Surprise Encounters with Famous Musicians

[RichardRG]

My surprise encounter with famous musicians story is running into Janne Warman, my BIGGEST idol at the time, at a Starbucks in Philadelphia in 2008 or 2009. At the time, I was in college and really involved with my studies, so I wasn't in the loop about concerts in my area. I was taking a break from a math tutor session and went to the Starbucks halfway down the block. I noticed a tall, long haired blond man in a black leather jacket at the corner of the block. He seemed familiar to me, and I instantly recognized it was Roope Latvala as I had met him before after a Children of Bodom concert a few years prior. I asked him where the rest of the band was, and he said they were inside the Starbucks. Then the rest of the band (minus Alexi) came out of the Starbucks and I couldn't believe it, I was meeting Janne Warman!! You gotta understand that I am completely obsessed with Janne's side project WARMEN and listen to their albums, especially Beyond Abilities, almost religiously. So I was completely mind blown by the 1 in 7 billion chance that I had ran into Janne Warman, a native Finn, randomly at a random Starbucks in Philadelphia. I proceeded to take pictures with the band and praise Janne for his music. He told me that the band was playing a concert that night, but I had no idea about that before and I couldn't go. The odds of this event happening are still mind blowing to me.   

Anybody else have stories of random, surprise encounters with famous musicians? 

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

None here. Although I do happen to see a lot of people who look strangely like Steven Wilson. I've seen Photographer Wilson, Emo Wilson, and Punk Wilson in the past year.

[adace]

I saw Ozzy Osbourne get out of an elevator I was about to go on in Los Angeles. It was utterly surreal.

[Big Hath]

when my wife was a kid, she and her dad rode in the same elevator as AC/DC

[jammindude]

I was at Seatac airport around Xmas of 88 (89?)....  My (then) fiancee was going to the east coast to visit relatives.   I was walking through a restaurant when I see Lars Ulrich sitting at a table by himself.       

I walked up to him and said, "Are you Lars Ulrich?"
He said, "Ya! Hi! How's it going?"  and he shook my hand.
I said, "I don't believe this!"
He said, "Why?"   

I don't remember much beyond that other than I told him to wait there a second so I could get his autograph.  There was no one working the counter, so I jumped over and grabbed a random scrap of paper and a pen.   We talked a couple of seconds, but we were both in a hurry.   His father lives in the Seattle area, and he was visiting him for the holidays.   He signed my random scrap of paper and that was it.    Real bummer.  I had it framed for a long time, but it was subsequently lost in one of my many moves.   

[Elite]

I saw Zucchero Fornaciari at a random ruin on Sicily once. Didn't speak to him, since he was clearly there to just visit the place with his family. I also saw Frans Bauer (a Dutch popular artist, who comes from a gipsy backgroud) on the airport in Budapest when I was there on a study trip. I don't care for his music at all, but the other people I was with met up and talked to him. He was on the same flight I was on afterwards.

[?]

Haven't met any famous musicians myself, although my dad has bumped into a couple of legendary Finnish rock musicians (Remu Aaltonen, Andy McCoy). However, Finland is such a small country that those living in Helsinki probably have a good chance of spotting celebrities.

[Buddyhunter1]

None here. Although I do happen to see a lot of people who look strangely like Steven Wilson. I've seen Photographer Wilson, Emo Wilson, and Punk Wilson in the past year.

I've also seen A LOT of people that look like Steven Wilson.
Maybe he cloned himself a while back to do all those vocal harmonies with himself more easily.

[snapple]

I've bumped into the DragonForce guys at a local bar.

[Zydar]

Living in Nowhereville, Sweden, I rarely bump into famous people.

[snapple]

Living in Nowhereville, Sweden, I rarely bump into famous people.

I actually live in Nowhereville, Michigan. They had a show that night and gave my friends and myself tickets to the show. I was like "hey, I think that's ZP Theart (or whatever his name was), I'm going to go say hi". Herman Li eventually asked us what we were doing that night, said nothing, then he said "give me five minutes" and he came back with 4 tickets for us.

edit: This was before guitar hero and RIGHT after their album with Through the Fire and The Flame was released.

[skydivingninja]

Unexpected but not really special: Herman Li outside of a Dragonforce gig, Axe and Fredrik outside an Opeth gig

Unexpected and special: Brent Hinds at Dragon*Con in Atlanta.  He was chatting with a local band who had a small booth at the Con.  I saw him and thought "he looks like Brent Hinds but probably isn't.  Then I saw his face tattoo and was kinda paralyzed with fandom.  I chatted with him a bit, saying how much I loved Crack the Skye and how excited I was for the new album (this was about a year before The Hunter came out).  He complimented me on my "cape" (it was a fourth doctor who scarf) and commented on my DT shirt.  Learned that he hates Dethklok/Death Metal and escaped to the Canada border with Deftones for smoking a bunch of weed.    Got a picture with him.  I'll post it later.

[Zantera]

I have a few logical ones like meeting/seeing bandmembers outside of the venue before or after the show, so nothing too impressive I guess. Got a photo taken with Daniel Gildenlöw after the PoS/Opeth-show, would have loved to stay and chat with him for a bit, but he was already in discussion with some other dude. Saw Agalloch strolling around a graveyard right outside the venue where they would play 2 hours later, so that was kinda cool.

Otherwise nothing too surprising. I did however see Mikkey Dee (drummer in Motörhead) at a McDonalds here. He had his family with him and they were standing in front of me in line. I don't really listen to Motörhead though but I recognized him, and since he lives here in Gothenburg, I wasn't THAT shocked to see him. But it was a bit of a surprise.

[Buddyhunter1]

I have a few logical ones like meeting/seeing bandmembers outside of the venue before or after the show, so nothing too impressive I guess. Got a photo taken with Daniel Gildenlöw after the PoS/Opeth-show, would have loved to stay and chat with him for a bit, but he was already in discussion with some other dude. Saw Agalloch strolling around a graveyard right outside the venue where they would play 2 hours later, so that was kinda cool.

Sounds like something they would do. 

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

"hey, I think that's ZP Theart (or whatever his name was), I'm going to go say hi".

I think you might be thinking of Zippie Evilpants from A7X?

[SystematicThought]

Brent Hinds commented on my DT shirt.

What did he say about them? I remember in an interview where they ripped on DT, but Brann apologized

[ZeppelinDT]

I've randomly run into John Petrucci a couple of times... once at a local bar, and once while wandering the streets of Montreal.  That's about it though.

[El Barto]

I saw Ozzy Osbourne get out of an elevator I was about to go on in Los Angeles. It was utterly surreal.

If anybody else ever happens to bump into Ozzy somewhere, do me a favor and tell him I said his wife is a filthy cunt.  Thanks.

OT, we bumped into Kenny Rogers after a Metallica show (AJFA tour). Nice guy.

Backstage at an Iron Maiden show (World Slavery) my friend and I were sitting at a table waiting for the band, drinking beer, and trying to act cool with these two groupie chicks seriously out of our league (we were like 15 at the time). Chris Holmes (WASP guitarist) comes in and takes the ladies away from us. Nice guy. Actually spoke to us more than Bruce or Nicko did.

[SystematicThought]

I personally have never met anyone, but my cousin's husband drives the bands to the State Fair when they play at the Grand Stand. He said he went to go pick up Ringo Starr at the hotel, front door to the car opens up: "Hello, I'm Ringo Starr." Very nice guy apparently.

[Beowulf]

Years ago I was working retail (the music department... what else?).  My manager comes up to me and tells me, "don't freak out, but you see that guy with the hair?"  I looked over and saw a guy of average height with his back to me with big shoulder-length hair.  I saw him, but saw no face.  "Just don't bug him.  If he comes over, help him."  I looked at my manager, like he was having a joke.  The "hair" turned around and it was Paul Stanley!  He wandered over to my department, and asked that last question I would ever venture you would hear from Paul: "Do you have the new Winnie-The-Pooh video?"
I just started laughing.  He looked at me, quizzically.  He figured I knew who he was.  I had heard him and Gene on the radio that morning, but didn't know they were still in town.  "Actually," Paul corrected me. "Gene went back to NY.  I'm here because my wife is from here and we're going to her folks' place.  She's getting a video camera over there," and pointed to a very attractive woman.  "I need something for the nieces and nephews."

We sat and chatted for a while.  Very down-to-earth, nice guy.  Very random encounter.

[Ben_Jamin]

I've met Veil of Maya after their set in the bar next to the venue, it was during Trivium and that bar has better beer. Funny thing is only one other guy noticed. Same thing with Iwrestledabearonce, only they were hanging out at the bar before their set. Me and my friend ended up talking to the guitarist. Sadly, Kris was having her pregnancy sickness so was out in the va barely noticed herwhen she came up to the balcony to watch one of the support bands.

[skydivingninja]

Brent Hinds commented on my DT shirt.

What did he say about them? I remember in an interview where they ripped on DT, but Brann apologized

He was just like "and you're got the Dream Theater shirt you're all set!" when I asked for a picture.

[Lolzeez]

Kevin Moore. Or a huge look alike.

[cfmoran13]

Back in '99, my friend and I were parked outside a NJ venue called Tradewinds.  We were in line to get into the parking lot when a limo behind us honked the horn at us.  Pissed off, I got out of the car to see who the hell was honking and, from out of the back of the limo came David Lee Roth.

In his typical DLR voice, he asked "Hey guy, could you move your car?  We're trying to get in."  I said "sure".  Then, he said "Thanks.  See ya at the show!" in the same voice he uses at the beginning of the "Yankee Rose" video to say "Give me a bottle of anything, and a glazed donut... to go!"  My buddy and I busted out laughing once I got back in the car.

[SystematicThought]

In his typical DLR voice, he asked "Hey guy, could you move your car?  We're trying to get in."  I said "sure".  Then, he said "Thanks.  See ya at the show!" in the same voice he uses at the beginning of the "Yankee Rose" video to say "Give me a bottle of anything, and a glazed donut... to go!"  My buddy and I busted out laughing once I got back in the car.

Great story, I can picture it happening

[King Postwhore]

So my buddies and I were at a mall in Methuen Mass.  We stopped at Papa Gino's where I got Tuna in pocket (Syrian bread). So walking up to us is this black guy in a long black leather jacket, dressed in black and had this blond, drop dead gorgeous hottie in high heals walking to us.  I look and realize is John Butcher.  I point at him and tell him I love his music.  They stop and talk for a while.  Great guy.

So every time we had lunch at that Papa Gino's my buds made me order the same thing. 

[wkiml]

Steve Harris and Nicko back in the late 80's /early 90's at a local club..they were in between NY dates (MSG/Nassau  or MSG/NJ) and stopped in to check out the band playing that night

Rhett Forrester ( I know who?) from RIOT...same local club...got invited to hang out in the VIP section with him for a few hours really nice guy

Pretty much any Friday or Saturday night you were likely to run into someone from Twisted Sister/Overkill/Anthrax or Zebra @ Lamours in Brooklyn

[philmcson]

Hmmm, this one wasn't really a surprise encounter but I went with an acquaintance of mine to the hotel Nicko McBrain and his crew were staying at in Munich where he had a drum clinic two years ago. While he and a few others were eating pizza, the two of us drank wine with his drum tech and driver. Later they paid for our wine, the drum tech sexed my acquaintance and that was it 

And yes, before the Aristocrats had their concert in Zagreb a few months ago I walked past Brian Beller and Guthrie Govan and could have gotten a nice photo with them, but not being too familiar with the members at that time (except Marco Minnemann) I mistook them for some bums just randomly staying on the street 

[Madman Shepherd]

Cool stories.

My sister used to live in Dallas and was taking photography classes.  Her teacher had the class meet at a recording studio because she had a small studio set up there.  My sister is telling me this story and says, "So I got to this place called Nomad Recording Studio" and I stop her mid sentence and I go, "Thats where King Diamond records!"  My sister says, "Yeah, my teacher is good friends with him!"

Anyway, my sister says I could probably meet him if I go visit her even though the prospect was very intimidating.

Regardless, my sister did get a one of a kind personally autographed and personalized 10x16 print of King.  Her or I never met him but the coincidence was crazy.