Pull Me Under - Live at Luna Park

[Shadow2222]

Personally, I'm not really digging the vocal performance here, but I may change my mind once I watch the full concert (technically I have at the theater screening, but it was quite hard to make out the vocals, similarly to a live concert).

[me7]

Don't interpret too much into the audio quality of the OTBOA video. It's a 480p youtube video, which means that the audio is compressed to 96 kbps AAC. AAC is very good and achieves usable results at such low bitrates, but it's not what I'd call high fidelity.

[The Presence of Frenemies]

Regarding the weirdness in the PMU clip, I kind of find it odd we don't get a single shot of JLB hitting the final scream. In fact, that panning shot almost seems to deliberately avoid him.

I hope I don't get in trouble for saying this.. but I've seen fan-shot footage of PMU from that night, and the scream is EXACTLY the same in both videos. In fact, everything is exactly the same in both videos except for literally one note from JLB on the syllable "fraid" in "not afraid". All they did to that note was take away some vibrato (which I can't for the life of me figure out why they'd do that). I can't tell anything else that they changed, but since the fan-shot footage is not super high quality, it is possible that parts here and there could have been tuned, but if so (and I think it's not so) it was very minor.

That's good to know. I recall seeing fan-shot footage (which was, of course, summarily removed) shortly after the concert actually took place, and I remember the vocal performance sounding good (from what I could tell in low quality) and the arrows FLY! scream being there in full force, but I couldn't remember if the last scream was there. Thanks for clarifying. In that case, weird camera decision to cut away from him there, kind of an epic moment.

[Grizz]

OTBOA seems to have some background crowd noise, which PMU seemed not to.

Well, I haven't seen DT live since MP left, so I can only comment on it from these videos... but I've gotta say, I really do miss Mike Portnoy.

DT's live show has always been pretty laid back, but from these videos it's really evident that Portnoy brought most of whatever energy there was.

Maybe it's because the crowd is barely shown and almost never heard in either of these videos, but it just feels like the songs lack momentum and like the band and crowd aren't really into it.

I agree with others who have said that the band seem mechanical. To me, it's almost like you are watching DT rehearse, rather than perform.

I'm imagining what this performance is like with MP in the band. I'm seeing him fire-up the crowd up during the instrumental, and befor the final chorus. I'm imagining how much better this all sounds with MP behind the kit, drumming up energy and crowd enthusiam.

Yeah, I'm missing MP. Though I was one of his biggest critics when he first left, as time goes by I'm slowly realizing the little intangibles he brought to the table which made DT way better.

As someone who went to arguably the most exciting ADToE show, I have to agree.

[ReaperKK]

Is it just me, or does JLB sound more nasally here than ever before?

That's how he always sounded to me live. Every venue I've seen DT in he sounded like a chipmunk.

[BlobVanDam]

Another great clip. Being a keyboard guy, I would like the keys up a notch in areas, but I could hear him clearly throughout the whole song, and he was loud when he needed to be, and there was one area he was louder than on the album, which really enhanced that section for me.
JLB sounded fantastic though. I've always felt like the studio version of OTBOA was pretty sterile, and I think his performance here is actually much better than on the album version. Just the right amount of vibrato, and he manages great control and pitch while also cutting loose with the gritty tone and high notes, with more expression than the album.
The drum mix helped too, and I was able to hear MM's cymbal work very clearly.

I've never loved this song, but this is definitely the most I've enjoyed it, so hopefully this DVD will help me enjoy ADTOE more, as I'd hoped.

[SeRoX]

I've never loved this song, but this is definitely the most I've enjoyed it, so hopefully this DVD will help me enjoy ADTOE more, as I'd hoped.

This. Even other live videos don't satisfy me I love that. Especially the last note of JLB. Amazing job.

[Madman Shepherd]

OTBOA seems to have some background crowd noise, which PMU seemed not to.

Well, I haven't seen DT live since MP left, so I can only comment on it from these videos... but I've gotta say, I really do miss Mike Portnoy.

DT's live show has always been pretty laid back, but from these videos it's really evident that Portnoy brought most of whatever energy there was.

Maybe it's because the crowd is barely shown and almost never heard in either of these videos, but it just feels like the songs lack momentum and like the band and crowd aren't really into it.

I agree with others who have said that the band seem mechanical. To me, it's almost like you are watching DT rehearse, rather than perform.

I'm imagining what this performance is like with MP in the band. I'm seeing him fire-up the crowd up during the instrumental, and befor the final chorus. I'm imagining how much better this all sounds with MP behind the kit, drumming up energy and crowd enthusiam.

Yeah, I'm missing MP. Though I was one of his biggest critics when he first left, as time goes by I'm slowly realizing the little intangibles he brought to the table which made DT way better.

As someone who went to arguably the most exciting ADToE show, I have to agree.

I can not understand this at all.  Sure MP would standup at his drum kit, swing his arms in the air, yell "Step right up (city were playing in)" during Let Me Breath, and spit all over the place, but that does not make for a better show. 

Of course, thats not to say any of those things severely detracted from the performance but I don't get this love for the "energy" he brought. 

[Grizz]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

[TheAtliator]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYYkf6jlUt4

[Sycsa]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

This one is funnier, looks more spontaneous since apparently they did it for the first time as a crew prank. https://youtu.be/6msQ_y213JU?t=46s

[Perpetual Change]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

Oh crap, I didn't realize they use a click now. Maybe that's all it takes to make such a little difference.

[cramx3]

OTBOA seems to have some background crowd noise, which PMU seemed not to.

Well, I haven't seen DT live since MP left, so I can only comment on it from these videos... but I've gotta say, I really do miss Mike Portnoy.

DT's live show has always been pretty laid back, but from these videos it's really evident that Portnoy brought most of whatever energy there was.

Maybe it's because the crowd is barely shown and almost never heard in either of these videos, but it just feels like the songs lack momentum and like the band and crowd aren't really into it.

I agree with others who have said that the band seem mechanical. To me, it's almost like you are watching DT rehearse, rather than perform.

I'm imagining what this performance is like with MP in the band. I'm seeing him fire-up the crowd up during the instrumental, and befor the final chorus. I'm imagining how much better this all sounds with MP behind the kit, drumming up energy and crowd enthusiam.

Yeah, I'm missing MP. Though I was one of his biggest critics when he first left, as time goes by I'm slowly realizing the little intangibles he brought to the table which made DT way better.

As someone who went to arguably the most exciting ADToE show, I have to agree.

I can not understand this at all.  Sure MP would standup at his drum kit, swing his arms in the air, yell "Step right up (city were playing in)" during Let Me Breath, and spit all over the place, but that does not make for a better show. 

Of course, thats not to say any of those things severely detracted from the performance but I don't get this love for the "energy" he brought.

I agree. MP added some interaction but hardly raised the bar in energy for the show in total. Watching Budokan or Score and there's little difference between the band compared to what I've seen so far from LaLP.

[efx]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.

I suppose it can be that way but bands like Meshuggah have done the click-track thing for a while now and sound incredibly groovy and non-sterile live.

[snapple]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

But those things are dumb.

[Setlist Scotty]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

But those things are dumb.

DT must be serious at all times on stage. Heaven forbid that they have any fun on stage!    

[Prog Snob]

For one thing, no click track. If you're playing identical to the studio version with fixed tempos, you're going to sound sterile.
When Mike was in the band, things seemed, I don't know, less scripted. Moments like this, for example, I don't see happening much anymore. Or the Canadian Rap.

But those things are dumb.

DT must be serious at all times on stage. Heaven forbid that they have any fun on stage!   

Yeah seriously.  Probably the same type of person who also complains they're too mechanical on stage.