Do you think AM2 will improve as the years go on?

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  • So of course with all new conventions there are always going to be issues with smaller attendance numbers, smaller budgets, and organization issues

    I was at the first AM2 in 2011, but I decided not to go last year due to the lack of guest announcements through the year and the fact that there was no musical GoH, Ive heard a few rumors as to why the guest list was smaller for the 2012 year, but they may have been just rumors

    from what I have seen in reviews I gathered that the second AM2 was possibly even worse then its first year

    there was not much to do on their first year, but at least I got to see Sadie, it made the whole Con worth going to


    so my question is,
    do you think AM2 will improve for its 2013 Con, and conventions in the future?
    will they be able to get Japanese guests of honor again?


    what are your thoughts on this?

  • I did not go 2011 because it was on the same day as AX and with already knowing what to expect from AX i went there.

    I did attend AM2 2012, it was ok not the best. The fashion guest of honor was cool talked to fans ect always had smile on their faces! got to sit and talk with them for almost an hour.

    GOH were good (Andrea Libman) & (Tara Strong) it's funny since seeing (Tara Strong) at Am2 i see her everywhere now (Comikaze Expo) (EQLA).

    but I was REALLY hoping that there would have been at least 1 Big name Musical Guest.. but sadly no. I think they over did it 2011 Am2 and possibly could not afford to bring over another Big Musical Performance after Already having (Sadie) (Kanon Wakeshima) (Kanon) (Scandal)
    ---------------

    i was not impressed with the dealers hall.
    The artist Alley was ok, but i heard some attendee's complaining that a few of the Artist alley Artists were treating like like crap.
    the Stage next to artist alley was the Wrong location - should have been moved somewhere else (Artists were complaining bout the noise) & their was a meeting or something going on - i think it was Sunday when Lucid was playing so the Meeting complained and the Convention workers shut off the power to their set- something along the lines of that, it was ridiculous.

    AM2 will always have Japanese GOH they did for 2012 even if they are not Big named Guests - Can't always have the Biggest names all the time - Chase & Staff have Connections so yea, Japanese guests will always be at Am2!

    People are complaining about AM2 2013 because it's not really Free anymore it is like $5-$10 for Regular Access... it's like REALLY people are complaining because they can't get in FREE again?? try and find something worth complaining over.... everyone WANTS stuff for FREE it amazes me.. its like they are Entitled to it or something... I'm sorry but if you WANT Japanese Guests and Musical Acts you have to PAY for Am2 to bring them.. money just does not appear out of the wallet like (Oh yea! another $20!)

    just a bunch of Stupid stuff happened over AM2 (nothing major) just minor things that can be fixed!! They are still trying to find their feet - Also trying to Please Everyone is never going to happen at ANY Convention.

    It won't stop me from going because I Support Chase & Staff of AM2 they are Awesome people! All the hard working Staff that help try and make (Attendee's) time worth remembering!!! So I will be attending 2013 Because I have Faith that Am2 will be better this year! They just need (Attendee) Support to make it happen! Convention Success can only happen with Support from (Attendee's)!!

  • Yes and No...

    If they adjust and move to a smaller venue such as a large hotel with a large area for big events I can see them lasting longer by cutting down on spending on huge unnecessary convention space. So far, they have made blunders that have just hurt them. First year they went up against AX and I believe they did alright but it looked like they spent all of their money getting Japanese GoHs like SCANDAL and Kanon Wakashima trying to outdo AX.

    Last year seemed like a con you would go for only a few hours and leave. No big time GoHs and I heard that Artists and Vendors were pissed off that they barely made anything that weekend since many attendees were assuming they would be at AX a few weeks later. Being a con in June sandwiched between Fanime and AX sounds to be a not so great idea.

    This year they are already at a disadvantage with being on a weekend with a con that has a big reputation and huge financial backing in Japan Expo which will be held in Santa Clara, so there goes your potential attendees coming down from the Bay Area out the window.

    AM2 can only get better if they would stop thinking big and make tiny steps year after year. What con was able to make a huge splash in its first year?

  • To me, in the end, most of these things come down to people.

    When they banned Kris for no apparent valid reason, I was like 'feh, what are these people thinking'. Then I saw the guest list and also heard from some of the dealers I knew that they would not be attending.

    I didn't go that year (family stuff). I did talk to a mom who went with her daughter and she enjoyed it (her daughter is really into MLP). Honestly I can't say it is a good match for me or that I would have enjoyed it had I gone.

    A-list stars that haven't been seen in the US before, bring a couple of those and I will gladly pay $50. or even $100. to see them play.

    I haven't seen their financials, don't know what the organization name or their 501(c) is. So it's hard to comment on anything from a financial or economic model perspective.

  • yes I agree they should move to a smaller venue

    I think their general attendance is somewhere between 8-14 thousand though, so thats a little big, I assume they want to save their place in the ACC for when their convention gets bigger, but, I think its a bad choice in its first years

    im not positive about their finances, but I believe in their first year they came close to breaking even, they may have done a little worse in their second year, I heard from allot of people that attendees were just walking in and going to the dealer room, and not really going anywhere else

    the summer festival stage by the artist alley was also a problem in the first year
    I was really disappointed when I learned they had not fixed that
    it was horrible, I couldn't hear my friends talking to me, I couldn't even hear myself think,

    it should be loud enough that the people who want to stand by the stage can enjoy it, but not loud enough that the whole exhibit hall can hear it

    also Im hoping they can get a Musical guest of honor this year

    last year they ran around toting that you couldn't get into any concerts unless you bought a passport

    allot of people bought passports on the pretense that they were going to be able to use them to see concerts, but then when the time came, there were no concerts
    I thought that was pretty low

  • Oh shoot, it's not free anymore? :sulk: hahaha. That's really the only reason I went last year. I had a good time on Friday, but Sunday was a snooze fest. (Didn't go on Saturday) I really don't care about the "guests"..... What this con need for me, was more attendees to make it more exciting. I can't imagine there being MORE attendees this year than last year....
    (On that note, if the price really is $5-$10..... that's still pretty darn good for a badge.)

    :juggler:

  • I went Friday and Saturday and had fun both days. I wish I would have gotten a hotel room instead of hauling @$$ back to Burbank/Glendale Area. Con staff was totally awesome and very funny. I mean I don't go to cons for musical guests, I go for certain events, and cosplay groups. The lack of programing on Sunday made me not interested.

    There were some times I'll admit where nothing was going on. I think some people snapped some photos of me asleep in my costume. Though that seems to happen at every con i go to.:D

    I like the ACC I just wished they did more with the space and used it better.

    I agree however that the stage was atrocious and I really wish they'd do something about it.

  • I hope there is a J-rock band or J-pop Singer this year. I love attending Conventions for Bands!

    I have already seen Nylon Pink a couple times in LA.
    They are Good! Don't get me wrong I like watching them perform!

    Also Cool that it is Only February and they have announced 1 guest already when Con time is not until August! kudos! :)

  • am I a bad person for being disappointed with their first GOH announcement?
    not that I think Nylon Pink is a bad band, but I really want a japanese musical GOH to attend AM2 this year and im afraid that AM2 wont get one, Nylon Pink dosnt do anything to help ease my fears

    I know they announced it early but I think thats only because AX an a few other cons started announcing guests early, so they had to compete

  • [QUOTE=daylight;4605954]am I a bad person for being disappointed with their first GOH announcement?
    not that I think Nylon Pink is a bad band, but I really want a japanese musical GOH to attend AM2 this year and im afraid that AM2 wont get one, Nylon Pink dosnt do anything to help ease my fears

    I know they announced it early but I think thats only because AX an a few other cons started announcing guests early, so they had to compete[/QUOTE]

    Also Japan Expo USA up in the Bay Area isn't making things easier for AM2. Whatever GoHs they get will more than likely blow away AM2 out of the water.

  • ^ for sure, If I had enough money to make the trip up to norcal I would have my tickets to Japan Expo already, hahahha

  • ...

  • ^it's only $5 a day
    $10 for the whole weekend
    it shouldn't be a big deal, I wouldn't go comparing it to AX prices