system and any opportunity to meet and greet one is to be cherished.
How did Mr. Scott look? Did he answer any questions or give any talks? I just finished reading his book "Two Sides of the Moon" and it was marvelous. Dave Scott was an early space ambassador to the Soviets' space program
.  
I hope the moonwalking astronauts live long enough to witness man return to the moon ( US, China, whoever).
Thanks

[indio]

malc75, on Sep 12 2009, 07:28 PM, said:

what an absolute inept autographica! since attending most of showmasters events over the years this has to be the worst show ive attended!
overpriced,and totally uninspiring guests
the only highlight was the collector stalls,and to be honest weve seen all that before.
if you cant get high calibre guests then dont have the event just for the sake of it,im sure like myself that many of you have spent a fortune,and then thought why????????????
im ready for all the liberal replies etc why did you go etc? well i went because i thought it would be good.

if i were to say what you said on this forum id need a decent bullet prove vest

[sazzra]

Only reason I didn't reply before indio is because I'm still   about why someone would go to an event where the guests and prices are announced in advance then complain you don't like the guests or prices. Bit like ordering a Big Mac then saying that you're a vegetarian and you're not going to pay more than 50p.

[18blue78]

I got there late in the afternoon and was surprised how quite it was. After getting the autograph I wanted I spent some time looking through the stalls and was shocked by the prices that were being charged.

One trader was selling signed photo's of Bob Champion and Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards for £50. Both of these sports personalities were guests at recent SM events where collectors were charged £5 to get their autographs in person.
I realise the traders need to mark up prices so they can make a profit, but selling items for 10 times the price they bought them for makes you wonder how daft some traders think we are?

While I enjoyed Autographica I have to ask by what justification it can be called "The Worlds Largest Autograph Show"? I am by no means 'having a go at SM', and while SM keep attracting the guests I want to meet then I'll keep attending the events.
But the company runs bigger shows all year long (for example Collectormania). So why call this one "The Worlds Largest Autograph Show"?

[18blue78]

P.S. Have to agree with the comments above about the signs in the hotel. I entered the Hilton through the NEC entrance and spent over 10 minutes walking around the hotel looking like a right Muppet (no change there then!) and that was after I'd asked the staff for directions.

It's probably I Hilton thing, were they don't want big signs in their posh hotel, but it would be a massive help if it could be improved for the next show. Might stop me almost walking into a wedding reception. Now that would have been funny  

[A007]

sazzra, on Sep 12 2009, 10:50 PM, said:

Only reason I didn't reply before indio is because I'm still :headscratch:  about why someone would go to an event where the guests and prices are announced in advance then complain you don't like the guests or prices. Bit like ordering a Big Mac then saying that you're a vegetarian and you're not going to pay more than 50p.

Couldn't agree more

[Lennybear]

The man paid his money and is entitled to his opinion.
I think as Malc is a veteran to these events and passionate about them this one did'nt compare to previous outings but i think it is good constructive criticism, not just a good moan.
Yes it was quiet and there were no signs at the hotel and the 15 quid entrance fee was steep, yes we knew the price in advance etc but in my book that is constructive and the organisers will hopefully take that on board next time.

[von Dawson's Express]

15 quid entrance fee?

I paid a tenner to get in...

Could not find the rooms the event was in?

I asked the desk and was soon helped out...

I liked A14, it was quite and there was pleanty of room, no rushing about and been pushed and shoved, I knew Tom Stafford's auto was going to be expensive, it was posted on this forum months ago, but hey, I saved up. With Tom's auto and Helen Sharman's at A13 It cost me £200 for two auto's, I raised that with selling junk on ebay and collecting scrap and weighing it in, in effect the autographs cost me nothing...

Its the way you go about these events  and other shows, you need to have the correct mind set - if not get another hobby -

Too quote another posting - In years to come we will be with out these great people and hero's BUT you will have great memories and autographs...

Make the effort, its worth it

Regards all

von Dawson's Express

[fluffybunny]

von Dawson's Express, on Sep 13 2009, 09:39 AM, said:

15 quid entrance fee?

I paid a tenner to get in...

Wise move Mr Dawson.

The early bird was waste of money really, in fact bizarrely you were actually paying to queue as the line was busiest before 11.00!.

I don’t think I’m going to pick that option again.

The strictly enforced ‘no photographs’ issue I felt dampened the atmosphere. Whilst it raised egos of the staff members involved, and drove up photo sales, it killed the room. Maybe a better balance could be achieved at the next event.

I agree that signage was an issue. Printed A4 paper, on a budget this size?, surely we could have pushed the boat out a little bit more!.

I enjoyed the relaxed style though, I just hope that further Space guys can be persuaded to continue to come even if sales this time fall short.

[clavius]

[quote name='HickoryRose' date='Sep 12 2009, 10:10 PM' post='1425164']
[quote name='clavius' date='Sep 12 2009, 01:10 PM' post='1425085']
  
I have resently started to collect everything astronaut, knew what I wanted in advance, went there and got it.  The experience was everything I expected, Dave Scott was and absolute gentleman and when I needed help the crew and hotel staff were there for me - eventually.  As far as guests go any astronaut or war veteran would be high calibre in my opinion.



I have recently renewed my interest in all things Astronaut also; I've been inspired by the July 2009 40th anniversary celebrations of Apollo 11. There are only 9 moonwalkers left in this solar system and any opportunity to meet and greet one is to be cherished.
How did Mr. Scott look? Did he answer any questions or give any talks? I just finished reading his book "Two Sides of the Moon" and it was marvelous. Dave Scott was an early space ambassador to the Soviets' space program
.  
I hope the moonwalking astronauts live long enough to witness man return to the moon ( US, China, whoever).
Thanks
[/quote]

Dave Scott looked very well for his 77 years.  He appears a little deaf (or perhaps it was my lazy Nottingham accent he just couldn't understand). He was very polite and obliging, allowing a photo at his table and even taking it upon himself to go and find a better quality pen for the person in the queue in front of me.  
Being a little awe struck at meeting my first moonwalker (inspite of all the advice about coversation topics) I couldn't think of anything to ask that he hadn't probably been asked a million times already and I told him so.  We had a laugh at that and I moved on to make way for a growing queue behind me.  Made my day.

[lukeowl]

Very good weekend all around - I didn't meet too many people mainly because I had to watch the purse strings as my wife and I are expecting, so I needed to be less frivilous this time around.  But I had a great time and met Ursula, Rusty, Edward Fox and all of the Bond girls.  Really enjoyed it as always with Autographica.

[Ted Crump]

[quote name='HickoryRose' date='Sep 12 2009, 10:10 PM' post='1425164']
[quote name='clavius' date='Sep 12 2009, 01:10 PM' post='1425085']
  
How did Mr. Scott look? Did he answer any questions or give any talks? I just finished reading his book "Two Sides of the Moon" and it was marvelous. Dave Scott was an early space ambassador to the Soviets' space program
.  
I hope the moonwalking astronauts live long enough to witness man return to the moon ( US, China, whoever).
Thanks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dave was great, chatty and friendly. Happily dedicated the picture for me - is it me or do the astro's quite like doing this (as it's obviously for personal use and not for ebay etc) He let me have our photo taken, and was gracious enough to do it again as it came out rather blurred. He then gracefully refused a photo with a guy who hadn't purchased an autograph. A pleasing aspect was that although the event was quiet, his queue was ticking over whilst I was there. I heard it may be Mr Scott's last autographica - I hope not. A classy guy.

[Count Fooku]

I have to say from a personal perspective this was one of the best Autographica's I have been to. As a relative new boy to Space collecting I had never met Al Worden or Scott Carpenter before so it was gret ato finally do so. To meet someone as important to the space programe as Tom Stafford was also fantastic.

I think from 9am-5.30pm on Saturday I was busy pretty much the whole time with photoshoots, autographs, talks etc which was really good.

Edward Fox bought a bit of old school class to the occasion, has to be one of the most well heelded guests there has ever been at one of these! Al Worden had to be the star of the show for me though, what a character, really seems to get into the spirit of the event with the punters. His talk must have lasted the best part of an hour and a half on Saturday afternoon. Great value.

Overall, I'd say it was a corking event!

[swan]

Quote

The strictly enforced ‘no photographs’ issue I felt dampened the atmosphere.

All I wanted was a photo of Tom Stafford signing my book.  I paid £175 for his auto, to actually have proof that he really signed it would have been great in the form of a photo.  I was quite disappointed at this ruling.

[malc75]

in reply to von ryans express firstly we paid £15 because we were there at 9,not 11
secondly i dony treat this as a "hobby",i go because i want to.
isnt the whole point of this is to express opinion of the day,yes i knew the prices,bit like football matches really,you know the ticket price but you still go,bit like autographica,its a passion not a HOBBY

if you like space and ageing bond girls it was great,i just think we could of had some sort of alternative.

in reply to sazzra,i didnt realise i had to come on here and say what a spiffing day it was and so we all agree with each other,dont eat big macs mate,got better standards than that


BACKOFTHENET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited by malc75, 13 September 2009 - 04:04 PM.