Dream Theater (1 Viewer)

[Mike Broadman]

Brian, I didn't even know there was a special edition of Scenes. I shall have to look into it, as it's easily one of my favorite albums of all time.

With all three of these bands, my first time seeing them was/is as opening acts.

Dream Theater- opening for ELP and Deep Purple
Queensryche- opening for Iron Maiden
Fates- this concert will be my first time seeing them

 

[Rob M.]

Mike--you need to go here:

http://www.ytsejamrecords.com/

 

[TheLongshot]

Ah, Mike's official bootlegs. Nice to know where the site is...

Jason

 

[Peter Mazur]

Damn, I waited too long. I just went to order tickets for the show on July 26th and it is sold out. Hmmmm...anyone here a scalper?

 

[John_Bonner]

Peter,

Try posting a request on Mike Portnoy's message board:

http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tt.asp?appid=0

I've seen posts both for people who have tix and for people looking for tix for various shows.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Ah, thanks. It's a double set of alt mixes and outtakes. I was under the impression that it was the studio album with like a bonus disc or something.

 

[Peter Mazur]

John,

Thanks, I will try that.

 

[Sheldon C]

Ahhh I love Dream Theater. If it weren't for Metallica's big three albums, they would be my favorite band (although I do like all of Metallica's albums including St. Anger - it just keeps getting better with every listen, the chorus to unnamed feeling gives me goose bumps).

Getting back to Dream Theater, did you guys hear about how they played the entire Master of Puppets album live during a concert in Spain? How cool would that be!! My second favorite band covering my all time favorite album! Anyway, I burned the whole thing from Kazaa (can I say that here?) and you can tell that it sounded amazing. Unfortunately it sounds like it was recorded with a hand held tape recorder but what you can hear is incredible.

The thing with Dream Theater is, they have no sub par albums. The only one I used to not like was Falling Into Infinity. Awhile back I gave it another chance and was so glad that I did. I can't wait for them to get back into the studio because you know what ever they come up with is going to be good.

 

[Jeff Kohn]

I'm a big DT fan, one of the best concerts I've ever been to was the SFaM tour. One of my other favorite concert experiences was hearing Operation Mindcrime live on the Empires tour. So when I heard they were touring together this summer I initially wanted to go until I found out they would be here on a weeknight and tickets were $50+, and at that point I decided to pass since I've already seen what are probably the highlight concerts of their careers (for me anyway).

That said, if DT is going for a heavier sound on their next album that should be interesting. Images & Words is tied with SFaM as my favorite DT albums, and I would love to hear some new material in the same vein. For some reason I just couldn't really get into 6 degrees.

 

[Jeff Kohn]

BTW, anybody who likes the heavier aspects of DT should check out a band called Zero Hour. Their last album is a concept album called Towers of Avarice, and it's very good. It's heavy, and pretty techinical, but still accessible IMHO (though it will probably take a few listens to fully appreciate).

 

[Evan S]

For those of you about to see this show, all three bands were fantastic tonight. Fates Warning hit the stage at 7:30 and played till 8. Queensryche hit the stage at 8:22 and played until 9:53. Dream Theater hit the stage at 10:15 and played until midnight.

Not going to give away setlists, but I was surprised DT didn't play a single tune off 6 degrees of Inner Turbulence. Not one!

Oh, one word of advice? DO NOT leave early....and I have never been more serious! Great show.

 

[Andy Olivera]

Sheldon, I attended a show last year where they played Master Of Puppets(the song, not the whole album). What was really cool was how they played it as part of the interlude of Pull Me Under. It totally caught me off guard. I can remember thinking, "hey, this isn't part of PMU"; then it hit me. I couldn't believe how seamless the transition was.

On another note, I am the only one who wasn't all that impressed with SFAM or SDOIT? Of course, there are sections that are awesome, but neither seem to have the same effortless flow the older albums do. It's almost as if they've sacrificed musicality for the sake of increasingly elaborate compositions.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Jeff, I've heard Towers of Avarice. Just couldn't get into it, myself.

I also saw DT due Master of Puppets as the show closer during the Turbulence tour.

As for their last two albums, the more I listen to them the more I like them. SFAM is just so rich that it requires many listens to wrap your brain around the music and lyrics. Turbulence is interesting because it seems like they both returned to more direct songwriting (Disappear, Misunderstood, Solitary Shell) and are still outdoing all the upcoming prog-metal acts in terms of musically interesting and complex arrangements and playing (Glass Prison); and sometimes, they do both in the same song (Blind Faith).

DT is the only band I can think of right now of whom I can honestly say I don't dislike any of their songs. Not a one.

And now you guys are making me anticipate tomorrow night's show even harder. These are going to be the longest 32 hours of my life.

 

[Peter Mazur]

Andy,

I too have been underwhelmed by their last two efforts. I miss Kevin Moore's playing very much. I also feel the soloing is just too much. There are some killer tunes on SFAM that for me get ruined by bad guitar solos or keyboard solos, or sometimes both of them at the same time . Petrucci's playing for me is too robotic and lacks heart & soul. I prefer when they have a producer outside the band to reign in their playing a bit.

I think Awake is by far their best album, closely followed by Falling Into Infinity.

On a side note. I was talking about their upcoming show with a co-worker. I told him my sister-in-law saw them live back in the early 90's. He said "Oh, back when they were into serious drugs". I have never heard this before. Anyone know if this statement is true?

 

[John_Bonner]

He said "Oh, back when they were into serious drugs". I have never heard this before. Anyone know if this statement is true?

Never heard or read that either. I know that Portnoy stopped drinking a few years back due to a problem with alcohol but that's about it.

 

[Peter Mazur]

Yeah, I could be wrong but they just don't strike me as hard drug taking guys.

 

[Jeff Kohn]

I too have been underwhelmed by their last two efforts. I miss Kevin Moore's playing very much. I also feel the soloing is just too much. There are some killer tunes on SFAM that for me get ruined by bad guitar solos or keyboard solos, or sometimes both of them at the same time . Petrucci's playing for me is too robotic and lacks heart & soul. I prefer when they have a producer outside the band to reign in their playing a bit.

I can see your point to a certain extent with Turbulence, that album just left me cold, I felt it was too much showing off and the actual songwriting suffered for it. I'd have to disagree on SFaM though, IMHO that album is a master-piece. Yes there are one or two keyboard solos that get a bit too wierd for me, but that's an extremely small part of what is an otherwise awesome album. I love the way the whole album is tied together not just thematically but musically, with recurring themes in the music that remind me of the way classical symphonies are often structured.

 

[FredK]

SFAM is a great album that may have one too many extra story based sound effects.

6DOIT has some good A side songs (love Misunderstood), but I've never been able to get into the 6D songs.

Awake, FII, I&W, and Seasons are all ridiculously awesome. I&W is probably the best, but I prefer Awake.

 

[Andy Olivera]

Actually, Peter, I just relistened to both albums and I think I was a bit wrong(though I agree they're not up to I&W or Awake). I think what bothered me about SFAM is the lyrics; I can't get past them. They're too narrative and not, well...lyrical enough. Besides, the story was much better with Kenneth Branaugh in the lead role.

As for SDOIT, I definitely prefer the first side, though the second is good, too. Like FII, it's just taking me a few listens to figure the music out, if that makes any sense(like Mike mentioned). The lyrics are much better, too. Well, The Great Debate isn't very impressive, but I don't think any lyricist could set the stem-cell research controversy to music successfully. I mean, the arguments are accurate and the underlying meaning is there, but to address it so directly strikes me as odd for a group that uses symbolism on a regular basis. It didn't work.

 

[Evan S]

Well, The Great Debate isn't very impressive

This is what I love about Dream Theater as "The Great Debate" is perhaps my favorite track off of 6DOIT, next to maybe "Misunderstood". Everyone hears things differently when listening to this band.