How the flying frick do you meet Al??

[bryce87]

I have tried many times to meet Al but never can seem to find him. I have emailed Bermuda and he tells me that there is no way to meet him. That doesn't make any sense because there are pictures of you guys meeting him. Can you please help me out?

thanks

MOD EDIT: Bermuda responded to this later in this thread, but it seemed worth it to place his response here as well for anyone who stumbles upon this topic in the future. Original post is here.

Just to clear up a thing or two.-

I'm not sure I ever said there's no way to meet Al, but being my guest is no guarantee that you'll get to see Al.

That said, my guests are by invitation only, and consist of friends, family, and industry contacts (drum company people, etc.) I don't know for sure how the other guys handle pass requests, but giving passes to people we don't know is awkward at best. Please don't feel slighted if you do ask and are declined. The price of admission includes the show - and it's darn fine show according to all reports! - but that's all anyone should expect. If Al has an open meet & greet after the show, that's his call.

That said, there aren't really any rules about when an open meet & greet will happen. Travel plans, venue policies, and sometimes Al's workload govern whether it's even do-able. So it's unfair to blame Al if it doesn't happen, there are occasions where it's simply impossible.

As pointed out, it's not too difficult to run into the band after the show. If it's me or Steve or Jim or Ruben you actually want to see, odds are you will without the need for a pass. I don't know the percentages of how often Al has a meet & greet, but the chances are also good.

Thanks for understanding!

Bermuda

[ludovica64]

Bugging people about how to meet Al may have been your big mistake...
edit:
Sorry, that sounded mean-spirited. It takes time to develop relationships with people is all I meant

[Mellowwhenimdead]

Usually, you can meet him after a show if you stick around for an hour or so. It really depends on his schedule (ie if he has a show the next day and they need to get going). I've met him the last two times he came to the Pittsburgh area.

[weird_el]

The way that worked for me was going to see Al at a theater venue. It's more likely at a theater venue that there'll be a meet and greet after the show for anyone willing to wait an hour or so.

[Orthography Enthusiast]

The best bet (aside from book or CD or DVD signings in stores) really seems to be to go to as many shows as you can manage (especially the ones in smaller theaters) and wait around after the show to see if Al does a meet and greet for people without passes. On the Straight Outta Lynwood Tour, I think it was Dr. Steggy who figured out it was approximately 1 out of 4 shows. That's no guarantee, of course, but it's not bad odds. Rule of thumb: Venue security will often lie about whether Al's going to come out. When venue security says this, I feel no obligation to depart, but linger at a polite distance until I see the bus leave, just to be sure. Rule of the other thumb: Al's band members, stage manager, etc., won't lie. If they say he's not meeting fans that night, he's not. But if they don't say anything, don't ask. Especially not the band members. They may not KNOW Al's plans when you see them, and it's rude to pester them asking "Is Al coming out?" And that's all I have to say about that.

[minnick27]

And even if the band says he might come out, don't take that as a definite. Don't want to see anyone mad at Ruben

[HappyGilmore]

I have tried many times to meet Al but never can seem to find him. I have emailed Bermuda and he tells me that there is no way to meet him. That doesn't make any sense because there are pictures of you guys meeting him. Can you please help me out?

thanks

I was wondering that myself. I was fortunate, though, as I went to one, and only one, Al concert and he met people after the show, last year at the Keswick. I just took the shot and hung around the buses, and saw a bunch of people from the forum. I kinda hung in front of them, talked to a friend of mine, and figured if I didn't hear anything within the hour then we'd pack it up.

I heard Dana mention that he was coming out in a little bit, but didn't think anything of it until Bermuda came out and said something along the lines of a short meet as they had to head out.

But yeah, if you're in a theater show as opposed to a fair, unless he's super busy with other business or a long drive ahead, chances seem a bit likely he'll come out.

[crazygurl14]

Well after reading this I would say i have a really good chance of seeing him after the show on sunday becasue he does not have a show the next day!!! I have actually been having a really good feeling that i will get a chance to see him in the past few days.

Is there any way to find out whether or not there will be a meet and greet before the show begins or does it just depend on what Al wants to do after the show is over?

[Orthography Enthusiast]

It just depends on what Al wants to do. The one time I heard a security person say he'd be doing a meet & greet... he didn't.

[crazygurl14]

I have also wonderes how people get backstage passes. I always see people with them when i go and the weeks leading up to the concert i always listen to the radio to try to listen for some kind of contest where they are giving them away but i never hear anything on any station. Do you just have to have connections and know someone either associated with Al or the Venue? or do you just have to get lucky