MP's Shattered Fortress Tour

[?]

I wouldn't necessarily assume he will ONLY play songs he wrote lyrics for.

He actually confirmed that already: https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial/posts/1483813144969656:0

The setlist at the show will be comprised of the 12 Step Suite and select other Dream Theater songs that I've written the lyrics to.

[Metro]

I wonder if the album covers are nods to what songs they will be playing.  Six Degrees through BCSL are there, which makes sense given the 12SS.  But I also see Awake, SFAM, and whatever that one is with the eye.  So I am assuming the set will feature songs from those albums.

I think The Mirror is a given. He's played it with Haken before: https://youtu.be/KfWccwZrrLg?t=469
As for SFAM, he wrote the lyrics for only 3 songs on that album: Strange Déjŕ-Vu, Home, and Finally Free.
I think Home is the obvious choice, as it kinda falls in line thematically with the rest of the suite.

The eye isn't an album cover. The artwork is just a shattered mirror so I would assume the eye is just whoever's looking in the mirror.

[utopiarun]

"A Once In A Lifetime Event" but we're doing it 13 times 

[MirrorMask]

"A Once In A Lifetime Event" but we're doing it 13 times 

On a cruise, in Europe in different countries and in South America. I dare anyone to be able to attend even two of those shows 

[Nachtmerrie]

Assuming he would only do a few shows I got myself tickets for the Night of the Prog which is a 3hr drive and now he announces this tour with a venue which is only 20minutes from my home.

Not so happy with my German tickets right now..
But I guess i'll end up seeing them 2 times...

[The Letter M]

I wouldn't necessarily assume he will ONLY play songs he wrote lyrics for.

He actually confirmed that already: https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial/posts/1483813144969656:0

The setlist at the show will be comprised of the 12 Step Suite and select other Dream Theater songs that I've written the lyrics to.

Glad to see I was right about that! Makes me wonder if he'll put out other SDOIT-to-BC&SL songs he wrote lyrics to, like "Never Enough" or "Constant Motion". I wonder if it'd be time for him to finally play "The Best Of Times" as well?

I wonder if the album covers are nods to what songs they will be playing.  Six Degrees through BCSL are there, which makes sense given the 12SS.  But I also see Awake, SFAM, and whatever that one is with the eye.  So I am assuming the set will feature songs from those albums.

If the tour poster is any indication, looks like there might be songs from Awake and SFAM included, with the former probably being "The Mirror" (maybe the extended original demo version, or the version played on the Scenes tour), and the latter possibly being the songs he wrote lyrics for.

I wonder if they'll pull out ACOS, since he DID write those lyrics...

-Marc.

Literally what I said an hour and a half before you, bosk  Either way, I'm sure it's a clue, but don't guess anything because he may not want us to know which songs will be performed until HE wants us to know!!!

If this is a Two Set show, Ideally, I'd LOVE to see him close the first set with "Finally Free" and end with the static from that album, then have that play over intermission, then open the second set with the Twelve-Step Suite, play "The Mirror", then do an encore of something.

As for other first set songs, I could see him pairing "Overture 1928" with "Strange Deja Vu", as well as "Home" and "The Dance Of Eternity". I wonder what the odds are of him doing the 3 portions of SDOIT he wrote lyrics to (WIMH/TTTSTA/GK)?

The only other TOT-through-BC&SL songs he wrote that weren't part of the 12SS were "Honor Thy Father", "Never Enough", bits of "Octavarium" (unlikely that he'd play THOSE out of context), and the aforementioned "Constant Motion" and "The Best Of Times". Not that many songs when you think about it, but if he's playing an hour for the first set, and he does those 4 songs from SFAM, that'd only be 28 minutes, so that leaves at least another 32-35 minutes to fill with non-12SS songs.

-Marc.

[Evermind]

"A Once In A Lifetime Event" but we're doing it 13 times 

On a cruise, in Europe in different countries and in South America. I dare anyone to be able to attend even two of those shows 

Well, I can technically do this if I want to, but since I'm already going to St. Petersburg in April, I feel it would be pointless to go there again just to attend another one of these.

[cramx3]

I kind of liked him playing LTE songs better than more DT songs just because DT is still around where as LTE is not.

[ToT-147]

Yeah, this would be the perfect opportunity to finally see TBoT live... especially for that solo, which we know for sure Eric would play it flawless and as it is..

Also, this:

I kind of liked him playing LTE songs better than more DT songs just because DT is still around where as LTE is not.

BUT, please don't play the same usual "songs".. It'd be more than awesome if they play Another Dimension or When the Water Breaks instead..

[gzarruk]

I remember when DT played Paradigm Shift with Tony Levin in 2012 and some MP fanboys went nuts saying they shouldn't play LTE tunes without MP because it's disrespectful, etc etc. And now, when MP plays LTE stuff with only 2 members in the cruise, as opposed of 3, none of them say anything (he also played Acid Rain with PSMS and they didn't complain at all) 

[Elite]

"A Once In A Lifetime Event" but we're doing it 13 times 

On a cruise, in Europe in different countries and in South America. I dare anyone to be able to attend even two of those shows 

Consisering I'm a regular attendee at Night of the Prog festival and am considering going to Be Prog! My Friend again (which was excellent last year), that already makes two. Although I don't think I will go to the NOTP this year. I do live close to 013 (Tilburg) though..

[ToT-147]

I remember when DT played Paradigm Shift with Tony Levin in 2012 and some MP fanboys went nuts saying they shouldn't play LTE tunes without MP because it's disrespectful, etc etc. And now, when MP plays LTE stuff with only 2 members in the cruise, as opposed of 3, none of them say anything (he also played Acid Rain with PSMS and they didn't complain at all) 

That's because they're..... MP fanboys..

[KevShmev]

I think The Mirror is a given. He's played it with Haken before: https://youtu.be/KfWccwZrrLg?t=469
As for SFAM, he wrote the lyrics for only 3 songs on that album: Strange Déjŕ-Vu, Home, and Finally Free.
I think Home is the obvious choice, as it kinda falls in line thematically with the rest of the suite.

Possibly, but can any keyboard player do the sitar stuff and JR's other stuff in that song?  I guess if he has three guitarists again, one of them could do the sitar stuff on a guitar with some effect.

I remember when DT played Paradigm Shift with Tony Levin in 2012 and some MP fanboys went nuts saying they shouldn't play LTE tunes without MP because it's disrespectful, etc etc. And now, when MP plays LTE stuff with only 2 members in the cruise, as opposed of 3, none of them say anything (he also played Acid Rain with PSMS and they didn't complain at all) 

That's because they're..... MP fanboys..

Yeah, expecting objectivity and a sense of fair play in regards to these matters when it comes to "MP fanboys" (your words) is more than a bit unrealistic.

[Madman Shepherd]

Anybody think it's weird that Mike is using the Dream Theater logo and album art to advertise these shows?  I remember a big fuss over him having the Dream Theater logo on his website and message board and having to take that off and no longer being allowed to sell his Dream Theater drum cam DVDs.

I mean, we've already discussed that anybody can perform any song they want as long as they pay the publishing rights.  Using copyrighted material to advertise is something else.   

[KevShmev]

Perhaps he has to pay a fee or something, which is likely what DT had to do when they took the albums covers of the full albums they covered and altered them a bit.

[PetFish]

It's this kind of stuff that makes me sad the way everything went down.

Both sides could have been cool and helped each other out with where they were at musically.  Like MP saying "the DT guys made a great choice with Mangini" or JP saying "I think the Winery Dogs is a phenomenal project for Mike and it's a great album."  Or, you know, they way things worked with Derek and even Charlie.  The liked and supported one another.  It would definitely have made any possible collaborations or reunion shows not only inevitable with no awkwardness but also a great time for all the musicians and the fans.  But now it's just all awkward and uncomfortable.

But, the way it all happened and the years since makes it clear to me that things will never be "OK" between MP and DT (except maybe JR) and if they ever do share the stage again, unless something drastic happens, it's gonna feel really weird.

I hope someone understands what I'm trying to say.   

[Cool Chris]

But now it's just all awkward and uncomfortable.

You make some great points about supporting each other post-split, but now it isn't all awkward and uncomfortable. It only is when MP has something to say related to DT. Nothing has been awkward from the current DT line-up.

[bosk1]

Well, finally voted (although I've been posting in the thread since the get-go).  It just seemed silly to speculate about something we not only had never heard, but also had no clue of the band members.  I think that I really fall somewhere in between the first two choices.  From what I heard of the first performance, I thought it mostly sounded really good (excusing Daniel not being prepared, the inevitable claims that come with a first performance of such a huge, epic piece of music, etc.).  But it is impossible to not go in with expectations, since it is an established piece of music that we have all heard the same band performing since it was written.  So, certainly, it sounds a bit "off" from what we are used to.  If this were coming near me, I would definitely see it because (1) I think it would be pretty good, and (2) I think it's great to support Mike (despite him being not-so-supportive of this forum and the fans in general far more often than I think he should). 

[Stadler]

I think we're ignoring the real beef here:   LaBrie and Portnoy.   LaBrie was anything BUT supportive or classy during the split.  I'm not going to recount and cite everything again (I think I've done it here already) but of all the members of DT, I think he was the most...  "happy" (maybe not the right word) when the split went down.  I think John was more hurt and betrayed ("how dare you leave this thing we created!") but I got the sense there was almost glee on LaBrie's part.  HE was the one that said nothing was going to change. HE was the one that said that he was "now the real front man" and would step up and handle the fan interaction (he didn't).   HE was the one that that all four (this was before Mangini) members would step up and cover the non-drumming things that Mike did (as if they were as simple as replacing the roll of toilet paper when it's down to the paper insert).   

I have no basis for this, I have no back up for this, but it is my core belief that if the band ever IS looking for a drummer again, and Portnoy is a consideration, Petrucci and Rudess will likely be faced with a "him or me" scenario with LaBrie.   Which would suck for me, personally, since I got into DT back in '92 because of those two.   I heard Images and Words and thought "holy shit can that guy DRUM!".  Then, "holy shit can that guy SING!".   

[Mebert78]

I watched the full Shattered Fortress video last night on YouTube on my TV, as well as the LTE songs with Tony Levin.  I thought it was all awesome!  The Haken guys did a great job and Eric Gillette did a killer job on Petrucci's solo for the most part.  I was impressed.

[mikeyd23]

I think we're ignoring the real beef here:   LaBrie and Portnoy.   LaBrie was anything BUT supportive or classy during the split.  I'm not going to recount and cite everything again (I think I've done it here already) but of all the members of DT, I think he was the most...  "happy" (maybe not the right word) when the split went down.  I think John was more hurt and betrayed ("how dare you leave this thing we created!") but I got the sense there was almost glee on LaBrie's part.  HE was the one that said nothing was going to change. HE was the one that said that he was "now the real front man" and would step up and handle the fan interaction (he didn't).   HE was the one that that all four (this was before Mangini) members would step up and cover the non-drumming things that Mike did (as if they were as simple as replacing the roll of toilet paper when it's down to the paper insert).   

I have no basis for this, I have no back up for this, but it is my core belief that if the band ever IS looking for a drummer again, and Portnoy is a consideration, Petrucci and Rudess will likely be faced with a "him or me" scenario with LaBrie.   Which would suck for me, personally, since I got into DT back in '92 because of those two.   I heard Images and Words and thought "holy shit can that guy DRUM!".  Then, "holy shit can that guy SING!".

Stads I love your posts and think your a great contributor here, but I'm not tracking with you on this one. I think your MPfanboy might be clouding you a bit. All the guys from DT have been really respectful since the split, James included. You can definitely make the argument that he and MP weren't on great terms before the split, you can make the argument that he hasn't picked up all of MP's slack, but DT has certainly handled the split in a very classy manner.

[bosk1]

^Agreed.  I haven't seen anything from James that was not classy.

[rumborak]

I agree with everybody here actually
JLB was nothing but classy, but I think he would also be the most reluctant to bring MP back into DT.

[mikeyd23]

I agree with everybody here actually
JLB was nothing but classy, but I think he would also be the most reluctant to bring MP back into DT.

No question. I'm definitely not arguing that.

[bosk1]

I agree with everybody here actually
JLB was nothing but classy, but I think he would also be the most reluctant to bring MP back into DT.

Yeah, in case it wasn't clear, I was not disputing that latter point either.  But I need to note that I have never spoken to James about that and have no insider information--I am basing that opinion solely off of the public things that we all have seen.

[RodrigoAltaf]

I don´t have evidence of James expressing relief or joy that MP left, but from memory, he certainly SEEMED happy about it when it happened.

[rumborak]

It's really a no-brainer I think. JLB was essentially the only DT member MP publicly criticized.

[ariich]

I don´t have evidence of James expressing relief or joy that MP left, but from memory, he certainly SEEMED happy about it when it happened.

Yeah James is a classy guy in general and so was always careful to not be disrespectful. But if I'm honest, there were a few interviews where he seemed so pleased with the situation that it made me feel slightly uncomfortable. It's really hard to pinpoint what it was, but I never got that feeling from the others.

[rumborak]

It may have been the grin glued on his face for months that clued you in

[Mosh]

I remember thinking ADTOE felt like a major comeback for James. The album and the tours. He definitely seemed more into it compared to BC&SL and when I saw them opening for Maiden with Portnoy still in the band.

[Zook]

James probably doesn't hate Mike, but I can certainly understand why he may not like him that much.

[Stadler]

I think we're ignoring the real beef here:   LaBrie and Portnoy.   LaBrie was anything BUT supportive or classy during the split.  I'm not going to recount and cite everything again (I think I've done it here already) but of all the members of DT, I think he was the most...  "happy" (maybe not the right word) when the split went down.  I think John was more hurt and betrayed ("how dare you leave this thing we created!") but I got the sense there was almost glee on LaBrie's part.  HE was the one that said nothing was going to change. HE was the one that said that he was "now the real front man" and would step up and handle the fan interaction (he didn't).   HE was the one that that all four (this was before Mangini) members would step up and cover the non-drumming things that Mike did (as if they were as simple as replacing the roll of toilet paper when it's down to the paper insert).   

I have no basis for this, I have no back up for this, but it is my core belief that if the band ever IS looking for a drummer again, and Portnoy is a consideration, Petrucci and Rudess will likely be faced with a "him or me" scenario with LaBrie.   Which would suck for me, personally, since I got into DT back in '92 because of those two.   I heard Images and Words and thought "holy shit can that guy DRUM!".  Then, "holy shit can that guy SING!".

Stads I love your posts and think your a great contributor here, but I'm not tracking with you on this one. I think your MPfanboy might be clouding you a bit. All the guys from DT have been really respectful since the split, James included. You can definitely make the argument that he and MP weren't on great terms before the split, you can make the argument that he hasn't picked up all of MP's slack, but DT has certainly handled the split in a very classy manner.

I think DT has handled the split as classily as they could, but I respectfully disagree with the James comment.   Did he ever come out and say "Wow, that Porntoy is a DICK and I'm glad the fucker is gone!"?   No, but as others have noted, there was a hint of glee.   There were the veiled comments about the "front man".  There were uncomfortable moments where you knew he wanted to say more.   I'm not going so far as to say he was a dick about it, but I'm sticking with the idea that James was not at all upset about Mike's leaving, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was part of the group that stuck to the "nope, you left!" position when Mike offered to come back. 

[bosk1]

...but I respectfully disagree with the James comment.   Did he ever come out and say "Wow, that Porntoy is a DICK and I'm glad the fucker is gone!"?   No, but as others have noted, there was a hint of glee.   There were the veiled comments about the "front man".  There were uncomfortable moments where you knew he wanted to say more.   I'm not going so far as to say he was a dick about it, but I'm sticking with the idea that James was not at all upset about Mike's leaving, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was part of the group that stuck to the "nope, you left!" position when Mike offered to come back. 

I don't think anyone would disagree with any of that.  But how does that then translate to him not being classy?  IMO, classy doesn't mean being emotionless.  But it means being tactful and biting your tongue where there are less tactful things you could say if you just didn't care.  Where has James crossed the line?

[Stadler]

No, maybe you're right.   I did, in fact, say that James wasn't classy, and I think I'm perhaps going too far with that.  Maybe I mean to say "he didn't hide it as well as the others".   But you're right, I can't really point to a moment where he was unapologetically UNclassy.   

[Adami]

No, maybe you're right.   I did, in fact, say that James wasn't classy, and I think I'm perhaps going too far with that.  Maybe I mean to say "he didn't hide it as well as the others".   But you're right, I can't really point to a moment where he was unapologetically UNclassy.

Maybe you're experiencing some unconscious anti-Canadianism.