Melbourne turned on the weather for DT....it was a beautiful day and night for their concert..Thank God it wasn't Monday!
I loved every minute of the concert, the sound did seem a little off for the first few songs....I think it wasn't until the 4th song that I actually heard JM at all....tempo seemed a little fast for a few tracks and maybe some fubbed lyrics...but it settled soon enough.
As a massive JP fan I thought the first set was a guitar fans dream....don't ask me for the set list...I hope someone posts it?!
Still great in the second
It was a mash from a whole lot of albums but JLB made mention of the anniversary for Awake and Scenes so they played a few from each....I am sure I am not the only fan who thought they may play the entire scenes album when they went from Overture to Strange Deja Vu ....alas not to be....I have made mention that I had not listened to the new album too much but hearing tracks live certainly can change an opinion of a song. JLB sounded great, I loved him singing Lifting Shadows off a dream...and JP he can do no wrong.
The intermission ads, you tube clips, etc and the graphics through the whole show were exceptional.
I want the JP Transformer and the JLB and JR dolls
During The Meet and Greet I asked JP about playing Hell's Kitchen... (I put this on a postcard as if it was a repeat of 2009 at the table I couldn't talk to either JP or MP.... my mind turned into we're not worthy from Wayne's World
) he told me nice try, but they couldn't.
But they did start playing what I thought was going to be The Instrumedley (like Live in Budokan) so I thought maybe....but no..
All the guys seemed to be having a great time, not sure how long it had been since they had landed but they had to be jetlagged but it didn't show. Mangini could not wipe the smile from his face for the entire show.
I was second row on the balcony, and hopefully the guys understand in the first four rows of the balcony due to safety regulations we are not allowed to stand....at the end security don't seem to care so much....maybe then you're allowed to fall over!
They were pretty vigilant with the no camera rule, came up to guys near me quite often.
Yes the volume was loud, here we are at 7.30am Thursday morning at my ears are still ringing...
But I think my ears have put up with a lot of loud music over the years....Vai 2000 at The Palace next to a speaker at the stage...that was
3 days of ringing.
Meet and Greet
This was organised well...I went in last with some great people I met...the photo I hope turns out well...one minute the guys are behind a screen next minute you're up....I think I mumbled hello....I got very shy, very quickly
. I think I am the same height as Mangini, no offence to him or JR but I would have preferred to stand next to JP....but you are told before the photo....no hand shaking, no touching, no talking to the guys you will have time for that at the signing.
Now last time (2009) they made last in for photo, first for signing, this time they didn't do that and I am so glad because it means by the end they are a little more relaxed about the two item rule....So the order was JM, JR, MM, JLB, JP fantastic order it meant by the time I got to JP most of my nerves were gone...so I got them all to sign my Lifting Shadows Hardcover Book and The insert from The Dramatic Turn Of Events LP Box Set....and JR signed my copy of Scenes (he was the only one that didn't sign it in 2009) and both JR and JP signed my booklet from Liquid Tension Experiment....I had another 8 CD sleeves in my bag...but I didn't want to push my luck....maybe next time...they did promise 2 years, let's hope they stick to it!
Now they're playing their last Aussie show tonight in Sydney...I so wish I was going...I hope the set list is as good as Melbourne and maybe you guys will get Hell's Kitchen.
They were well worth the 5 year wait!