Has anyone ever met a DT member?

[CrimsonSunrise]

Did the meet and greet thing twice.  The first time was the ToT tour and was an awesome experience.  There were about 25 of us...but 15 were pegged to the walls and not interacting with the guys.  I had a one on one with James for about 10 mins...awesome, spent another 10 with JP with another dude, and some time with JR.  The whole experience was spectacular.  The 2nd time was on the SC tour.  At that time the format had changed.  Instead of an open relaxed experience, they were all 5 sitting at a table and we (70) of us had about 30 seconds for the whole table as we were shuffled thru.  The only memorable part of that was JLB actually remembered me from the other time.  He was awesome   Overall, both were great.  My stupid moment was during the free for all one, while chatting with JP, the other guy asked something about the band playing Space Dyed Vest.... before JP could say anything my stupid ass said "Oh no...they wouldn't do that without KM".  Needless to say....that sticks out to me more than any of the good stuff.  That moment of me being a dumb ass....

[Dr. DTVT]

A few of you know this story...

Back in 2007 I had dinner with two Nobel Prize winners, along with a young hotshot who went to the same school as me for my undergrad.  Absolutely the best in the world at what they (and I) do.  It was natural for me, I didn't stumble over words, was able to be an equal partner in the conversation even though I was very much over my head...in short I'm damn proud of how I handled it and I didn't make a fool of myself.

Fast forward to 2009...I think I accidentally convinced JP and MP I make illegal drugs, when JP asked me what kind of guitar I had I said "a black one" *facepalm +lol emoticon*, and when I saw Jordan Rudess at Faneil Hall I just stood there slack jawed.

Thankfully I've gotten much better at meeting musical idols, I'm looking for DT redemption some day.

[ReaPsTA]

I know private conversations are private conversations, but doesn't anyone have any cool specifics?  Did anyone meet Portnoy in 2005 and talk about how good Batman Begins was?  Anything like that?

[fleaman]

Me and my GF went to stalk the hotel we figured they'd stay.

No offense, but stalkers like you is why a guy like Neil Peart is so off-putting when fans approach him.

Actually i think that the are many people doing that and from what i ve seen bands really enjoy that kind of fan approach

[RaiseTheKnife]

For those who care to peruse my various run-ins and minutia with the members:

10/94: JLB, MP, JP, JM - Outside Berklee after show.  I congratulated JP on recently having twins

12/96: JLB, MP, JP, JM, DS - Derek Sherinian flirted with the girl I brought to the show.  They exchanged numbers.  He called her a few days later. True story.

10/97: - JLB, JP, MP - JP recited the PMU inspired verse from Hamlet.  JP also talked about his excitement about the LTE album that was just recorded. MP talked about how he listens to mostly hip hop and that Metallica kinda sucked then.

12/97: JLB, MP, JP

8/98:  DS

12/98: JP, MP, DS - Appealing to the film buff in MP, I showed him the newly released Phantom Menace teaser poster, which he said was cool. Little did we know.  After saying that he never signed anything he is not on, I finally got Derek to sign my Majesty demo.  

2/4/00: JLB, MP, JR, JP, JM - after the show was cut short by the fire marshal, fans requested MP add songs to the set the following night (my request was Speak To Me). MP added Voices.  Also met Howard Portnoy. (Some fan was trying to introduce JR to DT's back catalog and suggested he listen to The Resurrection of Ernie, lol!)

2/5/00: JP - I told JP that I spent all xmas break learning ACOS note for note, but forgot it shortly thereafter.  JP told me not to worry because he forgot most of it too.  (it appeared as the encore the following leg)

3/02:  JP, JLB, MP, JR - I asked JP about the original lyrics to Lines in the Sand and after mulling the song in his head for a moment he recited the elusive outro verse (remember the demo version had not been released to the public yet)

8/02: MP - some drunk guy came up behind MP and bear hugged him.  MP forcefully, but still politely, pulled away.  He was very irked by his drunkedness.  

3/06: JLB, MP, JR, JP, JM - If you ever have the pleasure of meeting JM, ask him to flex his right forearm - its the coolest and freakiest thing I've ever seen. I joked about JP's obnoxious flight pants, which he said he thought rocked.  JM reluctantly signed a photo of him playing keyboards in Nightmare Cinema.  Chatted with JLB about what it was like to sing Chris Collins melodies in Another Won. ( he joked good heartedly about sucking on helium to hit those high notes).

7/07:  JLB (x2), MP, JR (x2), JP, JM - before show MP remarked that I was the very first fan group photo on the entire tour.  It was the first time playing ITPOE, and after the show JR commented that he was not sure how it sounded, but I told him it sounded pretty much just like the album cut, which he appreciated.   JLB enjoyed a brewsky after a hard nights work.

5/08: Met manager Frank Solomon before the show hanging out in the lobby enjoying a beer, and it turns out he lives next to the small cowpoke town where I grew up!

8/09: JLB, MP, JR, JP, JM - Asked if You Not Me could be added to future setlists (as MP inferred in the FII demo liner notes), but he just stared at me blankly, lol.  I asked him to sign my DT flyer with "Thank For Eat Taco."  He looked at me delightfully amused and asked "Hey, where do I know that from?  Who said that?"  I told him "um, you did... on the UAGM 4 track demo"  "Oh yeah" he smiled.

7/10: JR

6/11: JR -  I asked JR if Space Dye Vest would be featured on the upcoming tour, and he replied "uh...i wouldn't count on it but they'll be a bunch of other cool stuff to look forward to"

(there were a handful of additional shows where I did not meet the band, and there might be a couple others where I did meet them, but do not recall anything especially special)

[RaiseTheKnife]

Oh, forgot to mention that I met Derek at a LA bar on New years Eve when he was no longer with DT.  He was telling me about working with David Bowie when my buddy came up drunk and start talking shit about DT.  It was rather awkward.  Derek just rolled his eyes and said that "those guys are all business."

[Dublagent66]

Me and a couple of buddies met JP & JR at the LTE Downey show in LA back in 2008.  We stayed at the same hotel next door to the Downey Theatre where they played an awesome show.

[The Curious Orange]

I spent an entire evening in May 07 watching Spock's Beard at the Mean Fiddler, London standing next to some utter poser who thought he was Mike Portnoy. I mean, he'd got the hair, the vest, the tats, the silly little wrap around shades, the works. Only difference was his beard was dyed green. Thankfully, he buggered off before the encore.

Then Spock's came back on stage and introduced their special guest on drums for "The Light". Mike Portnoy, green beard and all. I'd spent the entire show next to him and not even realised.

He's shorter than I'd expected.

[bosk1]

I know private conversations are private conversations, but doesn't anyone have any cool specifics?  Did anyone meet Portnoy in 2005 and talk about how good Batman Begins was?  Anything like that?

My only "cool" or "different" one was the time I met Mike Portnoy at the Transatlantic show, and Neal Morse tried to beat me up when Mike mistakenly thought I was the admin of 5/8 and got upset.  But I've already told that story, so...

[nikatapi]

I know private conversations are private conversations, but doesn't anyone have any cool specifics?  Did anyone meet Portnoy in 2005 and talk about how good Batman Begins was?  Anything like that?

My only "cool" or "different" one was the time I met Mike Portnoy at the Transatlantic show, and Neal Morse tried to beat me up when Mike mistakenly thought I was the admin of 5/8 and got upset.  But I've already told that story, so...

I'd like a link to your post of the story, if its possible. Thanks!

[j]

12/96: JLB, MP, JP, JM, DS - Derek Sherinian flirted with the girl I brought to the show.  They exchanged numbers.  He called her a few days later. True story.

Wow, some really cool stuff RTK.  Especially this.

Oh, forgot to mention that I met Derek at a LA bar on New years Eve when he was no longer with DT.  He was telling me about working with David Bowie when my buddy came up drunk and start talking shit about DT.  It was rather awkward.  Derek just rolled his eyes and said that "those guys are all business."

Was he talking about DT or Bowie?  Or drunk people in general?

-J

[ZeppelinDT]

By luckbeingacrazystalker or passes I've been fortunate enough to meet MP 6 times, JR 3 times, Petrucci once, Myung once, and Sherinian once.

fixed your typo

[MykeHavoc]

Eh, nothing very exciting. When I met Mike, he told me about the Evening with dates and the band playing 12 Steps in its entirety (which obviously didn't pan out). When I met LaBrie, he told me about the US dates for his solo tour (which also didn't pan out ).

[chrisbDTM]

met them once at a meet and greet. 2009
-snip-

since im procrastinating, ill elaborate a bit

- myung was the nicest (they all were nice) but there was something about him, where he definitely felt the most genuine. they have to do the meet and greet every day and its probably boring as hell.

- didnt say much to MP, thanked him for the box set silver ticket

- told JP i loved him, lame i know haha. i had a jazz III guitar pick, and JP held it and said 'ill transfer my power' then proceeded to stick it to his forehead 

- jordan seemed a little annoyed, but who can blame him.

- i brought the BC&SL vinyl sleeves and lithograph for them to sign and JLB was surprised. said he never gets to see this stuff, and checked the boxset items out.


pretty much all a blur by now, but it was an awesome experience

[wkiml]

[RaiseTheKnife]

12/96: JLB, MP, JP, JM, DS - Derek Sherinian flirted with the girl I brought to the show.  They exchanged numbers.  He called her a few days later. True story.

Wow, some really cool stuff RTK.  Especially this.

Oh, forgot to mention that I met Derek at a LA bar on New years Eve when he was no longer with DT.  He was telling me about working with David Bowie when my buddy came up drunk and start talking shit about DT.  It was rather awkward.  Derek just rolled his eyes and said that "those guys are all business."

Was he talking about DT or Bowie?  Or drunk people in general?

-J

I think Derek was basically implying that he was better off for not being in the band because he's a fun and loose rocker and DT are serious-minded and not looking to live the rock n roll lifestyle.

[Bone_Daddy]

I interviewed James LaBrie for the Systematic Chaos Album:

https://www.blinkx.com/watch-video/artist-of-the-day-interview-08-17/lj2aoj41WcUXN8AuW8cKmw

Mike Portnoy was supposed to the interview but was unable to (he was still sleeping).

[SystematicThought]

I've always liked this one when you post it because it looks like it's at a wedding or something at the reception  

[ReaPsTA]

[post]

Yes!!!   

Now that is a post.

[gmillerdrake]

I met JR on the streets of Milwaukee a few hours before one of thier shows on the BC&SL tour. My brother and I were walking and he says to me "Isn't that Jordan Rudess?" I followed his pointed finger and sure enough JR was standing there talking to his wife. Some sort of metamorphisis took place within me and I immediately turned into what a teenage girl must feel like when she sees Miley Cirus. I ran over to him, completely interrupted he and his wifes' conversation and was saying stuff like "Mr. Rudess I think your great...blah blah..." and he turns to me, hold his finger in the air and says "One moment please"
I backed off, after a minute or two he came over to my brother and I and I immediately apologized and he was totally cool. He said no problem, he let us snap a couple pictures, I told him how much I loved his work and so on. He was a really nice guy who could have and probably should have been an ass towards me being how I was very rude to start with.

[wkiml]

I've always liked this one when you post it because it looks like it's at a wedding or something at the reception  

6DOIT post show meet and greet...preferred these to the ones pre-show that always feel rushed..was in a tent where the band just mingled from table to table taking their time to talk with the fans

[Freeze]

I met the whole band three times in Oslo. The first time was outside the Rockefeller music hall in 1993. They had just played their first ever gig in Norway , and some fans gathered outside the venue waiting for the band. All of them were very nice , I remember Kevin Moore joking around alot, and he gave me his silver pen he had signed some stuff with. John Myung seemed very shy , and I even remember telling a guy from the crew "I did my best". Don`t know what he meant with that comment , but I assume it had something to do with him not being totally comfortable with the fans around him at that time. Portnoy at the other hand , talked to everybody. A funny sidenote is that before the gig we spotted Kevin Moore sitting on the floor in the venue just checking out people.

The next time I met them , was outside the same venue on the "Awake" tour. I took photos with the band , and I remember thinking of Myung as a little more talkative this time. And Portnoy spoiled for us that they were finally gonna record "A Change Of Seasons" , a song that at that time I had heard alot about but never heard. Again , the whole band was very nice to us. Talked quite a bit with Derek Sherinian also that evening. The support band on the tour , Fates Warning also appeared outside and were in a great mood.

Third time , again outside the same  venue on the "Falling Into Infinity" tour. This time we could see that there were alot more people than before waiting for them , so we didn`t really talk much to them this time. A short conversation with John Petrucci is about the only thing I remember from that evening. Great memories , though!

[Ryzee]

I actually ran into MP in the men's room at the Downey Theater right before the Transatlantic gig there in April of last year.  I overheard some east coast sounding dude talking to someone as he was walking in about the crazy time he had getting to the gig, and when I turned around sure enough it was Mike.  As I went to wash my hands I just told him "hey man have a good show!" and he was like "thanks!"  That was about it.  I think another poster already mentioned it but the main thing I noticed was how short he was.

[bosk1]

^That sounds very odd to me.  The reason being that myself and two friends (one of whom is on this forum and can back up this story) snuck backstage through the band entrance door during rehearsal/soundcheck, and there is a separate bathroom backstage for band and crew.  My other friend Jack used it.  There was even a paper sign with the TA logo and an arrow pointing out the "band bathroom," as I recall.  So I don't know what Mike would have been doing out in the public restroom.  That makes no sense.  I also don't know why he would have been ranting about having a tough time getting to the gig since they had been rehearsing for about a week in southern California and the entire band was in the venue rehearsing as of early afternoon when I arrived there.

[Ryzee]

^That sounds very odd to me.  The reason being that myself and two friends (one of whom is on this forum and can back up this story) snuck backstage through the band entrance door during rehearsal/soundcheck, and there is a separate bathroom backstage for band and crew.  My other friend Jack used it.  There was even a paper sign with the TA logo and an arrow pointing out the "band bathroom," as I recall.  So I don't know what Mike would have been doing out in the public restroom.  That makes no sense.  I also don't know why he would have been ranting about having a tough time getting to the gig since they had been rehearsing for about a week in southern California and the entire band was in the venue rehearsing as of early afternoon when I arrived there.

Well shit Bosk, you know what- maybe it wasn't Mike after all!   

I didn't get a great look, the guy was taking a leak for one thing and I'm not one to encroach on anyone's personal space, let alone a celeb's, so I just heard the east coast accent and saw the long wavy dark hair and some facial hair and I guess kinda assumed it was MP!  It looked like him from the corner of my eye, but shit now I feel dumb.  Not so much because I've been spending the last year telling people I ran into MP in the men's room but because I guess I told some random MP look alike dude to have a good show! 

[SystematicThought]

The only thing that I will point out is that MP is indeed rather short compared to the others in the band isn't he?

[bosk1]

Not so much because I've been spending the last year telling people I ran into MP in the men's room but because I guess I told some random MP look alike dude to have a good show!  

 I'm not saying it definitely wasn't him, but it just seems very unlikely under the circumstances.

[bosk1]

The only thing that I will point out is that MP is indeed rather short compared to the others in the band isn't he?

If you are talking about his stature, then yes.  If you are talking about something else, you might want to re-read and take to heart Ryzee's post about not encroaching on a man's personal space while he's doing his business.  Just sayin'.

[SystematicThought]

The only thing that I will point out is that MP is indeed rather short compared to the others in the band isn't he?

If you are talking about his stature, then yes.  If you are talking about something else, you might want to re-read and take to heart Ryzee's post about not encroaching on a man's personal space while he's doing his business.  Just sayin'.

Way to take that one out of context  Yes, I'm referring to his height

[keys76]

https://keys76.hyves.nl/fotos/1362316418/0/9yZo

This picture has been taken in 2009, when JR and Danielle visited my place. In the middle is my son Milan playing Bebot on JR's iPhone.

[Mebert78]

https://keys76.hyves.nl/fotos/1362316418/0/9yZo

This picture has been taken in 2009, when JR and Danielle visited my place. In the middle is my son Milan playing Bebot on JR's iPhone.

Wow, sweet pic!

[DramaticEvents]

https://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/88/meandmikeportnoy.jpg/

2009

[Fuzzboy]

met em all at a show. Talked to JP for a few minutes about amps and gear nerd stuff, and to Portnoy a bit. Myung didn't say much, he just looked me in the eye and thanked me for coming to the show, but it was quite obviously sincere.

[ShadowWalker]

The only Dream Theater member I have met (and interviewed) was Derek Sherinian, and it was after he left Dream Theater...

[Infinite Cactus]

Me, Derek, and my friend John in I think 2006 at a Yngwie Malmsteen show.