6 lessons learned from summer's hottest live acts
Selfies with fans? Big thumbs up.
Social media blunders? Hit delete and try again.
With scorching live acts such as Katy Perry, Tim McGraw and Paul McCartney burning up arenas nationwide — and plenty more hitting the road soon — it's time to step back and get schooled on the biggest triumphs and missteps of the summer concert season so far.
Lesson #1: Make a fan's dream come true. Megastar artists are continually finding ways to touch concertgoers' hearts, whether it's Bruno Mars giving a car crash victim who was "saved" by his music the all-star treatment at his Cleveland show last month, or Tim McGraw serenading a girl with Down syndrome at his Atlanta concert last week, gifting her his signed guitar after. But the most memorable acts of kindness this summer come from two beloved veterans: Paul McCartney, casually captured in a selfie with a young fan (and pal Warren Buffett) while strolling around Omaha earlier this month; and Garth Brooks, who called upon Atlanta fan Andy Roberts to announce the first stop on his comeback tour via Roberts' commercial janitorial service website. As if we needed a reason to love these guys more.
Lesson #2: Seriously, get the fans involved. KatyCats and Little Monsters, assemble! Katy Perry and Lady Gaga die-hards will paw at any chance to get up-close-and-personal with their idols, both of whom delivered on the road this summer. One North Carolina fan got to ride through the air with Perry on her lap in a "birthday chair," thanks to winning a contest held for the Raleigh stop of the singer's Prismatic tour last month. A week later, Gaga invited a 17-year-old superfan to sing acceptance anthem Born This Way with her at her concert in Ottawa, Canada. But neither can take the cake from McCartney, who once again proved he's Mr. Nice Guy when he pulled a couple onstage for a marriage proposal during his Albany, N.Y., show July 5, after spotting their signs that read "He won't marry me 'til he meets you" and "I've got the ring & I'm 64."
Lesson #3: Think before you post. Headlines haven't all been rosy for Gaga, who's trekking across North America on her gaudy Artpop Ball tour — specifically when it comes to her social media accounts. Mother Monster raised eyebrows for flashing her nipple on Instagram while sitting aboard a plane last week, but caught even more flak when she tweeted out a picture that was captioned as her Quebec festival show, when it was actually a picture from a 2011 Metallica concert, as fans pointed out. You don't need a caption to stir controversy, though: Unstoppable diva Beyoncé, on the road with hubby Jay Z this summer, Instagrammed a photo of herself out for a swim making a diamond symbol with her hands. While it was likely a nod to Jay's Roc Nation label logo, many fans took it as a hint at the Illuminati conspiracy that follows the famous couple wherever they go.
Lesson #4: Switch things up, but prepare for chatter. Speaking of Queen Bey, she had her Beyhive in a tizzy last month when she changed the lyrics to cheating song Resentment during a Cincinnati stop of the On the Run tour, singing "Been ridin' with you for 12 years" instead of "six" (she and Jay have been together since 2002). If Bey wants to keep things fresh, might we suggest bringing out a high-profile guest instead? Aerosmith did just that when Johnny Depp picked up a guitar and joined them for a rockin' encore of Train Kept A-Rollin' at their Boston gig last week, sending the cheering crowd into a frenzy.
Lesson #5: Hands off the fans. The Internet brought out its pitchforks last week when TMZ posted a video from Tim McGraw's July 13 concert in Atlanta, in which he appeared to slap a fan after she grabbed onto his jeans, ripping them. The country superstar told ET Canada that he reacted in an "instinctive, defensive way," but the swat still managed to overshadow his heartwarming encounter with a special-needs girl earlier in the show. If a fan gets handsy again, might we suggest that McGraw ask what Beyoncé would do? After all, she was dragged off stage by a fan during a Brazil gig last year, only to shake his hand and go on with the show. Talk about a textbook trouper.
Lesson #6: When jumping from stage to screen, proceed with caution. What's one way to capitalize off a tour when there's speculation of poor ticket sales? A concert film, naturally. Beyoncé and Jay Z are taking that route, bringing their dynamic On the Run tour to HBO as a TV special (airing Sept. 20), on top of the four-minute performances from Bey's popular Mrs. Carter world tour, which are airing before episodes of True Blood. Concert events don't always draw eyeballs, though — just ask our favorite tongue-wagger Miley Cyrus, whose Bangerz special only drew 2 million viewers Fourth of July weekend and proved to be a ratings dud for NBC.