The Mike Portnoy Appreciation/Discussion Thread (merged)

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Pretty good quality vid of Big Bottom and YYZ.

https://youtu.be/QKe57-xBhio?si=DRK0AWRi5pxVTuFS

Show is already up on Nugs and I have it downloaded.

[axeman90210]

I watched the livestream of last night's set, I thought it was pretty good. Covers heavy, which makes sense given the lack of rehearsal time, but Mike held his own jamming on some of the originals and I think it's telling that he's the first guest drummer they tackled Wizard Burial Ground with. I was hoping for Mantis, as it's one of my favorites and seems like it would be right in MP's wheelhouse, but I can't complain about what we got.

[jasc15]

Ive been anticipating this show, and have been debating whether to subscribe to nugs.  This show, and UM's catalog are the only material I'd really be interested in, so probably not.  Maybe just a free trial to watch the whole set, especially Wizard Burial Ground.  I did catch the Big Bottom/YYZ encore on youtube, and was confused why Mike wasn't behind the drums initially.

Also, if you liked UM's covers, check out their cover/mashup album Zonkey.

[MinistroRaven]

MP year in review posted on FB:

2023 #MPYearInReview

MP’s Fav Albums Of 2023:
(In no particular order)
* Steven Wilson - The Harmony Codex
* Avenged Sevenfold - Life Is But A Dream…
* Night Verses - Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night Pt 1
* Code Orange - The Above
* Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden
* Empire State Bastard - Rivers Of Heresy
* Haken - Fauna
* Temic - Terror Management Theory
* Periphery - V: Djent Is Not a Genre
* Marvelous 3 - IV

Honorable Mentions:
* Extreme - Six
* The Guess Who - Plein D’Amour (Really!!!! Check it out and prepare to be blown away…)
* Crown Lands - Fearless
* The Lemon Twigs - Everything Harmony 
* Mammoth WVH II
* Rival Sons - Darkfighter / Lightbringer
* The Anchoret - It All Began With Loneliness
* Trevor Rabin - Rio

MP’s Fav Films Of 2022:
(In no particular order)
* Beau Is Afraid
* The Killer
* Asteroid City
* Oppenheimer
* Talk To Me
* Leave The World Behind
* Infinity Pool

And here’s a few films that were released at the end of the year that I’m looking forward to seeing but haven’t yet at the time of making this list…(but I have faith a few of them will end up here as well):

* Killers of The Flower Moon
* The Zone Of Interest
* Poor Things
* The Holdovers
* Priscilla
* Saltburn
* May December
* The Iron Claw

Click on the "Diary" on my Letterboxd page to see a list of every film I watched/saw in 2023:
http://boxd.it/asPR

MP’s Fav TV Of 2023:
(In no particular order)
* Copenhagen Cowboy
* Succession S4 (RIP)
* Barry S4 (RIP)
* The Last Of Us S1
* Black Mirror S6
* Daisy Jones & The Six
* Dave S3
* Fargo S5
* Black Bird

MP 2023 Releases:
* The Winery Dogs III
* Transatlantic - The Final Flight: Live At L’Olympia
* NMB - An Evening Of Innocence & Danger: Live In Hamburg
* NMB - Morsefest 2020

And finally, a tribute to some of the people we sadly lost this year…

MP’s 2023 RIP Section:
Jeff Beck
David Crosby
Dom Famularo
Charlie Dominici
Gary Rossington
Jim Gordon
Ray Shulman
Tina Turner
Tony Bennett
Sinéad O’Connor
Robbie Robertson
Sixto Rodriguez
Jimmy Buffett
Gary Wright
Denny Laine
Lisa Marie Presley
Raquel Welch
Richard Belzer
Tom Sizemore
Robert Blake
Jerry Springer
Treat Willams
Alan Arkin
Paul Reubens
Angus Cloud
William Friedkin
Piper Laurie
Suzanne Somers
Burt Young
Mr. Udo
Matthew Perry
Ryan O’Neal

---------------------------------------

And for all you "list enthusiasts", 
Click below to see my previous Year End Wrap-Ups:   

MP’s Best Of 2022:
https://www.facebook.com/579020077/posts/10167470428415078/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

MP’s Best Of 2021:
https://www.facebook.com/100044540401846/posts/467440288083981/?d=n

MP’s Best Of 2020:
https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/5269005006450432/?d=n

MP's Best Of 10's (Decade End Wrap-Up):
https://www.facebook.com/579020077/posts/10162979133495078/?d=n

MP’s Best of 2019:
https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/3653524981331784?sfns=mo

MP's Best of 2018:
https://www.facebook.com/116713035013014/posts/2680383655312593?sfns=mo

MP's Best of 2017:
https://www.facebook.com/mikeportnoyofficial/posts/2030845370266428

MP's Best of 2001 - 2016:
https://www.mikeportnoy.com/best-of/

[SoundscapeMN]

Portnoy was just on with The Prog Report's "Wheel of Rock" (or Metal? in this case) ranking the tiers of the Metallica albums. At the beginning of the video, he does talk about rejoining DT and what some of the plans seem to be. Beginning of the year, the guys are going into the studio..so maybe this week or next week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abNk63Ka32I

* The Guess Who - Plein D’Amour (Really!!!! Check it out and prepare to be blown away…)

I highly concur. This record is fantastic, regardless of the fact it sounds nothing like The Guess Who.

surprised Portnoy did not have the new Peter Gabriel album on his list.

[HOF]

Seems like the band will only have about a week before MP has to get to London for Morsefest on the 12th-13th, though I guess he might come straight back and only be gone about a week.

[Mladen]

Is it certain that Mike is performing at Morsefest? He hasn't mentioned it once and he's been asked about his schedule numerous times.

[gzarruk]

Is it certain that Mike is performing at Morsefest? He hasn't mentioned it once and he's been asked about his schedule numerous times.

From his Facebook page:

MP Upcoming Dates!
I can’t wait to reunite with Dream Theater after the New Year to begin work on a new album…but I still do have some previously committed to dates & appearances still on the calendar for the upcoming weeks and months…so here’s what’s coming up next in MP world:

Eddie Trunk 40th Anniversary:
Dec 11th - Las Vegas, NV

with Umphrey's McGee:
Dec 29th - Chicago, IL

Bubba Bash w YYNOT:
Jan 6th - Glenside, PA

with Neal Morse & NMB:
Jan 12th & 13th - Morsefest UK

with Metal Allegiance:
Jan 25th - Anaheim, CA

with Flying Colors:
March 8th to 13th - Cruise to the Edge

[Setlist Scotty]

Seems like the band will only have about a week before MP has to get to London for Morsefest on the 12th-13th, though I guess he might come straight back and only be gone about a week.

Given he also is doing the Bubba Bash and the Metal Allegiance thing, I would imagine it's quite possible that they won't really get started until the end of the month. Maybe after he gets back from Morsefest if he just flies in for MA a day before and flies back the day following, but I can't see them really starting before that. Just too many things for MP to still do before then (including packing, travel time, etc.)

[Mladen]

I'm assuming MP is catching planes in between the studio sessions, it wouldn't be the first time for him to be so busy. He probably enjoys it as well. 

[axeman90210]

Yeah, I would say that the Metal Allegiance and Bubba Bash are each only taking up 1-2 days of time, maybe 5 for Morsefest, so there should still be plenty of time to get work done in January.

[Stadler]

I'm sure Mike would never admit this, but I can't imagine the Bubba Bash and the MA gigs are taking a ton of bandwidth beyond the travel time and the playing time.  Is there anything in the MA set that he hasn't played 1000 times since 1985? Not knocking it, just saying.

[cramx3]

Is there any reason the rest of DT can't be in the studio without MP for a week or something?  They own the studio, I don't think they need to be strict with their time using it. Im sure the band would entertain his ideas for songs, but maybe they can start working on ideas without him (if they even wanted to)?  I'm not sure I care too much about timing though.  They said early 2024, so that's good enough for me.  I see no reason for that to be a lie or bs.

[The Great Ape]

Just streamed all of MP's performance on nugs... wow

[Dream Team]

Portnoy was just on with The Prog Report's "Wheel of Rock" (or Metal? in this case) ranking the tiers of the Metallica albums. At the beginning of the video, he does talk about rejoining DT and what some of the plans seem to be. Beginning of the year, the guys are going into the studio..so maybe this week or next week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abNk63Ka32I

[/quote]

Great stuff, MP really knows his Metallica and he truly was there from the very beginning. First thing he does after getting his driver's license is go buy Ride the Lightning; epic. And he hates the Loads so that's another plus.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Just streamed all of MP's performance on nugs... wow

the UM show? what did you think?

[ProfessorPeart]

UM posted Wizard Burial Ground with MP from the livestream:

https://youtu.be/XcBrF4ml2jU?si=uv-zvsOfVJ0w0DoM

Also, if you look around, it appears someone has posted the entire second set of the livestream.

[ytserush]

Would not surprise me if Mike came up with the idea of the drummers soloing in the middle of Closer To The Heart at Bubba Bash. I had always thought (may have even mentioned it) that would be an awesome thing to do similar to what Roger Daltrey did with Under A Raging Moon.  One of the highlights of the night for sure.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Flying Colors was a fantastic project. Winery Dogs is a fantastic project. Both of those things are in part due to Mike Portnoy. They're great bands and that's where I hear his style 'at home' these days.

[bosk1]

Flying Colors was a good project.  Winery Dogs was a very pedestrian effort that I have no interest in.  There are lots of things Portnoy has done (and is doing) that are much more interesting. 

[Architeuthis]

Flying Colors was a good project.  Winery Dogs was a very pedestrian effort that I have no interest in.  There are lots of things Portnoy has done (and is doing) that are much more interesting.

Same here, WD has done very little to pique my interest. Kind of a bummer that it is more successful than the other projects that have way more substance.  😕

[DTwwbwMP]

MY rankings outside of DT.....
NMB A+
NM A+
SF A+
LTE A
TA A
SOA B+
FC B+
TWD B
PSMS B
OSI C
AM C-
MA D
BPMD D-

[TAC]

MY rankings outside of DT.....
NMB A+
NM A+
SF A+
LTE A
TA A
SOA B+
FC B+
TWD B
PSMS B
OSI C
AM C-
MA D
BPMD D-

What are SF and BPMD?

[HOF]

My rankings of “MP In Exile” projects:

1. The Winery Dogs
2. Flying Colors

Everything else.

[gzarruk]

MY rankings outside of DT.....
NMB A+
NM A+
SF A+
LTE A
TA A
SOA B+
FC B+
TWD B
PSMS B
OSI C
AM C-
MA D
BPMD D-

What are SF and BPMD?

Shattered Fortress and a covers project he did a while ago.

[TAC]

Thank you.

[SoundscapeMN]

My vague rankings/favorites outside of Dream Theater:

1. Bridge Across Forever
2. A Twist of Fate
3. SMPTe
4. Office of Strategic Influence
5. Liquid Tension Experiment
6. Liquid Tension Experiment II
7. Flying Colors
8. Free

[MinistroRaven]

MP posted a story on his FB and it reads:

Yes indeed, it was my honor to travel down to Grand Cayman last September to honor AVH's induction into the MDHOF and pay tribute to him by playing some of my favorite Evanhalen songs *ON ALEX'S KIT* (worry not Eagle eye fans, l'm still an exclusive Tama & Sabian endorser Stay tuned on Thursday for this amazingly cool and unique tribute episode!

[devieira73]

https://youtu.be/cUCZuzOaVDQ?si=3KiNlAl4SrWUn0jc

[DTwwbwMP]

https://youtu.be/cUCZuzOaVDQ?si=3KiNlAl4SrWUn0jc

 

[emtee]

How effing cool was that! Wow.

Makes me so damn excited to see what he is going to do on DT16.

[cramx3]

Not entirely sure where to put this, but it seems some Meanstreak talk happened in this thread before....

https://blabbermouth.net/news/meanstreak-feat-dream-theater-members-wives-new-ep-blood-moon-coming-in-february

They have some new music coming out, but I noticed, blabbermouth also shared my video of them 

[Stadler]

Kind of fired up for that.  I really enjoyed their sets when I saw them.   

[Dream Team]

That’s awesome, hoorah for the gals who held down the fort for the boys all those years.

[ytserush]

MY groupings outside of DT.....

NMB A+
NM A+
LTE A+
TA A+
FC A+


OSI B+
PSMS B+
TWD B


SOA C


AM D
MA D
BPMD D
SF D