Just found an old 7/26/03 and 7/27/03 review of Fatez/QR/DT

[bosk1]

Yes, you read the above caption right--I was at Concord and Sacramento! It's Monday morning, and I have a l-o-n-g workday ahead, so this review is going to be brief. I'll update it later, but I had to at least get something up on line or else I think Tara would fly out here and kill me.

First off, both shows were unique. The bands have really made an effort to give the fans something different every night. I'll have a lot more to say about that later.

Both shows were very high energy. I think both of the headliners really fed off of each other. Queensryche especially. I haven't seen this much energy and intensity from them in a very long time. They were amazingly powerful. Geoff's voice sounded very strong. To put it in perspective, gone are the days from the Warning and Rage when Geoff could get on stage and hit every single note he hit in the studio. However, that being said, he sounded better than he has in a very long time. Think Mindcrime/Empire tour. He had the sense not to go for every single note, but he went for 95% of them, and his voice sounded incredibly strong from start to finish. Mike Stone is very different. He is no Chris DeGarmo, but he is an excellent fit for the band. I hope they keep him.

Dream Theater. What can I say? They were Dream Theater. James' voice was ON both nights. They were tight, and just about flawless. My only criticism is that I wish James would sing to the audience more instead of being in his own world. Anyway, more later...

Fatez. I am not heavily into them, but I will say that they sound much better live than on disk. Missed half their set of Saturday and all of it on Sunday, but the two songs from Saturday that I recognized were Point of View and Monument. Both sounded excellent.

Anyhow, let me post the setlists, and I'll just leave it at that for now. (more commentary later) These aren't necessarily in order.

Dream Theater 7/26:
The Glass Prison
Under a Glass Moon
Scarred
Home
Take Away My Pain
Goodnight Kiss
Solitary Shell
Metropolis I

Queensryche 7/27:
Open
NM156
Screaming in Digital
Empire
Jet City Woman
Silent Lucidity
I am I
Damaged
Take Hold of the Flame (not the encore!)
"Mini Mindcrime:" I Remember Now, Anarchy X, Revolution Calling, Speak, Eyes of a Stranger
Desert Dance
Best I Can

Dream Theater & Queensryche, the encores 7/26 (just over 30 minutes worth):
The Real World
The Spirit Carries On
Some song from the Who that everybody in the world knows except for me. It was really cool, and turned into a really long extended jam.
I have to stop for just a second here to add some commentary. You may be thinking, "why in the world would Queensryche play 'The Real World' for an encore?" (or why would they play it at all for that matter?) I definitely wasn't expecting this one. Not one of my favorites. Not even very memorable as a song. But this encore version of it with all the members of Queensryche and Dream Theater on stage, turning it into an extended jam at the end, was one of the most amazing musical experiences of my lifetime.  [ EDIT:  This was Won't Get Fooled Again ]

Queensryche 7/27:
Same basic set, but they added The Lady Wore Black and Walk in the Shadows. They took out Silent Lucidity, I am I, and Damaged.

Dream Theater 7/27:
Overture 1928
Strange Deja Vu
Fatal Tragedy
The Dance of Eternity (well, sort of. It was a l-o-n-g instrumental jam with Dance as the central theme. They added parts of Erotomania, Change of Seasons, Metropolis I, and a bunch of others)  [ EDIT:  This was Instrumedley ]
Another Day
Misunderstood
Voices
The Silent Man
Pull Me Under

The Encores, 7/27:
Comfortably Numb (!)
Peruvian Skies (I was not expecting that!)
Take Hold of the Flame

I'm going to have to stop again to briefly comment on the Take Hold encore. James sang the opening part. (after messing with Mike Wilton's guitar pedals, and then smiling like a schoolkid when he got caught) He held the long note on "Take," then went for Geoff's higher note just before the guitars kick in, THEN WENT EVEN HIGHER! Throughout the entire song, Geoff hit every single one of his notes, and then James would come back and one-up him. It was incredible. At one point, Goeff just smiled from ear to ear, shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head as if to say "Is this guy even human?" But he didn't seem to mind. Everybody was smiling and goofing around with each other, and seemed like they were just having a grand time.

At the end of both shows, the audiences were just floored.

...and I think I used up Tara's entire voicemail capacity...

Added a couple of edits for things I now know that I didn't know then.

[TAC]

I'm going to have to stop again to briefly comment on the Take Hold encore. James sang the opening part. (after messing with Mike Wilton's guitar pedals, and then smiling like a schoolkid when he got caught) He held the long note on "Take," then went for Geoff's higher note just before the guitars kick in, THEN WENT EVEN HIGHER! Throughout the entire song, Geoff hit every single one of his notes, and then James would come back and one-up him. It was incredible. At one point, Goeff just smiled from ear to ear, shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head as if to say "Is this guy even human?" But he didn't seem to mind. Everybody was smiling and goofing around with each other, and seemed like they were just having a grand time.

THIS sounds interesting!

[bosk1]

Pt. II:

Okay, for all four people on the forum who care, here is a little more info. on the first show:

Got there late. No, wait... I got there early, but they started the show earlier than what was printed on the tickets. They had to start early to fit everything in. There were a lot of really upset Fates Warning fans. Imagine getting there early to make sure you have time to settle in before your favorite band comes on, only to find out that their set is half over already. As for me, I'm not a huge Fatez fan, so I was disappointed, but not overly. What I did hear was excellent. When I first sat down, I was thinking, "Wow, this Vicious Rumors band is pretty good, but their singer sound so much like the guy from Fates Warning it's uncanny." Then they launched into "Point of View" and I figured it out. But on to the headliners...

DREAM THEATER. I was in heaven. The intro. from the DVD (which is the intro. to Dance of Eternity) was playing on the screen and over the PA, and suddenly faded to turntable static as John Myung walked out to center stage. Yes! They were going to open with "Glass Prison!" That just set the stage for an incredible set. Under a Glass Moon was the only low point for me. I don't understand why they include this in their setlist. It's not that great a song, and the vocals are impossible. James' voice was just about perfect the entire night. He totally amazed me with how good he sounded. But he struggled a bit with Under a Glass Moon even though he was able to hit some of those same notes on other songs. The vocals on that song are just impossible to pull off live--there just isn't any place in the song for a singer to get enough air to be able to pull off all the highs. Each band member was flawless. It was an incredible set. Mike Portnoy has more energy than any single human being deserves. He would constantly stand up and get the crowd into it. My friend Kris, who was in another part of the theater, emailed me later and said that she thought these guys were the most skilled band on earth. Dream Theater were so good that, even though I am a loyal Queensryche fan, I assumed that as the last notes of Metropolis had faded I had seen the best the night had to offer. I was wrong.

I guy behind me was stomping up and down screaming in total rage that Dream Theater didn't get any encore time. I turned around, smiled, and said "don't worry--they'll be back." He said "I know there'll be another tour, but I want an encore!" I repeated, "DON'T WORRY--THEY'RE NOT DONE." And I smiled as I watched the roadies get the stage ready for Queensryche, noticing the fact that they covered Mike's drum kit and Jordan's keyboard stand, but did not remove them from the stage. (Portnoy's drum kit was right center stage; Scott Rockenfield's kit was left center)

Afther the shortest intermission in the history of rock concerts, the lights went down. On the screen was a black and white image of "Queensryche" carved in stone, with the Twentieth Century Fox theme playing over the speakers. As the stage lights came up, the band launched into "Open." They were making a statement from the getgo: "This is a new band." Every song they played was a bit heavier than in the past. But at first, I think most eyes were on Mike Stone. "Who's that???" He came out wearing all black, like all the other band members. He was wearing a black sleeveless shirt that showed big arms with black tattoos all over the arms, hands, and fingers. He had a long, pointy goatee, and a black hood pulled low over his eyes. I mention all this because this is a look we might tend to associate more with some of the Nu Metal bands out there. Queensryche isn't that. But they do have sort of a new sound. Without copying and trying to be any of the new bands out there, they nicely incorporated some of the heaviness and the primitive pounding agressiveness. And if you ask me, it came off beautifully. Each musician played flawlessly. They had energy--a LOT of energy! The crowd was just totally eating it up. Some specifics on the bandmembers:

Geoff: As I said above, the days where he could sing every song note for note and have it sound just like the studio cuts are probably gone. However, it was obvious that Geoff has been working hard to get his voice back in shape, and he sounded better than he has since probably the Empire tour. His voice sounded strong and solid throughout the entire show, and he went for (and hit) a lot of notes that he hasn't gone for in a long time. He was smiling, and talking to the crowd, and dancing around, and...well...everything you would want a frontman to be. He was a one man show. And the fact that he had such talented musicians behind him added even more.

Mike Stone. Solid player. He's not DeGarmo. He plays a lot heavier, while still being true to the original music. He took more solos than Kelly Gray did, and he did a much better job. He did not copy DeGarmo's solos note for note, and even departed completely from some of them, but everything he did fit the songs as if he were one of the original songwriters. Another cool thing was that he interacted with Geoff and the other bandmembers, so you felt like he was part of the band instead of a hired gun. I never got that feeling from Kelly. And he does pretty good backup vocals! I hope they keep him in the band. I think he is good for them.

Mike Wilton was the only bandmember who didn't seem to have a lot of energy. I know he is just a mellow guy, but I've seen him move around stage a lot more in the past. Not that there was anything wrong with his sound--he sounded great. But he just wasn't as pumped up as everybody else. Still put on a great show. (although his volume faded later in the set, as Stone's got louder)

Scott. Wow. The second greatest living drummer lived up to my expectations. His drum kits have gotten progressively more stripped down over the years, but this time, he moved back toward a bigger setup. Not as big as Portnoy's, but big enough. This guy is just a monster.

Ed Bass. Eddie Jackson is amazing. His bass playing was top notch. Bakcup vocals were stellar. I miss the Empire days when he would run around the stage and goof around with the other bandmembers, but that's a minor complaint. But he did a few things on stage to remind us of that classic Ed Bass sense of humor.

Because of their energy level, and the freshness they injected into their older material, I would have to say that Queensryche were the better band on stage that night. Not to take anything away from my favorites, Dream Theater, but the 'Ryche were just so incredibly on. And for the first time in a very long time, they just looked like they were having fun up there again. I think the fact that they had such talented bands with them on tour also just took them up to a higher level. It will be interesting to see whether they stay at this level when this amazing co-headlining tour is over.

Oh, but don't let me forget the encores...

The lights go down. You can see the Roadies moving around in the dark. The cover comes off Mike Portnoy's drum kit as the TriRyche and the Majesty logo appear on the screen behind the stage, melt together, and then separate again. The crowd is just going bananas. Ten musicians come out on stage, as we hear the opening notes to...The Real World??? My jaw hit the floor. Why this one? Well, as I listened, it became self evident. With this musicians, and a much heavier 'Ryche sound, this song absolutely rocked! James LaBrie sang the first verse, and they traded off after that. They did a huge jam at the end of the song, and one of the most breathtaking sights was Scott and Mike pounding away full blast on their own drum kits. They are incredible timekeepers. They were just going at it full blast, and didn't miss a single beat. And they were not drumming from the elbows down--their whole bodies were into it. Next, Jordan and Geoff started off the Spirit Carries on. At this point, I realized that there were entirely too many bald people on stage at the same time. But anyway... There was such chemistry onstage, that it's hard to believe these were two separate bands instead of one big travelling show that has been together for years. The song ended with Geoff and James singing together, and just totally going for it. They finished off with the Who. You've already heard how incredible the playing on this song was if you've read Venomboy's post. So I'll digress for just a moment here...

I knew from another post on this board that Dave Meniketti was going to be at this show. And I knew that he made friends with Mike Stone on the Euro tour, and spent some time hanging out with Geoff. Knowing that Dave would be watching the show from backstage if he was there, I was really hoping he would come out onstage for a song. When they launched into the Who, I thought it was a perfect opportunity. But it didn't happen. That would have made the night even more incredible. Oh well. I think I caught a brief glimpse of Dave offstage at stage right, but I can't be sure.

Overall, this show was a perfect 10. I'll talk a little bit about Sunday's show later...

Pt. III:

Sunday, the 27th. First of all, before I say anything else about this show, another public thank you to Nancy for getting us the great seats! You are the best!

Fatez: Don't know. Didn't get there in time. Had a great time visiting the church in Sacramento and meeting some great Christians there, but it caused me to miss Fatez, so no review of their set. But Nancy said they sounded good.

Dream Theater: As I'm walking toward will call, my cell phone rings. It's Nancy. "They're about to start. Where are you?" "I'm here! I'm here!" Travis and I are now running toward will call as we hear Overture 1928 begin! By the beginning of Strange Deja Vu, we are at our fantastic seats, marvelling at the beautiful venue and how close we are to the entire band. Plus, while the stage was adequate, it was on the small side, which added to the intimate feeling of the show. Dream Theater were even better than the night before. (although I preferred the Concord setlist) James' voice was even stronger, if that's even possible. During the long Dance of Eternity jam especially, the instruments were on fire! They are all masters in the truest sense of the word. At times, there was video footage on the screens above the stage, which just added to the whole experience. Almost nabbed one of Mike Portnoy's drum sticks, but it was just a couple of feet short.

Queensryche: They were slightly less powerful than the night before, but were still incredible, and were head and shoulders above where they have been in recent years. Knowing how good the show was going to be, my adrenaline was pumping as the 20th Century Fox theme began playing over the PA. Mike Wilton had more energy and smiled a lot more than the previous night. Again, they all just seemed so happy to be there that it just made the show. They just seemed so renewed and fresh. They also used a lot of video footage on the screens, digging up a lot of past footage from the Mindcrime and Promised Land tours. And a few new twists. I especially liked the shots of Geoff while singing on NM156. There was live footage of him singing superimposed on green matrix code. Very nice touch, I thought.

But for this show, I would give the "best performance of the night" to Dream Theater by a nose.

The encores: I was NOT expecting Comfortably Numb. Pink who? Nobody has ever played this song so well as the ten musicians on stage this night. Geoff and James were made to sing this!
Next song: Peruvian Skies. My jaw hit the floor. I was expecting The Spirit Carries On again. This song was the musical experience of a lifetime for me. Every band member was giving heart and soul to this song. I hope this ends up on a DVD or at least a soundboard recording at sometime in the future. I will pay whatever ludicrous ebay bid price for it--IT WAS THAT GOOD!
Last song: Take Hold. Started off with just Mike Wilton on his sunburst Les Paul style ESP and James LaBrie. Hearing Geoff perform the opening, with its soft beginning, and gradually building up to that mega-high scream can send a chill up your spine. Hearing James do it just about made me pass out. After he hit Geoff's scream, he added his own a full step higher, and then smiled ear to ear as he knew he absolutely nailed it! The song never let up for a second. Geoff would take over the lead, and sing notes no one has heard him sing for years, nailing each one perfectly. Then James would come back and outdo him, and all they could do was smile and bask in the fact that every jaw in the audience was on the floor. When this show was over, nobody wanted to leave.

Some additional notes: This was a truly special concert weekend. The Sacramento show itself had a very special vibe to it. Add to that the fact that I got to hang out a little with Nancy's friend Jennifer (who I haven't seen since Journey in San Jose) and her husband. And I got to meet Nancy's brother (whose name I forgot), who was very cool. And I got to hang out a little with Nancy, and get goofed on by her security staff. tongue.gif Ever seen Nancy with her Janet Jackson security headset on? ("Miss Dziedziec, if you're..." Oh, nevermind!) Thanks again, my friend. I won't forget this for a long time. Wish I could have seen Tara there screaming along with Geoff on some of the songs. But I guess that is a story that will have to be written another day...

And, by Dave Menketti:

I was there at that gig in Concord. Cool show. I didn't watch from the side of the stage, so if you saw someone that looked like me, it wasn't me. I watched, QR & DT like everyone else . . . from the house (about 25 rows back). I even met a guy wearing a Meniketti On the Blue Side shirt as I was walking toward backsatge after the show. This show confirmed why I dislike the Concord (Chronicle) Pavilion's sound system so much. All irritating highs, sloppy ill-defined bass (except probably in the front) and not much really clear midrange (this is a picky musician thing, very boring stuff & most could care less about that).

Anyway, Stone was as funny as ever backstage, before & after the set. He held court with me, Jill & a few friends, making us laugh our asses off for about an hour before & an hour after the show. Boy he musta been pretty damn bored to have hung with us the whole night. Geoff came out to say hi (he even remembered Jill's name (that impressed the hell out of her ) & introduced his wife to us. I guess she's his manager? I mentioned that we were playing together again in Texas & we talked about every goofy thing you could think of, then ended it all up by talking stupid stuff about guitar gear, at the end of the night. That pretty much set the tone for Jill to start getting real tired for the sleeping on the drive home. :

I enjoyed both bands, and was especially intrigued by Dream Theater since I had never seen them before. What I learned quickly about Dream Theater fans is that mostly everyone seemed to live for those moments in every song that the guitar player played a mind-bending solo. I got that part real quick. Fun stuff to see. Queensryche seemed to be "on" for their set & was impressive. A good night out for rockers & prog rockers alike.

Now - on to see Jeff Beck! Yeah!!

[TAC]

And, by Dave Menketti:.........

I should've known THAT was coming!

[bosk1]

I only wish I had known he was there ahead of time. 

[yeshaberto]

This is one of the big regrets of my life missing this tour....
I found the comment about James and Geoff's voice interesting...I would've guessed otherwise from seeing the Art of Live DVD

[bosk1]

Well, do you think they would have picked the best DT performances to put on a QR release? 

[yeshaberto]

that is kind of what I figured...or also that they raised the volume on geoff's mic

[TAC]

I think Dave Meniketti should've jumped on stage and sang THOTF with James.

[bosk1]

  On a serious note, when QR came back through town a few months later on the Tribe tour, he did join them onstage for the encore and played the solo for Take Hold.  I was hoping there was a clip of it on YouTube somewhere, but no luck.  This short clip will have to do for the daily Meniketti fix:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=durhemVht9c