2014-01-15 - Coliseu do Porto - Porto, POR

[IdoSC]

Well, an update on my JLB negativity: The Shattered Fortress was definitely a high point.

[As I Am]

The fact that it seems that there's no rotation makes me feel rather blah about the tour. I know it's obviously early on, but a static setlist just bores me. I have tickets to 3 shows in March and may decide to dump one if things continue. I think they should have AT THE VERY LEAST alternated the Awake segment and the SFAM segment on different nights. Playing large chunks of these albums TOGETHER, really makes no sense to me at all. Not to mention, kills any chance for back catalog songs to be played.

I don't know, it's probably just me, but it just seems SO OBVIOUS that without MP, the direction is just lacking.

Don't get me wrong, the songs they are playing are cool and all, and the playing from the youtube videos is awesome, but DT is just missing something LIVE and has been since MP left.

[SeRoX]

Full video of The Shattered Fortress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCZHHXvTNGU

I really love the studio version, it's even my favourite among other steps but I think it doesn't work well live. Just can't get the energy.

[IdoSC]

The fact that it seems that there's no rotation makes me feel rather blah about the tour. I know it's obviously early on, but a static setlist just bores me. I have tickets to 3 shows in March and may decide to dump one if things continue. I think they should have AT THE VERY LEAST alternated the Awake segment and the SFAM segment on different nights. Playing large chunks of these albums TOGETHER, really makes no sense to me at all. Not to mention, kills any chance for back catalog songs to be played.

I don't know, it's probably just me, but it just seems SO OBVIOUS that without MP, the direction is just lacking.

Don't get me wrong, the songs they are playing are cool and all, and the playing from the youtube videos is awesome, but DT is just missing something LIVE and has been since MP left.

They've been rotating pretty heavily last tour, and I highly doubt they wouldn't mix things up at least between legs. Also, can't see them NOT playing the other 3 songs from DT12, so that's another rotation right there.

[BlobVanDam]

Hey there everybody! It was great seeing the reactions to the video (symphonic section) of Illumination Theory as this was of my doing. Great to see that people loved it! Makes me a very happy guy! Great kick off to a great tour! Looking forward to more!

Well done, you and Blob have done a great job.

What did blob do?

I did the False Awakening intro video, and the taxi videos (song intros + AFTR).

[andri_ab]

Amazing show.  A wonderful video intro.  Can't wait to see the guys in south east asia....

-andri-

[Daso]

I really enjoy the setlist, particularly the anniversary nods since we get to listen to a bunch of Awake songs which aren't played often (LSOAD, and SDV if you want to go all out) and SFAM songs which must be amazing with MM (no videos yet, I think?) but I think some of the other songs could be rotated on some nights, for example BAI. I mean, I love the song and all, but it was performed on most shows on the last tour and we have a pretty much final live version of it on LaLP. I would like seeing that one rotate with Blind Faith, which only has the CiM performance as an official live version of it (correct me if I'm wrong, please), which wasn't really good.I recall JLB saying he wanted Blind Faith to come back, so that's a plus.

If the band really wants to keep playing BAI because of being one of the fan's favorites from ADToE, also considering that it's their only other album with MM, then it could rotate with Trial of Tears. I wouldn't be happy about it at all because ToT is Top 5 for me, but Blind Faith is, too, and having those two rotate kind of makes sense, I think.

I just think it's time for Blind Faith to come back, and they're playing nothing from 6DOIT. It would be cool to get TGP, but it would make more sense to change TSF for that. At the same time, TSF does one hell of a job on the setlist, being both a heavy, rocking song which pumps up the audience and being from the 12SS and from BC&SL. I think Blind Faith is just the right choice.

[Evermind]

What did blob do?

A great job.

[CrimsonSunrise]

As soon as I make this post, I'm heading to the Tube to see Blob's handiwork.  I watched SDV.....  and, some tears were shed.  I know a lot of folks don't hold this song in as high esteem as I do, which is fine.  For me......this is simply a historic event and beyond epic.    In 2004, when I did DT's (I believe) first Meet and Greet, I was able to hang with JP for 5 mins or so.  Me and some other cat were chatting with him.  The dude asked about the possibility of the band playing SDV live.  JP's answer was for the most part ( can't remember the exact statement) that it would be odd to play it without KM, and probably wouldn't happen.

I was actually debating if I was going to miss my first DT tour in 12 years.  If this set list turns out to be the standard.....I'll be purchasing tix shortly.  As far as folks who feel that it's odd that the set list was devoid of any I&W songs.... I'm 100% fine with it.  In the 10 or so times I've seen them....there was PLENTY of I&W's.  I&W's and Awake have always been neck and neck for me as far as DT's best.  I really look forward to an "Awake" suite.  If I have ANY bitch about the set list so far....  I really love Behind the Veil.  I hope it gets worked in.


***EDIT   I don't know what to say?  I mean really.... how awesome of a job has Blob done in the past?  How can you TOP...what's been done by Blob in the past?  Absolutely stellar Blob!  You amazingly manged to surpass your past DT works!

If I had one bitch.... and yes, this is personal....  I really think you should have been tasked to do something extraordinary with Scarred and SDV!!  Could you have bitten the bullet and muddled through???   


Also....just watched Illumination Theory.  Really not a fan of 4 minutes of dead space.  Also.....  after said dead space....it really becomes apparent that James is really having a tough time achieving studio  quality live.  Yes...this is the first show...  there are probably adjustments to be made.   The 4 mins of lull time though?  I think JR needs to do something, fluff wise at least.  Watching a vid for 4 mins with no live music being performed in an epic piece,  is seriously lacking for me.

[KevShmev]

For starters, it proves the beef was just between Portnoy and Moore

Not really.  It may also simply prove that things change over time.  Let's assume John felt the same way that we know Mike did about the song, but that he gave in because, in restrospect, it didn't make sense to keep holding it out if the fans want it, or maybe James and Jordan pushed for it because it got a great response when they did it at Jordan's show, or maybe he just feels less strongly about not playing it now.  I mean, there are tons of variables and possibilities we just don't know.  We DO know that Mike didn't want to play it, but that's about all we know.

 

We also know that Portnoy flat-out said years ago, on two occasions, that they all thought the song was incredibly overrated:

https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=1710693&mpage=1#1710796

https://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/tm.aspx?high=&m=1709788&mpage=2#1710750

The question then becomes, why would they play it if they all thought it was so overrated?  Sure, opinions can change, but I think it's more likely that he was probably spouting off about Moore, and the rest of the band, not wanting to argue with him about it, probably just nodded and didn't say anything, and he took that as them agreeing.  I do that sometimes with several people close to me who occasionally give a political view I totally disagree, and it's just easier to nod along rather than disagree and get into an argument about it.  In other words, I doubt the band as a whole ever thought the song was overrated, and I doubt the band as a whole thought Kevin Moore was overrated (as he stated in the 2nd link there).  Petrucci and JLB have always been high with their praise for Moore.

[SoundscapeMN]

a) it has been 20 years

b) it's a borderline fan favorite, that the fans have wanted to hear/requested live for ages

c) the band probably still regard it as a good song that would be worth playing live

d) caring what Kevin Moore thinks, especially after all this time, probably can and at least finally now has been downplayed. It's entirely possible Kevin Moore will not even find out about it for quite awhile if ever. And even if/when he does, he very well may not care one bit. And given how much he's distanced himself from Dream Theater, his feeling about playing it live without him, likely shouldn't matter anyway.

[YtseJamittaja]

Full video of The Shattered Fortress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCZHHXvTNGU

Did they use MP's vocal parts here? It sounds like it at least...

[BlobVanDam]

Full video of The Shattered Fortress: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCZHHXvTNGU

Did they use MP's vocal parts here? It sounds like it at least...

While it sounded like it, that's with crummy live audio quality, and I would highly doubt they left it in. I'd be sure of it.

They definitely re-recorded MP's monologue section during the softer section, as it sounds nothing like the studio version, and the voice doesn't have the bass of MP's voice, so I'm guessing that's JLB. If they redid that, it stands to reason they redid the earlier MP vocals too. My guess would be JLB there, but it's hard to tell with that recording quality.

[aprilethereal]

My guess would be JLB there, but it's hard to tell with that recording quality.

Looks like JP is "singing" along.to the backing track once again

[GasparXR]

My guess would be JLB there, but it's hard to tell with that recording quality.

Looks like JP is "singing" along.to the backing track once again

It sounded like it could be JP there. I mean, JP did some of the aggressive-sounding co-vocals in The Glass Prison, although they're not as raspy as MP's parts in TSF.

[aprilethereal]

It sounded a bit too aggressive for JP's vocal style imo.

[BlobVanDam]

My guess would be JLB there, but it's hard to tell with that recording quality.

Looks like JP is "singing" along.to the backing track once again

It sounded like it could be JP there. I mean, JP did some of the aggressive-sounding co-vocals in The Glass Prison, although they're not as raspy as MP's parts in TSF.

They sounded too rough to be JP's vocals to me, although you really can't tell much from that clip. My guess for now is that it's JLB's vocals pitch shifted down slightly. I think JP's voice alone is too smooth to sound like that.

[Mladen]

I just figured something out, hopefully it wasn't already brought up... For those that say the band didn't play anything from SDOIT, TOT, Octavarium and SC, they actually covered all of those albums along with BC&SL by playing The Shattered fortress. 

[GasparXR]

I just figured something out, hopefully it wasn't already brought up... For those that say the band didn't play anything from SDOIT, TOT, Octavarium and SC, they actually covered all of those albums along with BC&SL by playing The Shattered fortress. 

If you put it that way. Does anyone think that it's possible there will be a time when they play all of AA? Previously it seemed unlikely that they would, let alone perform TSF (or even Repentance which only got one performance), but now it seems it could happen later down the road.

[BlobVanDam]

I just figured something out, hopefully it wasn't already brought up... For those that say the band didn't play anything from SDOIT, TOT, Octavarium and SC, they actually covered all of those albums along with BC&SL by playing The Shattered fortress. 

If you put it that way. Does anyone think that it's possible there will be a time when they play all of AA? Previously it seemed unlikely that they would, let alone perform TSF (or even Repentance which only got one performance), but now it seems it could happen later down the road.

I would consider that unlikely, since that's an hour or so of set time taken up by something close to MP. But I'm glad they've shown that none of the 12SS will be off limits individually, because I won't die happy until I hear TGP live dangit!

[GasparXR]

I just figured something out, hopefully it wasn't already brought up... For those that say the band didn't play anything from SDOIT, TOT, Octavarium and SC, they actually covered all of those albums along with BC&SL by playing The Shattered fortress. 

If you put it that way. Does anyone think that it's possible there will be a time when they play all of AA? Previously it seemed unlikely that they would, let alone perform TSF (or even Repentance which only got one performance), but now it seems it could happen later down the road.

I would consider that unlikely, since that's an hour or so of set time taken up by something close to MP. But I'm glad they've shown that none of the 12SS will be off limits individually, because I won't die happy until I hear TGP live dangit!

TGP definitely needs to happen live.

[wolfking]

That intro video Blob is just phenominal. 

IT has quite a few teething problems, not just from James, but the whole band.  But for a premiere, it was okay.  James just doesn't seem comfortable with it at all.  He did pretty well at the end though.

[JediKnight1969]

What did blob do?

A great job.

A Blob job? 

[erwinrafael]

Mike Mangini really nailed Illumination Theory. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd_y0UFd8p8

What a difference hearing the cymbals makes. I also loved how MM showed how his fast drum rolls can actually be musical.

[thyer]

If read on these link you can see where and how much the songs where performed, SDV has played 2 times untill now:

https://www.setlist.fm/stats/dream-theater-bd6a102.html

[snapple]

AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHH I NEED TO SEE THEM AFTER SEEING THIS SETLIST

Kev, come to DET and come with my wife and I. I know how much you'd enjoy this show because of all the Awake on it!

[hefdaddy42]

If read on these link you can see where and how much the songs where performed, SDV has played 2 times untill now:

https://www.setlist.fm/stats/dream-theater-bd6a102.html

While that is true, I have found that website to be notoriously inaccurate.

[BelichickFan]

If read on these link you can see where and how much the songs where performed, SDV has played 2 times untill now:

https://www.setlist.fm/stats/dream-theater-bd6a102.html

Click on the song title, that has been updated for the 2 times it was performed on this tour.

[As I Am]

Hey there everybody! It was great seeing the reactions to the video (symphonic section) of Illumination Theory as this was of my doing. Great to see that people loved it! Makes me a very happy guy! Great kick off to a great tour! Looking forward to more!

Well done, you and Blob have done a great job.

What did blob do?

I did the False Awakening intro video, and the taxi videos (song intros + AFTR).

Watched the youtube of the intro video and 

[genome]

I wonder what MP thinks of them playing SDV live.

[Laughingplace56]

I wonder what MP thinks of them playing SDV live.

Why would he care? They played Strange Deja-Vu with him hundred's of times.

I wonder what he thinks of them playing The Shattered Fortress live.

[KevShmev]

Kev, come to DET and come with my wife and I. I know how much you'd enjoy this show because of all the Awake on it!

Oh, I am gonna enjoy it, but I am already going elsewhere to see it.  Namely, Chicago and Kansas City.

[Blazinarps]

So what exactly was played during intermission?

[John94]

Looking at the youtube footage, I have a question...

By the looks of it, James is using a wireless mic. How long has James been using them? I thought the band didn't like wireless.

[aprilethereal]

Looking at the youtube footage, I have a question...

By the looks of it, James is using a wireless mic. How long has James been using them? I thought the band didn't like wireless.

IIRC, he didn't use wireless last tour.