Trial of Tears - Live at Budokan

[OptionalPlayer]

James LaBrie ROCKED that song. I was watching the DVD to wake up this morning. He was gone throughout the Instrumedly, then came back with Trial of Tears. Just wow.

The man needs more appreciation. He does flop on some live songs, but man, ToT's is absolutely beautiful when he sung it.

[Perpetual Change]

That performance is the definitive.  I'm so glad they captured it so perfectly for that DVD.

[BlobVanDam]

Definitely one of the highlights of Budokan. JLB is on for that song, and the atmosphere of the whole song is incredible, especially JR's long sustained note coming out of the keyboard solo over the acoustic section. Still gives me chills

[hefdaddy42]

Well, yeah, it's awesome. 

[The Letter M]

 

Great "Appreciation Thread" here! I agree, this performance is definitely TOPS, and everyone did it so well! And actually, I've always been happy with the FII-material on the recent live albums:
"New Millennium", "Hollow Years", "Trial Of Tears" and the ending of "Hell's Kitchen", all on Live At Budokan, are all done so well!
Then we have the FII-cut "Raise The Knife" from Score, which was great as the live performance really added more to the song, IMO.
Then the killer performance of "Lines In The Sand" on Chaos In Motion... at least *I* think it's a killer performance of it that song!

This leaves me to wonder which FII song(s) they'll capture on the next live release... I'm hoping for "Peruvian Skies" or "Take Away My Pain '96".

-Marc.

[reneranucci]

Good song. However, I would enjoy JLB´s performance more if he had better enunciation.

[pogoowner]

Good song. However, I would enjoy JLB´s performance more if he had better enunciation.

I wouldn't get my hopes up on that one... he's had enunciation problems his entire career. I still love him, though.

[ZKX-2099]

Good song. However, I would enjoy JLB´s performance more if he had better enunciation.

I thought that was part of his charm...


WAAAAAAAHM ALIVE AGAIN! DARKNESS FAR BEHIND ME.

[reneranucci]

Good song. However, I would enjoy JLB´s performance more if he had better enunciation.

I thought that was part of his charm...


WAAAAAAAHM ALIVE AGAIN! DARKNESS FAR BEHIND ME.

haha that´s my point. The parts where he sounds really powerful are stellar, but if he could combine that power with a better enunciation it would be much better (to me at least).

[j]

That performance is the definitive.  I'm so glad they captured it so perfectly for that DVD.

Agreed.  In particular, the buildup following the instrumental break is fucking incredible: LaBrie nails it.

-J

[tri.ad]

My favourite part of Live at Budokan. Every member is top-notch during this song.

[OptionalPlayer]

Good song. However, I would enjoy JLB´s performance more if he had better enunciation.

Haha. That's why I said Trial of Tears, and not Only a Matter of Time, a few songs after it.
*Shrugs*
Ya win some, ya lose some.

[ReaperKK]

Great stuff, one of my favorite tracks from Budokan.

[Dream Team]

James LaBrie ROCKED that song. I was watching the DVD to wake up this morning. He was gone throughout the Instrumedly, then came back with Trial of Tears. Just wow.

The man needs more appreciation. He does flop on some live songs, but man, ToT's is absolutely beautiful when he sung it.

This brings up a side point (bolded above): is DT the only band we know where the singer constantly leaves the stage? I'm not sure I like it; it makes it seem like JLB is a "guest performer" and breaks up the camaderie of the band on stage. But what else could he do? Sure, he could air-guitar like a doofus (like Russell Allen) or bang on his tambourine, or dance like a court jester; but maybe he could take some cues from Dickinson, Halford, etc.

Sorry for the hijack.

[TAC]

DT, I hear what your are saying, but DT's music passages are so long. Dickinson leaves the stage numerous times as well.

JLB has always been an outsider, or seemed so, and that's been evident from the I&W tour where the stage was like 10' X 6'. And in those passages, the band seems just fine to me. It's as if having vocals is a necessary evil. But this is nothing new.

[BlobVanDam]

James LaBrie ROCKED that song. I was watching the DVD to wake up this morning. He was gone throughout the Instrumedly, then came back with Trial of Tears. Just wow.

The man needs more appreciation. He does flop on some live songs, but man, ToT's is absolutely beautiful when he sung it.

This brings up a side point (bolded above): is DT the only band we know where the singer constantly leaves the stage? I'm not sure I like it; it makes it seem like JLB is a "guest performer" and breaks up the camaderie of the band on stage. But what else could he do? Sure, he could air-guitar like a doofus (like Russell Allen) or bang on his tambourine, or dance like a court jester; but maybe he could take some cues from Dickinson, Halford, etc.

Sorry for the hijack.

I actually like it. Many other bands put the focus on the front-man and often you wouldn't know the guys in the rhythm section existed. I think it's fitting for a band like DT that puts a lot of importance on the musicality to give the spotlight to the band during the instrumental sections. I think it would only impose if he stayed on the stage.

[TAC]

Speaking of Dickinson, the worst was on the early tours where he would stroke a guitar during Revelations

Similar I guess to JLB holding up Jordan's keyboard during the 8V intro..

But although in general, I liked the idea behind the Percussion City that James had for the 6D's tour, it really proved distracting and forced. I have zero problem with him leaving the stage. Maybe Jordan can rig something to James' tea thermos so everytime he takes a sip, it makes a weird effect...

[BlobVanDam]

If there's anyone in the world who already has a thermos MIDI controller, it's Jordan

[bosk1]

[hefdaddy42]

he would stroke a guitar

Boy, that sounds odd.

[LCArenas]

Trial of Tears is IMO one of the best songs in FII and I really enjoyed the LiB performance. JLB was awesome on that song, as well as Jordan.

[KevShmev]

Not a bad version, despite JR's butchering of Sherinian's original solo (which in the studio is possibly my favorite DT keyboard solo), but the vibe of the studio version is impossible to match, so all things considered, they did a pretty good job.  But it still cannot compare to the original, IMO, which is one of their five or six best songs. 

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

not much better than the man you HAAAAAATE!

Possibly JLB's best track at Live at Budokan.

[John94]

Love it. Trial of Tears is my second favourite song and I'd hope to see it live one day when they are back in the UK.

As much as I love the song, I really can't grasp the acoustic simulation from JP. Sounds too tinny for me.

[BlobVanDam]

Not a bad version, despite JR's butchering of Sherinian's original solo (which in the studio is possibly my favorite DT keyboard solo), but the vibe of the studio version is impossible to match, so all things considered, they did a pretty good job.  But it still cannot compare to the original, IMO, which is one of their five or six best songs. 

It's not butchered, but a typical comment from you   

[bosk1]

Not a bad version, despite JR's butchering of Sherinian's original solo (which in the studio is possibly my favorite DT keyboard solo), but the vibe of the studio version is impossible to match, so all things considered, they did a pretty good job.  But it still cannot compare to the original, IMO, which is one of their five or six best songs. 

It's not butchered, but a typical comment from you   

Correct.  But as is typical, you and Kev just cannot keep your little snipes to yourselves.  Do I have to tell you how tired I am getting of seeing every other thread on the DT side devolve into bickering between you, Kev, and Orcus?  Sometimes I think my life would be a lot easier if I just banned the three of you so I wouldn't have to do so much babysitting.

[BlobVanDam]

You know if you just banned the two of them, it would have the same result

[bosk1]

Dammitblob. 

[KevShmev]

Correct.  But as is typical, you and Kev just cannot keep your little snipes to yourselves.  Do I have to tell you how tired I am getting of seeing every other thread on the DT side devolve into bickering between you, Kev, and Orcus?  Sometimes I think my life would be a lot easier if I just banned the three of you so I wouldn't have to do so much babysitting.

For the record, I NEVER snipe at BVD anymore.  I simply do not reply to any of his posts, regardless of whether they are directed at me or not.  Don't believe me, look it up.  If he overreacts to a post of mine he didn't like, that is on him, not me.  We all cannot be expected to NEVER voice a criticism about Jordan Rudess just because he reacts to almost any criticism of him.  I am not in the wrong here at all, as far as arguing or sniping is concerned, and I am not someone who thinks he is never wrong (as anyone who knows me will testify to ).

[tri.ad]

I'll try a post about JR's solo on ToT without getting personal.

While I understand where Kev is coming from, I disagree to some extent. JR manages to maintain most of the atmosphere of Derek's original solo most of the time, but there are certain moments where he goes overboard, so Kev is not entirely wrong about it. Still, I like his rendition of the song's keyboard solo (especially the last note leading into the acoustic part).

One of my favourite moments of this song is also the first keyboard solo on the demo version (5:12-5:31). A true "fuck yeah" moment, and it's too bad that this solo got changed for the album version.

[BlobVanDam]

I'll try a post about JR's solo on ToT without getting personal.

While I understand where Kev is coming from, I disagree to some extent. JR manages to maintain most of the atmosphere of Derek's original solo most of the time, but there are certain moments where he goes overboard, so Kev is not entirely wrong about it. Still, I like his rendition of the song's keyboard solo (especially the last note leading into the acoustic part).

This is how you respectfully give an opinion without resorting to bashing.
Kev, I'm also still trying to figure out how your personal vow to ignore me somehow makes it my problem when you cross the line. At least 95% of your posts manage to give an opinion in a respectful way, and in many ways you're a model poster in that regard. If I call you out once in a while for crossing the line and you ignore me, that doesn't put me at fault. Despite what you may think, I don't call you out on everything, recently especially.

And I mostly agree with tri.ad here. I don't personally think any of it is overboard though, and some of the changes improve on the original solo (there's one particular run and big bend that really lifts the solo up, and that last note is orgasmic. Yes, orgasmic). The sections he changes weren't that memorable anyway, and just as shreddy, and he keeps the first half of the solo pretty close, which is the half that counts.

[OptionalPlayer]

. . . So. . . Howabout that Trial of Tears, eh? Haha.

While we keep jumping around with subjects, I like Jordan's ragtime solo when they perform A Change of Seasons in the Instrumedly (I know they play it all the time, but I'm trying to keep it with the Live at Budokan DVD), but I wonder if he would/has ever COVERED Derek's solo? Has anyone heard him do this?

[BlobVanDam]

Well SFAM was the first tour with JR, and they played the ragtime on that (at least on LSFNY), so I'd assume he's always done it that way. I never found any of the three solo bits in that section that interesting, so I like the alternate ones on LSFNY.

[hefdaddy42]

I'll try a post about JR's solo on ToT without getting personal.

While I understand where Kev is coming from, I disagree to some extent. JR manages to maintain most of the atmosphere of Derek's original solo most of the time, but there are certain moments where he goes overboard, so Kev is not entirely wrong about it. Still, I like his rendition of the song's keyboard solo (especially the last note leading into the acoustic part).

This is how you respectfully give an opinion without resorting to bashing.
Kev, I'm also still trying to figure out how your personal vow to ignore me somehow makes it my problem when you cross the line. At least 95% of your posts manage to give an opinion in a respectful way, and in many ways you're a model poster in that regard. If I call you out once in a while for crossing the line and you ignore me, that doesn't put me at fault. Despite what you may think, I don't call you out on everything, recently especially.

Blob, his post didn't "cross the line."  You calling him out on what is largely just a difference of opinion was completely unnecessary.

[BlobVanDam]

Whatever, I give up. It's a double standard for what you're allowed to say about certain band (or ex-band) members around here anyway. Seems anything is fair game with JR.