Dream Theater North American Tour Dates (Feb-Mar, 2025)

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I agree some folks look at it this way. I think I (and perhaps a lot more people) a similar view. Maybe just not as extreme. I do feel the band had gotten a little "stale". I felt that way starting with the self-titled album and got worse with each release. I just feel like they needed a little shakeup. Portnoy coming back does that. Will it make everything amazing? No. But a shift was needed. I felt the same way after Black Clouds & Silver Linings came out, and the shakeup resulted in A Dramatic Turn of Events, which I think is a much better album. 

What do you think was wrong with DOT and View that MP will change though?

[Max Kuehnau]

Unlike Mangini Moonmins who claim he took the band to another galaxy, and his absence now means Dream Theater are just a spectacularly average progmetal band, with uninspired writing accompanied by pub-level drumming.

he did help the band. Considerably. (and that's an understatement on my part) That's all I'll mention.

[Trav]

What do you think was wrong with DOT and View that MP will change though?

Well, first , I don't know that MP WILL change anything. At least in a general sense. But having a different voice in the room when writing songs makes it kind of inevitable that there will be change. Like I said in my previous post, not having MP there to write ADTOE changed the direction for that album then where they had been going.

[nobloodyname]

he did help the band. Considerably. (and that's an understatement on my part) That's all I'll mention.

As did their first drummer, if I remember correctly.

[Dedalus]

I agree some folks look at it this way. I think I (and perhaps a lot more people) a similar view. Maybe just not as extreme. I do feel the band had gotten a little "stale". I felt that way starting with the self-titled album and got worse with each release. I just feel like they needed a little shakeup. Portnoy coming back does that. Will it make everything amazing? No. But a shift was needed. I felt the same way after Black Clouds & Silver Linings came out, and the shakeup resulted in A Dramatic Turn of Events, which I think is a much better album. 

And the recipe for stopping being "stale" is to return to BCSL?

I agree with you that a lineup change is always an opportunity to shake things up and go in a new, unusual or more refreshing direction.

At least with what we have so far, that doesn't seem to be the case. My impression so far is of a more conservative DT, playing it safe. And to be honest, the step towards that was taken even before they changed drummers again. The last album they recorded with Mangini already pointed to that.

[Trav]

And the recipe for stopping being "stale" is to return to BCSL?

When did I say that?

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

DT is always going to have 'their sound.' I think any refreshes are likely to be on the subtle side as they have been lately.

I'm not really expecting anything new with Parasomnia for a number of reasons.

I just want to hear quality songwriting and I'll be satisfied.

[Dedalus]

When did I say that?

I didn't mean that you claimed that.

It was just a rhetorical question.

[Trav]

DT is always going to have 'their sound.' I think any refreshes are likely to be on the subtle side as they have been lately.

I'm not really expecting anything new with Parasomnia for a number of reasons.

I just want to hear quality songwriting and I'll be satisfied.

Absolutely.

[TAC]

I'm think that anyone's issue with the songwriting for the last umpteen many albums really lie at JP's feet.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I'm think that anyone's issue with the songwriting for the last umpteen many albums really lie at JP's feet.

Yup. Guitar driven band and well known songwriting dynamic with JP and JR in the driver's seat.

[Progmaniac1988]

What do you think was wrong with DOT and View that MP will change though?

Thought I'd chime in. I don't think the problem was there was anything wrong with DOT or View. I think a good chunk the fans are just batshit lol I love this fanbase and hate it just about equally lol

Yes I'm saying the problem is with a good chunk of the fans not the band. The band are basically putting out consistent good music. They are not the Star Wars of music. People need to chill lol

[Dedalus]

Thought I'd chime in. I don't think the problem was there was anything wrong with DOT or View. I think a good chunk the fans are just batshit lol I love this fanbase and hate it just about equally lol

Yes I'm saying the problem is with a good chunk of the fans not the band. The band are basically putting out consistent good music. They are not the Star Wars of music. People need to chill lol

I'll probably disappear from here after the "new album cycle", so that'll be one less nuisance.

I'm trying to cheer you up...   

[Progmaniac1988]

I'll probably disappear from here after the "new album cycle", so that'll be one less nuisance.

I'm trying to cheer you up...   

lol thanks haha,
To be fair I understand the passion we all feel to this band. We wouldn't all be chatting with each other on here so much if we didn't love this band. I guess I wish we could focus more on what we like and enjoy. Lately things have been tipped in the negativity direction. Maybe because we're all tired of waiting for this damn album to release! 😂

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

lol thanks haha,
To be fair I understand the passion we all feel to this band. We wouldn't all be chatting with each other on here so much if we didn't love this band. I guess I wish we could focus more on what we like and enjoy. Lately things have been tipped in the negativity direction. Maybe because we're all tired of waiting for this damn album to release! 😂

Is it really lately though? The last 15 years saw a lot of negativity about various things.

[Max Kuehnau]

yeah, sadly

[Progmaniac1988]

Is it really lately though? The last 15 years saw a lot of negativity about various things.

You got a point, the focus was MM sometimes JLB, now it's MP sometimes JLB. Lol

It Does feel alittle more now than usual tho. At least to me. There will always be something I suppose...

[Awaken]

Sorry to derail - I picked up tix to a few shows for the US tour the day they went on sale.  Something came up on 3/15 and I can't make the Boston show anymore - anyone know the ticketmaster policy for selling?  The option isn't available and I cannot understand why - there are definitely tix on secondary markets for the same show.  Unsurprisingly, ticketmaster's faq and chat functions are not helping.  Any help is appreciated - thanks

[Trav]

Thought I'd chime in. I don't think the problem was there was anything wrong with DOT or View. I think a good chunk the fans are just batshit lol I love this fanbase and hate it just about equally lol

Yes I'm saying the problem is with a good chunk of the fans not the band. The band are basically putting out consistent good music. They are not the Star Wars of music. People need to chill lol

Since that question was directed at me, I'll chime in.
I never said there was anything "wrong" with those albums. But people telling me I'm wrong and to chill because they don't like my opinion is why I don't come here very often.

[Progmaniac1988]

Since that question was directed at me, I'll chime in.
I never said there was anything "wrong" with those albums. But people telling me I'm wrong and to chill because they don't like my opinion is why I don't come here very often.

I feel you man.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Regarding "staleness" - I do think that most bands who are lucky enough to get to 30 or 40 years are usually done reinventing the wheel by then. There are exceptions of course, but what I'm trying to say is that I don't think this is a unique problem to Dream Theater. Or at least, it is a unique problem in that most bands don't make it to 40 years, but among those that do, this tends to just kind of be how it goes.

That's not to say one cannot be disappointed at the direction of the band or wish they'd try something different. Hell, I definitely feel that way sometimes. But I personally find a lot of peace and joy in the fact they're still around and cranking out music that no one else can really replicate.

[hefdaddy42]

Sorry to derail - I picked up tix to a few shows for the US tour the day they went on sale.  Something came up on 3/15 and I can't make the Boston show anymore - anyone know the ticketmaster policy for selling?  The option isn't available and I cannot understand why - there are definitely tix on secondary markets for the same show.  Unsurprisingly, ticketmaster's faq and chat functions are not helping.  Any help is appreciated - thanks

Only on DTF can a guy interrupt a drummer vs. drummer in a thread dedicated to an upcoming leg of a tour with a question about a show on that tour and feel like he has to apologize for "derailing".

I don't care what anyone thinks about either drummer or any other musician, I just wish it didn't spill into EVERY FUCKING THREAD.  

[durga2112]

But I personally find a lot of peace and joy in the fact they're still around and cranking out music that no one else can really replicate.

I agree with this! I still remember when I first discovered them shortly after Awake was released and thinking that they would probably be my favourite band once they had a few more albums under their belt - keep in mind, this was before I knew about When Dream and Day Unite, let alone the Majesty years, so I thought they had only been around a couple of years. Well, they did go on to become my favourite band, albeit in a never-to-be-broken three-way tie with Van Halen and Rush - I never would have imagined that they would outlast both of those bands!

[brakkum]

I don't care what anyone thinks about either drummer or any other musician, I just wish it didn't spill into EVERY FUCKING THREAD. 

Seriously, it's so exhausting, makes me skip over threads and probably miss stuff.

[Dedalus]

Only on DTF can a guy interrupt a drummer vs. drummer in a thread dedicated to an upcoming leg of a tour with a question about a show on that tour and feel like he has to apologize for "derailing".

 

[cramx3]

Sorry to derail - I picked up tix to a few shows for the US tour the day they went on sale.  Something came up on 3/15 and I can't make the Boston show anymore - anyone know the ticketmaster policy for selling?  The option isn't available and I cannot understand why - there are definitely tix on secondary markets for the same show.  Unsurprisingly, ticketmaster's faq and chat functions are not helping.  Any help is appreciated - thanks

Do you see an option to transfer the tickets?  DO you even see your actual tickets?  I ask because sometimes you don't get the actual ticket in your ticketmaster account until close to the date of the show and that will prevent you from selling it until you get it.  If you have the transfer button, but not resale, it might be because ticketmaster isn't a resaler for this show (which seems odd to me).  You may have to list the ticket on another site like stubhub and then when it gets purchases, you transfer it in ticketmaster.

OOC I checked my Philly ticket and it's there and has a resale or transfer option. But different show so I'm not sure.

[Awaken]

haha - I should have used the green font. 

I have both Transfer and Sell options available, but when you click sell there's a message that says 'Resale for this event has not been turned on by the Event Organizer'.  Same message for CT on 3/14 and NYC on 3/22.  I'll try closer to the show I guess - thanks for the feedback!

[Stadler]

Regarding "staleness" - I do think that most bands who are lucky enough to get to 30 or 40 years are usually done reinventing the wheel by then. There are exceptions of course, but what I'm trying to say is that I don't think this is a unique problem to Dream Theater. Or at least, it is a unique problem in that most bands don't make it to 40 years, but among those that do, this tends to just kind of be how it goes.

That's not to say one cannot be disappointed at the direction of the band or wish they'd try something different. Hell, I definitely feel that way sometimes. But I personally find a lot of peace and joy in the fact they're still around and cranking out music that no one else can really replicate.

No matter what the band does or does not do, it's going to fall into one of four quadrants:

Continue to push the envelope and it resonates.
Continue to push the evvelope and it fails.
Stick to what worked in the past, and it resonates.
Stick to what worked in the past, and it fails.

I think what we forget is that no matter what quadrant a band falls into, a) there's no right answer, b) it's the band's decision not ours, and we can STFU about it, and c) what we think about it is solely our opinion, and so is ultimately meaningless, even in our own lives.  Yeah, it's fun to talk shop, and compare opinions, but for me, there are just too many people that put too much stock in speculation, and put too much stock in their opinions.  If a band moves away from what you liked about them, I can't understand why people can't just "not listen" and leave it at that.  Scorpions haven't put out a record I really liked since Love At First Sting.  I don't have any need to justify why I don't like it, and I have no need to point fingers at Rudy or Klaus, to make them do something I like.

[cramx3]

haha - I should have used the green font. 

I have both Transfer and Sell options available, but when you click sell there's a message that says 'Resale for this event has not been turned on by the Event Organizer'.  Same message for CT on 3/14 and NYC on 3/22.  I'll try closer to the show I guess - thanks for the feedback!

If you can transfer it, then you can list it now on a different reseller site I would think.

[hefdaddy42]

No matter what the band does or does not do, it's going to fall into one of four quadrants:

Continue to push the envelope and it resonates.
Continue to push the evvelope and it fails.
Stick to what worked in the past, and it resonates.
Stick to what worked in the past, and it fails.

I think what we forget is that no matter what quadrant a band falls into, a) there's no right answer, b) it's the band's decision not ours, and we can STFU about it, and c) what we think about it is solely our opinion, and so is ultimately meaningless, even in our own lives.  Yeah, it's fun to talk shop, and compare opinions, but for me, there are just too many people that put too much stock in speculation, and put too much stock in their opinions.  If a band moves away from what you liked about them, I can't understand why people can't just "not listen" and leave it at that.  Scorpions haven't put out a record I really liked since Love At First Sting.  I don't have any need to justify why I don't like it, and I have no need to point fingers at Rudy or Klaus, to make them do something I like.

I get what you're saying, but to a certain extent, if everyone thought the way you do, there would be no need to have a forum.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

No matter what the band does or does not do, it's going to fall into one of four quadrants:

Continue to push the envelope and it resonates.
Continue to push the evvelope and it fails.
Stick to what worked in the past, and it resonates.
Stick to what worked in the past, and it fails.

I think what we forget is that no matter what quadrant a band falls into, a) there's no right answer, b) it's the band's decision not ours, and we can STFU about it, and c) what we think about it is solely our opinion, and so is ultimately meaningless, even in our own lives.  Yeah, it's fun to talk shop, and compare opinions, but for me, there are just too many people that put too much stock in speculation, and put too much stock in their opinions.  If a band moves away from what you liked about them, I can't understand why people can't just "not listen" and leave it at that.  Scorpions haven't put out a record I really liked since Love At First Sting.  I don't have any need to justify why I don't like it, and I have no need to point fingers at Rudy or Klaus, to make them do something I like.

I agree with all of this basically 100%, except I personally have a slightly different take on b). I don't think there's anything wrong with people respectfully sharing their opinions, shooting the breeze, etc. That's why forums like these exist. However, I don't think that being disappointed by the latest album gives anyone the right to be a giant dick head about it. So more like, "It's the band's decision not ours, and we can either be civil about it or STFU... Don't act like a bad record means the band killed your dog."

[Samsara]

Yeah, the point of the forum is for respectful discussion about Dream Theater in whatever capacity we as fans see fit. In the end, none of our discussion really means anything. But we huddle together and talk about it all because we have a passion for the band and its music.

The very point of a forum like this IS to justify your personal opinion, and discuss it with a wide variety of people. I think no matter what the reception of the new album is, as long as a person's opinion is posted respectfully, DTF is the place for it. I think what sometimes is forgotten is that when a forum is an OFFICIAL entity of the band, then rightfully so, it sort of is tailored positively to help the band with its marketing. But while DTF is certainly affiliated with the band, I don't believe it is the official board of Dream Theater. So as long as people are respectful, pointing fingers and discussing pros and cons of an album should be expected and embraced.

Just my .02 after being admin of a band forum for 12 years.

[cramx3]

Yeah, the point of the forum is for respectful discussion about Dream Theater in whatever capacity we as fans see fit. In the end, none of our discussion really means anything. But we huddle together and talk about it all because we have a passion for the band and its music.

The very point of a forum like this IS to justify your personal opinion, and discuss it with a wide variety of people. I think no matter what the reception of the new album is, as long as a person's opinion is posted respectfully, DTF is the place for it. I think what sometimes is forgotten is that when a forum is an OFFICIAL entity of the band, then rightfully so, it sort of is tailored positively to help the band with its marketing. But while DTF is certainly affiliated with the band, I don't believe it is the official board of Dream Theater. So as long as people are respectful, pointing fingers and discussing pros and cons of an album should be expected and embraced.

Just my .02 after being admin of a band forum for 12 years.

Yeah, I agree with you on that.

It's funny because when I started on this board (and many others) social media was barely a thing.  SInce then, DT get's way more attention on Facebook groups or Discord or other social media platforms than even this discussion forum and yet, those other forms are all riddled with toxicity to some degree.  Sure even here we experience it, but it's few and far between and often gets handled quickly. It just feels like you can't escape it on Facebook for example. And yet, a dedicated fan forum is one of the least used forms of online interaction these days.

[TAC]

It's funny because when I started on this board (and many others) social media was barely a thing.  SInce then, DT get's way more attention on Facebook groups or Discord or other social media platforms than even this discussion forum and yet, those other forms are all riddled with toxicity to some degree.  Sure even here we experience it, but it's few and far between and often gets handled quickly. It just feels like you can't escape it on Facebook for example. And yet, a dedicated fan forum is one of the least used forms of online interaction these days.

It's why I have zero interest with FB or Discord or whatever the hell. What fucking good is it to just post some bullshit, and then the next guy posts some bullshit, and it all goes right past each other.

This is more in line of a group of friends where while I like to post MY thoughts, an am interested in YOURS and I'm here to shoot the shit with people I respect and like, and not to simply pop off. WE hold each other accountable, not for disagreeing, but for tone and respect.

[Samsara]

The funny thing I have observed, is that while discussion forums were made fun of 10 years ago as being "outdated" in favor of social media platforms, they actually are way better - if moderated correctly.

God, I sound as old as Tim, but all the newest platforms in the world with all their bells and whistles aren't quite as good as an old fashioned discussion forum.