Thoughts on the RCMH Show

[Tony From Long Island]

Went by myself. My wife went to some off-Broadway show. 

1. There was less smoke than the Connecticut show so I felt it was a clearer view.

2. The lighting on the front of the stage was a bit dark

3. The sound was not too loud but very Guitar heavy. Mike'

s Cymbals were very low and the crashes were hard to hear.

4. James was really really on tonight. I was so pleased to hear him singing so well.  He didn't try to sing notes he couldn't sing anymore.

5. I was expecting the encore to begin with "Home" and I was prepared to video it for my youtube channel. When "Home" didn't happen, I put my phone down and missed recording the live premiere of "The Best of Times."

6. After the Connecticut show, I mentioned how they should remove "Pull Me Under" From the set. I take that back!   PMU was awesome. We all sang along.

7. They played two different sets for this tour. I'm glad that I saw the other one. It was great to see "Panic Attack" and the guitar solo in "Under A Glass Moon" is my favorite guitar solo ever.

8. I was going to wear my 1993 tour shirt but it didn't fit!!!  I went with the FIX FOR '96 shirt

I've seen DT more than 20 times.  This show was up there. Great show.

[paulstfu]

Jesus Christ, I can't believe they finally played The Best of Times. This is historic.

[Tony From Long Island]

Jesus Christ, I can't believe they finally played The Best of Times. This is historic.

Black Clouds is one of my least favorite DT albums but I was psyched to hear that. The background they had going on with old pictures of Mike and his father was really nice too.

[Kocak]

Where did you watch the show from? Were you close to the stage?

[Tony From Long Island]

Where did you watch the show from? Were you close to the stage?

I was in the first mezzanine, 3rd row.  On Jordan's side of the stage.  Pretty good seats actually.

[Kocak]

I was in the first mezzanine, 3rd row.  On Jordan's side of the stage.  Pretty good seats actually.

Shame that the mix was unbalanced. I thought maybe you were too close to the stage, but yeah.

[Tony From Long Island]

Shame that the mix was unbalanced. I thought maybe you were too close to the stage, but yeah.

I'm watching a video of The Best Of Times on You Tube right now and the cymbals sound nice and audible. Maybe it's just my ears :-)

[Progmaniac1988]

I was 3 rows from the front right in front of JP. I thought it was the best mix I ever heard of DT live. My buddie mid orchestra said the same. So it may very well be how it sounded in the mezzanine?? Awesome show tho!

[Skeever]

I thought it was an excellent show. James sounded better than Philadelphia where I thought he sounded great. There were a few hiccups throughout the night but nothing that really detracted from the experience. The Best of Times was super emotional as could have been expected. Never been to RCMH before but I thought it was a wonderful venue. Also quite a few people from DTF at the Meetup which was a highlight on its own.

[cfmoran13]

When the "In Loving Memory" came up on the screen, I said "No waaaaaaay"!  My wife asked what was wrong.  I said "Nothing" and just sat back for what came next.  It was the first time I'd heard that song since before my dad died 5 years ago.  I was a mess by the end.  It was absolutely beautiful!  So glad Mike is back so we get special moments like this again.  DT show #29 for me.  And, they did not disappoint.

[Awaken]

When the "In Loving Memory" came up on the screen, I said "No waaaaaaay"!  My wife asked what was wrong.  I said "Nothing" and just sat back for what came next.  It was the first time I'd heard that song since before my dad died 5 years ago.  I was a mess by the end.  It was absolutely beautiful!  So glad Mike is back so we get special moments like this again.  DT show #29 for me.  And, they did not disappoint.

This was my experience as well.  I don't often throw on BCSL, so it's been awhile since I've heard TBOT.  After losing someone so close a lot of the song just takes on a new meaning.  IMO It's never been a bad song but it's just so much different in the best possible way now.

[TAC]

I went with the FIX FOR '96 shirt

That's my go to shirt for DT shows.

[nobloodyname]

I was waiting for the film for Home to start so I could pop to the toilet (sacrilege but I'd seen it twice on the tour already)... I stood there feeling a little bit confused. Clock ticking, familiar notes ringing out, 'in loving memory'. Then it hit me. THE BEST OF TIMES! WHAT THE...? I mouthed 'what the fuck?!' to the person next to me and got the same response back. Brilliant moment.

[Dani Helios]

Wow. I wasn't there, but the emotion of seeing them play TBOT, just through a YouTube video, is something else. Must've been such a special experience for you guys who were there in the room.

[zappafrank2112]

After the Connecticut show, I mentioned how they should remove "Pull Me Under" From the set.

Never!  I will ALWAYS welcome that song.  I was there with so many others going "huh, who is this band, this is pretty cool" back when the video 1st played on Headbangers Ball back in the day.

I'm also especially happy this tour got the thrashy version!! Loved MP changing it up that way like on the Budokan recording.  I flipped out when he did it at the Northfield show since I was hoping against hope he'd do it, lol.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Pull me Under got one of the biggest crowd reactions. From my experience that is a constant pleaser. I can't see it going anywhere.

In contrast, Midnight Messiah got a very muted reaction.

[Skeever]

In contrast, Midnight Messiah got a very muted reaction.

Yeah... I love the song, but I've seen it live twice now, and it just doesn't work for me. Not sure why. James sings it adequately, but it just feels like it's missing too much gristle with his live voice. Night Terror, on the other hand, has sounded really specular the two times I've seen it live.

[SeRoX]

It's not about James. It's just a meh song that combined some other DT's songs in it. Some songs can't be impactful in live setting.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Yeah... I love the song, but I've seen it live twice now, and it just doesn't work for me. Not sure why. James sings it adequately, but it just feels like it's missing too much gristle with his live voice. Night Terror, on the other hand, has sounded really specular the two times I've seen it live.

It's funny because I figured MM would get a strong reaction as a straight forward headbanger, but almost no one was moving. Night Terror was received much better. I'm not sure why it is but maybe a lot of people in the audience aren't as hardcore DT fans as this group.

[nobloodyname]

I'm not sure why it is but maybe a lot of people in the audience aren't as hardcore DT fans as this group.

I think that's generally true of pretty much any crowd.

I like Midnight Messiah but its presence felt superfluous to me.

[lightningbolt]

Yeah... I love the song, but I've seen it live twice now, and it just doesn't work for me. Not sure why. James sings it adequately, but it just feels like it's missing too much gristle with his live voice. Night Terror, on the other hand, has sounded really specular the two times I've seen it live.

I preferred MM to Night Terror on the album.  However, I thought Night Terror was much better and more powerful live. 

[El Barto]

Yeah... I love the song, but I've seen it live twice now, and it just doesn't work for me. Not sure why. James sings it adequately, but it just feels like it's missing too much gristle with his live voice. Night Terror, on the other hand, has sounded really specular the two times I've seen it live.

I think it's having two new songs back to back to begin a set. It's a problem of order and timing.

[pg1067]

I was in the second row in front of JM.  I snapped a picture of the set list before the show started, so I knew TBOT was coming.  I've made no secret that I think it's a bottom of the barrel DT song, but it was a great moment live.

The only disappointment for me was standing in the merch line for 20-30 minutes only to reach the front of the line right as they sold out of the event-specific t-shirt.

[nobloodyname]

Ah, I didn't realise you got that photo before the show. Was delighted The Best of Times came as a surprise.

[Cocopjojo]

Pull me Under got one of the biggest crowd reactions. From my experience that is a constant pleaser. I can't see it going anywhere.

In contrast, Midnight Messiah got a very muted reaction.

I have to wonder if there were a decent number of folks in the crowd in my position. The last DT album I've listened to is ADToE (though I might have spun DT 2013 once but have no memory of it). I was at the Score show 19 years ago and knew once MP rejoined that I'd be coming to this show. I still hadn't even heard a single track from Parasomnia prior to last night... so those two tracks, while cool, were totally new to me and I was trying to absorb them. But I will say that they felt different from, for example, Barstool Warrior, which was new-ish to me last night (I might have heard it at the SFaM reunion show?) but I loved it. I didn't feel the same about the two newer tracks.

Anyway I agree with Tony's notes above. This was a great show and very fun. I hadn't looked up the setlist ahead of time either so it was all a surprise.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I have to wonder if there were a decent number of folks in the crowd in my position. The last DT album I've listened to is ADToE (though I might have spun DT 2013 once but have no memory of it). I was at the Score show 19 years ago and knew once MP rejoined that I'd be coming to this show. I still hadn't even heard a single track from Parasomnia prior to last night... so those two tracks, while cool, were totally new to me and I was trying to absorb them. But I will say that they felt different from, for example, Barstool Warrior, which was new-ish to me last night (I might have heard it at the SFaM reunion show?) but I loved it. I didn't feel the same about the two newer tracks.

Anyway I agree with Tony's notes above. This was a great show and very fun. I hadn't looked up the setlist ahead of time either so it was all a surprise.

Probably this and a combo of the fact that when people go to shows they don't know the entire discography. What they know skews towards the classics rather than the new, particularly when it's a band with 16 albums.

Even when I think of my own experience, I've seen Judas and Iron Maiden. I know every track off the classics albums but when they played new songs, I was just less enthusiastic because I didn't know those tunes. I'm sure I'm not alone in going to shows like that.

[Skeever]

I think it's having two new songs back to back to begin a set. It's a problem of order and timing.

That could certainly be it. And that's one reason that, when James announced that the band would be back to play Parasomnia in full in the fall, I wasn't immediately ecstatic. I happen to like the album a lot. But I just know that, no matter how good a new album is, most fans in the audience for every band will not have fully embraced it yet, and the reception it receives will never be all that it could be.

[RaiseTheKnife]

Damn, that's awesome they played The Best of Times for NYC.  Never underestimate the setlist surprises with Mike Portnoy in the band!  Hope it gets played in later U.S. legs.

[mrpmrpmrpmrp]

The sound was amazing for me I picked a spot by the mixing board on JM/JR side just before the overhang above, bass response was on point, could hear everything. I sat closer at 20th and had bass problems so thought it would help and glad it did! Sound was MUCH better than at dream sonic in nyc. It's pretty amazing how much the Parasomnia album really captures their live vibe. The lights and video were amazing on this tour. James did a great job and the set list was perfect. Was an incredible night and makes me really look forward to the Parasomnia tour. W MP back it is very much a completely different live experience. The MM era had a lot of great touch points, but live it sounded like the albums, where w MP it always has sounded elevated up a notch. Anyways that's my 3 cents. A really great celebratory evening.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

^ I thought Metropolis was very rough and he recovered somewhat after. JLB struggled less than he did on prior tours but it's not really apples to apples because this time they changed vocal melodies. I don't really have a strong opinion on that approach but certain tunes like UAGM sounded like completely different songs. I think he sang fine given the expectations but some people on FB are saying he was superb, and I have to say I didn't come away with that lol.

[Cocopjojo]

Can someone explain what was up with the alternate lyrics on Hollow Years? I had not heard it live in like 20 years and one specific part of it had different lyrics. Has the live version of it evolved over time?

[nobloodyname]

No, it's based on the demo version which had an additional bit before the chorus.

Or something like that, anyway. I'm sure someone will clarify.

[nick_z]

No, it's based on the demo version which had an additional bit before the chorus.

Or something like that, anyway. I'm sure someone will clarify.

Yep, those are additional bits of lyrics from the demo version. Not surprisingly - given how many more times I have listened to the album version vs. the demo version - that feels a little jarring. I will say, other than the familiarity aspect, I prefer the album version that way. But I will also say that overall Hollow Years turned out to be one of the highlights of the show, which wasn't on my bingo card
The intro, in particular, was very, very special.

[Lonk]

Can someone explain what was up with the alternate lyrics on Hollow Years? I had not heard it live in like 20 years and one specific part of it had different lyrics. Has the live version of it evolved over time?

Demo lyrics:

[Pre-Chorus 1]
Carry me to the shoreline
Bury me in the sand
Walk me across the water
In the writing of a tired hand
You'll see the message getting clearer
And maybe you'll understand


[Pre-Chorus 2]
Carry me to the shoreline
Bury me in the sand
(into the waves)
Walk me across the water
In the echoes of a tired voice
You'll hear the message getting clearer
And maybe you'll have no choice

[nobloodyname]

I agree with all that (nick_z). I particularly enjoyed Jordan's Jazzy Bits tm (c).