2017 Jan. 30 - Rome, Italy -- SPOILERS

[hebaojr]

I truly believe that MM has a weakness. He does not know how to work with the cymbal.

Yup, that must be it. After all these years as a professional drummer, he still can't figure it out.

I truly believe that MM has a weakness. He does not know how to work with the cymbal.

Yup, that must be it. After all these years as a professional drummer, he still can't figure it out.
[/quot

I truly believe that MM has a weakness. He does not know how to work with the cymbal.

Yup, that must be it. After all these years as a professional drummer, he still can't figure it out.

So, why MM does not play it? All songs the have it, like ToT, HK he simply does not play or uses crash to simulate. These are really beautiful parts that brigs nuances to the songs, and it is just ignored

[?]

Since there's no separate thread for the Padua show, I might as well post these short clips of ACOS here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr-c6WjCAG4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2nyEPkkHE4

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Actually ACOS sounds great half a step lower. Sounds heavy!

[ToT-147]

Breaking All Illusions:

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

[SeRoX]

I hope we'll get full ACOS video. I actually wonder Another World section most.

[gzarruk]

I found a couple videos of the bass solo. JM is, indeed, playing Portrait of Tracy. Very cool Jaco tribute!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6UsUbt4DBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJum_gYIrOY

And here's the original, just in case anyone wants to check it out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEs5sKDXZuk

[ToT-147]

I hope we'll get full ACOS video. I actually wonder Another World section most.

Yeah, same here.. That's THE part of the song.. At least along with the two first instrumentals, which I like a lot.. But AW is probably the best moving section of the whole non-JR era..

[thosava]

Two shows without A Life Left Behind and The Spirit Carries On? I was really looking forward to The Spirit Carries On, as i've never seen it live.

[dodido253]

Two shows without A Life Left Behind and The Spirit Carries On? I was really looking forward to The Spirit Carries On, as i've never seen it live.

Same here.

[CharlesPL]

ACoS (full version) !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKcQ9z-JVg&feature=youtu.be

[Madman Shepherd]

Two shows without A Life Left Behind and The Spirit Carries On? I was really looking forward to The Spirit Carries On, as i've never seen it live.

Same here.

As much as I dislike the Astonishing, I would be disappointed to not hear ALLB.  That is simply a great song. 

Had no idea JM did a bass solo, too!  Long overdue!

[TAC]

ACoS (full version) !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKcQ9z-JVg&feature=youtu.be

I LOVE the live intro.


EDIT: "But those days are ggggoooonnnnnneeeeee!" Nice James!

EDIT 2: What a fucking awesome tune. James is pretty damned good on this. And Mangini nails it.

[Jinx]

Two shows without A Life Left Behind and The Spirit Carries On? I was really looking forward to The Spirit Carries On, as i've never seen it live.

Same here.

As much as I dislike the Astonishing, I would be disappointed to not hear ALLB.  That is simply a great song. 

Had no idea JM did a bass solo, too!  Long overdue!

They werent played tonight either. Maybe theyve just taken them out. TSCO I can understand but thought they would want to play TA stuff. Maybe they didnt get a good enough reaction on first night?

[IDontNotDoThings]

I'd be kinda sad if they did take out those songs permanently, but at the same time it'd be interesting to see what they'd replace them with.


I mean, hopefully they'd replace them if they took them out.

[erwinrafael]

ACoS (full version) !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKcQ9z-JVg&feature=youtu.be

I want a recording of this version. It sounds more badass because it is more metal. 

For those who have been really critical of MM's playing in Hell's Kitchen, give him a break. Based on these vids so far, it looks he spent much of his time not just learning but putting his spin on ACOS and TTT. The one hand drum rolls in ACOS is 

[Adami]

ACoS (full version) !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKcQ9z-JVg&feature=youtu.be

I want a recording of this version. It sounds more badass because it is more metal. 

For those who have been really critical of MM's playing in Hell's Kitchen, give him a break. Based on these vids so far, it looks he spent much of his time not just learning but putting his spin on ACOS and TTT. The one hand drum rolls in ACOS is 

You know, you don't have to defend every single MM criticism that gets posted. You can just accept that some of us didn't like it, even if we're aware of the many reasons why either 1) he made the artistic decision to do it that way or 2) will do it better when given time.

Maybe later, we'll change our minds. For now, we don't like how he did it. Your unyielding defense of him is completely unnecessary.

[ToT-147]

ACoS (full version) !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKcQ9z-JVg&feature=youtu.be

Jumped to Another World.. ... and James was amazing.. He nailed every note!..

[Prog Snob]

ACoS (full version) !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQKcQ9z-JVg&feature=youtu.be

That is beautiful.

[Adami]

Watching it now.

On the the 3rd part I think. Not really sure.

James sounds good for sure.

The click doesn't help this song. A lot of it sounds really slow and lacking energy, while other parts sound fine.

Yea, Mangini skipped out on one of my favorite parts in the beginning. Hopefully he'll incorporate it eventually.

Edit: (I'm sure I'll keep adding these as I listen)
They skipped the secondary vocal part "we can hope for the future...". They are using backing tracks and didn't think that was worth the work?
And yea, the next drum part Mangini changed up again. I guess I'll just assume that all of my favorite hi hat moments are just gone and replaced with beat keeping moments.

On Crimson Sunset now.

James still sounding pretty great! Jordan too. Petrucci flubbed one of his solos but covered it really well.

Still, the tempos really really drag a lot, and Mangini oversimplified the opening beat to Crimson Sunset, which did a whole section of an instructional video to explain.

[NOMAC2107]

Anyone have an idea why A Life Left Behind and Spirit Carries On got dropped from the past 2 shows? Is that permanent do you think? 

Time restrictions maybe? Or they wanted to just stick with the heavier material and only really go quiet with Another Day and WFS? Maybe the Rome crowd weren't responding as well to their inclusion in the set and they haven't chosen replacement songs yet? Who knows

[pcs90]

The click doesn't help this song. A lot of it sounds really slow and lacking energy, while other parts sound fine.

Yea, Mangini skipped out on one of my favorite parts in the beginning. Hopefully he'll incorporate it eventually.

And yea, the next drum part Mangini changed up again. I guess I'll just assume that all of my favorite hi hat moments are just gone and replaced with beat keeping moments.

Still, the tempos really really drag a lot, and Mangini oversimplified the opening beat to Crimson Sunset, which did a whole section of an instructional video to explain.

Agreed. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought it felt slow.
I have a feeling we're thinking of the same drum parts. It is interesting that someone as technical as MM actually simplifies a lot of parts. It's not like he couldn't play them either, he just doesn't. I'm still hoping that as the tour progresses some of this will be added in.

[NOMAC2107]

Listening to the clips from Zurich on YouTube. JLB sounds way better on Surrounded compared to Rome

[SeRoX]

ACOS sounds pretty great and James nails it. Honestly I didn't expect to be that good.

[Jinx]

Yeah the guy who uploaded a ton of stuff from Zurich really captured a great overall performance from James. 4th night in and already improving.

By the way, going back to ALLB and TSCO... hypothetically speaking if the band replaces these two, what do they replace them with?

[IDontNotDoThings]

By the way, going back to ALLB and TSCO... hypothetically speaking if the band replaces these two, what do they replace them with?

I think TW & AFTR would fill the roles of these tracks quite nicely.

[V_R11]

ACOS sounds great, although I'm a bit disappointed there's no Petrucci's outro, it just...ends

I wonder about TSCO and ALLB too...while I've heard TSCO live it's still one of my favorite JP solos

[Jinx]

TSCO is also one of those songs that everyone can sing especially the last bit.

For me if they are sticking to metal side it has to be... you guessed it - Panic Attack.
Instead of ALLB I would have another Astonishing song. Probably ANB sorry to be predictable 

[kiszol]

JLB sounds awesome on the clips from the Zurich concert. Hope that he keeps improving!

As far as TSCO and TLLB I guess they figured that the show is too long and from now on they will leave out that two songs.
Without them the first part is ~60 mins + I&W is 70-75 with the solos + 25 for ACOS, and that's almost 3 hours in total for the show...

[Mladen]

Wow, James goes for some quite challenging notes on here, even the ones he used to avoid back in the good old days. And he nailed some of them as well.

More and more people keep pointing out Mangini' stiffness when it comes to cymbal work and I'm starting to notice it as well. I wonder why he doesn't see them as essential features of Portnoy's playing the way fans do. I'm sure he hears the cymbals and acknowledges them, but for some reason doesn't include them himself.

[?]

I'm also bothered a bit by the stiff drumming in HK, but I noticed that MM is finally playing the hi-hat pattern in the second verse of Another Day, which he didn't do in the Happy Holidays version recorded 5 years ago. That gives me hope that his cymbal work will get more elaborate on other songs too.

[CharlesPL]

Great videos from Zurych :

MM Solo :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBtKCCI9Fc4

AD/TTT :

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

Hell's Kitchen/Gift :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cfLRsIQkrw

ONW :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t4yUf8qd_M

JMX Solo/AIA :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHSoj1hlQ8k

BAI :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipp7eAXClpk

Pull :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc7hFmZAYlE

Surrounded :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1tx4g0MsSA

[wasteland]

James's massive improvements are evident on Another Day / Take The Time!! So happy!

Also the jams are starting to develop 

[SeRoX]

He sounds perfect because he didn't wear *that* pants.

[erwinrafael]

More and more people keep pointing out Mangini' stiffness when it comes to cymbal work and I'm starting to notice it as well. I wonder why he doesn't see them as essential features of Portnoy's playing the way fans do. I'm sure he hears the cymbals and acknowledges them, but for some reason doesn't include them himself.

But he does the hi-hat work in songs made during his tenure, like in Our New World. So I don't think it's really a matter of him not being able to do it. I think it's more of him choosing not to do it. Maybe he sees them not as an essential feature of the song but rather as a reflection of Portnoy's personal style. In the same way that his orchestration with left+right cymbals and following the unisons melodically in the kit is a reflection of his personal style. Of the short insertion of a polyrhythm in the jam at the end of LtL.

Then again, he does the hi-hat work in the old songs that he already played a lot like As I Am, so maybe it is also just a matter of being comfortable with the song.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Holy shit this version is Take the Time is so much better than the Rome version.

Also, ACOS sounded incredible. As Adami pointed out, there is some incredible Portnoy cymbal work that wasn't done by Mangini, but hey I'll give the guy a break. He has literally played the song with the band live 4 times and he hasn't screwed up anything. That's one big feat.