DT songs in a public place

[chaossystem]

There are some old threads that I wanted to contribute to, but they haven't been active for about 90 days, so I'm going to have to re-hash some of them.

                                    This one is about which of the band's songs we might want to hear in a public or social situation:

-Which songs would sound good at a mall, supermarket or shopping center?

-Which songs would you program into an "internet jukebox?"

-If you were at a bar or a nightclub, which songs would you want on while sitting around talking to your friemds, and/or trying to "pick someone up?"

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to?

-Are there any songs that you think a BAR BAND could handle without screwing them up too badly?

Maybe some of you even have a few ideas of your own for a social scenario that I haven't yet thought of.

[wasteland]

 :lolBeing deliberately semi-serious:

                                    This one is about which of the band's songs we might want to hear in a public or social situation:

-Which songs would sound good at a mall, supermarket or shopping center? THIS DYING SOUL

-Which songs would you program into an "internet jukebox?" LIGHT FUSE AND GET AWAY

-If you were at a bar or a nightclub, which songs would you want on while sitting around talking to your friemds, and/or trying to "pick someone up?" SPACE-DYE VEST

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to? IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ENEMIES PART 2

-Are there any songs that you think a BAR BAND could handle without screwing them up too badly? ENIGMA MACHINE

[RaiseTheKnife]

I once went to a Thai restaurant that actually had a DT song in their karaoke catalog:  Another Day.  Yes, I gave singing it my best shot.

[TheGreatPretender]

I found Pull Me Under at a bar on their Jukebox. It was awesome chilling with friends and playing pool with PMU playing through the bar.

The dude at this Karaoke place I went to had a LOT of DT songs. I did Misunderstood when I was there, but I'll have to go again and sing the rest of it in due time.

[Zook]

At night, my store's radio plays Another Day, Surrounded, Wait for Sleep and The Silent Man. I'm sure they don't get played during the day, but I'm never there during the day so I don't know for sure.

[hefdaddy42]

-Which songs would sound good at a mall, supermarket or shopping center?

None of them are really suited for those situations.  Those places just have music as background noise, to kill the monotony of silence.  It's the perfect setting for the music that already gets played there, IMHO.

-Which songs would you program into an "internet jukebox?"

Probably any of them, if I were in a place that had such a thing.

-If you were at a bar or a nightclub, which songs would you want on while sitting around talking to your friemds, and/or trying to "pick someone up?"

I don't pick people up, but if I were at a bar/club hanging with friends, I would want music that we can all relate to.  Which most likely wouldn't include DT.

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to?

None.

-Are there any songs that you think a BAR BAND could handle without screwing them up too badly?

Not really.

[Mosh]

Whenever I see one of those internet jukeboxes, I'm always tempted to put a dollar in and play some 20+ minute epic for the lolz.

[Zook]

Whenever I see one of those internet jukeboxes, I'm always tempted to put a dollar in and play some 20+ minute epic for the lolz.

I tried that once, but I didn't put any extra money in to get my song played sooner, so by the time it finally came on, the bar was closed.

[TheGreatPretender]

Whenever I see one of those internet jukeboxes, I'm always tempted to put a dollar in and play some 20+ minute epic for the lolz.

I tried that once, but I didn't put any extra money in to get my song played sooner, so by the time it finally came on, the bar was closed.

When I played PMU, some guy put in enough money for 4 songs, but only requested 2, so there were 2 credits left. 

[Rodni Demental]

I think there's something almost intrusive to an unfamiliar listener about DTs music that creates a barrier for casual listening. I say this because I've put some occasional DT on at a party (if I ever get a chance to get near where the music is coming from, and it's normally when people are in a state to not care too much about what's being played  ) I generally went for heavier songs, some that I possibly wouldn't casually listen myself, but I tried to consider stuff that might catch on. I know I've got through entire runthroughs of: Pull Me Under, Lie, Panic Attack, Constant Motion. I remember putting Honor Thy Father on once and someone went up and changed it before the vocals even started... Pfft... 

I was on holiday; a sort of camping trip with some mates around new years a few years ago. Was hardly a public setting but I put on a few DT songs throughout the day, but I learned that as soon as it turns into a carnival or gets too chaotic, some people got a bit upset and wanted to put on something a bit more 'easy listening' like Rolling Stones or White Stripes. *sigh*

I also put on 'Dance of Instrumentals' and/or' Stream of Instrumentals' (can't remember which one it was) at some point, I actually got an hour through it before it was changed due to a carnival section but realised I was probably pushing my luck by putting on something like that. 

Pretty much I find people will, unfortunately in this order, either:
- Instantly reject it
- Appreciate some of the muscianship but not really be into the style
- Love it

Also, not that I agree but I've noticed some of the first criticisms are:
- Carnival music
- JLB
- Jarring or unexpected transitions

[TheGreatPretender]

I think there's something almost intrusive to an unfamiliar listener about DTs music that creates a barrier for casual listening.

That may be true, but you know, I think that kind of makes it perfect for playing at, say, a mall, because usually, you just tune out whatever music is playing anyway. So one of two things would happen at a mall. Either A. People will notice it and be like, "Whoa, that's crazy, what is that?" or B. They'll continue to ignore it and not realize that the song has burned itself into their subconscious to such a level that there's no longer any barrier to it. I mean, the best of DT's songs often take time to grow on the listener, and what better way to do that than to play it for them repeated times while they're too preoccupied to listen.

[Rodni Demental]

Ya know, I quite like that theory actually. Perhaps DT should be played in public more often then, by unconciously forcing it on people they'll eventually have no choice but to like it! 

[TheGreatPretender]

Ya know, I quite like that theory actually. Perhaps DT should be played in public more often then, by unconciously forcing it on people they'll eventually have no choice but to like it! 

Yes... If only I managed some kind of a store that has music playing in the background. 

But hey, I'll be going to a party in a couple of weeks to this Rock club, and it'll be my friend's Birthday, so he'll be making lots of requests, and told me to make a list. So I put The Looking Glass on top of it. 

[Zook]

My favorite DT public moment is when I was driving home from work, windows open, blasting Metropolis, and when it got to the crazy part at the end of the instrumental section I was at a stop light and across from me in the next lane this guy turns around in his truck and glares at me. Priceless.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

-Which songs would sound good at a mall, supermarket or shopping center?

Misunderstood

-Which songs would you program into an "internet jukebox?"

Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

-If you were at a bar or a nightclub, which songs would you want on while sitting around talking to your friemds, and/or trying to "pick someone up?"

Far from Heaven

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to?

The Dance of Eternity

-Are there any songs that you think a BAR BAND could handle without screwing them up too badly?

Metropolis Pt. 1

[?]

I actually heard Through Her Eyes at a store 5 years ago. I guess that song was mellow enough to fit in with the rest of the stuff that got played there.

[YtseJamittaja]

If there was anywhere anytime The Glass Prison played in the store, I would buy anything. ANYTHING.

[Another_Won]

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to?

The Dance of Eternity

I'd like to see that . . .

[chaossystem]

Getting a lot of "out there" responses, but nothing like what I was expecting.

I was thinking that more "pop" sounding songs like "surrounded" "Another Day" "Innocence Faded" "Lifting Shadows" "Hollow Years" "Solitary Shell" "The looking Glass" "Along for the Ride" (really MOST of the new songs), could replace most of the tripe that we hear at places like supermarkets, etc.

I think ANY of their songs would be fine for "background noise" at a bar or nightclub, but I would stick mostly with harder, heavier songs and stay away from anything too much over eight minutes long.

For dancing, what I had in mind was something a little funkier, like "You Not Me" or "Prophets of War" MAYBE "A rite of Passage," or for "slow dancing" something like "Another Day," "Hollow Years" Hell's Kitchen" "Along for the Ride,"etc.

For a bar band I was thinking maybe some shorter, "hard rock" songs like "Just Let Me breathe" "Constant Motion" "Burning My Soul" "6:00" "Caught in a Web" "As I Am" and maybe some longer, more challenging songs as well.

As I said before, I would stay away from the "epics" for the most part. Except maybe at a restaurant, where you have so many people coming and going, or just sitting there eating and talking. If you don't play it too loud, it shouldn't be a problem.

[Outcrier]

Dancing to the groovy Lines in the Sand 

[chaossystem]

You're not wrong, but I was thinking that a song people would dance to should be no longer than about 4-6 min., or a SLOW song like "Hollow Years."

[Zydar]

I was just at my usual restaurant having lunch, when I heard some familiar notes coming from the speakers at a low volume. It was Another Day!

It was not on the radio, I know the guy who runs the place has a PC hooked up with a Spotify playlist. Anyway, it was great hearing DT like that.

[wolfking]

-If you were at a bar or a nightclub, which songs would you want on while sitting around talking to your friemds, and/or trying to "pick someone up?"

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to?

These are hilarious, I would never associate DT with these situations, and nor would I want to.

[Volante99]

I once played Panic Attack and Lie on a jukebox at a local bar. It was quiet, no one minded, and one guy even went up to the jukebox to see who it was and told me he liked it.

They also had Change of Seasons, and I was tempted to play it...but figured the patrons might get a little annoyed with the 25 minute song. Definitely get your dollars worth with that song though

[ReaPsTA]

-Which songs would sound good at a mall, supermarket or shopping center?

Cover My Eyes?

-Which songs would you program into an "internet jukebox?"

Almost all of them, because most of their discography is in my Spotify.

-If you were at a bar or a nightclub, which songs would you want on while sitting around talking to your friemds, and/or trying to "pick someone up?"

I don't know, but I do have a true story - The DJ at a bar I go to is a big Dream Theater fan.  After trivia and before Karaoke, he would play The Big Medley from the ACOS EP.  It gave him 10 minutes to do some work, and the music was energetic without being too over the top.

-I know there aren't many, but which songs would you want to DANCE to?

I don't think any of them.

-Are there any songs that you think a BAR BAND could handle without screwing them up too badly?

lol no

Maybe some of you even have a few ideas of your own for a social scenario that I haven't yet thought of.

The San Antonio Spurs use Metropolis to start the second half.  If you pick your spots with Dream Theater, it can help set a dramatic mood.

The problem with DT is that it demands you pay attention by being so weird.  It doesn't sit in the background well.  Some of the more straight forward metal or rock songs can work in the background if you're in the right social situation, but I've never sat around and had a conversation while listening to metal music.