Mike opening for any band that isn't Rush/Metallica/Maiden... lol. Good luck with that.
I wouldn't necessarily assume that. If he were still in DT, I agree that that would likely be the general rule. But that is because DT has earned that status, and not because of Mike's ego. Mike is a smart businessman. I think he understands that SoA isn't a name yet (although he surely feels they will be eventually; time will tell whether that happens or not). I think as long as he felt it was a good pairing that would reach the type of audience they are aiming for, he would have no problem opening. I'm just speculating a bit, but from everything I know, I'm reasonably confident in that position.
I agree, DT co headlined with Queensryche in 2003. Therfor every other night DT opened for QR
Close. DT closed basically every night east of the Mississippi and vice versa. So, yeah, basically right, but it wasn't literally swapping "every other night." They basically did the same thing the summer before the QR tour when they co-headlined with Satch and had King's X opening.
But just to put that in context with Mike's comments about them probably not doing many other "opening" slots if they weren't for a small handful of bands (Maiden, Metallica, Rush), I believe that comment was made a few years AFTER the TOT and, if I'm not mistaken, Octavarium tours (I don't remember for certain whether the latter is true, but I think so), which would have been AFTER that comment and after they would have headlined the Budokan and, if my memory is correct on the timing, Radio City as well. So I think he said that in the context of them basically having achieved a level of success that would have justified the comments.