MP's Shattered Fortress Tour

[nobloodyname]

Lovely to hear the Psycho music opening a show again.

[nobloodyname]

Damn, massive grin on my face watching Strange Deja Vu.

Thanks for linking to these videos, FOXAN03.

I know it's not going to happen, and why it's not, but oh for an official release.

[the keyboard wizard]

15 minutes to psycho, 15 minutes to psycho!!!

We want some rock juice!!

[FOXAN03]

That feeling when this is more DT than DT has been for the last few years

[mikeyd23]

Setlist looks pretty cool. The ultimate question is will MP have rotating setlists with this group? That's everyone's big complaint with DT right now, right?

That feeling when this is more DT than DT has been for the last few years

[MirrorMask]

I guess it's quite unlikely they will always change the set.

[mikeyd23]

I guess it's quite unlikely they will always change the set.

I would agree, I was, for the most part, kidding.

[emtee]

Total goosebumps and chills watching some of those vids and seeing MP in this setting again. The supporting band is excellent
and the production looks top notch. Congrats to MP. I hope the rest of the shows are as well attended and the crowd is just as
energetic as London!

Awesome!!

[Art]

this show looks like a lot of fun! 

ps: the haken guy is sounding good on strange deja vu

[Samsara]

Thanks FOXAN03 for taking some time during the gig to post the setlist. What about the merchandising? Mike said there would be some special items.

No problem at all! Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago i had to have reconstructive surgery on my Knee due to a work related accident (I'm a stunt man..... No seriously) So I was on Crutches. I have to hand it to the Guys at Koko giving me access to the disabled seating area, the view was amazing and all the room i could need as well as my own personal toilet (its the small things in life) I once ventured downstairs to get a drink had a guy help me bring it back upstairs and I saw the Merch Stand, couldn't take a pic since I need my arms to really walk but it was full of old merch that was left over from throughout the MP DT areaas well as a few new stuff was really cool!

I had a guy in a wheelchair right next to me pretty much filming none stop and I've just found it on Youtube, I think more will go up over time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_wfbtNfQkY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfBw1QtbZXQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiPkIdOXBF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdNgGxryjSk

One thing you'll see from these, this was one of the most Vocal crowds i've ever seen at a 'DT' concert the atmosphere was incredible.The Only downer for the entire evening was Eric suddenly getting technical problems for the intro to Shattered Fortress but that fixed quickly

I am very much looking forward to DT's I&W tour, and the incredible performance of that record and ACOS. I am sure it will be stellar. But these videos almost brought a tear to my eye. You can feel the emotion in the room. From the fans, from MP, from the band. Man...

The singer on Strange Deja Vu...is that the Haken lead singer? Dude was amazing. He was spot-on. I am so impressed. I may have to buy The Mountain...

[bill1971]

Considering how MP always says he does things for the fans, is it not ok then for DT to do things for the fans?  I've been on this forum long enough to know the fans have been craving to see ACOS live again.  I've never seen it of the 12+ times I've seen DT.  I understand that he may feel upset due to his personal connection to the song (and I think that's fine), but it's a fan favorite.  You can't expect DT to not give the fans what they want.

I would like to put a different perspective to this. I knew what his proposed setlist for this was going to be 5 years ago, as MP himself told me(there was another person on this forum present that may or may not back me up). He wanted to wait for the right time to do it figuring his 50th birthday would be right.
I can also say that things in the DT camp were not peaceful, they just chose not to comment on anything MP. Look at the timing of the I&W revisited tour, dates were announced pretty quickly and they hit the road before MP, and play ACOS as a FU to steal his thunder, as they knew how much he wanted to play it.

I really have only seen any kind of passive aggression coming from MP and not anyone from the DT camp, so I doubt it. I dont doubt that MP told you that but that DT would be that way. DT seems happy with the end results and sadly I think MP regrets leaving. That being said, I am happy he has a chance to do this and get it out of his system. I am looking forward to his new prog group and continued work with Flying Colours and Neal Morse.

[antigoon]

It pains me to say, but recent DT performances I've seen online...do not compare favorably to this. 

[cramx3]

It pains me to say, but recent DT performances I've seen online...do not compare favorably to this.

Yea, I love DT and all and enjoy their shows, but I think this kind of hits on the point of what the DT shows have been lacking since MP left, which is that raw live energy.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

They sound awesome, as I knew they would.

The circumstances of this still feel kinda bittersweet to me, but I'm glad Portnoy is doing this. For those seeing the I&W DT shows and the Shattered Fortress shows, that's a big dose of live DT music.

[?]

Also, if the song is so emotional and dear to him, then why was he ok with the band inserting the Simpsons theme into it on LSFNY?

I think you are now the second person in the thread to say this.  But I have to say, I don't understand the point.  How does inserting that somehow make it not emotional or dear to him? 

Not saying this is my take on it, but my guess is because the Simpsons theme is humorous, and ACOS is a completely serious and thought-provoking song. The two don't mix.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at.

Anyway, the chunk of Scenes in the setlist makes sense, given that it's easily the most classic and popular album out of the ones with a significant amount of MP lyrics, and that was probably the second-best option to play with ACOS out of question. The fact that DT played 4 out of those 5 songs (plus The Mirror) on the Along for the Ride tour is amusing though.

I still think a more metal-sounding singer would've been more appropriate for the suite, but the band is tight and Ross' voice fits in surprisingly well on the SFAM tunes (the clip of Home sounded good in particular, probably because he sounds a little Maynard-y and the song is pure Tool worship anyway ), though DT material played without James on vocals is always going to sound a little off.

[Samsara]

Also, if the song is so emotional and dear to him, then why was he ok with the band inserting the Simpsons theme into it on LSFNY?

I think you are now the second person in the thread to say this.  But I have to say, I don't understand the point.  How does inserting that somehow make it not emotional or dear to him? 

Not saying this is my take on it, but my guess is because the Simpsons theme is humorous, and ACOS is a completely serious and thought-provoking song. The two don't mix.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at.

Next time, please capture what I was saying. You cut off the most important part of my quote:

Not saying this is my take on it, but my guess is because the Simpsons theme is humorous, and ACOS is a completely serious and thought-provoking song. The two don't mix. So it leads to speculation that perhaps the song isn't as emotional for him as it is for many of us, because he made a joke out of it with the Simpsons insertion.

For me personally, I don't buy that line of thinking at all. I think the song does mean a tremendous amount to him. The insertion of the Simpsons thing was a little light hearted moment to bring some healing laughter to the moment, during such an emotional roller coaster. Which, if you've ever lost a parent, or had issues with something, that sort of break is very much needed.

So no, I don't agree with you, ?

[Ben_Jamin]

So if DT never played ACoS recently the set list would've been the main set and ACoS encore. No Home/TDoE/Finally Free?

[Samsara]

Honestly, I think Finally Free, message wise, makes more sense, if that's what Portnoy truly believes.

Either way, I was blown away by the videos and am absolutely gutted I can't be in NY or ATL to see this in the states.

[bosk1]

You never know.  I'm still hoping that these do well enough that a few promoters ask him to add a few dates, and that it works out with everyone's schedules that they actually can.  Not betting on it, but you never know.

[kaos2900]

I have mad respect for everyone in this band, especially Eric, however the whole thing just doesn't sit well for me. Can't really explain why, just doesn't seem right to me.  That being said, if this get's more people into DT, Haken, Eric/Neal Morse etc. it can't be all bad.

[Skeever]

I am so absolutely pumped for this after seeing the videos. I bought my ticket for NYC immediately and I will be there.

[cramx3]

I am so absolutely pumped for this after seeing the videos. I bought my ticket for NYC immediately and I will be there.

[FOXAN03]

So if DT never played ACoS recently the set list would've been the main set and ACoS encore. No Home/TDoE/Finally Free?

Essentially yes I think we would have got another song in the main set like constant motion along with ACOS since the encore was about 30 min long!!

[Architeuthis]

Wish there were some dates in the Pacific North West!

[?]

Next time, please capture what I was saying. You cut off the most important part of my quote:

Not saying this is my take on it, but my guess is because the Simpsons theme is humorous, and ACOS is a completely serious and thought-provoking song. The two don't mix. So it leads to speculation that perhaps the song isn't as emotional for him as it is for many of us, because he made a joke out of it with the Simpsons insertion.

For me personally, I don't buy that line of thinking at all. I think the song does mean a tremendous amount to him. The insertion of the Simpsons thing was a little light hearted moment to bring some healing laughter to the moment, during such an emotional roller coaster. Which, if you've ever lost a parent, or had issues with something, that sort of break is very much needed.

So no, I don't agree with you, ?

I only left in that part, because it expressed what I was trying to say. I wasn't seriously arguing that ACOS has no importance to MP, because it obviously does - it was more of a sarcastic quip than anything, like "you have no problem with adding a humorous teaser into a song (partially) about your mother, but your ex-bandmates playing the song - respectfully and without joking around - is heartbreaking?"

I can see why you don't have a problem with the humor bit, and that's fair enough, but it's just that to me it sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of such an emotionally heavy and personal song, almost like a fart during a memorial service. Not bad enough to ruin the mood completely, but pretty distracting nevertheless.

[lucasembarbosa]

Eric's vocal performance sounded pretty tight to me, loved it!

[bosk1]

I can see why you don't have a problem with the humor bit, and that's fair enough, but it's just that to me it sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of such an emotionally heavy and personal song, almost like a fart during a memorial service. Not bad enough to ruin the mood completely, but pretty distracting nevertheless.

I don't get that at all.  The backdrop and theme is about childhood innocence and loss.  The song constantly bounces back and forth between the two ideas.  Those alternate little parts in the "solo" sections that they added in SFAM go perfectly with all of that.  I've never felt that it was out of place at all.

[Samsara]

Wish there were some dates in the Pacific North West!

Amen. Or just plain WEST. Alaska Air is cheap!

[FOXAN03]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxBCVGj3OXg

Finally Free Outro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFKvZPB8Dj8

Part of DOE

[Mladen]

The clips that I've heard sound very good. There's not that much chaos and mess coming from the three guitars, they blend fairly well, and Ross does a fine job with the vocals, I'm very impressed by him. The energy is there, I gotta give it to them for sounding like they're truly into it. MP got together a bunch of great guys that can really perform this stuff appropriately.

[gmillerdrake]

It pains me to say, but recent DT performances I've seen online...do not compare favorably to this.

Yea, I love DT and all and enjoy their shows, but I think this kind of hits on the point of what the DT shows have been lacking since MP left, which is that raw live energy.

the energy is certainly there...it's undeniable. A very exciting evening that would have been cool to be at. But, as far as the songs themselves and the playing of them....while they were executed very well IMO it wasn't near the musicianship of DT. Sounded great and all....but the 'something missing' aspect was that the 'something missing' was JP and JR. You can't replace those two when it comes to playing a DT cover.

[bosk1]

Sounded great and all....but the 'something missing' aspect was that the 'something missing' was JP and JR. You can't replace those two when it comes to playing a DT cover.

I agree overall, and I would add James to that as well.  However, that being said, I have also thought MANY times through the years that DT's sound would benefit from having a second guitarist, and I think these clips highlight why.  DT songs have so many layers of keyboards and guitars, and there is only so much you can do to replicate that live with only one keyboardist and one guitarist.  DT's solution is to play to a click and pipe the rest in in the background.  That's all fine.  But I personally also really like the flavor that hearing another live guitarist or two can add by bring in the backing that way.  When Eric solos, for example, you aren't faced with having the backing guitar either fade out altogether, be replicated by Jordan on keyboard, or have to be piped in. 

[AngelBack]

Honestly, I think Finally Free, message wise, makes more sense, if that's what Portnoy truly believes.

Either way, I was blown away by the videos and am absolutely gutted I can't be in NY or ATL to see this in the states.

ATL Atlanta?  I have not seen anything about that. 

[Metro]

Honestly, I think Finally Free, message wise, makes more sense, if that's what Portnoy truly believes.

Either way, I was blown away by the videos and am absolutely gutted I can't be in NY or ATL to see this in the states.

ATL Atlanta?  I have not seen anything about that. 

They're playing the Prog Power Festival in September in Atlanta

[mikeyd23]

Sounded great and all....but the 'something missing' aspect was that the 'something missing' was JP and JR. You can't replace those two when it comes to playing a DT cover.

I agree overall, and I would add James to that as well.  However, that being said, I have also thought MANY times through the years that DT's sound would benefit from having a second guitarist, and I think these clips highlight why.  DT songs have so many layers of keyboards and guitars, and there is only so much you can do to replicate that live with only one keyboardist and one guitarist.  DT's solution is to play to a click and pipe the rest in in the background.  That's all fine.  But I personally also really like the flavor that hearing another live guitarist or two can add by bring in the backing that way.  When Eric solos, for example, you aren't faced with having the backing guitar either fade out altogether, be replicated by Jordan on keyboard, or have to be piped in.

I agree with both these posts.

That being said, I don't think JP is looping in backing guitars under his solos very often even though they are playing to click. He's doing it in some obvious spots like the intro to TCoT, but as far as solos in songs, I don't think that is something he's doing a lot of. As far as loops, it seems like primarily they are looping vocal-related things, not a ton of instrumentation. TA is the exception to this I guess because of the orchestral stuff being looped. JR can't cover all that live.