DREAM THEATER - Europe leg of the 40th Anniversary Tour 2024-2025

[gzarruk]

12. Raise the Knife (12:00)

There's no way this one gets played, with MP's lyrics and everything that happened since 2010

[Dani Helios]

I got tix for the Oslo show, row 5 in section 003 (closest to stage on JP's side), but I'm so over it being a seated show. Like 5% of me is thinking of going both here and taking a plane to whichever city that's going to have a normal show on a Saturday, but sadly I'm not a rich person Last time around in the same venue I got to see a standing show in the golden circle and the vibes were on point

Budapest is on a Saturday and has standing. 
I'm surprised there are some standing and others all seated. It seems an odd choice to do a random mix of all seated and part seated/part standing. I wonder if it's venue requirements or something?

[SomeoneLikeHim]

I live at a comparable distance from Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen. Decided to buy tickets for Copenhagen mainly because it was the only standing show!

[MoraWintersoul]

I wonder if it's venue requirements or something?

I have no idea. On the View tour the venue wasn't sold out but the attendance was pretty good. Trying to pack seats into it will probably result in less people getting tickets that would really like to.

This was also my first time experiencing the "presale available through one link only, type in code that's only been figured out online, and still find the first four rows are completely packed anyway with maniacs who did this even earlier than you" ticket scramble that you guys always do on the other side of the pond. If this is the future of ticket sales in Europe too, I'm going to start listening to more obscure bands

[Whitefish]

I got tix for the Oslo show, row 5 in section 003 (closest to stage on JP's side), but I'm so over it being a seated show. Like 5% of me is thinking of going both here and taking a plane to whichever city that's going to have a normal show on a Saturday, but sadly I'm not a rich person Last time around in the same venue I got to see a standing show in the golden circle and the vibes were on point

Why are seated shows a thing at Dream Theater gigs now? I last saw them on the 8V tour and it was not seated. The idea of sitting down at what is (in theory) a metal gig is really weird to me.

[Stadler]

Why are seated shows a thing at Dream Theater gigs now? I last saw them on the 8V tour and it was not seated. The idea of sitting down at what is (in theory) a metal gig is really weird to me.

We weren't seated at the Dreamsonic show I saw, but all the previous shows at the Oakdale in Wallingford - back through The Astonishing - were seated.

[EvantheMotel6Owmer]

Why are seated shows a thing at Dream Theater gigs now? I last saw them on the 8V tour and it was not seated. The idea of sitting down at what is (in theory) a metal gig is really weird to me.

Not everyone likes to stand for 3 hours. Myself included.

[Azyiu]

Not everyone likes to stand for 3 hours. Myself included.

Thank you! Same here, but it is not by choice. I have a chronic lower back injury, and I can't stand for too long before feeling pain.

[genome]

I can almost guarantee that as soon as the band comes out at the O2 and Portnoy appears with them, everyone is going to stand up.

[crystalstars17]

We weren't seated at the Dreamsonic show I saw, but all the previous shows at the Oakdale in Wallingford - back through The Astonishing - were seated.

OT but I think we've been at many of the same shows!

[Jinx]

This tour will surely be recorded at some point? A truly historic show in the career of Dream Theater.

[EvantheMotel6Owmer]

This tour will surely be recorded at some point? A truly historic show in the career of Dream Theater.

I'd be shocked if there's no concert film of this tour.

[MoraWintersoul]

Not everyone likes to stand for 3 hours. Myself included.

Which is why there should be a big section for people who want to sit and a big section for people who want to stand. Even if the best case scenario happens and we all stand up, I'm stuck behind whoever bought the ticket to the seat in front of me, while with standing tickets you can actually move around.

[The Curious Orange]

Most venues support seating in the balcony / stands/ bleachers and can take the seats out in the stalls to accommodate standing downstairs. I agree that not everyone can stand for 3 hours, but the all-seated vibe kills the atmosphere for those of us that would rather stand downstairs. And if I'm honest, standing gigs create a better atmosphere for those sitting down upstairs too. I just hate being sat next to inconsiderate a-holes, standing gigs give be an opportunity to move away from them.
It is a metal show, not Barry F*cking Manilow.

[Lonk]

I think an unintended consequence of all-seated shows is that it divides the crowd in the sense that some will want to stand at their seat, and others prefer to sit.

I feel like without fail, every show I've been to that is all-seated has the inevitable group that will stand, and the people behind them yelling at them to sit down. For me, I like to be close to the front in shows and if it is all seated, I stay seated unless the people behind me are standing, but I also feel that being seated reduces the excitement a little. I'm a bit tall, so have to be conscious about blocking people who are there to see the band, not the back of my head 

[Pebsie]

I am once again expressing my dismay that the ticket cost £75, but I was then subject to a "booking fee" and "transaction fee" and then a "faciliation fee" whatever that is.

I mean, even in 2014 DT tickets cost £60. For the AVFTTOTW tour we paid £120 per seat for each show. It's ridiculously expensive but that's what they can charge I guess.

[Stadler]

I think an unintended consequence of all-seated shows is that it divides the crowd in the sense that some will want to stand at their seat, and others prefer to sit.

I feel like without fail, every show I've been to that is all-seated has the inevitable group that will stand, and the people behind them yelling at them to sit down. For me, I like to be close to the front in shows and if it is all seated, I stay seated unless the people behind me are standing, but I also feel that being seated reduces the excitement a little. I'm a bit tall, so have to be conscious about blocking people who are there to see the band, not the back of my head 

Other than the "tall" part - haha - that's how I feel.

[crystalstars17]

Other than the "tall" part - haha - that's how I feel.

Haha, not tall at all, 5'2" here (and my husband is also not tall) so I don't want to be looking at the backs of heads either! It's nice to be able to find a little niche, anywhere, where we can see the band and not heads/backs.

[gborland]

Haha, not tall at all, 5'2" here (and my husband is also not tall)

Finally we get the real reason you prefer Mangini to Portnoy! 

[crystalstars17]

Finally we get the real reason you prefer Mangini to Portnoy! 

 

Oh this place is giving me my laughs today! 

[nobloodyname]

I totally get why people want to stand. And I'd be happy if it was guaranteed I could see. But at 5'7, virtually everyone is taller than me which means I usually can't see shit. And that ain't fair. As for just having seating at the sides, why should you get to be closer to the band than me just because you're tall?

I'm okay with the O2 being seated.

[EvantheMotel6Owmer]

The way I've always seen it is that if if you get floor-level tickets, you stand and if you want to sit, get a balcony seat. Always made perfect sense to me. I suppose the perfect balance would be a place with seated balconies and non-seated floor area, but not sure if such a place exists.

[bosk1]

Haha, not tall at all, 5'2" here

Finally we get the real reason you prefer Mangini to Portnoy! 

Well, actually, Portnoy is actually pretty short too.  I'm not sure exactly how tall, but I would estimate maybe about 5'4" or so judging from a pic I have standing next to him back in 2010. 

The way I've always seen it is that if if you get floor-level tickets, you stand and if you want to sit, get a balcony seat. Always made perfect sense to me. I suppose the perfect balance would be a place with seated balconies and non-seated floor area, but not sure if such a place exists.

Yeah, exactly. 

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Other than the "tall" part - haha - that's how I feel.

Who's the tallest member of Dream Theater anyway?

That's right, looks like it's my guy, James LaBrie

[crystalstars17]

Who's the tallest member of Dream Theater anyway?

That's right, looks like it's my guy, James LaBrie

OUR guy, hehe! 🤭🤗✨

[Lonk]

The way I've always seen it is that if if you get floor-level tickets, you stand and if you want to sit, get a balcony seat. Always made perfect sense to me. I suppose the perfect balance would be a place with seated balconies and non-seated floor area, but not sure if such a place exists.

Plenty of venues like that here in NYC. Their 2014 show was in a venue like that, but they prefer Beacon Theater for NYC (I think they do, heard it somewhere) which is all seated.

[bosk1]

@THS:  Hard to tell without them standing the same way all next to each other, but it's either James or JP.  I don't know exactly how tall any of them are, and I don't recall ever comparing.  But for reference, I'm 6'1", and while JP is slightly shorter than me, he has hugged me and I don't recall having to slouch at all, so he's not much shorter than that.  And I think he and James are close.

And, yes, I survived the bear hug. 

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

@THS:  Hard to tell without them standing the same way all next to each other, but it's either James or JP.  I don't know exactly how tall any of them are, and I don't recall ever comparing.  But for reference, I'm 6'1", and while JP is slightly shorter than me, he has hugged me and I don't recall having to slouch at all, so he's not much shorter than that.  And I think he and James are close.

And, yes, I survived the bear hug. 

I'm 6'5" but i've only met the shortest members of the band (JR and MP) lol. But yes it could be JP but due to the way they're standing in that shot it might be a bit off

[crystalstars17]

I'm 6'5" but i've only met the shortest members of the band (JR and MP) lol. But yes it could be JP but due to the way they're standing in that shot it might be a bit off

How tall is JR? I thought he was one of the taller ones (but when I met them they were all sitting down so I may be wrong!).

[nobloodyname]

JP is max 5'9. Mike's about 5'7/5'8.

[gmillerdrake]

I am right at 5'-6" tall. Here's a pic of me and my boys when we stalked their tour bus in Nashville back in early 2019.

[Setlist Scotty]

JP is max 5'9. Mike's about 5'7/5'8.

I'm 5' 7.5" and MP's a bit taller than me. I'd imagine he's closer to 5' 9" and JP is 5' 10" or even 5' 11".  MM is definitely the shortest - I'm thinking 5' 5" or 5' 6". IIRC, Jordan's about 5' 10" and JL is about the same as JP. And I think JM is about 5' 9" as well.

[bosk1]

I'm 5' 7.5" and MP's a bit taller than me. I'd imagine he's closer to 5' 9" and JP is 5' 10" or even 5' 11".  MM is definitely the shortest - I'm thinking 5' 5" or 5' 6". IIRC, Jordan's about 5' 10" and JL is about the same as JP. And I think JM is about 5' 9" as well.

Oh, really?  I'm surprised.  Looking at that pic I snapped with him after the TA show in Downey (I think you were actually behind the camera for that, or just out of frame--can't remember), he looks shorter than that, and I am a bit hunched over.  But I'm sure you are right.  You've spent a lot more time around him than I have.

[mariner]

I don't know whether they are going to really try to play something from each and every album or if they are going to just do a good representation of their entire careers without trying to literally capture every album.  They know Octavarium is a fan favorite, and it's one that is on at least some of their minds as something they want to play.  But if they are taking the former approach on this tour before the album drops, Octavarium might be a long shot just because of its length.  That is the same quandary they ran into for the Score show once they decided to play Six Degrees.  That decision all by itself had a ripple effect through the entire set that made it a pretty big challenge to vary much from what they actually ended up playing.  Granted, that's 43 minutes of music that will not be in the set this time around.  But the flip side of that is that they have 7 more albums now.  It might be really tough to fit Octavarium in.  That said, I really hope they do.  And even though it is difficult, just kind of sketching out some rough set lists making sure to hit every album, include things I think are fairly likely, but keeping to mostly shorter(ish) songs, I guess they still have plenty of options.  Here's a sample I came up with without noodling too hard on it (I will go with the R40- reverse chron format):
1.  The Alien
2.  Barstool Warrior (I would love S2N, and it's actually a bit shorter, but I was just "feeling" Barstool as more likely)
3.  Our New World (I highly suspect this will be played, although I would prefer Moment of Betrayal)
4.  The Enemy Inside
5.  Breaking All Illusions (since they seem to love this, for some strange reason; I would go with OTBOA, personally)
6.  A Right of Passage (not my fave, but it was a single, it's short, and it hasn't been well represented; I could also see TSF since Portnoy probably wants to play it with the band)
7.  Constant Motion
8.  Octavarium
--
9.  Honor Thy Father (I would rather see ITNOG, and they could easily sub that in instead, but I was initially going for shorter songs.  Either would be a great set 2 opener after 8VM closing the first set)
10.  Misunderstood
11.  Spirit (they'll surely play this, right?)
12.  Take Away My Pain (continuing the "soft" song section)
13.  Erotomania (surely an instrumental somewhere, right?)
14.  To Live Forever (not "truly" an I&W song, but fits the era and could be part of a good Charlie tribute, followed by...)
15.  Afterlife (I would rather see OAMOT as the closer, and I really dislike this song, but given Charlie's passing, I think it's likely)
--
16.  Pull Me Under (logical encore closer, and it checks the I&W box in a way that TLF only partially does)

With my primary choices, that's only about 2:20 total music.  With an intro tape, some short breaks here and there for James banter and JP changing guitars, there's still a good bit of freedom to sub a few of those out for longer songs without going too crazy, without them going over 3 hours total with intermission, which is about what I would expect for an evening with show from them based on past tours.  And as far as song selection, I wouldn't mind that set at all.  Pretty varied list of things I would expect, things I like, things I'm not crazy about, instrumentals, "ballads," heavy songs, etc.  It pretty much has it all.

Also a great set list...

Except you kind of forgot about DT16!

[bosk1]

No, I didn't forget it.  I think they are going to be touring before it comes out, so I was assuming this anniversary tour will be only songs that exist right now.  But I could be wrong.

And once the new album drops, I don't see any way they can include songs from every album.  They would essentially be forced to play only the shortest songs from each album and to play only a small sampling from the new album, and neither of those parameters fit their general approach to live shows.