i got LePond and Allen on my copy of the CD during the first US round of The Odyssey tour, back at the end of '02
then, i played on the bill with them in '03, but never got the chance to complete the set of autographs because they got into some mucho serious band meeting in their dressing room, and i didn't want to crash that. oh well... maybe next time.
and yeah, ProgMaiden, LePond and Allen were both WAY cool, spending time to hang out and talk with me. i had to remind russ that his family was waiting for him inside, otherwise, he probably just would have kept on chatting.
oh, and in '03, Romeo was totally nice. early in the evening, i accidentally walked into their downstairs dressing room (i'd never played that venue, so I didn't know the layout of the club yet), and he said, "Hey guys! come on in!"... offered me and my guitar tech beers. really cool and laid back. Sym-X had the full "suite" dressing room, compared to our "bus out back" dressing room, and Romeo said if any of us needed to use the shower or anything, that it was cool with them.
they were the headliners, but they didn't act like it... really gracious and cool guys.