Euro 2017 Winter - Images And Words and Beyond

[perfey]

Thats great! Haha! I saw them in Stockholm! The concert was awesome! Really cool to see   SOC, 

SOC??

Yeah! JP warped time and space and they played SOC in alternative universe where there were a lot of salmons too! 

[OctavariumElite]

Hello all,

I just wanted to know if anyone of you had information about James.

Because I saw the video from Oslo's performance, and it seems he has great difficulties 

I saw DT in Paris and everything was great, but listen to this .... 

What's going on with James ? Is he only very tired ? or "overtoured" like I read here and there ?

Hi from Paris (and just to let you know, I love James so there is no free bashing in my post )

Max

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vFYZ27MkLY (1mn30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8oarMsa42w (2mn32 and next)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AGBbl7VT7A (3mn33)

[CB]

Hello all,

I just wanted to know if anyone of you had information about James.

Because I saw the video from Oslo's performance, and it seems he has great difficulties 

I saw DT in Paris and everything was great, but listen to this .... 

What's going on with James ? Is he only very tired ? or "overtoured" like I read here and there ?

Hi from Paris (and just to let you know, I love James so there is no free bashing in my post )

Max

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vFYZ27MkLY (1mn30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8oarMsa42w (2mn32 and next)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AGBbl7VT7A (3mn33)

According to comments from norwegian fan club members he's ill. His voice was very affected at Stavanger and Oslo. I wonder if the illness he was fighting against since Tilburg came back worse after he first was getting much better. It's probably difficult to get healthy on the road, especially at this time of the year, bugs everywhere. Good for him that this leg of the tour ends today.

[Logain Ablar]

I saw DT in Paris and everything was great, but listen to this .... 

What's going on with James ? Is he only very tired ? or "overtoured" like I read here and there ?

Hi from Paris (and just to let you know, I love James so there is no free bashing in my post )

Max

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vFYZ27MkLY (1mn30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8oarMsa42w (2mn32 and next)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AGBbl7VT7A (3mn33)

Yeah - he seems to be struggling, unfortunately. Maybe illness or throat problems, who knows? I think the vocals are the most physically sensitive aspect of the band - if you have a head cold you could probably still be fine to play guitar or drums, even if you feel like crap, but as a singer any sort of sickness may seriously mess with your ability to sing at 100%.

Plus, I'm sure the physical demands of doing these shows night after night, along with the high register of some of these 25 year old songs is draining.

I'm not making excuses, but I find myself staying away from these videos more and more. I can imagine that as an artist, it's hard to know that if you have an off-night or bad performance, it's going to be on YouTube in the morning.   

[?]

According to comments from norwegian fan club members he's ill. His voice was very affected at Stavanger and Oslo. I wonder if the illness he was fighting against since Tilburg came back worse after he first was getting much better. It's probably difficult to get healthy on the road, especially at this time of the year, bugs everywhere. Good for him that this leg of the tour ends today.

Bummer, hopefully he'll be a little better tonight!

[noxon]

When I was interviewing him earlier in the day, he had some troubles with slime and rattle in his lungs, he said, and the cold just would not let go. After the interview was over he more or less shouted "aaah, i'm tired of being sick".

But he did perform the last half of the show pretty darn good even considering the state he was in. Just unlucky.

The entire crew had been passing the bug around this tour.

[rumborak]

My brother saw him in Düsseldorf, and he was sick there. He (my brother) also made the comment "yeah, James seems to be 'sick' a lot these days..."

[noxon]

Well, considering the phlegm and coughing i heard earlier, alongside with the fact that all of the crew complained about having been sick...

[CB]

I doubt JLB faked the stuffy nose sound in some parts of the songs in Düsseldorf Great show nonetheless, I think it was amazing what he did with the voice he had that evening.

He should keep away from the crew on the next leg of the tour...

seriously, I guess the other band members sometimes get ill on tour as well, but the audience just doesn't notice. The advantage of playing an instrument that's not part of the body.

[?]

What can I say? Helsinki was great and it was cool to meet YtseJamittaja once again (albeit pretty briefly this time)!

The first set was alright, but you could tell James was ill by how hoarse and scratchy his high register sounded, and he altered the vocal melodies of Gift and AIA to avoid the difficult parts. Luckily he improved as the show went on, nailing BAI and sounding alright for the most part on I&W and ACOS. The audience was pretty reserved during the first half, but once PMU started people went nuts, at least as much as a Finnish prog crowd can. The highlights for me were Hell's Kitchen, TTT and ACOS. I'll post the link to a full review in a few days!

[V_R11]

What can I say? Helsinki was great and it was cool to meet YtseJamittaja once again (albeit pretty briefly this time)!

The first set was alright, but you could tell James was ill by how hoarse and scratchy his high register sounded, and he altered the vocal melodies of Gift and AIA to avoid the difficult parts. Luckily he improved as the show went on, nailing BAI and sounding alright for the most part on I&W and ACOS. The audience was pretty reserved during the first half, but once PMU started people went nuts, at least as much as a Finnish prog crowd can. The highlights for me were Hell's Kitchen, TTT and ACOS. I'll post the link to a full review in a few days!

Agreed. Helsinki was great. I got a little scared when JLB's voice failed him in the end of TGOM but even sick he did great,totally nailed some of it.Just imagine how well he would've done without this (his words) "BS virus" (He was tired at the m&g as well and adressed his throath issues, can't blame him, it must be really frustrating)

[JLa]

Hello all,

I just wanted to know if anyone of you had information about James.

Because I saw the video from Oslo's performance, and it seems he has great difficulties 

I saw DT in Paris and everything was great, but listen to this .... 

What's going on with James ? Is he only very tired ? or "overtoured" like I read here and there ?

Hi from Paris (and just to let you know, I love James so there is no free bashing in my post )

Max

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vFYZ27MkLY (1mn30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8oarMsa42w (2mn32 and next)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AGBbl7VT7A (3mn33)

Wow, that's awful. Creds to JLB for giving 100%, "the show must go on" and all that, but I'm sort of glad I didn't go. There's a lot of clips from the Oslo gig on Youtube, I had a quick listen and... ouch. Those vocals would have ruined the show for me.

I love James' voice as much as anyone, but that's studio-James. Live-James, not so much!

[gzarruk]

I love James' voice as much as anyone, but that's studio-James. Live-James, not so much!

I'm sad to say, but I agree 

[?]

Agreed. Helsinki was great. I got a little scared when JLB's voice failed him in the end of TGOM but even sick he did great,totally nailed some of it.Just imagine how well he would've done without this (his words) "BS virus" (He was tired at the m&g as well and adressed his throath issues, can't blame him, it must be really frustrating)

Aww man, I could sense a little bit of frustration in him at a few points when he couldn't hit the notes and noticed him sipping water even during the shortest instrumental breaks. Poor guy, but at least he still handled the show professionally.

For anyone interested, Pearl Finland posted a livestream of most of the second half of the show on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/PearlFinland/videos/10155000604389400/ (the "unbroken spirit" verse was rough )
https://www.facebook.com/PearlFinland/videos/10155000726154400/
https://www.facebook.com/PearlFinland/videos/10155000786479400/

[CB]

I love James' voice as much as anyone, but that's studio-James. Live-James, not so much!

I'm sad to say, but I agree 

Well, he never did a studio recording with slime and rattle in his lungs (or tired and exhausted from touring)

Attending a live show always means taking a risk, the best attitude imo is: Hope they're all healthy and in great shape, but if not, make the best of it and enjoy the good parts.

[Setlist Scotty]

Hello all,

I just wanted to know if anyone of you had information about James.

Because I saw the video from Oslo's performance, and it seems he has great difficulties 

I saw DT in Paris and everything was great, but listen to this .... 

What's going on with James ? Is he only very tired ? or "overtoured" like I read here and there ?

Hi from Paris (and just to let you know, I love James so there is no free bashing in my post )

Max

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vFYZ27MkLY (1mn30)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8oarMsa42w (2mn32 and next)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AGBbl7VT7A (3mn33)

Wow, that's awful. Creds to JLB for giving 100%, "the show must go on" and all that, but I'm sort of glad I didn't go. There's a lot of clips from the Oslo gig on Youtube, I had a quick listen and... ouch. Those vocals would have ruined the show for me.

I love James' voice as much as anyone, but that's studio-James. Live-James, not so much!

Honestly, aside from the third clip, that wasn't anywhere near as bad as I was expecting. I remember seeing the clip of TtT from the opening night of this current tour, and JL butchered the melodies big time in that notorious second verse. What he did here was far better, especially considering that he was sick. I'd rather see him modify the melodies to something doable than try to sing the original melodies and fall way short.

[?]

Photos from Helsinki, report coming tomorrow!

[mikeyd23]

Photos from Helsinki, report coming tomorrow!

Great pics! Looking forward to the review!

[bosk1]

Honestly, aside from the third clip, that wasn't anywhere near as bad as I was expecting. I remember seeing the clip of TtT from the opening night of this current tour, and JL butchered the melodies big time in that notorious second verse. What he did here was far better, especially considering that he was sick. I'd rather see him modify the melodies to something doable than try to sing the original melodies and fall way short.

That's always the rub.  I'm with you, Scotty.  But it's a tough call in terms of what some fans want and how far is too far a deviation.  For example, I for one LOVE what he did at the climax of Learning To Live on LSFNY.  But as you know, plenty of fans are to this day completely bent out of shape that he changed it up and didn't go for the F#, as if hitting the F# is, in and of itself, somehow a make or break moment for that song.  I'm perfectly fine with the fact that he recognized that he wasn't likely to hit it and instead went for a different melody instead.  The result is, for me, one of my favorite live versions of the song ever recorded.  So I am in full agreement with your premise.  But there are plenty who just feel that takes away from the song to deviate much from the original melody.

[mike099]

Thanks for the pictures!  Now I am wondering if DT will take this part of the tour to the US before going in the studio to record a new album.   Those pants that James is wearing

[rumborak]

bosk, entirely agree. I love that he changes the melodies to account for the changed parameters of his voice. In fact, I wish he changed it even more, because sometimes those changes still feel a bit ad hoc.

[?]

Thanks for the pictures!

Great pics! Looking forward to the review!

Thanks, our photographer is talented! Here's my review at last!

[Zukuduku]

Thanks, our photographer is talented! Here's my review at last!

Well written, sums up my feelings as well from the show. The second set and encore was one of the best, if not the best, DT show that I have seen. During the first set I was a bit unsure of my feelings, as MM was playing way too safe and JLB's throat infection seemed quite severe. But MM played the second show totally flawlessly and JLB also improved.

I'm still amazed how well the band played the songs. Even by DT standards the playing was very high quality and I could spot only a few small mistakes along the way. So my suggestion to the band would be to emphasize the virtuoso prog aspect even more in the live shows.

[TAC]

Has the plexi glass been on Mike's set the whole tour? Didn't notice it before. Wonder if they were recording?

[mikeyd23]

Has the plexi glass been on Mike's set the whole tour? Didn't notice it before. Wonder if they were recording?

The glass has been there this whole tour and I believe the whole TA tour as well. I'd guess they are shielding some of the sound from his high toms and cymbals from spilling into the vocal mic when James is singing in front of the kit.

[rumborak]

Makes me wonder how loud in general it actually is onstage. They all have in-ear monitors now, so arguably they could make it dead quiet on stage (of course there's still the main speakers reflection).

[Setlist Scotty]

Has the plexi glass been on Mike's set the whole tour? Didn't notice it before. Wonder if they were recording?

The glass has been there this whole tour and I believe the whole TA tour as well. I'd guess they are shielding some of the sound from his high toms and cymbals from spilling into the vocal mic when James is singing in front of the kit.

Perhaps there's some functionality to them, altho I wonder if some of it is just to tie in to the design of the NOMACs. The pieces of plexi-glass look suspiciously similar to the screens with eyeballs on them found on the NOMACs.

[Adami]

Tons of bands use that plexi glass around the drums on tour. It's just to help stop mic bleeding. No deep meanings.

[Setlist Scotty]

Tons of bands use that plexi glass around the drums on tour. It's just to help stop mic bleeding. No deep meanings.

That's true - I remember they did that on Scott Rockenfield's kit for the Promised Land tour. But if they use plexi-glass around the kit, they usually surround most of the kit with it, right? With MM's kit, it's just in a few spots, and two of them don't seem to block anything specifically.

[Adami]

Got a pic?

[TAC]

Got a pic?

Photos from Helsinki, report coming tomorrow!

[Adami]

Gotcha. Seems focused on the cymbals and the overhead mics.

[mikeyd23]

Gotcha. Seems focused on the cymbals and the overhead mics.

Right, and cymbals often can bleed into the vocal mic when in front of the drums. I think that's all it is.

[gzarruk]

Gotcha. Seems focused on the cymbals and the overhead mics.

Right, and cymbals often can bleed into the vocal mic when in front of the drums. I think that's all it is.

That's the reason, indeed. I remembered reading it somewhere, so looked for the article and found it: https://www.fohonline.com/ci/50-production-profile/14946-dream-theater-the-astonshing-live-north-american-tour.html

It's kind of an interview/profile of the DT crew for the TA tour. Here's what they said about the plexiglass in the kit:

One interesting application of simple-but-effective technology comes with Mangini's monster 16-piece drum kit, which has some clear Plexiglas panels hung in front of the set. "They have really helped shield some of the cymbal sound out of the vocal mics," notes Wilson. "It's just four (18" x 24" and 12" x 24") suspended panels and it's really helped the vocal monitor mix. Without these, the vocal mic turns into a cymbal overhead. It's not like a big glass wall blocking the drummer and it looks awesome onstage."

[rumborak]

I don't keep track of these things, but how far in advance do they usually announce tour dates? It seems odd to not know any concerts beyond May, in March.