Your Controversial Opinions on DT

[Ben_Jamin]

After this tour, I really hope they decide not to do anniversaries any more. It would be nice to finally see a set with no idea as to what would be played.

[cramx3]

After this tour, I really hope they decide not to do anniversaries any more. It would be nice to finally see a set with no idea as to what would be played.

True and with three tours in a row of the US playing entire albums, I think it's due to shake things up next time around.

[Ben_Jamin]

After this tour, I really hope they decide not to do anniversaries any more. It would be nice to finally see a set with no idea as to what would be played.

True and with three tours in a row of the US playing entire albums, I think it's due to shake things up next time around.

I was hoping they'd do that this tour. Then we'd likely would've have gotten TGP, Octavarium, The Killing Hand, Surrender to Reason in one show.

I can see why they would do scenes. But I'd rather have a set of different songs as Anniversary shows have lost their charm for me.

[Sebastián Pratesi]

Oh, and by the way, there are now as many as 8 song titles that have been revealed in the public domain.

God! They've been there for 2 weeks!

Nice titles! I really like the one by Mike.

[bosk1]

Nice titles! I really like the one by Mike.

Yes. 

[gzarruk]

Oh, and by the way, there are now as many as 8 song titles that have been revealed in the public domain.

God! They've been there for 2 weeks!

Nice titles! I really like the one by Mike.

[rab7]

Nice titles! I really like the one by Mike.

Yes. 

Is there a reason that this was never discovered by anyone two weeks ago when it was posted? Or why y'all are trying to keep it under wraps (I get the vibe that noxon does not want this article discovered)?

Or is this an epilogue to the Treasure Hunt to get us to become better at googling?

[noxon]

It's no worries, it just ruins a bit of the fun of trying to discover the song title, that's all The article itself is a press release, but I've not seen ANYONE else post it yet, so I am not going to give it out juuuust yet.

[bosk1]

No, there's nothing wrong with it being discovered.  We just want someone who doesn't have inside info to find it on their own, that's all.

EDIT:  What Noxon said. 

[gzarruk]

I think I found something

[RMGadelha]

Well, I guess I'll just have to wait. I suck at searching for that sort of thing. ;p

[gzarruk]

Well, I'll share it, and really hope the mods don't kill me for it (they said it's ok, after all)

It took me a long while to find it: https://www.myjaxchamber.com/news/2018/11/14/member-news/the-distance-over-time-tour-celebrating-20-years-of-scenes-from-a-memory/

Important parts to read:

Album opener "Untethered Angel" commences with ominous clean guitar before ramping up into a hypnotic and hard-hitting riff that gives way to a sweeping and soaring hook. Heavily employing Hammond X5, Rudess locks into an "organ-and-guitar" call-and-response with Petrucci, evoking classic prog while charting new territory all the same.

"John has some of the most tastefully crafted leads in the business, so that forces me to step up my game to the max," Rudess goes on. "It opened up a different avenue for us to trade back and forth."

"Subject-wise, it's about me seeing that a lot of people, especially our youth, are afraid to take their lives in certain directions because of fear," explains Petrucci. "They have fear of the unknown, fear of what other people think, and fear of not being good enough. So, the song urges letting go of yourself, not letting fear win, and untethering yourself from the feeling of fear that stops you from doing things."

The ten-minute "At Wit's End" swings from sharp shredding into a thick groove as LaBrie paints an intense portrait of the aftermath of abuse.

"When women have been violated, they suffer from PTSD," says the singer. "They can never really view themselves as the same people, because for all intents and purposes, they aren't. It creates a lot of divide in relationships. It can be impossible for couples to overcome. In a lot of instances, they don't make it, and they break apart. In the song, the woman is at her wit's end, and the man is assuring her they can get through it."

"Barstool Warrior" offers up an intimate slice of small town lore with cinematic lyrics as "Out of Reach" sees the band stretch its wings with a poetic ballad with lyrics penned by LaBrie. The haunting and maddening "Room 137" marks the first time Mangini contributed lyrics to a Dream Theater song, while everything culminates on the epic-sounding "Pale Blue Dot," which "highlights Carl Sagan's meaningful reflection on humankind's fleeting nature and our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another and to cherish the 'Pale Blue Dot' which is Earth." as Petrucci puts it.

[rab7]

*snip*

Haha I've been debating whether or not to post this link or just leave a hint on how to find it, but you've beaten me to the punch.

It was pretty hard. I figured anything that would have extra track names would also include the name of one of the released track names.

So I looked up how to google results that also had specific words in them (ex. "Awake" will get you a billion results, but "Awake" [function]"Dream Theater" will get you only results that also have Dream Theater).

In this case, "Dream Theater Barstool Warrior" wasn't enough for some reason. You need to do ["DREAM THEATER" AROUND(100) "BARSTOOL WARRIOR"]

[bosk1]

[RMGadelha]

Oh, then I was on the right track. I searched for Barstool Warrior but I didn't know how to tweak my search like that. xD

[gzarruk]

I searched for atricles containing "Dream Theater Distance Over Time" of the last month in chronological order and checked one by one

[Ben_Jamin]

I need a single soon. These names are all sounding neat and different. Room 137 and Pale Blue Dot caught my eye.

[The Curious Orange]

Pale Blue Dot sounds like a Sound of Contact song (it's on their excellent Dimensionaut album).

I wasn't saying DT are a nostalgia band, I was saying they are starting to display some of the signs of a nostalgia band. Bands like Rush and Iron Maiden have successfully alternated new album tours with "classic legacy"  tours, so the definition of what I'd consider a nostalgia band is pretty fluid.

[noxon]

How about we keep the discussions about the album in the appropriate thread?

[ToT-147]

Yeah, don't know why we brought it here..

I wasn't saying DT are a nostalgia band, I was saying they are starting to display some of the signs of a nostalgia band. Bands like Rush and Iron Maiden have successfully alternated new album tours with "classic legacy"  tours, so the definition of what I'd consider a nostalgia band is pretty fluid.

Ok, so one more time, the discussion was really more about semantics than anything else..

But anyways, I personally don't think that they're showing any signs of becoming a nostalgia band either.. They've played before the entire SFAM in different countries way after the actual tour of the album.. Now they're just doing it for all the countries where they'll play... along with some songs of the new album (maybe the whole album!, who knows, depends on the length of the album) and some others.. Besides, they have NEVER made a single tour with only a classic album on it.. Even in the IW&B tour, you still had a lot of other songs in the setlist (including songs from their latest album and from recent albums too).. So I definitely don't think so..

[MirrorMask]

Another thing that is common with these so called "nostalgia bands", is that in their live shows the recent albums are all but forgotten when the tour is over. Many bands play the obligatory 2-3 songs maximum from a new record and then it's all old songs, and then the new album is forgotten for the next tour. It's not like DT totally forgot that anything after Six Degrees exists when it comes to live shows.

[Ben_Jamin]

Another thing that is common with these so called "nostalgia bands", is that in their live shows the recent albums are all but forgotten when the tour is over. Many bands play the obligatory 2-3 songs maximum from a new record and then it's all old songs, and then the new album is forgotten for the next tour. It's not like DT totally forgot that anything after Six Degrees exists when it comes to live shows.

And of the old songs they choose to play, they're the hits/singles. I wish those bands would be daring and risk the tour playing nothing but rare/deep cuts, leaving their one biggest hit for the encore. And to be fair, maybe switch it out every stop or other show.

I know, no major band is willing to do that. But I so wish one would just do that. I guess I want that because I enjoy seeing bands live I've never heard of.

[Herrick]

(and none of the following is directed at any of you in particular)

..... Because we're really seeing the band after all.. I mean, and I've been wanted to say this for a very long time, I think criticism against James, besides being very excessive and unfair, is directly fallacious.. I think that if we like a certain band, therefore we should go to the shows to see the entire band, right?... not just the singer.. And if we're in the mood to criticize a band as if we were a jury of music specialists rather than fans, then we should criticize the whole band and not just focus on destroying one of the members.. Much less when it comes to the hardest instrument to execute correctly (the voice) and when it comes to one of the most demanding bands in terms of that same instrument... and when we're not talking about any young singer precisely, ETC...

I don't understand your position on this. Why is it fallacious to criticize one member in a band? If that band member is always fucking up (and I'm not saying LaBrie is guilty of this) then that band member can bring the whole performance down. Let's say the guitar player is terrible but the rest of the band is amazing. Why should the talents of the rest of the band shield the guitarist from criticism?

I added many layers in that comment, maybe that's what's a bit confusing.. But I partially agree with your comment..

It doesn't seem so bad to me that someone criticizes a single faulty member, if that someone is dedicated to criticize bands instead of listening and enjoying the show.. But if, like many of us, you only go there to enjoy the show, as many of us in fact do then I don't understand why that same person would criticize any member after having seen a couple of youtube videos that he didn't like of the very same show (and I know some cases first hand).. Get the difference?..

Anyways, I'm not saying that people can't do that.. They do it all the time.. I just found it to be contradictory and mean, especially to the singer, which is undeservedly the most judged everytime..

I think I get what you're saying. If I went to see a band and enjoyed the performance, then it wouldn't make sense to say how bad the band was on a YouTube video. I wonder how many LaBrie detractors dislike him after actually going out to see the band multiple times rather than just watching a bunch of online videos.

[ToT-147]

Exactly.. And, on top of that, the point I was trying to made was that the people who likes to judge (whether seeing the show in person or in a video) always focus on the vocalist and almost never in any of the rest of the band.. And they even focus more on the vocalist of a prog band, when singing it's actually more demanding and exhausting in prog than other styles, and especially hard in Dream Theater..

Not saying we should criticize the other members either (well, I don't think we can criticize much those four guys anyways), but I've always just found that to be very infortunate and unfair..

[Adami]

It's perfectly fair.

[ToT-147]

No, it's not..

[Adami]

Criticizing a singer is fair, as long the criticism is actual criticism and not just "LOL THEY SUCK."

The fact that you don't think your favorite musicians should be criticized is irrelevant.

Daniel Gildenlow is my favorite singer. LOVE him. But if someone sees him live or sees a video and says he sounds off key, or whatever else, that's fair. Even if what he's doing is EXTREMELY difficult.

[ToT-147]

Criticizing a singer is fair, as long the criticism is actual criticism and not just "LOL THEY SUCK."

Yes, I was talking exactly about that type of comments, and similars..

Anyway, you're missing the point.. I'm not (only) saying is unfair to simply judge like that someone who's representing -or trying to represent- some form of art for the whole people to enjoy! (I mean, I can't even...), BUT that it is unfair to focus always in the singer.. Like he has to be the band's most perfect performer.. Where does that come from?..

He's precisely the one who has the most difficult task at any show.. Not only to sing good, but doing it wihtout any material reference (like the other members have with their instruments), being the one interacting with the audiencie (a thing that takes him away time that should be used to recover the air in order to strain the throat as little as possible), etc, etc.. 

[Adami]

Huh? Well no one will disagree that saying "LOL THEY SUCK" is unfair. But that wasn't even being discussed.

If people focus on James it's because he's the dude screwing up. That's just what's happening right now.

Look at Metallica. They all get criticism, but who gets the most? Lars and Kirk. Cause they're the ones screwing it all up.

People criticize the people who are messing up. If it's the singer, then it's the singer. The only person who might be safe is the bassist since I doubt anyone can hear him/her anyway in most rock/metal bands. 

[Herrick]

Criticizing a singer is fair, as long the criticism is actual criticism and not just "LOL THEY SUCK."

Yes, I was talking exactly about that type of comments, and similars..

Anyway, you're missing the point.. I'm not (only) saying is unfair to simply judge like that someone who's representing -or trying to represent- some form of art for the whole people to enjoy! (I mean, I can't even...), BUT that it is unfair to focus always in the singer.. Like he has to be the band's most perfect performer.. Where does that come from?..

He's precisely the one who has the most difficult task at any show.. Not only to sing good, but doing it wihtout any material reference (like the other members have with their instruments), being the one interacting with the audiencie (a thing that takes him away time that should be used to recover the air in order to strain the throat as little as possible), etc, etc..

I thought I had understood you before but now it seems like you're saying one should never criticize anyone doing art especially if their role is particularly difficult?  Are there any circumstances where you think criticizing a singer is fair? Not trying to be a jerk. I'm just trying to understand your view.

[ToT-147]

Huh? Well no one will disagree that saying "LOL THEY SUCK" is unfair. But that wasn't even being discussed.

Try to not take all what I say literally, maybe that way my comments might not upset you the way they appear to upset you.. I mean, yeah, that was never discussed because what I said was never understood right.. I'm still yet to "discuss" my original comment with anyone..

If people focus on James it's because he's the dude screwing up. That's just what's happening right now.

First, he doesn't "screw up" anything.. What did he "screw up"??... Missing one note?.. Having to change some melodies because is not humanly possible to reach the ridiculous notes and melodies he had to record when he was 30 years old and before the poisoning food accident?.. He obviously does make mistakes, I don't know how ANY guy even trying to sing James' parts would not make them!.. But, precisely, my point is: does JP not make mistakes in some of his solos too?.. Heck, he even miss some chords from time to time (and which is perfectly understandable, again, considering the music they play)..

[Adami]

Well, I'm going to back out. Your replies are becoming far too emotionally charged for what should be a very simple discussion. If you'd like to discuss calmly and civilly, cool. But I'm not an emotional debater, and I honestly do not have an emotional investment in any of this.

This is clearly a very important belief you have, so have at it.


I'll continue to criticize James, or anyone else, if I feel the desire to. Which is rare in general.

[ToT-147]

Are there any circumstances where you think criticizing a singer is fair?

That depends on what you understand by "criticism" and "fairness".. If you check one comment above, you'll see I clarify I was only talking about people (whether in social media or real life) that complains about a given artist just because.. If I wasn't clear enough in the first comment, then by now that should be settled..

So, I was talking only about those kind of comments, which are all over the places in the case of JLB.. That's what's unfair, for the reasons I already commented.. Not ONLY because he has the most difficult task or because he sings in f**ing Dream Theater!, but because he's an artist, and should have at least some respect from the people who actually call themselves "fans" of the very same band he's in..

I'm ok with the whole rest of the circumstances regarding criticism.. But, sadly, they're not so common..

[Herrick]

Are there any circumstances where you think criticizing a singer is fair?

That depends on what you understand by "criticism" and "fairness".. If you check one comment above, you'll see I clarify I was only talking about people (whether in social media or real life) that complains about a given artist just because.. If I wasn't clear enough in the first comment, then by now that should be settled..

So, I was talking only about those kind of comments, which are all over the places in the case of JLB.. That's what's unfair, for the reasons I already commented.. Not ONLY because he has the most difficult task or because he sings in f**ing Dream Theater!, but because he's an artist, and should have at least some respect from the people who actually call themselves "fans" of the very same band he's in..

I'm ok with the whole rest of the circumstances regarding criticism.. But, sadly, they're not so common..

I get it now but I have to say I agree more with Adami's take on this.

[Cool Chris]

If you are an artist and your artistic undertaking is proving difficult to the point at which you cannot perform at a reasonably high level, you need to do something else.

This isn't me saying James should quit singing. I hope he sings for as long as Mick Jagger sings, or whatever you call it when he opens his mouth and words come out in e semi-melodious manner. He should stop singing anything he cannot sing well, and by well I mean at a very highly proficient bar the band has set (rightly or wrongly) for themselves.

I think I agree with Adami. This is like the 3rd time this week!