I actually don't see Dream Theater going on much longer, at least not at the level they have been. Though I've made posts in the past disagreeing with this opinion, I'm seeing more and more sense in the opinion that they 'capped out' in 2007. A couple things:
1.) only so many people are ever going to like prog metal and
2.) on the last tour, Dream Theater played to half-empty crowds most nights. I really hate admitting that, but it's just true.
Part of it, of course, has to do with the economy. Part of it has to do with Mike's ProgNation tour which, though cool, was unfortunately not something enough fans were giving a chance and thus a 'failure'. And I wonder if part of it had to do with releasing the half-assed Chaos in Motion DVD at the peak of the bands' popularity. Seriously, at that point in the game, DT needed to top Score and show their new fans what they were capable of. Instead, they put out a cheapo that good for the hardcore fans but was bad enough to potentially turn any new fan away.
As for PT, I think the same is kinda true. They could be increasingly in popularity right now, but SW is just too concerned with his solo stuff. Last year had not PT and this year will also feature no new PT, yet 3 or 4 new Steve Wilson side-project records. That, I think, is a bad sign for any band.
You misunderstood me. I wasn't criticizing their late musical output. I rather meant that with their music of very fast and technical prog metal, with a high-pitched singer, I'm not sure I want to see some 70-yo fogies butcher their own material because they just can't pull it off anymore.
In other words, DT shouldn't be another Kansas.
rumborak
You know, I've thought about this too and I wonder... what's stopping Dream Theater from just taking things down a notch? They've always loved Yes, Floyd, Genesis, etc... Hell, half of the current membership was spotted at last year's Porcupine Tree show. Why couldn't they become that kind of band in their later years? That, to me, would be their best bet.