Some Promming Advice please...

[parkepr]

I've previously shyed away from the Doctor Who proms as I've thought they were gimmicks (even though I'm a Doctor Who fan!!) but they do look like fun and think I'll try one out this year...I was wondering if I purchased a weekend promming pass for that weekend does that offer a better chance of getting a good promming position in the arena than queuing in the day queue if I wasn't able to get there until 17:00 ish? Does the weekend pass entitle you to join the season ticket holder queue (which I seem to remember from my promming days went in earlier than the day queue...)

[PhilipT]

Weekend Pass holders can and should join the Season Ticket queue. This doesn't seem to be explicitly laid down in the Guide; however, if you joined the Day queue late, but before the 20 minute cut-off, you'd risk not getting in even though your ticket guarantees you admission.

I would certainly expect the Day queue to be longer than the Season Ticket queue for this Prom, so yes, there should be an advantage to buying the Weekend Pass. There's never a huge number of them so I'd advise booking it as soon as booking opens.

The Season Ticket queue does not go in earlier than the Day queue, and never has done. This is a persistent myth that no amount of explanation has been able to eradicate. What happens is that, if there are X places in a Promming area, and Y valid Season Tickets and Passes sold for that concert, then the first (X-Y) people in the Day queue are admitted simultaneously with all those in the Season Ticket queue. The remainder of the Day queue is then held at the top of the steps until the 20 minute cut-off, at which point the Season Ticket door is closed and as many additional people from the Day queue admitted as there were Season Ticket or Pass holders who haven't turned up.

I did post a more detailed to guide for first-time Prommers a couple of years ago, but it seems not to have survived its hibernation ...

[french frank]

I did post a more detailed to guide for first-time Prommers a couple of years ago, but it seems not to have survived its hibernation ...

It's being resuscitated !

[Resurrection Man]

Weekend Pass holders can and should join the Season Ticket queue. This doesn't seem to be explicitly laid down in the Guide; however, if you joined the Day queue late, but before the 20 minute cut-off, you'd risk not getting in even though your ticket guarantees you admission.

I would certainly expect the Day queue to be longer than the Season Ticket queue for this Prom, so yes, there should be an advantage to buying the Weekend Pass. There's never a huge number of them so I'd advise booking it as soon as booking opens.

The Season Ticket queue does not go in earlier than the Day queue, and never has done. This is a persistent myth that no amount of explanation has been able to eradicate. What happens is that, if there are X places in a Promming area, and Y valid Season Tickets and Passes sold for that concert, then the first (X-Y) people in the Day queue are admitted simultaneously with all those in the Season Ticket queue. The remainder of the Day queue is then held at the top of the steps until the 20 minute cut-off, at which point the Season Ticket door is closed and as many additional people from the Day queue admitted as there were Season Ticket or Pass holders who haven't turned up.

I did post a more detailed to guide for first-time Prommers a couple of years ago, but it seems not to have survived its hibernation ...

Philip...as far as I can see there is only a weekend pass for the opening weekend this year. No other weekend Prom passes as far as I can see

[teamsaint]

I think you are correct RM, though if you go to put a week pass into your proms planner it comes up as a weekend pass !!

a Question:

I was thinking of doing a couple of late night proms, possibly 50/51 and 35/36 (Mahler 2/JEG Bach).
What happens re queuing for the late prom, if you are attending the evening concert?are they well attended?
Ta.

[Resurrection Man]

....
a Question:

I was thinking of doing a couple of late night proms, possibly 50/51 and 35/36 (Mahler 2/JEG Bach).
What happens re queuing for the late prom, if you are attending the evening concert?are they well attended?
Ta.

Well that is where I have to disagree with PhilipT's statement that Season Ticket holders do not get allowed entry ahead of some Day queue members. I think it might depend on the Prom. Last year on the Friday late night performance of NYJO those of us with Weekend Passes were let in to the rather nice bar area downstairs to chill out and imbibe well ahead of the Day queue. That meant that when the doors opened to allow Prommers to enter, we were up there at the front and suitable refreshed.

But of not a lot of use to you, I'm afraid, since no weekend passes this year.

[PhilipT]

Humm! It is certainly true that Season Ticket (and Week and Weekend Pass) holders have an advantage over Day ticket people, in that they can avail themselves of the bars and restaurants before a Prom. This stems from the RAH's rule that the bars and restaurants are open to ticket holders from 2 1/2 hours before the scheduled start of the concert (and yes, the RAH stewards who enforce the rule are trained to recognise such tickets and passes). However, being in the bar shouldn't allow such people to jump the queue. Bear in mind that the queues are held at Doors B and E to the Arena, at which time they ought to be in raffle ticket order.

It can happen, especially at Late Night proms when the weather is wet, that there are two queues: one at Door B (or E), and the other outside the Hall. The key to preventing this is for the bluecoat in the Arena to communicate with the outside stewards by walkie-talkie, but it doesn't always happen.

How well attended a late night Prom can be depends entirely on the programme. For example, I'd expect Prom 40 to attract a large crowd of Stranglers and Cerys Matthews fans who've never been to a Prom before in their lives. After my experience last year with the behaviour of the audience for Staff Benda Bilili, I think I'll give that one a miss.

I must thank french frank for resurrecting my hibernating prose. I hope to modify it shortly to reflect the new ticketing arrangements; I welcome constructive suggestions for other improvements, preferably by PM or e-mail.

[Charlie]

Good morning to you all! The only promming advice which we would like to offer to first-time Prommers is to prom at unpopular Proms! You can usually work out which are the unpopular Proms by going to the Royal Albert Hall website and checking for seat availability on the day. It should be added, of course, that the seating can be relatively empty and the arena can be relatively full, and vice-versa, for example, at a Michael Ball Prom, so this method does not always work!

Intermezzo - Michael Ball

In our experience, however, some of the best Proms are relatively poorly attended, so there is no necessary correlation between the quality of the Prom and the size of the audience. The important point to remember about unpopular Proms is that there is probably no reason, whatsoever, to queue. You can just buy a day ticket at the last minute, although make sure that you join the day promming queue. If unsure, ask! Some of us have better things to do than queue all summer anyway, Philip!

BBC - How to prom?

The disadvantage, of course, is that if you choose to go into the arena, you are likely to find yourself near the back, and you cannot and should not push your way up to the front. This is no bad thing for first-time Prommers, however, as there is going to be a lot more space, and towards the back of the arena, you really can soak up the atmosphere of the Royal Albert Hall. Of course, dedicated Season-ticket Prommers are not going to be attracted by this particular approach! We merely put it forward as an alternative for first-time Prommers, french frank. The Doctor Who Proms will sell out, parkepr, and if you want to prom, you will have to queue, so follow Philip's wise advice as best you can! Four hours might be enough?

[Sir Velo]

Good morning to you all! The only promming advice which we would like to offer to first-time Prommers is to prom at unpopular Proms! You can usually work out which are the unpopular Proms by going to the Royal Albert Hall website and checking for seat availability on the day. It should be added, of course, that the seating can be relatively empty and the arena can be relatively full, and vice-versa, for example, at a Michael Ball Prom, so this method does not always work!
The disadvantage, of course, is that if you choose to go into the arena, you are likely to find yourself near the back, and you cannot and should not push your way up to the front. This is no bad thing for first-time Prommers, however, as there is going to be a lot more space, and towards the back of the arena, you really can soak up the atmosphere of the Royal Albert Hall. Of course, dedicated Season-ticket Prommers are not going to be attracted by this particular approach! We merely put it forward as an alternative for first-time Prommers, french frank. The Doctor Who Proms will sell out, parkepr, and if you want to prom, you will have to queue, so follow Philip's wise advice as best you can! Four hours might be enough?

Enjoying your breakfast cup of coffee C?

[Charlie]

Enjoying your breakfast cup of coffee C?

I can confirm that C did indeed enjoy his breakfast cup of coffee, Sir Velo. So, indeed, did I! As for the Proms, they do tend to start a little later in the day. As this is almost Roger Wright's swan song, my partner has asked me to suggest to french frank and the Friends of Radio 3 that they meet him half way, so to speak. As it is also St George's Day, let us also toast St George, England and the Friends of Radio 3, Sir Velo! Please note, Sir Velo, that I am also a Friend of Radio 3! If I may address french frank directly, Charlie now takes her leave. Thank you for your indulgence.

[Ferretfancy]

I think you are correct RM, though if you go to put a week pass into your proms planner it comes up as a weekend pass !!

a Question:

I was thinking of doing a couple of late night proms, possibly 50/51 and 35/36 (Mahler 2/JEG Bach).
What happens re queuing for the late prom, if you are attending the evening concert?are they well attended?
Ta.

They are often surprisingly well attended in the booked seats, there is usually a bit more room than usual in the Arena Promenade and Gallery. As far as promming is concerned, those Prommers who have already attended the earlier concert will have retained the numbered ticket for their place in the queue earlier in the evening.
After the first concert ends, they leave the hall and form a new queue in ticket order.

Prommers who are only attending the late concert simply join the end of the queue.

If you have booked a seat, you simply leave the hall and re-enter when the doors re-open.

[teamsaint]

They are often surprisingly well attended in the booked seats, there is usually a bit more room than usual in the Arena Promenade and Gallery. As far as promming is concerned, those Prommers who have already attended the earlier concert will have retained the numbered ticket for their place in the queue earlier in the evening.
After the first concert ends, they leave the hall and form a new queue in ticket order.

Prommers who are only attending the late concert simply join the end of the queue.

If you have booked a seat, you simply leave the hall and re-enter when the doors re-open.

Ah thanks FF, that was what I needed to find out. A surprisingly simple system compared to the rest of the promming procedure !!

I really fancy a double header, makes sense if you have to travel up.

[MrGongGong]

makes sense if you have to travel up.

Or down even for most people

[teamsaint]

Or down even for most people

but in my case UP !!
anyway, since you called by, or is that down, or in, what do you reckon to prom 51, gongers?

[MrGongGong]

but in my case UP !!
anyway, since you called by, or is that down, or in, what do you reckon to prom 51, gongers?

50 is more what I would go for
nice to see John White getting a commission
"Drinking and hooting machine" is a real classic IMV