I had a chance last week to attend a taping of The Voice. I realize it is a live show but they do tape it for playback later on the West Coast. I enjoyed the experience but I'm not sure if I would do it again.
The show starts at 5pm on the West Coast. I went on a Tuesday which means I attended the one hour version of the show (the results show). Even though it starts at 5pm, audience members have to check-in much earlier.
I arrived for check-in around 1pm. My check-in time was 1:30pm but it is a good thing that I arrived early. I drove to one set of gates and was directed to another gate in order to get to the parking garage for the show. Once I got to the correct garage, I drove around for 10 minutes looking for a parking space. I was about to give up when a security guard waved me down to tell me that new parking spaces were being opened up. I just needed to follow the signs to the new parking area. I drove along the new path and ended up parking right in front of the check-in area.
Score one for me!
When you arrive at the check-in table, you need:
- Your ID
- A signed copy of the photo waiver that says they have the right to use your image during the show as well as in photos taken during the show
- A signed copy of the waiver that says you won't reveal what happened during the show until after the broadcast, not reveal trade secrets, etc.
There are two lines at the check-in area. The first is for people with priority seating and the other is for general admission/people who don't have reserved tickets but hope to see the show if possible. I made my way through the priority seating line and was directed to an area with a large tent.
I think it was around 1:45pm when I arrived at the tent. I wasn't sure what time it was because you are not allowed to take your phone with you after you check-in. Depending on when you arrive, and when you get back to your car after the show, you can spend a good 4-5 hours off the grid.
The tent was the area where everybody that made it into the audience had to sit and wait. The paperwork for the show asked the audience to "dress to impress". Since it is a TV show, they want the audience to look stylish when the cameras do crowd shots. It was interesting to watch the crowd and see what some people consider stylish and impressive. Some of the outfits on display included:
- A newlywed male from Texas who was wearing the biggest belt buckle possible, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat that seemed to be glued to his head
- A female wearing a pink skirt, pink shoes and what might have been pink leggings but could have been pink short shorts
- A guy who denied that he had heard of Chance the Rapper even though he was wearing the same hat and outfit as Chance
- An assortment of plaid shorts that marked people as not being from Los Angeles
There was music playing and food trucks for snacks but no clear indication of when we would be heading to the sound stage. After an undetermined amount of time, two guys approached the crowd to tell us what to expect during the show. They interacted with everybody by making jokes, answering questions and playing games.
Finally, it was time to head to the sound stage. The crowd was seated according to the color of the wristband you were given during check-in. You were either seated quickly or had to wait and see where the open seats were after the rest of the crowd entered the building.
Between the super long wait between check-in and going to the sound stage, and the loss of contact with the outside world, I was kind of over it by the time the show started at 5pm.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed the show. I always find it interesting to watch how TV shows are put together. It is fascinating to watch a live TV production crew in action because the clock is constantly ticking for them during the show. The actual program was a little like being at church because there was a lot of standing and sitting and more standing and sitting and even more standing and sitting. The warm-up guy was good and got the crowd energized and ready for the show. He also came out during the commercial breaks and told us what was happening next and to be sure and stand and scream loudly for our favorite singers. Everybody followed their cues and made sure to show some love to the contestants as well as the judges.
One thing about being at a live TV show is the sound is certainly not the same as you hear on your TV. Because of the cheering of the crowd, it was next to impossible to hear Carson Daly at the start of the show and also at various points throughout the program. The judges are focused during the broadcast but they do interact with the audience a bit during the commercial breaks. The house band always sounds great on TV but they were loud and amazing in person. They played a variety of songs throughout the show and I came away very impressed with their skills as musicians.
The show wrapped up at 6pm and I was ready to hit the door and go home (and check my phone). Like I said, I enjoyed the show but there was way too much downtime between check-in and the start of the show. I understand the need to hype the crowd and explain the rules of attending the broadcast. However, that could have been done not long after we arrived instead of making everyone sit around for an hour (or more) after check-in.
I got back to my car around 6:30pm and was happy to be reunited with my phone. The two things I didn't understand about taking our phones were:
- If one of the main features of the results show is a Twitter save, why do they deny the audience the chance to participate during the show they are attending?
- Are they afraid the audience will post photos during the show on social media? It is being broadcast live to multiple time zones so it's not like many spoilers are going to happen.
BTW...I mentioned earlier that the producers of the show make you sign waivers that you bring to the show. If one of the waivers deals with not talking about what goes on behind the scenes of the show, why am I discussing my day in detail?
They never asked for any of the paperwork at check-in. They also never asked for it before we entered the sound stage or after the show. It never occurred to me they didn't ask for the paperwork until after I got home and emptied my pockets.
If you are a big fan of The Voice, or of hanging out under a tent with hundreds of strangers, I recommend trying to get tickets to see a live taping of The Voice. It is one of those "Hollywood experiences" that everyone should have a chance to enjoy if possible.
