Your Controversial Opinions on DT

[Madman Shepherd]

My controversial opinion:

I like the modern, glossy production. If that means backing and/or click tracks, then so be it. It's still LIVE to me because they are still singing/playing live, and a few feet in front of me no less. The world's seriously greatest musicians. I am grateful!

I agree. I think their live show improved drastically after Mangini joined. I don't think it's necessarily because of Mangini, but they really concentrated on the presentation of the show. Starting with the ADTOE tour they had those weird (but cool) cube shaped screens and a more sophisticated light show. Before then I always felt like their shows were more low budget. Occasionally they would try to be higher budget and it seemed like a poor man's version.

Or he could have just made a pre recorded statement and lip synched to it pretty bad on purpose, lol

  That would have been amazing. 

Oh my god. That would have been some amazing Andy Kaufman stuff right there!

[Trav86]

I remember leading up to the ADTOE tour, JP said something along the lines of "we're going to use an actual production company to design our show. Instead of just us doing it." And I'm sure that's what they've done since.  It is much more professional now with lights and video created for each song. Before they kept using the same stock videos for different songs. You can't do what they do now, if the setlist is constantly changing.

[vtgrad]

Personally, I tend toward liking both types of shows.  The larger productions shows (like the ones they've had since ADTOE as discussed) and the stripped down shows (my personal favorite being the 2010 Columbus OH show; GA admission and we were right in front of JP).  Each type of show has it's draws for me.  If I was forced to choose one over the other, I'd honestly choose the stripped down, spit flying, sweat-in-the-eyes show every time.  Making eye contact with JP for the majority of the show (and my wife catching a pick that he basically handed to her) will always stick with me.  I felt like the show was just for us.

Of the polished shows I've seen (at least one or two every tour since TOT), my favorite was likely the DC 2014 show for the Along for the Ride tour.  That show and setlist was just incredible for me!

[Cool Chris]

Possibly super controversial... I generally do not care for some of James' vocals on that 1993 bootleg CD. Maybe he felt like pushing it up to 110% for the live shows at the time, but as I said elsewhere, he delivered an A+ performance for I&W, if he just hit 90% of that live, it would have been magnificent. But in going for that extra 10%, he does his performance and his skills a disservice.

[TAC]

Possibly super controversial... I generally do not care for some of James' vocals on that 1993 bootleg CD. Maybe he felt like pushing it up to 110% for the live shows at the time, but as I said elsewhere, he delivered an A+ performance for I&W, if he just hit 90% of that live, it would have been magnificent. But in going for that extra 10%, he does his performance and his skills a disservice.

Even in the I&W and Awake days, James wasn't perfect at every show. I did a big bootleg listening binge a couple of months ago from those tours. Some shows, James was on and some he wasn't.
I can say that they played a ton of shows during this time and there had to be wear and tear. I don't think their accomodations/travel were the greatest in those day. I know when a saw them a few nights later, it was snowing in Boston.