Dream Theater announces 16th Studio Album - Parasomnia

[Trav]

And they ignored WDADU + the Majesty stuff, yet they're playing 4 SFAM, 3 IAW and 3 TOT.

You mean they're playing they're most popular material over less popular, somewhat unknown to half the audience material? Yeah.

[MirrorMask]

Also - those "four" SFAM are really 3 because Overture 1928 / SDV is a combo. Out of the three TOT songs, only one is an (overplayed?) classic, the other two are rarities and one is a short piece flowing into the instrumental.

All things considered, no one would have complained if, rather than Under a Glass Moon, we'd get Afterlife or a debut song to homage Charlie Dominici, but as Trav said, this was a tour to make everyone happy, not only the diehards.

[Kyo]

You mean they're playing they're most popular material over less popular, somewhat unknown to half the audience material? Yeah.

But it's not billed as "Dream Theater's Greatest Hits", it's billed as a "40th Anniversary" tour. One might reasonably expect the setlist not to completely ignore the first six years, including the debut album.

[Wim Kruithof]

I agree.

Also - those "four" SFAM are really 3 because Overture 1928 / SDV is a combo. Out of the three TOT songs, only one is an (overplayed?) classic, the other two are rarities and one is a short piece flowing into the instrumental.

All things considered, no one would have complained if, rather than Under a Glass Moon, we'd get Afterlife or a debut song to homage Charlie Dominici, but as Trav said, this was a tour to make everyone happy, not only the diehards.

I agree.

Although the order of songs was swapped along the way, because Köln was different from Amsterdam (been there both). The songs were the same.

But I did somehow hoped they would intertwine a medley like Schedley Wilcox, where they could touch albums not so common to the main audience, but directly recognized by us diehards.

And I did expected some kind of hommage to Dominici, since he passed away. Not due to a song per se, but now he wasn't even mentioned. That surprised me.

[Zydar]

But it's not billed as "Dream Theater's Greatest Hits", it's billed as a "40th Anniversary" tour. One might reasonably expect the setlist not to completely ignore the first six years, including the debut album.

My thoughts exactly. Regardless if not many fans don't know/care about that album, it's still a part of their discography and shouldn't be ignored. Especially when it's called "40th Anniversary".

[gborland]

The tens of thousands of people going to these shows are not remotely interested in Majesty demos.

[Trav]

The tens of thousands of people going to these shows are not remotely interested in Majesty demos.

Exactly. It's only for people on this forum that complain if every possible box isn't checked.

[Zydar]

Then it's bordering false advertising by the band by calling it a "40th Anniversary" tour. It already is, since they formed the band in 1985 and not 1984. But I'll let this go. 

[gborland]

Then it's bordering false advertising by the band by calling it a "40th Anniversary" tour.

Yawn.

But I'll let this go.

Good choice.

[hefdaddy42]

Yawn.
Good choice.

No need for that.

[Setlist Scotty]

Well, consider that on their 20th Anniversary tour, they not only included songs from every album, but also a Majesty demo and occasionally one of the FII leftovers. Of course now they have double the material to pick from, and I don't think anyone was expecting every album to be represented in the setlist, but to have a more inclusive setlist wouldn't be unreasonable either. Yet only 4 albums (out of the 16) take up roughly 70% of the show's time. That's hardly balanced. With a few minor adjustments to the current setlist, the band's catalog could be far better represented. Consider:
Metropolis part 1
Overture 1928
Strange Deja Vu
Constant Motion
Barstool Warrior
Paradoxe de la Lumière Noire/Live, Die, Kill
Disappear
The Mirror (w/reprise)
~~~intermission~~~
Night Terror
Under a Glass Moon
Only a Matter of Time/March of the Tyrant outro
This is the Life
Vacant
Stream of Consciousness
Octavarium
~~~encore~~~
Home
Hollow Years '09
Pull Me Under

Here 13 of the 16 albums are represented as well as the Majesty demos, and the amount of time for each album is more balanced.

[gzarruk]

But it's not billed as "Dream Theater's Greatest Hits", it's billed as a "40th Anniversary" tour. One might reasonably expect the setlist not to completely ignore the first six years, including the debut album.

This.

My thoughts exactly. Regardless if not many fans don't know/care about that album, it's still a part of their discography and shouldn't be ignored. Especially when it's called "40th Anniversary".

Paraphrasing something that Scotty said before, and I agree 100%, is that the "deep cuts" would be a lot more universally loved across the fanbase if they actually played and featured them in their shows and live releases. They did that with Another Won and Raise The Knife for Score and it worked perfectly.

Exactly. It's only for people on this forum that complain if every possible box isn't checked.

I think you're missing the point here. Before the tour, the band (MP) clearly said they wouldn't cover every album, which is understandable; but said they'd represent every era. I don't think expecting the latter is unreasonable, specially when they could've easily switched one of the overplayed songs from repeated albums for something else.

[EPIC Outro]

I love deep cuts, but I think this tour feels like a big 'ol celebration of Dream Theater back together at last, and it seems to be making the crowds really happy.

I have little doubt that, with Mike designing the setlists, we will get some rarities in the future. I am hoping we might get an entirely different set list when they start supporting the new album proper.

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah, IMO, yes it's a 40th anniversary tour, but I get the impression that MP wanted to craft the best show he could using great songs from throughout the bands 40 years.  And that none of the songs from Majesty or WDADU really fit that bill.

That's not based on anything other than an impression.  And of course I'm biased, because that is certainly my opinion as well, so I for one am quite glad that we don't have any of that stuff on this tour.  But my individual feelings are irrelevant; we get what we get.

[emtee]

Wouldn't have mattered what MP picked, he was damned regardless.

I'll likely pass on the 40th though and opt for the release with all of Parasomnia live.

[hefdaddy42]

Wouldn't have mattered what MP picked, he was damned regardless.

Yep.

[noxon]

It's not only a 40th tour- it's a reunion tour celebrating Portnoy being back, and the band knew a lot of people would come see them for this reason alone. And that means a lot of people not necessarily hardcore fans. IMO, I think the setlist as it stands is very good in creating a very engaging show for the fan and the casual attendee alike..

[hefdaddy42]

It's not only a 40th tour- it's a reunion tour celebrating Portnoy being back, and the band knew a lot of people would come see them for this reason alone. And that means a lot of people not necessarily hardcore fans. IMO, I think the setlist as it stands is very good in creating a very engaging show for the fan and the casual attendee alike..

Agreed.

[Super Dude]

Ah, DTF fan drama. Now it really feels like the old days again.

[Adami]

Ah, DTF fan drama. Now it really feels like the old days again.

My dude!!

[Super Dude]

My dude!!

Achi

[Adami]

Achi

 

[Dedalus]

It's not only a 40th tour- it's a reunion tour celebrating Portnoy being back, and the band knew a lot of people would come see them for this reason alone. And that means a lot of people not necessarily hardcore fans. IMO, I think the setlist as it stands is very good in creating a very engaging show for the fan and the casual attendee alike..

There is a huge contrast between what was done in the 20th anniversary celebration and the 40th anniversary tour.

Anyway, it was more complex to have greater representation now since they have many more albums. But the tour really sounds a bit like "let's play our hits with Vacant + SoC as a bonus".

It was kind of obvious that the MM era would be underrepresented. Some people here correctly predicted that there would be two songs. It's not a surprise. But I really thought they would play something from the first album, because it is a 40th anniversary tour and as a way to celebrate the fact that Charlie was part of this history. The fact that the album went unnoticed was what surprised me the most.

And just to be clear, I'm not complaining about the setlist in any way, because I don't plan on leaving my house to see one of the shows, so I don't think I have anything to complain about.

[NoFred]

That second set is the core of an amazing '24-25 DT show... going for that, then all the well known songs before and after are a bonus reunion celebration.

Really kind of a fantastic show, getting excited all over again for the US stops

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

It's not only a 40th tour- it's a reunion tour celebrating Portnoy being back, and the band knew a lot of people would come see them for this reason alone. And that means a lot of people not necessarily hardcore fans. IMO, I think the setlist as it stands is very good in creating a very engaging show for the fan and the casual attendee alike..

I agree with this. Welcome to the forums, BTW. Nice to see casual DT fans also "get it"!!!!

[emtee]

I agree with this. Welcome to the forums, BTW. Nice to see casual DT fans also "get it"!!!!

Ummm....

[illusionist]

And somehow we managed to transform the Parasomnia thread into 40th anniversary tour thread

[TheCountOfNYC]

Ummm....

It's a bit he does.

[EPIC Outro]

Has it been confirmed they are going to play Parasomnia in its entirety?

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

It's a bit he does.

I just like to welcome new Dream Thaeter fans to the forums. I base my decision on whether to welcome or not on how many posts they have. The fewer, the more of a DT newcomer I assume they are!!

[Stadler]

^^ Assuming that he knows Noxon is pretty much what, the head of all the fan clubs around the world or something like that, and one of the "elite" here with direct band access, the "welcome to the forums" is actually pretty funny.  If he DIDN'T know that, and was actually welcoming him, well then...

[emtee]

I just like to welcome new Dream Thaeter fans to the forums. I base my decision on whether to welcome or not on how many posts they have. The fewer, the more of a DT newcomer I assume they are!!

He's not a noob or a newcomer, hence my ummm...

[hefdaddy42]

I base my decision on whether to welcome or not on how many posts they have. The fewer, the more of a DT newcomer I assume they are!!

No you don't.

[gborland]

No need for that.

Fair enough, sorry for being needlessly snarky. 

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

He's not a noob or a newcomer, hence my ummm...

I never saw him before. and 1000 posts is nothin'