The first round is now over, Go vote for the second round.
There were two ties, And the winner went to my personal preference. Those ties are marked by a 15 to 14 score. The scoring was based on the votes.

Quote from: Kocak on March 24, 2025, 10:30:50 AMI think this opinion is only controversial as to what it means to the person who wrote the lyrics. So when someone says that they don't like it, it feels ethically murky?

Also, for those that were members of the MP Forum, some of you might remember that a member criticised the song and the lyrics heavily, saying that they do not feel sincere etc. and MP himself replied "Fuck you." followed by other unsavory comments. The guy apologised to MP and put an apology banner in his signature for the rest of the MP Forum lifespan. I don't know if they ever made up.

I remember this! PetD*ck.

I've always felt really bad about that situation because, as much as he should have known not to voice those thoughts on the man's own forum, the hurt he must have felt realizing how badly he had upset MP for something he probably didn't think that hard about posting probably outweighed the feelings MP had seeing this song be criticized.

I remember criticizing the song a little bit when it came out, but I was a high school kid who did not really have a similar relationship with my dad at all, that I just found that really hard to relate with and maybe challenging in that way. But now that I am a Dad myself, listening to it makes me cry. MP loved his Dad so much, it's really endearing, and I just hope I can mean as much to my own kid one day.

Quote from: Skeever on March 24, 2025, 07:58:22 PMI am laughing at the idea that a song that is 60% guitar solos was an indulgence for the drummer only 

Look, I get that it's not everyone's favorite song, but some of you are being pretty weird about this...

I meant the subject matter of the song.

I mean, I've given not a lot of thought around it but without reading any other opinions, when I saw it was played live recently, I thought it was a weird song to put in and would have been obviously driven by MP.

But hey, I'm half way across the world and good chance I'll never see them live again unless I travel, so even with my opinion, at this point, I'd probably take a concert where this song is played 8 times over along with You Not Me, Repentance, Raw Dog and an Astonishing medley......hmm........maybe not.....yeah, probably would.

Quote from: wolfking on March 24, 2025, 07:13:52 PMMaybe I'm out of order, but it feels like just an overly self-indulgent pick to put in the setlist for MP and MP only.

I am laughing at the idea that a song that is 60% guitar solos was an indulgence for the drummer only 

Look, I get that it's not everyone's favorite song, but some of you are being pretty weird about this...

Quote from: Herrick on March 24, 2025, 07:23:30 PMA close up of Petrucci or Ruddess soloing would be cool to see. I don't know how much work that would be to intercut these closeups with the regular video synced to the music though.

For what it's worth, the Eagles did pretty much exactly this both times I saw them in the last few years. They had a multiscreen setup similar to what Dream Theater has now, and the screens would vary between showing videos/visuals and live close-ups of the band members. Often there would be one screen showing a video while the side screens would show band members, or vice versa. I know that neither the music nor the visuals are as busy as Dream Theater's, but it's something that could definitely work really well.

As for "The Best of Times", it just seems that there's quite a difference in sentiment between those who were actually there to see it played live and what's been posted in this thread today - draw whatever conclusions you want from that. 

I don't really care about The Spirit Carries On but I would've taken that over Hollow Years.

Edit: Either way, I still missed the fucking 11:17pm train.

Quote from: DTiwbwMP on March 24, 2025, 08:28:35 AMAs far as visuals, I think an equal mix of video and live shots of the band would be perfect. Also, I've been begging for years for DT to add layers to their live show. Finally and WOW!

Dude, great idea! I agree with Skeever about how distracting and unfitting some of the visuals are. I thought the guy in the straight jacket rocking back and forth looked kinda silly during Panic Attack.

A close up of Petrucci or Ruddess soloing would be cool to see. I don't know how much work that would be to intercut these closeups with the regular video synced to the music though.

Quote from: KevShmev on March 24, 2025, 07:07:55 PMI agree with you, but I can see why some might not have been wowed by seeing that it finally got played live.  It's not exactly a fan favorite (not that this forum is the end-all, be-all, but it finished 77th in last year's countdown of favorite DT songs).

Maybe I'm out of order, but it feels like just an overly self-indulgent pick to put in the setlist for MP and MP only.

Quote from: SeRoX on March 24, 2025, 09:11:14 AMHonest opinion but probably a bit controversial.

I don't care much TBOT. I like vocal delivery by James and maybe solo section by Petrucci but that's it. Hearing TBOT live doesn't change anything. Yeah it's kind of "wow" feeling moment when hearing it for the first time live but that's all about it. Still an avarage song.

Nah, I've always really disliked it, almost hated it to be honest.  Awful song IMO and even while JP plays a great solo, it's not one of my favs from him either.

Quote from: durga2112 on March 24, 2025, 10:18:56 AMJesus, people... you don't need to like the song, but given what it means to Portnoy, I'm pretty sure that playing it was about much more than checking another song off their list of songs to play live.

I agree with you, but I can see why some might not have been wowed by seeing that it finally got played live.  It's not exactly a fan favorite (not that this forum is the end-all, be-all, but it finished 77th in last year's countdown of favorite DT songs).

Personally, had I somehow gone to the show Saturday, I would have enjoyed it, if for no other reason than to bask in the glow of Petrucci's incredible outro solo. 

I gave The Best of Times a fresh listen today and had about the same reaction I always do: great song musically, but James sounding like he was going through the motions when singing it in the studio really doesn't help it at all.  Good song, even if I feel some meat was left on the bone; it felt like it was thisclose to be a truly great DT song.

All that said, that is great that it did finally get played, and that is great to see that some of our fellow forumers were there to see it.