Your Controversial Opinions on DT

[cramx3]

I hate the falsetto thing that MP does at the end of Schmedley Wilcox during the end of Octavarium. It ruins a great song.

Nothing discussing MP's wealth of vocal abilities is controversial.

I actually always liked that.  Maybe that is the more controversial opinion.

[Prog Snob]

I concur.

If it's the part I'm thinking of, I think he's doing it facetiously. Any of those falsetto parts or the ass and balls thing, he never did it when official releases were being filmed. If you listen to other bootlegs from those tours, he used to do it almost every night.

[rumborak]

This will certainly be a controversial statement: I was listening to TA  during plane taxiing etc today, and it struck me that JR kinda phoned it in on that album. His piano pieces are a bit dime a dozen, his NOMAC interludes don't seem to have a lot of thought put into them either. Even for the endings of songs he kept reusing the same motifs.

[erwinrafael]

Dystopian Overture, Ravenskill and The X Aspect, phoning it in?

You don't like the album. We get it. But why keep on projecting it to the members of DT themselves as if they don't like the album as well?

[KevShmev]

Yeah, I don't get that either.  TA has some of Rudess' most tasteful and restrained playing ever, yet he phoned it in?  JHC.

[Mladen]

I'm not hearing it either. His piano playing is out of this world on this album, especially melodically, and in terms of composing the themes, he really brought his A game. Not to mention he was super creative with variations of certain themes. I'm not a fan of the NOMAC bits for the most part, but they do sound very creatively engaged and loose, which makes me think Jordan really enjoyed finally being able to put his love for sounds and effects to use.

[Prog Snob]

[Chino]

This will certainly be a controversial statement: I was listening to TA  during plane taxiing etc today, and it struck me that JR kinda phoned it in on that album. His piano pieces are a bit dime a dozen, his NOMAC interludes don't seem to have a lot of thought put into them either. Even for the endings of songs he kept reusing the same motifs.

I loved JR's work on this album. I consider most of his circus music to be phoning it in.

[ReaperKK]

I was never a fan of the circus music.

[BlobVanDam]

Don't like =/= phoning it in
None of these examples are phoning it in.

[Adami]

Don't like =/= phoning it in
None of these examples are phoning it in.

His IPhone app stuff is phoning it in.

[BlobVanDam]

Well played.

[Siddhartha]

Just saw this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWru5RgVu4

To do what James do on that clip they should better stay at home. What a shitty attitude.

Iīm starting to regret having to drive 900Km to see them at the end of the month.

[bosk1]

Just saw this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWru5RgVu4

To do what James do on that clip they should better stay at home. What a shitty attitude.

Iīm starting to regret having to drive 900Km to see them at the end of the month.

  What are you talking about?  What did James do that displayed any kind of negative attitude? 

[BlobVanDam]

Whether JLB's voice is on or not, he's always giving it 100%.

[Prog Snob]

Just saw this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWru5RgVu4

To do what James do on that clip they should better stay at home. What a shitty attitude.

Iīm starting to regret having to drive 900Km to see them at the end of the month.

  What are you talking about?  What did James do that displayed any kind of negative attitude?

Well, I don't know if he's just getting into the song or he seems a bit miffed at something. I wouldn't say he has a shitty attitude, maybe just having a bad night vocally and it's getting to him.

[Siddhartha]

  What are you talking about?  What did James do that displayed any kind of negative attitude?

Hit at 3:40.

Man, if I saw that at a concert Iīll be very tempted to leave.

I donīt believe you donīt see that grin.

[MirrorMask]

Watched again and again... I don't see anything strange. There's sure a lot of echo going on, are you taking it as playback?

[Siddhartha]

Watched again and again... I don't see anything strange. There's sure a lot of echo going on, are you taking it as playback?

What? No, of course is live.

He is signing like he would rather be anywhere else. He is pissed and he is showing it.

Come on .

[MirrorMask]

Ah ok. I simply see it more as him not being at the top of his form, and knowing it. He's pissed at the sickness (comments mention he was sick on some dates), not at paying Dream Theater fans wanting to see him. Should Petrucci ever mess up royally a solo, I bet he would have the same look on his face without meaning he doesn't want to be there.

[bosk1]

Watched again and again... I don't see anything strange.

This.  I think you are imagining things that aren't there, Siddhartha. 

[Kotowboy]

Getting pissy cause he doesn't want to be at his own gig...

rofl.

Not at all that he's annoyed / upset that his voice isn't in top shape.

[Prog Snob]

  What are you talking about?  What did James do that displayed any kind of negative attitude?

Hit at 3:40.

Man, if I saw that at a concert Iīll be very tempted to leave.

I donīt believe you donīt see that grin.

That's what I assumed you were referring to. Yes, he does seemed irritated at something. It doesn't mean he has some negative attitude towards everything. You've never seen ANY of the guys get frustrated on stage if they miss or note or something? You clearly don't watch too many live shows.

[Skeever]

I remember listening to Geoff Tate sing live and thinking how just hearing his strained voice made my throat hurt. Hate to same I'm right back there with these recent performances.

[Siddhartha]

That's what I assumed you were referring to. Yes, he does seemed irritated at something. It doesn't mean he has some negative attitude towards everything. You've never seen ANY of the guys get frustrated on stage if they miss or note or something? You clearly don't watch too many live shows.

Well, I was at the Madrid show at the DT12 tour.

That was supposed to be "An Evening with DT" tipe of show... but they had problems with their equipment. The show began 2 hours late, they werenīt able to show the video segments on the screens as planed, the lights wasnīt working so well, and they were having problems with their in ear monitors which lead to them making some very notorious mistakes. They had to cut Ilumination Theory and another song from the show, leaving us with a regular concert but with the extra price for "An Evening with" type of show.

That night everything failed. But they still they managed to put a very good show, and although you can see they were worried about what happened they copped with it with and extra of good attitude.

Exactly the opposite of what you can see in that clip.

And in 2017 alone Iīm seeing Devin Townsend, Dream Theater, Michael Schenker, Deep Purple, Aerosmith, Guns NīRoses, Slayer, Helloween plus a lot of classical, blues and jazz gigs that are almost free here in Madrid. So I have my right share of live experiences.

And bad attitude sucks and looks unprofessional, whatever the reason.

[cramx3]

Just saw this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWru5RgVu4

To do what James do on that clip they should better stay at home. What a shitty attitude.

Iīm starting to regret having to drive 900Km to see them at the end of the month.

  What are you talking about?  What did James do that displayed any kind of negative attitude?

Well, I don't know if he's just getting into the song or he seems a bit miffed at something. I wouldn't say he has a shitty attitude, maybe just having a bad night vocally and it's getting to him.

He definitely looked frustrated, maybe at himself (seems likely) maybe at something else.  I got to be honest and say that would turn me off a bit seeing that, I particularly love watching bands that are smiling and visibly look happy, it makes me happy.  If that's a one off moment, fine we are all human. If he acted like that all concert then I'd say there's a problem (I don't think there is other than he's struggling)

[King Postwhore]

You're not going to see perfect shows all the time.  Even DT are human.

[Scottjf8]

You're not going to see perfect shows all the time.  Even DT are human.

I was about to say this exact thing. Cmon man we're all human. We have bad days "at work" Or have kids who are sick and you're thinking about them.  Plus we know JLB was quite sick for a few shows last leg.

[Siddhartha]

I was about to say this exact thing. Cmon man we're all human. We have bad days "at work" Or have kids who are sick and you're thinking about them.  Plus we know JLB was quite sick for a few shows last leg.

To me thatīs not an excuse, especially for a performer. I have seen Bon Jovi, BON f*****g JOVI, playing a concert here so sick that he phased out before the bisses at the backstage and had to be taken directly to the hospital. And the guy for the hour and a quarter he managed to be on the stage rocked the stadium like it was his last day on earth.

[bosk1]

Honestly, if you get this worked up over a singer not having the facial expressions you subjectively want him to have, maybe their shows just aren't for you.

[Siddhartha]

Honestly, if you get this worked up over a singer not having the facial expressions you subjectively want him to have, maybe their shows just aren't for you.

I agree. If I see that at a gig I paid for, that would be the last one.

[King Postwhore]

So one specific moment in a 2 hour concert woyld stop you from seeing them ever again?  That's a little harsh.

[bosk1]

I would use a different word than "harsh."   

[Siddhartha]

So one specific moment in a 2 hour concert woyld stop you from seeing them ever again?  That's a little harsh.

Well, the clip was only one song, and to be fair, maybe he was all workep up the rest of the gig.

I was thinking more in terms of a complete concert like that.

It have happened to me before. I went to see Clapton play at Barcelona, and the guy left the other guitar player take 95% of the solos and was constantly looking the hour in his watch and looking bored. What a crap of concert.

Will never go to see him again even if it is free near my home.


On the good side of things Robert Randolph was opening the show that night. Never hear of him, but man, what a show, they made the trip totally worth it.

[Siddhartha]

I would use a different word than "harsh." 

Then you would have to warn yourself.