Dan & Phil Part 59: the literal other half

[LtrllySusan]

The thing that is the most confusing to me about the tour is that just a year ago, Dan talked about how nearly impossible it was to book any venues for TATINOF outside of the UK/USA. How they'd tried for the Netherlands, the Philippines, so many places, and it didn't work out, so they settled for only a hand full of shows in Central/Northern Europe.

What has changed since? Why should this tour bring them to so many places they haven't seen before?

Sure, a couple of YTers have joined in on the tour fun (Game Grumps/Jacksepticeye and Markiplier), so venues might be more open to rent out to those kind of entertainers. But I'm still confused. Somehow this tour must be something quite different. Or were all the TATINOF booking problems simply related to the stage set and its transportation?

Ooo like the documentary/film theory. What if the tour is a screening with Q&A afterwards?

This is my personal favourite out of all the theories so far - maybe because a M&G/Q&A tour seems so unappealing to me, or maybe because booking cinemas is easier than booking venues?

Anyways, if the Friday thing a professional and not (inter)personal announcement of any sorts, I expect Phil to defuse the situation in his LS by dropping hints so people adjust their expectations.

[liola]

I don't think anyone on here was saying Dan worded it like that on purpose though? Personally when I said that he must've known, must've realized how it sounded I meant right in the moment/right after he said it, so he should expect people jumping to conclusions because it's what always happens even when they say it's a video, so imagine when it's something worded so weirdly. And yeah it must be frustrating that people always expect something that has to do with a coming out, but he knows his audience. He knows the speculations and all that and with how they're going on this year I think they passed the point of frustration and are now at the bemused resignation.

I'm one of the people that don't expect them to ever come out on video, so I never jump to that conclusion. But the more I rewatch that live show, the more weird to me it sounds.

He talked about going to visit and the first Dan and Phil show like he assumed we all know about touring, and on one extent we do because we know about the new company and he's been dropping hints for a while. Which is why I'm thinking the Friday thing is separated from tour announcement itself, possibly tied as the thing that will accompany it, but it def sounded like something else.

What threw everyone off I think, besides the wording, is how he related it to pinof. I guess it can mean that he knows once pinof drops all the attention will be on that for a while so they want to get the announcement out of the way first but that to me almost sounds like the opposite of what they should do. If it was such big project like a new tour I'd want to give it full attention, so have the phandom had its moment with pinof and after that release this big project.

I don't know, everything still sounds a bit weird to me. I also wondered if the big thing could be a documentary, maybe a live screening plus panel but I'm not fully convinced.

Also the way he said "meaning to" it's like it isn't something planned ahead, that it had a deadline, more like a general idea.

[malday]

I wasn't able to watch the liveshow, but I've seen a lot about Dan saying something about an anouncement and graphic design. He seems to be hyping this up quite a bit with that kind of wording and saying "tell the world". But if it's just something about graphic design??? who knows.

My personal guess is they're doing a t-shirt or some sort of merch design contest (like hot topic recently did for rick and morty) That actually seems pretty exciting and lets the artists and aspiring artists of the phandom be seen

I also think holding some sort of design competition is very likely. If it's not for designs to be used on merch it could be for a re-design of their official shop logo, or maybe they will be crowdsourcing for another project that requires graphic design (a game, an app etc.)

[fancybum]

Lol okay so all you guys that think it's a personal thing they'll 'announce', when Friday comes around and what we get is not a lovingly executed and hand drawn history of their first kiss and their ups/downs and/or a chapstick challenge, are you going to expect it from their next video and then (when it's not. again.) their next video etc etc orrrr?

Also, considering The video, why tf would they ever feel compelled to mix their drawings (with a Draw Our Relationship uwu) and make a vday video Lite. Willingly. At that point why not just stop copyright striking the actual thing. Just. We're not living in a fanfic, friendly reminder.

How many times will the boy cry wolf before the wolf actually comes to bite everyone in the ass?

This isn't The Boy Who Cried Wolf, this is The Boy Who Is Doing Normal Things While A Crowd Screams Wolf At And Around Him, Please Stop Screaming, The Boy Has A Headache And Never Mentioned A Wolf

[emmaP]

yeah im 99% sure a tour is happening. my guess is that they're going to europe/asia since they've already been to the US/UK/AUS for TATINOF.

I was wondering if you guys would actually go to a D&P tour?
I really feel like the target audience for TATINOF was mainly 13-17 year olds, and I think I'd just feel really awkward being surrounded with only people basically 10 years younger than me. Apart from that, I don't know anybody my age who actually watches D&P so i'd have to go alone which seems ... well.. awkward.

Has anyone here who's over 20+ seen TATINOF/went to a M&G and how was it? I'm just very interested because I really have the feeling that the majority of people who go to these kinds of things are REALLY young.
or maybe i'm just really old. ha.

[chiccola]

My personal guess is they're doing a t-shirt or some sort of merch design contest (like hot topic recently did for rick and morty) That actually seems pretty exciting and lets the artists and aspiring artists of the phandom be seen

This is such a good guess! And it would also explain the use of the phrase "meaning to" (see: apathy's post), because the first shirt is already out at Hot Topic, so it's technically old news they haven't mentioned. Brilliant catch!

And now that I think about it more... it even explains Phil deciding to highlight more fan art on his tumblr. Maybe as a sort of lead-in/introduction to this?

I'm still almost positive it's some type of a tour or something similar that involves them traveling&interacting with the fans.
Maybe this time it's more viewer focused and they'll be highlighting creativity of their fans instead of focusing so much on "Dan & Phil" ? Like exhibiting the fanart, the fanfics (lmao), and other stuff the audience members made? A bit like they did at TATINOF but on a bigger scale idk.
I still don't know how the graphic design comment is relevant to that, except maybe he was being sarcastic and the graphic design is tour dates in comic sans or sth smh.

[captainspacecoat]

^ a summary of what it's like to live in an Australian timezone + work all day and then return to idb after almost 24 hours

I think we can basically 100% confirm that they're touring again now. Whether this'll be a sort of 'TATINOF 2', or whether it'll be more lowkey remains to be seen.

I interpreted 'the Friday announcement' to be separate to the tour, as Dan said something like "other than The Thing..." and then went on to hint at touring. The graphic design part really throws me, but I am pretty certain it'll be something professional rather than personal. I feel like it's not merch, as surely he wouldn't have been so vague if that was the case. He made it sound pretty Important, whereas I think if it was merch-related he would have just said something like "keep an eye on the Dan and Phil shop as there are some exciting things coming up". I don't think there would have been any need to be so intentionally vague if it was just merch.

I think the most compelling part of the liveshow was his reaction to the person suggesting he and Phil play Quick Draw again. He seemed to be hinting at something there, as though it had something to do with The Thing. Which would actually lend weight to the people who've theorised that they're launching a merch competition, or at least that whatever this is has something to do with art/fanart. V intriguing, I hate waiting and now I'm gonna be antsy until we finally find out whatever it is.

[termites]

[*]A podcast? (Because you need graphic design for those logos and things.... right?)

i would lit crap the bed if they did a pod but also what the hek would their pod even be abt

but honestly at this point im so starved for content i'll take anything


(sidenote, man what i'd give to know what podcasts they listen to, especially phil. im still forever thankful to him for introducing me to my dad wrote a porno lmao)

EDIT: hello hi btw im new hello!!

[flarequake]

I’m 36 and saw Tatinof three times, first two on my own (sometimes go to the theatre on my own anyway, some musicals aren’t my friends’ thing), then the third I went with a lovely bunch of ladies I met through here. I started going to Summer in the City mostly to see Deps and keep going because I love most things about YouTube, also have seen them presenting or doing a talk because they bring me joy. I’ve been to a few other YouTubers’ shows on my own too (Louise Pentland, Jack and Dean, Grace and Mamrie) and all of them have had pretty much the same age-range of audience (more variation at VidFest panels at MCM comic con).

Age, going alone etc, doesn’t have to make any difference to you seeing or doing something you might love, please don’t let it stop you.

Also, if part of this does turn out to be a tour, there are likely to be other people here, on Tumblr and Twitter who’ll want company depending on where you are, harder for a place with less fans.

[blackdenim]

[*]Dan's finally getting his very own fashion line of black t-shirts that are reversible into a weird Phil design.

Can I just say that I need these now. I need these to be real and I need to buy seven so I can wear one every day.

I have no idea what Dan was trying to hype (a tour seems most likely) but I honestly think he just phrased it wrong and didn't think until the words were out of his mouth. I don't think he was trying to mislead anyone.

I agree with the people who are saying we're always thinking of relationship confirmations and they're always thinking about work stuff/projects: doing liveshows is essentially part of Dan's job - I know it's not directly comparable, but when I was engaged I didn't sit around dropping hints about my big exciting news in work meetings (I just waved my hands around a lot and hoped people noticed the ring ). If they were ever to do anything that confirmed their relationship status I don't think they'd tease it, either. It draws more attention to it which is exactly what they don't want... I think they'd just drop a video totally out of the blue on one of their main channels if they wanted to officially announce anything like that.

But I could be completely wrong obviously, and Phil might drop more hints on Thursday, and then they might drop a really fan-fic esque 'draw my relationship' video on Friday. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

yeah im 99% sure a tour is happening. my guess is that they're going to europe/asia since they've already been to the US/UK/AUS for TATINOF.

I was wondering if you guys would actually go to a D&P tour?
I really feel like the target audience for TATINOF was mainly 13-17 year olds, and I think I'd just feel really awkward being surrounded with only people basically 10 years younger than me. Apart from that, I don't know anybody my age who actually watches D&P so i'd have to go alone which seems ... well.. awkward.

Has anyone here who's over 20+ seen TATINOF/went to a M&G and how was it? I'm just very interested because I really have the feeling that the majority of people who go to these kinds of things are REALLY young.
or maybe i'm just really old. ha.

I was 27 when I went to TATINOF, with my best friend who doesn't know anything about D&P. She kind of enjoyed it but she obviously had no idea what was going on and I've used up my big friend favour so she categorically will not go with me again - I guess I'll be going by myself to the next thing!

There were a lot of screaming teens there don't get me wrong, a lot of people in merch and with cat whiskers on. But it wasn't anything you don't get at any band gig that has a young following, and there were a fair few in their early 20s so didn't feel completely out of place or like the show wasn't meant for me (I mean I like to think I pass for 22/23 haha).

I don't think I'd have felt comfortable in a M&G though just based off the pictures those skewed very young and if I was going by myself I'd feel weird!

[felucca]

yeah im 99% sure a tour is happening. my guess is that they're going to europe/asia since they've already been to the US/UK/AUS for TATINOF.

I was wondering if you guys would actually go to a D&P tour?
I really feel like the target audience for TATINOF was mainly 13-17 year olds, and I think I'd just feel really awkward being surrounded with only people basically 10 years younger than me. Apart from that, I don't know anybody my age who actually watches D&P so i'd have to go alone which seems ... well.. awkward.

Has anyone here who's over 20+ seen TATINOF/went to a M&G and how was it? I'm just very interested because I really have the feeling that the majority of people who go to these kinds of things are REALLY young.
or maybe i'm just really old. ha.

I went to Tatinof at age 27 and had a good time. Sure there were a lot of kids, but I'm not easily weirded out by being the odd man out, whatever, and I went with a bunch of really great people I met here who were all old af. I wouldn't have gone alone though. Meeting the people was the main event for me, and not the show itself (I'm generally not really a show/concert person). There's a part of this forum where people going to the same show can share information and, if they want, plan to meet up.

[auri]

Tour just doesn't make me really excited. To me it means that there is less live shows and more pre-filmed videos on DAPG and seeing other people go to the tour. I mean. They've never been here (which is weird bc we have the Europe's biggest Youtube con (Tubecon in Helsinki) so YT is big here) aaaand even if they did, they'd probably just go to Helsinki and it takes over 12 hours for me to travel there. So yea. Not really excited about a tour. (Maybe if they decided to go to Northern Sweden, then I could go and see them haha.)

[Kimship]

I’m 36 and saw Tatinof three times, first two on my own (sometimes go to the theatre on my own anyway, some musicals aren’t my friends’ thing), then the third I went with a lovely bunch of ladies I met through here.

Oh, thank god. I'm also 36 and sometimes feel like such a weirdo considering how much younger everyone is.

I'm not sure I'd do a M&G (because I always end up saying the most inane shit), and I only discovered them this year so I missed TATINOF, but I'd definitely go to a tour thing on my own, if need be.

[BSV]

yeah im 99% sure a tour is happening. my guess is that they're going to europe/asia since they've already been to the US/UK/AUS for TATINOF.

I was wondering if you guys would actually go to a D&P tour?
I really feel like the target audience for TATINOF was mainly 13-17 year olds, and I think I'd just feel really awkward being surrounded with only people basically 10 years younger than me. Apart from that, I don't know anybody my age who actually watches D&P so i'd have to go alone which seems ... well.. awkward.

Has anyone here who's over 20+ seen TATINOF/went to a M&G and how was it? I'm just very interested because I really have the feeling that the majority of people who go to these kinds of things are REALLY young.
or maybe i'm just really old. ha.

Hey Emma! I'm 30 and went to the final TATINOF show in London and yes there was ALOT of screaming but it was still fun because i wanted to see them! My younger sister who is 20 got me into them in the first place and she'd been to two other shows (and got meet and great tickets) and she still wanted to come with me haha! (ironically she's lost interest in them majorly this year, cus....you know, life) we also managed to snatch front row tickets to the London DAPGOOSE event by sheer luck and again lots of screaming so it was a little annoying at times when you just wanted to hear what they were saying.....still immensely enjoyed it though! It was amazing to be soooo close! Still havent met them though! If your UK maybe a couple of us more mature fans could try and meet up (depending on when/where/if i have money etc )

[rainydays]

I'm 22 and I didn't go to TATINOF because I wasn't a fan back then. They didn't come to my country anyway and I'm 99% sure they won't this time either. But even if they did, I probably wouldn't go tbh. They wouldn't come anywhere near me, so I would have to travel to get there. Also I wouldn't know who to go with and I definitely wouldn't fancy going by myself.
I guess it depends on what kind of show they're doing, but it's just not something I'm interested enough in to spend money on, I guess.
It's not at all because of my age though. I mean, I don't really care about that. I wouldn't even be in this fandom, if I did.
And also I just don't really care about meeting them.. I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but meeting celebrities has never been something I wished for. I don't really see the appeal of meeting someone for like 50 seconds, exchange a hello and a half-hug and maybe get a picture, all of this while possibly spending quite some money.
So yeah, in conclusion, I really don't care about the tour. I'm actually kinda sad that this will probably mean less content, but other than that, I'm happy for them, as it's clearly something they want to do, and for those who will get to meet them and see the show.

[Birdie]

What's happening now, like with what happens every time they make a professional announcement, is that people are more interested in them personally than professionally so that's where their mind is and the assumptions they make - but when they're wrong they'd rather it be because Dan or Phil led them to the wrongness and not because they got there all by themselves.

This isn't The Boy Who Cried Wolf, this is The Boy Who Is Doing Normal Things While A Crowd Screams Wolf At And Around Him, Please Stop Screaming, The Boy Has A Headache And Never Mentioned A Wolf

I seriously love you both right now. Every year right before pinof comes out the whole phandom goes ballistic and thinks they're about to come out. Every year without fail since at least 2013 (and probably before that but I wasn't there to witness it). I mean, if people want to believe they're about to come out that's fine but can we not act like Dan set us up on purpose or anything once it turns out it's not what everyone thought it was.

Tour: I wouldn't want to go because I'm just not interested in actually meeting them or seeing them irl but if it's a tour I'm happy for everyone who does want to see them live and gets to go!

[lilabet]

I went by myself at 27 as well. I’m not sure I would go to a m&g though, it would depend on how it was organised and the price. If you’re sitting for a show it doesn’t matter if you are alone.

[blackdenim]

I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but meeting celebrities has never been something I wished for. I don't really see the appeal of meeting someone for like 50 seconds, exchange a hello and a half-hug and maybe get a picture, all of this while possibly spending quite some money.

I totally get that, it's why I've never been fussed on M&Gs. It seems like such a weird, fake experience. If I saw D&P out and about (or any celeb I admire), and it didn't seem as though it would piss them to approach them for a picture and a chat, I would do it. But the whole taking a picture and having a 30-second interaction for the low-low price of £90 or however much it is, has never done it for me. I'm not criticising Dan and Phil for doing that because most fans want it and it's just the way things are now. But part of me thinks they - not just D&P, all celebs can't really enjoy it much either and that's something else that puts me off.

At the risk of sounding like an old fogey, back in my day, you could meet bands, etc. more organically, by hanging out at stage door or the venue bar after the show, and you had the chance for a more genuine interaction with them and even to strike up a bit of a friendship if you were lucky. So having had that experience as a teen, I don't think I would like a staged M&G - even when it's for the same bands I used to follow round when I was younger I never buy them.

That said, if the new show or whatever is centred around meeting the boys in a more natural feeling way like we were speculating about the other week, I think I would be tempted.

[RiriPandaHeart2]

Since he explicitly mentioned Manila/Philippines a couple of times when referencing places they tried to visit or haven't visited yet, I'm pretty sure that if there's a tour, we'd be included this time. I'm 25 (probably 26 by the time they visit here) but I'll be going no matter if I'm going alone or not. (it'd be nice to go with people nearer to my age, but I'm open to being friends with any age group tbh. So if this does happen, any one who wants to have a companion to go with can hit me up. ).

Maybe it's the factor of me knowing that they'd never return here again or just grabbing the opportunity to see them irl, but I'm really hyped for whatever tour/m&g they're going to do. I'm not really into going to concerts, etc. but the only one I've been to was for a Kpop group I loved (and them plugging the tour as probably the last one they'll do before enlistment), and something about being in a crowd that loves the same thing you do is energetic, and transcends ages and races (there were a lot of foreigner fans who went to the concert here too). I'm hoping that the same energy then will be present when Dip & Pip come here. Sure shouting people will be annoying generally, but it usually charges the performers on stage so I don't mind it much. I'd be actually kind of embarrassed if the there was a show and people were mostly quiet because i think it signals that the audience aren't enjoying the show.

[George]

I'm not really sure how to articulate this, but I see a good amount of people on various platforms that think that Dan purposefully phrased it in that way to build hype (for a tour/merch announcement). Or to "troll" us, etc. But if that's true, isn't that kind of... uh... bad? Like, I'm just thinking of it from a perspective of the people that are under the impression that they're queerbaiting/shipbaiting/etc. Phrasing something in a way that hypes people up for a coming out video purposefully to build hype for a professional endeavor just seems like the very definition of what people accuse them of.

This was one of my first thoughts too, and I'm a bit surprised more people haven't bring this up. But since we don't know if Dan phrased it like he did on purpose or by accident (nor we know what the thing actually is), I guess we can't judge him. I'm leaning more towards it was an accident, it was such a weird statement all things considering.

[dae]

Lol okay so all you guys that think it's a personal thing they'll 'announce', when Friday comes around and what we get is not a lovingly executed and hand drawn history of their first kiss and their ups/downs and/or a chapstick challenge, are you going to expect it from their next video and then (when it's not. again.) their next video etc etc orrrr?

Also, considering The video, why tf would they ever feel compelled to mix their drawings (with a Draw Our Relationship uwu) and make a vday video Lite. Willingly. At that point why not just stop copyright striking the actual thing. Just. We're not living in a fanfic, friendly reminder.

How many times will the boy cry wolf before the wolf actually comes to bite everyone in the ass?

This isn't The Boy Who Cried Wolf, this is The Boy Who Is Doing Normal Things While A Crowd Screams Wolf At And Around Him, Please Stop Screaming, The Boy Has A Headache And Never Mentioned A Wolf

that came out the wrong way everyone always thinks whatever announcement dan talks about is coming out what i mean is that how many times does this happen and we end up feeling stupid before it actually does happen and im sorry but any project doesn't make sense to me none of the theories actually make sense to dan's wording

[alittledizzy]

I actually think a tour could be pretty fun if we actually get to vicariously travel with them this time - and without them hoarding pictures and stories for a second version of DAPGO, that seems like a real possibility. Remember how fun them going to Singapore this year was? I would so be down for a couple months of couple instagrams in various gorgeous new locales.

[citizen_erased]

I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but meeting celebrities has never been something I wished for. I don't really see the appeal of meeting someone for like 50 seconds, exchange a hello and a half-hug and maybe get a picture, all of this while possibly spending quite some money.

I totally get that, it's why I've never been fussed on M&Gs. It seems like such a weird, fake experience. If I saw D&P out and about (or any celeb I admire), and it didn't seem as though it would piss them to approach them for a picture and a chat, I would do it. But the whole taking a picture and having a 30-second interaction for the low-low price of £90 or however much it is, has never done it for me. I'm not criticising Dan and Phil for doing that because most fans want it and it's just the way things are now. But part of me thinks they - not just D&P, all celebs can't really enjoy it much either and that's something else that puts me off.

At the risk of sounding like an old fogey, back in my day, you could meet bands, etc. more organically, by hanging out at stage door or the venue bar after the show, and you had the chance for a more genuine interaction with them and even to strike up a bit of a friendship if you were lucky. So having had that experience as a teen, I don't think I would like a staged M&G - even when it's for the same bands I used to follow round when I was younger I never buy them.

That said, if the new show or whatever is centred around meeting the boys in a more natural feeling way like we were speculating about the other week, I think I would be tempted.

Kinda same, tbh. Personally I never understood the appeal of getting anything autographed (congratulations on your illegible scribble? I guess?), though I have met some celebrities and been very happy about it. But for me it's always been more about the very short chance of telling someone how much they've meant to me, and I don't particularly care about the autograph or photo that comes with it.

I'm glad I got to meet TomSka at one of his video shootings, because now it was an actual interesting experience and I got to hang out with a whole bunch of people and see part of the process of making a proper youtube video even if I'm not even visible in the end result I know that's something that'll never, ever happen with D&P though, they're just too popular for anything like that to be possible.

Glad to hear about all the 20+ folk who went to see tatinof though! I'm incredibly self conscious about being a 27-year old who's interested in a lot of "teen" things (perceived and/or actual) and I'd feel very uncomfortable and out of place around so many teenagers, which is definitely one of the main things holding me back from seeing youtubers (outside of living in a rural area where nothing happens and being perpetually broke).

[DatCog]

I actually think a tour could be pretty fun if we actually get to vicariously travel with them this time - and without them hoarding pictures and stories for a second version of DAPGO, that seems like a real possibility. Remember how fun them going to Singapore this year was? I would so be down for a couple months of couple instagrams in various gorgeous new locales.

THIS SO MUCH!!! I would love them going on tour...they could take as long as they want and go wherever they like and I would just lap up all the instagrams and maybe even some DITL stuff.

I'm probably in the oldest 1% in the D&P fandom and I really want to see them live but the idea feels me with dread. Thankfully I have handy daughters I can bring along (they're both fans too, but not as much as me ) but part of me just wants to go alone and maybe meet some fellow older fans from here so I can relax and have a good time (perhaps have a few ). Will see what gets announced and what the options are.

By the way, got my calendars today! So pleased with them - the little video that goes along with the advent calendar is really cute and I was the 12th person to watch it ha ha.

[rizzo]

The thing that is the most confusing to me about the tour is that just a year ago, Dan talked about how nearly impossible it was to book any venues for TATINOF outside of the UK/USA. How they'd tried for the Netherlands, the Philippines, so many places, and it didn't work out, so they settled for only a hand full of shows in Central/Northern Europe.

IIRC, the problem there was that these venues had no evidence that D&P could even remotely sell out a show, outside of some social media data. And I imagine that didn't really cut it for a lot of them.

Now, D&P have an entire US, Australia, UK, and (tiny) Europe tour in their back pocket as evidence that they can, in fact, do a show and sell a significant number of seats.

That said, I also have a feeling this isn't going to be a traditional stage show and this thought also touches on everyone's concern re: "What will they even do a show about?" I don't know what exactly I'm imagining, but I feel like there'll be more of a focus on meet & greets. Maybe that in combination with like a DAPGOOSE type thing where they hang out and talk and take fan questions in some manner. I don't think it needs to be very fancy or planned out and rehearsed. Dan has only ever mentioned wanting to see/meet the fans again.

Those are my thoughts anyway.