Just arrived home from seeing Ronnie and his art at The Butler Institute of American Art. Yes, he was there. I have been to many, many "formal" parties, receptions, etc. etc. but I must say this one was probably the bread winner. By bread I mean "money".

Ok Ok as for Ronnie. at about 8:15 pm they stopped the small music ensomble and agave a breif announcment announcing him. He came down the steps right in front of me and there was a large crowd.

He only spoke in front of the microphone for maybe 1 minute. that's right ....sixty seconds. Maybe two minutes at very most Thanking the Butler and all of us.

He turned around and two folks stopped him right in front of me as numerous flashed went off and everyone was calling to him.

I heard his entire convo. to these guys. He was telling them he lost 10,000 pounds over something and he was saying what a "drag" it was. I was not sure what instance he was talking about but at first he didn't recognize the guys. Then he did and as they brought up a certain situation he spoke. He was by far the most "care free" person in the place. There were plenty of people as well. Line outside and everything. He was just say 8 feet from me during this conversation.

I can say he was the loudest guy in this place. He was "real" and spoke like you would see him in a movie all layed back, cool and laughing loud and incredibly animated putting his arm around these guys kinda. But none of it was an act. Just like you see him he is truly a fun guy. That is the best way to describe him. He would be "fun" to know. The great guy, hyper guy at the party everyone loves. He exudes that. He spoke to these guys as the crowd covered him for maybe two more minutes. He would say hi and talk to anyone you could see but his handlers didn't want him goin around the place.

They took him directly up the steps and into a sealed room where security would not let anyone pass. At first they said he had already left but I and a few others knew better. He then was whisked out the back steps to his ride after about another hour.

The only reason I saw that was because Me and a few other diligently waited for him. He was gone.

There was no meet and greet ...no nothing. I was really disappointed. I paid two hundred bucks and I thought we would get a chance to speak to him for maybe thirsty seconds but nobody did. Nope. He could of came out for autographs for five minutes or something but his people, and The Butler were not having that.

Saw his Art. It is very well done. Some even has gold chips in it.

One thing that came to mind at the event was "money" and stardom. It was all around the place. Was evident he is very, very looked after and has such stauts. I knew he was a Roling Stone and all but it was of more magnitude than I anticipated. He was only in view for maybe three friggin minutes and that was it. He was kept behind closed doors. The girl I was with had her 21st birthday tonight. Her parents bought her the ticket for her birthday. Another girl I was with spoke to his manager luckily. His manager is a woman. She begged her manger to get one hello and one conversation bc it was her birthday and all the manager promised is that she would try...

Naturally nothing.

Anyway I am glad I went. Was something to see the star power and stature that close up. Ronnie Wood is "exactly" in person as you would see him on video bouncin happily and talking far out in a sense to fellow Stones. He is somethin eles bc it's all real. Art was really good too.

*I am attaching a pic of him speaking and where I was.  The guy on the right in this photo, in the tan shirt, was one of the guys that had that conversation with him. As you can see that gentlemen, at this time was maybe two feet from me. Then the guys went up to him about another 5 feet as soon as he finished speaking so this is why the actual conversation with Ronnie took place about 8 feet from me. I heard everything he said but not them.

gotdablouse wrote on Sep 21^st, 2010 at 11:11pm:


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The two gentleman brought up an instance of something they had been a part of with him but I am not sure they knew him or he knew them directly. They "may of" just had the situation in common. they were some where together at one time.

Ronnie didn't like wherever they were talking about and says how he lost 10,000 pounds in the situation. I could hear it as plain as day ... anyone could he speaks so loudly.  
The gentleman also acknowledged and knew the situation they spoke of sucked ... but it was all they could find in common to talk to him about.

Ronnie was not whisked away for being so loud and carefree with his conversation. It was time to go ...he went up the steps bc Museum staff and security didn't want him hanging about or out in the public long at all.

Ronnie would talk and put his arm around you, or anyone who wanted to talk as he did with these guys. He's that cool, realistic. ..and is nothing fake.

*He even gave me a look and an open body gesture as in "he'll yeah lets have fun and talk" should I approach him. I thought I was going to talk to him next up!. However I didn't know they were going to immediately be taking him right back up the steps and out of sight. I didn't want to be rude and intrude on his conversation while he was talking to the guys so I was simply waiting my turn. Never got that turn bc he was gone right after the convo. As you could see I was right behind him on the balcony....closer than much of the press and he came right toward us after speaking. No fear.

The girl I was with knows the librarian at the Butler who had lunch with Ronnie in Cleveland today, as did a few other members of the butler because she is especially "in" with the director of the museum who I also know. Dr. Zona

She said Ronnie Wood is the nicest guy in the world.

Ian

sounds like a complete rip-off.
sorry you were taken in.

"Not a "has been" still trying to hold on to some stardom"

I'm sorry Ian, but that's exactly what he is.

Clearly Mr Wood has delusions of grandeur and has taken to thinking he is the Prime Minister or President of a nation, as opposed to a guitar player in a washed-up rock band.

Laughingly pathetic, sad and depressing in equal measure.

Mick and Keith busy writing, unable to attend...

Didn't realize it was a "meet and greet", so yes, total rip-off! If he'd wanted to he could well have told his "minders" to leave him in the main room. Maybe his "encounter" with these two guys talking about money made him upset or worried, either way it's a shame.

Reminds me of that story in Bill German's book when Ronnie hosted that event in NYC for which Bill printed programs and ran out of things to say after a minute or two and then got evryone annoyed.

This surprises me, actually. I too, had him pinned as a down-to-earth people's-person who'd happily mingle with those who paid such high prices. Obviously not, then. 

Ronnie is no big draw. He appeared on the One Show for Christ’s sake. Imagine Mick or Keith doing that?

"It's no big deal"

And what was Luke Wilson doing at the event?

??!!

gimmekeef wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2010 at 1:11pm:




RIM!!!

Boys and Girls. Your very right. Something was not sitting well with me as I typed what happend last night.

All I needed was someone to say hey bro ....you were ripped. Kinda like a real good friend finally tellin you finally .... "bro ...that chics no good". Some times you just gotta hear it. I TOTALY overlooked the fact that I could go see the paintings... scott free. they are still there.

The invitation's title on the outside I received was "Meet Ronnie Wood". The RSVP said ...."Spend an evening with Ronnie Wood". It did not say meet and "greet" as well but wtf.... ????

They gave NOTHING away for free. No program ... no nothing. I paid S200.00 for a 60 second fuckin speech?

TO ANSWER/ADDRESS A FEW QUESTIONS:

1. The bit about there were security concerns is bull shit. It was extremely organized. There was plenty of security all around. No rowdy people (at 200.00 bucks a pop riff raff was totally non-existent). There was not one person shady anywhere in sight. Most were in gowns and suits. All high class distinguished folks and many older people. That is an excuse. Anyone who was there would tell you that. The Press pursued him after the speech. All the guests gave him plenty of space and was letttin it all happen accordingly.

2. The situation that was brought up to ronnie by those two guys did not worry him at all. He was just agreeing, laughing, bouncin about and being Ronnie. The people who took him upstairs said ..."were gonna take him upstairs now" ....it was not Ronnie doing.

3. I don't think it was Ronnie (it was surely his management and the Butler). Ronnie himself, would of bounced around all night. He was just doing what his keepers and Security wanted. Wasn't him. He was happy and excited to be there showing his art and all. I seen him face to face and could tell that much. He even notioned to me as in "hell yeah hey whats up"... he wanted to talk and was open to have fun with us. I know it cause I seen it go down in front of my face. By saying "have fun" I don't mean to sound silly or immature but that was his whole friggin vibe man. Even if I did not know who he was or he was not famous that is all that he exuded..let's have fun, laugh and shoot the shit. This is why I state it as such.

Last:

I AM going to get my money back. What a crock. Will email the Butler tonight (I know the PR director).

Oh and by the way everyone I spoke to said it was Bull and to try and get my money back so your not alone.


Ian

sweetcharmedlife wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2010 at 10:12pm:


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Yeah. I would certainly "say" if Ronnie wasn't up to it but he would of been. The people handling it were definitely not.

They could of let him come out again for 15 minutes to say hi and talk to some people. There was plenty of security to keep anything from getting out of hand. I am trying to get my money back now.

What a load. Three minutes to just "see" the guy for two hundred bucks a pop is a crock. Especially since it was "touted" as a "Meet Ronnie Wood" affair.

Screw that.


Ian

With all this hyper activity he has going on with the Faces, his own album, appearances like this, and his radio show, makes me guess that he has serious money problems. he may be the most down to earth one, but it just looks like he has big problems and he has to make as much as possible to keep up his lifestyle so that young girls will still go out with him. It's almost sad and tragic watching it, but then I think about what he did to Jo and if it's true, it is what he deserves.

Maybe Ronnie will re-design the sleeve of his new album in t-shirt form to commemorate this week's art exhibit rip off and fanasylum ticket price double whammy and call it   "I Don't Feel Like Paying".....