So I met John Petrucci Today

[razorsedge]

I don't really have a whole lot to say, but it was really cool and i feel its appropriate to post here about it.

I have been student teaching this semester on long island.  now, i've known for a while that JP lives within about 25 minutes of me but when i was placed in this particular school district for my practice teaching i didn't immediately think of JP.  so whatever, i go this whole semester never even thinking i would run in to him. 

It turns out his daughter is a student at the school i've been working in for the past few months. 

the amazing thing is, today was my last day in the building and as im walking out of the building for the last time, i see JP walking in with his wife.  I almost flip out, but there I am, in a suit and tie, sort of a representative of the school, about to fan-boy all over him.  i calm myself down and address him as Mr. Petrucci and and ask what he's doing here.  we exchange a few pleasantries, he explains he's here to watch his daughter for a thing (not sure i should say what, she's in a club and was performing, i'll leave it at that.)  i tell him im a huge fan and have been for years, we talk about what i teach and if i had his daughter or not (i didn't).  i thank him for the music and congratulate him on the grammy nomination.  thats really it.

i let him get to his thing without bothering for a photo or anything, (luckily, i did a meet and greet a few years back so i already have a photo with him and a few autographs!)

Anyway, just thought i'd share.  i may be more interested in finding a job in this district that i initially intended........lol. 

[Nic35]

Cool story bro


(for realz)

[FlyingBIZKIT]

 

[razorsedge]

Cool story bro


(for realz)

truth is, it was about 2 whole minutes of my life, but will probably be one of my go to "interesting" stories for a while.  i mean, i went the past several months not even knowing i had a chance of seeing him, and on my very last day i literally cross his path with no one else within 50 feet of us. how am i supposed to not approach him, right? pretty crazy, i think. 

[VioletS16]

Dude, that is AWESOME! You must've been so excited  Even I felt excited reading it!

[Super Dude]

I envy all the people who come here with DT encounter stories. Doesn't matter which one I saw, even if it was MP, I would probably lose my shit and transform into Fan Boy.

[Orbert]

Very cool!

Also, you're a teacher, so you rock.

[Madman Shepherd]

That is awesome.  Considering how DT aren't incredibly well known, I bet he was a bit surprised at such an odd meeting but you handled yourself pretty well.  Sometimes its odd to think that 95% of their lives they probably aren't noticed much. 

[Jirpo]

Awesome story!

[BlobVanDam]

[yeshaberto]

awesome!

[?]

Nice story, people who meet DT members outside of the shows are lucky!

[Nihil-Morari]

[darkshade]

Yes

[Mladen]

Oh how I envy you.

Great story, man. 

[hefdaddy42]

That's a cool story!

The only DT-related "meeting" I ever had was meeting Wey and shaking his hand outside RCMH before the SCORE show.  I bet he doesn't even remember. 

[Bertielee]

That's a cool story!

The only DT-related "meeting" I ever had was meeting Wey and shaking his hand outside RCMH before the SCORE show.  I bet he doesn't even remember. 

How can't he remember YOU, Hef? Who would dare to forget such a great person as you...(Is it too much?). For what it's worth, I'll never forget you, Hef, if only for convincing me to stay on DTF when I first came here and didn't get a lot of the humor used . I bow down to you!

B.Lee

[hefdaddy42]

That's a cool story!

The only DT-related "meeting" I ever had was meeting Wey and shaking his hand outside RCMH before the SCORE show.  I bet he doesn't even remember. 

How can't he remember YOU, Hef? Who would dare to forget such a great person as you...(Is it too much?). For what it's worth, I'll never forget you, Hef, if only for convincing me to stay on DTF when I first came here and didn't get a lot of the humor used . I bow down to you!

B.Lee

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

[Madman Shepherd]

I remember reading a story about how a guy ran into JP at a Barnes & Noble in NYC.  He was buying some books on bodybuilding.  I also remember someone seeing MP at a Starbucks but didn't say anything to him.  Thats gotta be surreal

[Super Dude]

Thank you whoever corrected the thread title. The spelling Nazi in me was having convulsive fits.

[JoiseyDTLovah]

Nice!  I love random encounters, outside of meet and greets.  I ran into JP outside of the House of Blues in Myrtle beach SC on the G3 tour.  He was on his phone, so I had the restraint to just say to my brother......holy shit, that's John Freaking Petrucci.     My buddy rags me for not talking to him, but I think I made the right choice.

[TAC]

That's a cool story!

The only DT-related "meeting" I ever had was meeting Wey and shaking his hand outside RCMH before the SCORE show.  I bet he doesn't even remember. 

I'm sure he remembers because:
A: He hasn't washed his hand since, or
B: He hasn't STOPPED washing his hand since!

[abrahamclark]

Awesome story... I've had only one instance of meeting someone I was a fanatic about and you do sort of become speechless.  So that fact that you got to have a few words is great. 

Now in the future, when you see someone you are a semi fan of... it won't even phase you. 

[Cable]

I like your story Razorsedge. You addressed him, talked to him a little (and he engaged you asking about what you taught,) and went on your way. You respected him by not asking for a photo or whatever, and recognized that he is a private citizen (and especially where you met him) like others, but just has a rather public job.

Watching and listening to him interact with fans at a clinic meet and greet, I would guess he would have done the meeting and greeting thing with you. Luckily as you said, you already did that.

Me, I may have said hey Mr. John Petrucci, and kept going, but I met him too obviously already.

Where I live, we have no real famous people in random encounters. But for those that know them (not all do)... I saw Barry Sanders and Jason Hanson (still kicking for the now decent Det Lions) in a suburban outlet mall. My uncle was thinking about approaching them, but I just kind of looked, and listening to him, my other uncle and cousin debate about it. Kind if glad they didn't; he was already retired, and just actually shopping it seemed. No one else approached them though.

I do not get starstruck, because in those moments I know they just want to what they are doing (in their work environment is a different story maybe). Especially I will never be in awe after the strange crap people said to JP at the m&g... it was really weird and creepy almost at times. But again, I saw how nicely he handled them, so he seems humble and thankful mostly.

[Gadough]

Right click, saved.

[voncorn]

-

[DreamerTV]

Especially I will never be in awe after the strange crap people said to JP at the m&g... it was really weird and creepy almost at times. But again, I saw how nicely he handled them, so he seems humble and thankful mostly.

I am interested in hearing what kinds of strange crap fans have said to members at meet and greets.

February 21th, i'll tell you what i will have said.

[Cable]

Especially I will never be in awe after the strange crap people said to JP at the m&g... it was really weird and creepy almost at times. But again, I saw how nicely he handled them, so he seems humble and thankful mostly.

I am interested in hearing what kinds of strange crap fans have said to members at meet and greets.

Paraphrased; "Hey John. We will be in our basement after this. So once you are done, come on by, and you can jam with us!"

[gmillerdrake]

razorsedge: That is pretty friggin' cool! I love and appreciate how you handled yourself and treated he and his wife, that was very classy. I'm glad he engaged you a bit and you get to have a killer memory for life...


I ran into Jordan in Milwaukee back on thier BC&SL tour when he was out and about. MAH BRRUTTHHA and I were walking around and he says to me and motions "Isn' that Jordan Rudess?" I turn around and there is Jordan 20 foot away, talking to his wife. I wish I could say I was as classy as razorsedge but the fact of the matter is I turned all teenage girl who spotted Miley Cirrus. I ran over to him, completely interrupted he and his wife....just was a complete loser...just rude.
  He asked me to 'Please hold on', I stepped back and calmed down and then realized what a D-bag I had been....after a few minutes he walked over to us and I quickly apologized. He chatted with us for a minute or two, let us take some pics with him and was super cool and very nice....which he could have been a complete ass and it would have been deserved being the way I treated him and his wife. But he wasn't, he was very classy and after a few moments with him we all went our seperate ways.

[lucky7]

Very cool story....what a memory.  I would have been startstruck, and would not have been able to utter a word to him....much like the meet and greet. 

[gborland]

Jordan Rudess once approached me to say hello.

This was in the days when Derek was in the band, and Rudess/Morgenstein were the opening act. I was browsing through the DT section in the CD rack of a music store near the venue, and JR walked up to me and said "Hey! We are the support act for tonight!" (Rod Morgenstein was with him too.)

Super nice guy.

[CodyWanKenobi]

Yes

The thumbs up are what got me. 

[chrisbDTM]

Especially I will never be in awe after the strange crap people said to JP at the m&g... it was really weird and creepy almost at times. But again, I saw how nicely he handled them, so he seems humble and thankful mostly.

I am interested in hearing what kinds of strange crap fans have said to members at meet and greets.

Paraphrased; "Hey John. We will be in our basement after this. So once you are done, come on by, and you can jam with us!"

i froze up and told JP i loved him. which is true, but very pretty weird of me to tell him haha

[chknptpie]

Can we make that thumbs-up unicyclist an emote please? haha