DREAM THEATER - Europe leg of the 40th Anniversary Tour 2024-2025

[cramx3]

They're not necessarily going to open the balcony. Yes, most places will but they have to do it in a calculated manner in order to ensure there is adequate staff. I've been to shows where they oddly open up one section but the whole other part is curtained off. They may just open up the first 3 rows of the balcony and put the curtain behind those. If they only "sold out" a few days before the show they would probably just leave it. This far out, I'm sure they'll offer more seats.

So they are close to the point where no more tickets are available but handfuls will still probably pop up depending on demand.

This is literally what happened at my local Judas Priest concert a week or so ago.  They only sold the lower bowl but it basically sold out a week before the show and they opened up the sections in the top bowl, but only a few of them.  I'd imagine if those all somehow sold (they did not) they'd open more. 

I agree with most of the points made but I am not sure this is anything the band or the band's management has much control over? Maybe their ticketing liaison?

The band has control over the social media advertising it as low tickets.  Not sure how much the band has control of opening those tickets up, it's likely part of their agreement that was in place to book the show. I'd imagine it's possible they aren't away of the upper bowl being blocked off and they only see a % of the sold vs. currently available.... but I feel like MP actually knows these things.  If he weren't in the band right now, I'd give them a bit more slack because historically, their team seems to not be fully aware of details like that.

[DTwwbwMP]

It's not like that just with Mike back they're suddenly going to sell 15k tickets! Yes, it will be a bigger attendance than without MP but I would still expect no more than 6-8 thousand at best.

[cramx3]

It's not like that just with Mike back they're suddenly going to sell 15k tickets! Yes, it will be a bigger attendance than without MP but I would still expect no more than 6-8 thousand at best.

Yeah, that's why I still think it's actually a good turn out even if they never open up the top bowl.

[DTwwbwMP]

Exactly.

[Dream Team]

It's not like that just with Mike back they're suddenly going to sell 15k tickets! Yes, it will be a bigger attendance than without MP but I would still expect no more than 6-8 thousand at best.

Correct, in the grand scheme of the music world, MP isn't even a blip on the radar.

[gzarruk]

I think this is also part of the "new car smell syndrome". This is the reunion/40th anniversary tour, so obviously the hype is high; but how will the shows do moving forward will depend on a few different things like the setlists, vocals, etc.

[cramx3]

I think this is also part of the "new car smell syndrome". This is the reunion/40th anniversary tour, so obviously the hype is high; but how will the shows do moving forward will depend on a few different things like the setlists, vocals, etc.

Yeah for sure.  I fully expect the hype to die back down once the album is out and touring has been happening.  Hopefully I'm wrong and the new album brings in new fans and truly a new era for the band.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

"new car smell syndrome"

Is that like when MP said "Smell my beard"?

EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODM9vvvXWD8

[Setlist Scotty]

Is that like when MP said "Smell my beard"?

EDIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODM9vvvXWD8

Yeah, exactly when MP said that. 

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

LMAO wow, talk about a brain fart. I even shared the video that clearly has JP in it

[MinistroRaven]

Hand drawing from a fan:



Much better than what Huge did, IMO

[ReaperKK]

Agreed, thats incredible

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

+1, I think I get every reference... except the stick figure drawing taped onto the left side?

[Zydar]

I'm thinking that may be a Six Degrees reference.

[Azyiu]

Wow! The detail, the accent and everything. I love it.

[Adami]

That is VERY well done for what it is intending to be. Much better than the Syme one.

That said, maybe it's cause of the MCU and modern movie posters, but I just am a bit over the collage "let's put everything we possibly can" on a poster mentality, though I get for an anniversary deal, it has its logic. Just not for me.

[HOF]

I'm thinking that may be a Six Degrees reference.

Yeah, that image is somewhere in the album art (maybe the back cover?) of SDOIT.

[cramx3]

Yup, much better.  DT might be better off just letting fans create their artwork.

[MirrorMask]

Yup, much better.  DT might be better off just letting fans create their artwork.

Wouldn't it also be cheaper? I can't imagine an upcoming young talented artist asking more than Hugh Syme.

[cramx3]

Wouldn't it also be cheaper? I can't imagine an upcoming young talented artist asking more than Hugh Syme.

Probably can find people to do it for free since fans already do stuff like this.  I think the only issue might be having the art link more directly to the music, in the case of like an album cover.  I'd imagine Hugh gets to listen to the music and hear from the band directly to get inspiration for the art which wouldn't really be possible if they had an open art contest for example.  I feel like Haken did something like this recently with the Nightingale single. 

[MirrorMask]

Well, they could have an unrelated contest before and once they got their guy, they can clue him/her in on the details.

Also, they could just give directions without providing information about the actual music. What piece of music was essential for Syme to create the cover art for View? the lyrics of the title track and a general suggestion of what they wanted on the cover are already enough IMO.

[cramx3]

Well, they could have an unrelated contest before and once they got their guy, they can clue him/her in on the details.

Also, they could just give directions without providing information about the actual music. What piece of music was essential for Syme to create the cover art for View? the lyrics of the title track and a general suggestion of what they wanted on the cover are already enough IMO.

Yeah, there's probably ways it can happen if they wanted to go that route, but I doubt we ever see them do.

[gzarruk]

Syme is the unofficial 6th DT member at this point, I don't think they'll ever try working with someone else (would love to be wrong on this one).

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Probably can find people to do it for free since fans already do stuff like this.  I think the only issue might be having the art link more directly to the music, in the case of like an album cover.  I'd imagine Hugh gets to listen to the music and hear from the band directly to get inspiration for the art which wouldn't really be possible if they had an open art contest for example.  I feel like Haken did something like this recently with the Nightingale single. 

No offense to Huge Sign (that's my new name for him, lol), but I would have never known this in a million years. His artwork never seems like he personally heard the music and created something from that

[Metro]

Maybe Hugh Syme has like a rewards program or something. Buy 3 album artworks get one free.

[Setlist Scotty]

Syme is the unofficial 6th DT member at this point, I don't think they'll ever try working with someone else (would love to be wrong on this one).

They did for The Astonishing, but that was only because what JP had in mind was something Hugh wasn't proficient at, so he passed on doing the artwork for that album.

[cramx3]

No offense to Huge Sign (that's my new name for him, lol), but I would have never known this in a million years. His artwork never seems like he personally heard the music and created something from that

I have no idea if that's the case, but that would be my thought process on making artwork for music.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Maybe Hugh Syme has like a rewards program or something. Buy 3 album artworks get one free.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

I have no idea if that's the case, but that would be my thought process on making artwork for music.

I agree with you that it makes sense, I just don't hear/see anything implying they give 'ol Huge a sneak peak, simply based on the existing artwork. Any of those "amalgamation" images of song themes or nouns can just simply be told to him.

[axeman90210]

Maybe Hugh Syme has like a rewards program or something. Buy 3 album artworks get one free.

The key is he has an even better punch card at the stock photos store, that's how he makes his money.

[Stadler]

Mark Wilkinson?

He did the last Judas Priest, he did Senjutsu, and while I think he's doing the Fish deluxe sets for Vigil and Internal, he's losing Fish as a client, so...

[Mosh]

I think he has been the artist for every Judas Priest album since Painkiller. Big fan of his work.

[Max Kuehnau]

Mark Wilkinson?

He did the last Judas Priest, he did Senjutsu, and while I think he's doing the Fish deluxe sets for Vigil and Internal, he's losing Fish as a client, so...

He did every Fish album (barring Songs From The Mirror) as well as the first four Marillion albums as well. I personally like Hugh's work (yes really). I wouldn't mind Mark doing the cover art for DT (since I also entirely love his work), but (as with Rush), since Hugh has such a long association with DT, I welcome Hugh doing it again.

[Stadler]

He did every Fish album (barring Songs From The Mirror) as well as the first four Marillion albums as well. I personally like Hugh's work (yes really). I wouldn't mind Mark doing the cover art for DT (since I also entirely love his work), but (as with Rush), since Hugh has such a long association with DT, I welcome Hugh doing it again.

I'm actually with you.  I understand some of the criticisms - the reused unicyle, the line on the self-titled - but I actually like his style, and I'm generally a fan. 

[TAC]

I'm actually with you.  I understand some of the criticisms - the reused unicyle, the line on the self-titled - but I actually like his style, and I'm generally a fan.

There's no real art to it though. It's just colorforms.