Meet and Greet Etiquette?

[Orion1967]

Ok, so I just shelled out $550 for my son and I for VIP tickets for the show on Oct 19th at the Tabernacle and since I have NEVER done a meet and greet for ANY band ever, I was hoping to reign in some of the experience of the fine folks here.  Do you have a few minutes to actually talk to the individual band members? is it proper to ask them individual questions?  I am not talking about a 15 minute interview mind you but three are things I'd like to ask of different members but I don't want to come across like a star-struck 13 year old girl at a Taylor Swift concert.  Also the individual photo op, is that something that you bring your OWN camera to typically or do the promoters usually take a picture for you then get it to you somehow?  I have seen Jordan's video's of the diff meet and greets and all I ever see is the long lines of people that seem to file by the guys and get stuff signed I guess, is it proper to bring my personal copy of ADTOE and ask the guys to each sign it?  Also I was thinking about buying a second copy of the Album for my other son off at college in Florida, would it be proper to ask the guys to sign both MY CD/DVD AND a second one to my other son that will not be at the concert?

So many questions I know but like I said I dont want to break protocol (lol).

[BlobVanDam]

They take the photo. Last time I went they specifically mentioned no cameras of your own allowed.

I don't think it's too much to have 2 albums to sign. Maybe if it was 3 or more it would start to get more unreasonable, but 2 items seems quite safe to me. Just be sure to have them out and ready if you want a booklet signed or whatever.

From what I recall, you have time for a quick question or comment for each guy as you are moving along the line. It's not going to be a long conversation or full on interview, but unless they're strapped for time it shouldn't be a conveyer belt either.

I've been to two meet n greets, although this is mostly from the most recent one, as I only caught the tail end of the first time.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Im assuming it will be like Blob said. I'm doing my 3rd M&G.  The first one was awesome, we had about 45 mins in a room with the band, about 25 of us.  I talked at length with JP and JLB.  The second time was the "Receiving line" where they're behind the table.  Just have a greeting and quick question for each guy   I don't think 2 things too sign is asking to much

[ZirconBlue]

It is not appropriate to offer the band members oral sex.  Apparently.

[Dublagent66]

Me and a friend are looking into M&G tickets for the 2nd NA leg, hopefully.

[Fuzzboy]

When I went two years ago they kept saying only one item, but I managed to take two albums with me and have them both signed.

[BlobVanDam]

It is not appropriate to offer the band members oral sex.  Apparently.

I actually know this one first hand. I'm not even kidding. I can't remember the story behind it though.

[obscure]

A quick question guys:

Are we allowed to give them a present? I'm painting James's portrait.....

[BlobVanDam]

A quick question guys:

Are we allowed to give them a present? I'm painting James's portrait.....

I hear about this kind of stuff all the time. It's not too uncommon.

[obscure]

A quick question guys:

Are we allowed to give them a present? I'm painting James's portrait.....

I hear about this kind of stuff all the time. It's not too uncommon.

Great... cheers Blob...

[Laich21DT]

A quick question guys:

Are we allowed to give them a present? I'm painting James's portrait.....

I hear about this kind of stuff all the time. It's not too uncommon.

Yeah, that reminds me of the guy a few years ago who drew the pic of "Beartrucci" and ended up getting it signed by Petrucci, and I think the rest of the band. I want to say that he got it signed at a Meanstreak gig, anyone recall? Also if I remember correctly, that was before the whole "lol JP is a bear" thing really took off.

[tri.ad]

It was what made that whole thing take off.

I don't exactly remember where it happened, but I think it was either at a M&G in a music store or at a concert.

[Guitalguy]

Attending my first M&G in Oslo in January. Feel like I need to ask them something interesting, not the standard "Y u no come to Indonesia" or "looking forward to tonight".

I'd consider having my litho print of adtoe signed, but then I'd have to carry it around all night.

You guys who have done this before - what did you ask them or talk with them about?

[theanalogkid7]

I'm glad you are asking these kinds of questions - they are always the ones I forget to ask.  I've made up my mind yet if I want to spend the money on the VIP package...well I should say I have made up my mind that I WANT to spend the money, but you know how it is - haha.

[Ryzee]

Don't look Myung directly in the eyes.

[Mebert78]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

[jsem]

Lol, imagine the band members seeing ZeppelinDT's room tour... that was insanely freaky.

[Frank]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

Agreed. When I spoke to Jordan, he seemed most engaged when we were talking of things besides Dream Theater or his playing, probably due to my own fanboyishness.

[ishak540m]

A bit OT, but for those of us who bought the TOUR package;  I know it's within the first ten rows but when do you know what actual seats you have?

[Guitalguy]

Don't look Myung directly in the eyes.

Note taken.

[RaiseTheKnife]

Bah!  JM is fine to talk to and look in the eyes.  He's very friendly.

[Guitalguy]

Bah!  JM is fine to talk to and look in the eyes.  He's very friendly.

Cool  Very much looking forward to it. But I keep wondering what I'm going to ask them or talk to them about 

[Orion1967]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

HOLY FUCK!     YOU'RE the Count of Tuscany!

[SystematicThought]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

What's in the collection that freaked him out?

[Orion1967]

All very good advice from everyone, I appreciate it.  I mean for $275 a ticket (x2) I woudl THINK that asking for a second signature on an album would be ok, but just my luck if I didn't ask and assumed it was cool I would be breaking some kind of unspoken law and from there it's "No Soup for You"!

LMAO at the oral sex question too... I have like a man crush on the guys because of the talent but I am pretty sure I could restrain myself from offering a blow however...

[bosk1]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

What's in the collection that freaked him out?

Life sized replicas of the severed heads of each band member, past and present.

[Orion1967]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

What's in the collection that freaked him out?

Life sized replicas of the severed heads of each band member, past and present.

That or soldiers in barrels filled with wine.....?

[Madman Shepherd]

Thats kind of a bummer.  I remember hearing stories from the first M&Gs where people could wander around and talk to the guys for a bit but according to a previous post that was only the first M&G.  Oh well...

I distinctly remember somebody saying JM was the most polite and actually asked a lot of questions about the persons home/family, etc.  He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know the person.  I actually think of that a lot when I listen to Breaking All Illusions because to me the song is sort of about finding your own way of living your life and finding out how to truly give respect and earn respect.  Maybe I'm off base but whatever.

[dbrooks22]

For $275, they should be offering YOU oral sex

[Mebert78]

Lol, imagine the band members seeing ZeppelinDT's room tour... that was insanely freaky.

Actually, ZeppelinDT was with me that day!  But he knew proper meet-n-greet etiquette, i suppose.

What's in the collection that freaked him out?

The item was the 1985 high school yearbook of JP, JM and KM.  I got it like 7-8 years ago, because the school is 5 mins from me and I thought it would be a unique item to own being a huge DT fan.  I mentioned it to JP because the topic of KM came up and JP was saying how they haven't talked in a while, but they were really close growing up.  And I mentioned it was clear how close they were because they have the same word-for-word comments in the yearbook, like they planned it out.  I just said it without thinking.  And JP was taken aback and jokingly asked what else fans can get their hands on -- a copy of the deed to someone's house?   

[ZeppelinDT]

And JP was taken aback and jokingly asked what else fans can get their hands on -- a copy of the deed to someone's house?   

Actually, deeds are generally recorded and of public record, so yes, you probably COULD get a copy of the deed to someone's house.  In fact, for properties in New York City, you can get them online for free - it only takes like 2 seconds.  All you need is the address.  Not that I know JP's address or anything... cause that would be creepy and stalkerish.... :shiftyeyes:

I think I can actually top your "creeping out JP" story though.  Actually, I don't know if I've ever even told you this story Mike.  Anyway... a few years back, Charlie D. was selling off a bunch of his old DT stuff on ebay.  I bought a good chunk of it, so when his auctions were all finished, he contacted me about a special, non-ebay auction for a super unique item.  It was basically an e-mail bidding process between me and one other guy who bought a lot of Charlie's stuff.  The item was Charlie's personal copy of DT's WDADU recording contract.  I ended up winning it (naturally).  But because of what it was I didn't really tell many people about it and I just kept it to myself, except I told one of my very good friends (who isn't really a DT fan, but knows a lot about them).  By some astronomically unlikely coincidence, about a week after I won this auction, the same friend was shopping in Best Buy.  As he was walking through the parking lot, who does he see coming out of the store but John Petrucci.  (The store is like two minutes from JP's house).  So my friend recognizes him and starts talking to him, and decides to say "Yeah, my friend is a huge fan and a major collector - in fact, he just bought a copy of your original recording contract from Charlie".  Needless to say, JP was surprised and confused.  I'm told his reaction was "Wait... Charlie SOLD his recording contract?!".  After relaying the story to me, my friend was like "yeah, I probably shouldn't have said that". 

[SystematicThought]

That's a good story Zepp. Of course, it looks like you were the one who outbid me in all of Charlie's auctions.

Eh, I did get a signed copy of WDADU and the Status Seeker Vinyl single

[Dr. DTVT]

I don't want to come across like a star-struck 13 year old girl at a Taylor Swift concert.

Sadly this is close to my experience.  When I did the M&G two years ago, I thought I'd be able to play it cool; I've had dinner with Nobel Prize winners and wasn't particularly intimidated or in star-struck awe of the greatest minds in my profession...but when I met the band I froze up like a naked man in Antarctica.  JP could tell I was star-struck and tried to ease me into a conversation, in which my brain continued to sputter and lock up - when he asked what kind of guitar I had I said, "A black one" 

My mental vapor lock ended after JP and MP and I was able to talk to JMX and JR for a bit.  Someone before me really got JLB's attention though so unfortunately a few of us didn't get to say much to him.

My advice would be to try to get near the back of the line, which someone told me to do and I didn't listen.  They line usually slows down toward the end.  The other advice would be to talk to the people around you while you're waiting for the M&G to start.  I had a great conversation with the two brothers behind me in line, and we recognized each other a year later at the Worcester show.  They're awesome guys and I wish they were members here.  Concert lines are a great place to meet people.

[Madman Shepherd]

What the F?!  That is an insane story.

One time I saw DT in concert and JLB pointed at me...or someone near me...or just the general area I was sitting in...thats about as close as I've come to talking with any of them let alone owning a part of the personal history

[ZeppelinDT]

No drooling.

On a serious note, my only advice would be don't overdo fanboyness.  When I met JP last year, I mentioned part of my DT collection to him and I think I kind of freaked him out.  It's smarter to save certain topics for other passionate fans and play it cool around the band.

Hope you enjoy the meet n greet!  Can't wait to hear how it goes.

What's in the collection that freaked him out?

Life sized replicas of the severed heads of each band member, past and present.

Right... "replicas"...