'I experienced a meet and greet at JLS' Manchester show - and this is what it was like'
03.11.2023 - 10:25
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Walking into Manchester’s AO Arena on Thursday night, it dawned on me that waiting to see JLS is a joy I’ve experienced for more than half of my life. But this time - I had butterflies...
We won’t be dwelling on my age here, but it’s amazing to me, even as a self-confessed JLS superfan, that after all these years, the experience of seeing Aston Merrygold, Oritse Williams, Marvin Humes and JB Gill back out on tour never gets old.
But this time it was different. There weren’t crowds of people around me as I headed into the arena, because this time I had the ultimate fan golden ticket - aka a meet and greet with the boys.
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Each night of the tour around 100 fans have the opportunity to meet the band. It comes as part of the VIP ticket option that includes meeting the boys, a unique Q&A and some extra goodies from the band.
I stood and watched as the small group of fans ran for hugs before enjoying their own chats and banter with the four-piece before smiling for the camera - some even choosing exactly who they wanted to stand next to in their highly-anticipated snap. They then walked down through the pre-show empty AO arena, smiles on their faces, buzzing as they spoke to each other about what just happened, before taking their seats ready for a quick group chat with the band.
When it came to my "go", I’d like to say I had something profound to say. But after all these years as a fan, the nerves got the better of me.
Aston later reminded me of those nerves when I went backstage just as they made their walk to the stage, with a sell-out crowd waiting for them. While