2019 set list and tour discussion (**KEEP ALL SPOILERS HERE**)

[Architeuthis]

Hmm. Not a big fan of 2 guitar backing tracks I must say. It sure sounds like the original, but it really isn't live anymore.

He likely used a guitar harmonizer fx pedal.

I think they missed a golden opportunity to blow every fan's mind by having JR whip out his guitar and play the rhythm track.

I'm in total agreement here!   . I don't know if JLB plays guitar at all but it would be cool to see him with a guitar on stage playing rhythm for easy yet powerful sections like that.

[KevShmev]

I don't think it's a matter of old/new fans, it is however a matter of selfishness as you say. Everyone wants to hear what they wanna hear and if the band plays something else then it's bad, but what about the fans who wanted that something else? "Fuck em, I want my stuff played".
I'm guilty of that as well, if DT came out with 3 songs from Awake and the song 8VM; I'd be bummed out.
SFAM is my favorite album, I'm good with Enemies and okay with Nightmare so I'm good. As I said, the shoe can easily get on the other foot with every tour.

While I think The Glass Prison and In the Name of God would have better choices than Nightmare if they are going to play a song in the 15-17 minute range, playing Nightmare is at least a new live song in this era, and it is cool that both non-new songs in the first set (Nightmare and ITPOE Part 1) are ones that had yet be played since Mangini joined the band.

And really, my only real complaint has been, "Not enough new songs are getting played."  And I doubt a band like Dream Theater would find much fault with some fans wanting to hear more songs from their brand new album.  I just cranked it up a bit ago when working out at the gym and was like, "hot damn, this is so good!"   

[Peter Mc]

Yes, DT are just a nostalgia act now playing endless anniversary shows. Let’s all forget the tour before last where the show was 100% new material with no legacy songs.

Dream Theater have two seminal albums in their catalogue, those being Images & Words and Scenes From A Memory. They have (rightly in my opinion) chosen to mark the anniversary of those albums by treating fans to a full live version of the albums. There will not be further anniversary tours for the other albums as they are not super important albums in the bands history and don’t warrant it. It’s absolute nonsense to suggest DT are just a legacy act and those crying about the anniversary tours won’t have to worry after this one as I don’t imagine they’ll be doing any further ones unless they stop making new music which I doubt will happen.

I will say that I am not thrilled with the set list but also know, from experience, that sometimes a set list which does not look all that great on paper can be brilliant when you actually experience the show.

[fadetoblackdude7]

Yes, DT are just a nostalgia act now playing endless anniversary shows. Let’s all forget the tour before last where the show was 100% new material with no legacy songs.

Dream Theater have two seminal albums in their catalogue, those being Images & Words and Scenes From A Memory. They have (rightly in my opinion) chosen to mark the anniversary of those albums by treating fans to a full live version of the albums. There will not be further anniversary tours for the other albums as they are not super important albums in the bands history and don’t warrant it. It’s absolute nonsense to suggest DT are just a legacy act and those crying about the anniversary tours won’t have to worry after this one as I don’t imagine they’ll be doing any further ones unless they stop making new music which I doubt will happen.

I will say that I am not thrilled with the set list but also know, from experience, that sometimes a set list which does not look all that great on paper can be brilliant when you actually experience the show.

All of this, for sure.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

To all of that... I'll simply ask....when was the last time the band had a set free from an entire album or partial album playthrough? When was the last time that multiple songs were legitimately rotated in and out based on what the city/region has yet to hear?

[Dream Team]

What will be interesting to see is what they do *after* this tour. Do an Awake anniversary?

I can see it now: the next album and tour will be in 2022, and hey, time for a 6DOIT 20th anniversary.

That I wouldn’t mind at all, Disc 1 has been criminally underplayed.

[Trav86]

To all of that... I'll simply ask....when was the last time the band had a set free from an entire album or partial album playthrough? When was the last time that multiple songs were legitimately rotated in and out based on what the city/region has yet to hear?

Two tours ago was an entire album. An entire NEW album. It’s an entire concept album that is long enough to take up two sets. I don’t see how you can complain about rotating set lists with that. And as for those rotating sets, we know that was a Portnoy thing. The band members talked about that after he left. They feel that a static set leads to better performances and better opportunities for corresponding visuals. And I agree. I don’t know why the rotating set list thing is even being discussed. It shouldn’t be expected. I personally prefer not worrying about missing favorite song being played the night after my concert, because I can only afford tickets for one show.

[Destiny Of Chaos]

No....I don't blame them for making an entire show out of the Astonishing. But to follow it with an entire playthrough of I&W, then an entire playthrough of SFAM while the album they're alledgy touring for gets four songs, it's too formulatic for my tastes. On top of that...Mangini, who is going on nearly a decade with the band gets to play just 4 of this songs a night

[Destiny Of Chaos]

After watching it on YouTube...Pale Blue Dot should have been the encore. They killed it!

[geeeemo]

Ugh. Came here with my post concert high to be with others who would feel the same. Not to be. Too much complaining. Wrong songs, wrong length, ball blah. The show was fantastic, with legit surprise songs that I have seen so many rave about. If they would have played 6 new songs, I am sure the complaint would be, "too many they should have had some from the catalog". I know everyone gets to have an opinion, but total buzzkill. 

[Volante99]

I think we’re all a bit too jaded here.

SFaM is a great album and one of their most beloved. Instead of complaining that they are eating up a big portion of the show on it, let’s view this as the glass half full and be thankful we get to hear it, in all of its glory, ONE last time.

It’s also unlikely we’ll get another anniversary tour for awwwhile.

[gzarruk]

SFaM is a great album and one of their most beloved. Instead of complaining that they are eating up a big portion of the show on it, let’s view this as the glass half full and be thankful we get to hear it, in all of its glory, ONE last time.

The pun game is strong here

[TAC]

Someone made a live stream to the FB fan group from half of One Last Tim to the end of Finally Free, don't know if it has been mentioned.

Since it's a spoiler free thread, here it goes...

They made a very cool outro to Finally Free, different from anything I heard, I think it's exclusive for this tour and it sounds like sections from PBD, really awesome. And both James and Mike sounded great to me!! I was kinda disappointed last time Mangini played Finally Free because of the solo at the end, really thought he could've done better, but now he did!!

“One Last Tim”! An ode to super-fan TAC possibly?

 

Totally understandable..

[Trav86]

I think we’re all a bit too jaded here.

SFaM is a great album and one of their most beloved. Instead of complaining that they are eating up a big portion of the show on it, let’s view this as the glass half full and be thankful we get to hear it, in all of its glory, ONE last time.

It’s also unlikely we’ll get another anniversary tour for awwwhile.

Ugh. Came here with my post concert high to be with others who would feel the same. Not to be. Too much complaining. Wrong songs, wrong length, ball blah. The show was fantastic, with legit surprise songs that I have seen so many rave about. If they would have played 6 new songs, I am sure the complaint would be, "too many they should have had some from the catalog". I know everyone gets to have an opinion, but total buzzkill. 

Yes.

[bill1971]

Ugh. Came here with my post concert high to be with others who would feel the same. Not to be. Too much complaining. Wrong songs, wrong length, ball blah. The show was fantastic, with legit surprise songs that I have seen so many rave about. If they would have played 6 new songs, I am sure the complaint would be, "too many they should have had some from the catalog". I know everyone gets to have an opinion, but total buzzkill. 

If you notice the people that are complaining about the setlist me included are the ones who didn't go to the show. Those who did. Loved it.

[Dedalus]

I'm not complaining that they're playing the SFAM in full, but I've never seen the SFAM in full. 

But I agree that the first set is disappointing. I maintain the opinion that if they didn't waste 25 minutes with two songs (which aren't classics; many like and many hate) they would have time to play more d/t songs and still play the SFAM in full.


On rotating setlists, a MP thing. Gone with him.
I always thought it was a cool idea, but I've always attended the worst setlists compared to other cities in my country. I always wanted to see Metropolis live, and they always played it in other cities where I wasn't 

I've been a fan since the second half of the 90's. My favorite albums are I&W and SFAM. And my favorite song is Metropolis. I've never seen I&W and SFAM in full and have never seen Metropolis live.   

[Anguyen92]

Ugh. Came here with my post concert high to be with others who would feel the same. Not to be. Too much complaining. Wrong songs, wrong length, ball blah. The show was fantastic, with legit surprise songs that I have seen so many rave about. If they would have played 6 new songs, I am sure the complaint would be, "too many they should have had some from the catalog". I know everyone gets to have an opinion, but total buzzkill. 

If you notice the people that are complaining about the setlist me included are the ones who didn't go to the show. Those who did. Loved it.

I loved the show although I would have liked something from Awake or a non-DOT song from the MM-era, in addition.  I'm just pretty pouty the fact that I had a pretty bad vantage of the stage for a good portion of the show (most of that was due to that one dude standing on his chair a few rows in front of me for 30 minutes.  It was so bad, that the guy in front of me said to me that "it sucks that you picked the one spot behind us where the dude was standing on his chair" and all I can do is just shrug).

[bill1971]

As for rotating setlists. I always got burned. On the Rush Clockwork Angels tour I got Limelight twice instead of the rare Body Electric

[JayOctavarium]

Oh boy. People bitching about ANTR and ITPOE...

I personally was fucking ecstatic for both songs.

I personally had 2 small complaints. I like Paralyzed more than Fall Into The Light... And my show was the first to not have Paralyzed, and I would have been happy to see a different encore song.... But that didn't kill my enjoyment of the show.

Hell my buddies and I still went through our stupid little dance (mimicking James's ventures), as well as screamed PULK MY FINGER I'VE GOT TO FART and pulling each other's fingers during PMU. We do it every time PMU is played.

[fadetoblackdude7]

As for rotating setlists. I always got burned. On the Rush Clockwork Angels tour I got Limelight twice instead of the rare Body Electric

Same here. I got Limelight when I should’ve gotten Middletown Dreams

[nobloodyname]

As for rotating setlists. I always got burned. On the Rush Clockwork Angels tour I got Limelight twice instead of the rare Body Electric

Haha! I saw Rush on two different continents, six months apart, and ended up with the same two setlists (they were rotating two setlists, as you know)

DT, though, I did very well out of rotating setlists... but that was because I used to go to virtually every show I could in the UK. I usually only go to one now.

Regarding this setlist, Scenes is absolutely in my top three DT albums but I wasn't around to see the shows where they played it in full, unfortunately. Do I want to sit through the whole thing now? No, not really. I'd much rather they mixed it all up, and just stopped with the anniversary stuff. Doesn't change the fact it's one of their best albums, though.

[aurorablind]

This guy has put the entire concert from march 22 up on youtube! Drum solo on Finally Free - yay 
https://www.youtube.com/user/cortes72jc/videos

[Lowe2005]

So if I counted correctly, they play 29 shows in North America then another 28 in Europe.

Most of those European shows are at festivals, they need to come back for a proper European headlining tour before they change the setlist and the band have said they will be doing such a tour.

In terms of song choice, I’d swap PMU for Voices to cover the Awake anniversary and get them to do both Paralyzed and FITL but I’ll take the show as it is. I’ve seen them in 2014 and 2017, there’s not many bands that I could see on a third tour and only get five repeat songs. Most bands I’m delighted to get one or two non-new songs I’ve yet to hear.
I admit we get spoiled by DT, Marillion are pretty great with setlists too, especially if you see them at their weekends where they do three nights with no repeat songs. I shan’t give away any spoilers in case another fan reads this but I’ve seen them at three weekends and two stand-alone shows and aside from doing a whole double album on night 3 that’s full of rarities there’s 4 songs I’ve not heard yet during the other two nights. Apart from some very rare b-sides I think I’ll be left with 8 songs I’ve not heard live from 13 albums.

[Dream Team]

This guy has put the entire concert from march 22 up on youtube! Drum solo on Finally Free - yay 
https://www.youtube.com/user/cortes72jc/videos

Love JP in the ripped jeans and sneakers, always thought that was a cooler look.

[gzarruk]

This guy has put the entire concert from march 22 up on youtube! Drum solo on Finally Free - yay 
https://www.youtube.com/user/cortes72jc/videos

 

[SeRoX]

Am I dreaming or James' hit notes effortlessly? I nearly watched all videos especially SFAM act and he didn't struggle.

[erwinrafael]

Here's another angle of Finally Free:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/comments/b4gtm8/finally_free_live_32219_in_la/

Mangini finally gave what many fans were clamoring for. If you combine what he did here (including the crossing of arms in the end) and his drumming in the instrumental of Pale Blue Dot, you have his whole drum solo routine in BTFW.

[KevShmev]

Neither are longtime fan favorites, but how bad ass would an encore of Viper King and Our New World be?  You have two upbeat, straight-forward rockers, which would be a great way to end the show. 

[erwinrafael]

ONW would be a good encore. But maybe it's too short at 4 minutes?

[bill1971]

This guy has put the entire concert from march 22 up on youtube! Drum solo on Finally Free - yay 
https://www.youtube.com/user/cortes72jc/videos

Thanks for sharing on all these YouTube videos I always find myself mesmerized by Mangini.

[devieira73]

Drum solo on Finally Free - yay 
https://www.youtube.com/user/cortes72jc/videos

Soooo good! Thanks for the link!

[Architeuthis]

Neither are longtime fan favorites, but how bad ass would an encore of Viper King and Our New World be?  You have two upbeat, straight-forward rockers, which would be a great way to end the show.

Heck yeah!

[gzarruk]

Neither are longtime fan favorites, but how bad ass would an encore of Viper King and Our New World be?  You have two upbeat, straight-forward rockers, which would be a great way to end the show.

Heck yeah!

I was thinking yesterday that VK would make a great encore song, couple that with ONW and 

[Max Kuehnau]

No absolutely not. Too simple. (yes, I really hate Viper King) AWE would be great. (nicely complex and funny because James sings Don't leave me now during AWE and then the audience would leave after it ends, imagine that.)

[Progmetty]

I thought I was the only one who didn't like Viper King!
And then there were two heh