Well, I'm back to enjoying the LIVETIME era DT

[lucidlydreaming]

After years of not listening to any Dream Theater, the new stuff brought me back to the band.  Granted, the new stuff hasn't really clicked with me, I am enjoying some of their older stuff again. 

Namely, Octavarium (which I previously didn't like), The Way It Used to Be...But man, what's really got me right now is the "Unplugged" version of To Live Forever.  That build during Sherinian's solo is just wonderful until it really opens up.  I don't think they write like this anymore.

[RoeDent]

After years of not listening to any Dream Theater, the new stuff brought me back to the band.  Granted, the new stuff hasn't really clicked with me,

I'm going to assume we read this as "The fact they released new stuff brought me back to the band", otherwise this seems like a contradiction in terms.

[Dream Team]

The Livetime Era is the barf emoji for me. Hated the way the band looked, JLB couldn’t sing, etc. Thank goodness they righted the ship with SFAM.

[rumborak]

After seeing this thread, I put on the OIALT. I don't know, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. Yes, James struggles somewhat here and there (obviously in TTT), but there is a live feel to it that later releases lacked IMO. It has all the quirks and flubs of a performance in it, to me that's a plus.

[Samsara]

After seeing this thread, I put on the OIALT. I don't know, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. Yes, James struggles somewhat here and there (obviously in TTT), but there is a live feel to it that later releases lacked IMO. It has all the quirks and flubs of a performance in it, to me that's a plus.

Agreed. JLB struggles, but I love the rest of it.

[TAC]

The Livetime Era is the barf emoji for me. Hated the way the band looked, JLB couldn’t sing, etc. Thank goodness they righted the ship with SFAM.

I agree. Gawky pre teen years.

[Trav86]

It had its charms. Derek had balls, and I love a lot of those songs.

[chudm]

After seeing this thread, I put on the OIALT. I don't know, I thoroughly enjoyed the album. Yes, James struggles somewhat here and there (obviously in TTT), but there is a live feel to it that later releases lacked IMO. It has all the quirks and flubs of a performance in it, to me that's a plus.

thats what i had always thought, it feels like a proper live release, isnt near perfect, and thats probably why i like it too

[gm5k]

I discovered DT during this era when I was around 13, so the Livetime album is super special and nostalgic for me.  That album was on repeat nonstop as it was the only live DT I was aware of at the time. 

[lucidlydreaming]

After years of not listening to any Dream Theater, the new stuff brought me back to the band.  Granted, the new stuff hasn't really clicked with me,

I'm going to assume we read this as "The fact they released new stuff brought me back to the band", otherwise this seems like a contradiction in terms.

The new release has got me listening to DT again and while I love the mix of the new album, I'm having a tough time digesting the material.

This is the DT I enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVtAfYC1CNE

I love the SFAM stuff too (First album I bought on Day One), but I feel like the band's writing style changed after that.  It became less about the vocal melodies and more about riffs and complex for the sake of being complex.  I wanted the band to demo stuff again way back around the SC album.

[Anxiety35]

Didn't JLB have a cold when they recorded the 2 shows for the OIALT release? I think that's a reason his vocals sound "nasaly" on some of the songs of the 2 disc set.

I like Derek's "monster lead" tone. The "Puppies on Acid" into "Just Let Me Breathe" is great.

Those were tumultuous days for the band. They were being pushed by the record company to be more radio friendly on FII. That among other things led to a near break up. Plus the image thing. It was the mid-late 90's when bands were cutting their hair and incorporating fashion style. I never regarded DT as a fashion oriented band. It's like metal and hard rock acts needed to look like 90's Duran Duran for some reason.

Weird time in DT history.

[Cool Chris]

Gawky pre teen years.

And it is like their family moved to a new area for middle school and realized the kids dressed and acted a lot different than they did back home, so they tried really hard to fit in with the new crowd.

[rumborak]

Didn't JLB have a cold when they recorded the 2 shows for the OIALT release?

Interesting factoid, it's been scientifically proven that the common norovirus waits in hiding until a singer has to perform. (anybody who's ever played in a band knows what I'm talking about)

[Anxiety35]

Didn't JLB have a cold when they recorded the 2 shows for the OIALT release?

Interesting factoid, it's been scientifically proven that the common norovirus waits in hiding until a singer has to perform. (anybody who's ever played in a band knows what I'm talking about)

 , sure do. But I seem to remember the band, not just JLB saying he had a cold. Remember this is back when the technology wasn't as advanced as today. It's easier to record live now than it was over 20 years ago.

Not defending JLB, just trying to remember what was said.

[cramx3]

Not my favorite era of DT by any means, but it's a good live album with lots of cool spots and a uniqueness amongst the many DT live albums.