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

[TAC]

Eventually, yes.  But for this last tour cycle, it was practically a given that it would not be played.  It was out of the question just due to set length and constraints after doing SFAM and the three promo singles from the new album.  They were definitely going to play the three singles.  They were definitely going to play Barstool Warrior and Pale Blue Dot.  Those 5 songs from the new album don't leave much time at all from the other 12 studio albums that are not D/T or SFAM.  There was just no way AWE was going to be played.  And although I'm hoping for it next tour leg, I wouldn't even consider it a lock for that either given the other songs they want to play.

Why were they definitely playing PBD and BW?

[nikatapi]

It's criminal that At Wit's End is not played in my opinion, i would take it over PBD at any given time.

Also, A Nightmare To Remember and ITPOE take like half of the setlist, so i guess they could be swapped for more songs.

[OpenYourEyes311]

Eventually, yes.  But for this last tour cycle, it was practically a given that it would not be played.  It was out of the question just due to set length and constraints after doing SFAM and the three promo singles from the new album.  They were definitely going to play the three singles.  They were definitely going to play Barstool Warrior and Pale Blue Dot.  Those 5 songs from the new album don't leave much time at all from the other 12 studio albums that are not D/T or SFAM.  There was just no way AWE was going to be played.  And although I'm hoping for it next tour leg, I wouldn't even consider it a lock for that either given the other songs they want to play.

Obviously without giving anything away... do you know some of the songs they want to play on the next leg?

[RaiseTheKnife]

Falling Into Infinity in its entirety.   Or so I wish.

[Pettor]

Pettor that sucks to hear about the sound being bad. This was probably the best DT has ever sounded to my ears.

It's quite fine actually, festivals are quite hit and miss for me. I have had so many wonderful DT concerts where the sound was perfect so I am happy about that I remember the Fourth Wall tour sounding perfect, but that was inside an all that.

But also very interesting that you thought it was the best that DT has sounded. I was actually thinking something like this could be the case. First of all, if everyone had the same experience as me a lot of people would be complaining at this point I think. Maybe I was standing at a location where the sound would just not be that great. But you did see the Swedish concert?

[Pettor]

In regards to PBD, it's a better choice that AWE imo (I do like AWE more). First of all for the limited time they had the choices was pretty much the best possible? With FITL, BW and PBD you get a bit of everything basically and a lot of awesome live moments. I would skip UA but well I get it. However it's not a great opener, ITPOE would be many times better. Otherwise you had a bit of everything and PBD is just a great crowd pleaser live and great closer. Also just egoistically I don't want to hear something as good as AWE in a festival tour, I want the real deal when that one is finally being played.


BTW, I did like the festival thingy since it was fun and the support was good, but damn is it a limited DT experience. I have been thinking a lot about that. Compared to The Fourth Wall tour (which is maybe my favorite concert ever) it's just not close. Limited time, sound was so so, nothing interesting going on with the stage, no screens, not the same atmosphere (people sitting down drinking beer and talking instead of joining the concert, also that damn golden circle thingy. I love festivals but DT doesn't come of as a festival band for me.

Personal opinion and I want to still argue the festival was fun, just don't expect the same thing.

[EPIC Outro]

Hasn't it kind of historically been a given that they wouldn't necessarily play all songs from a given album on that album's inaugural tour? I definitely remember that being the case for BCASL and DT. In those cases, it was sometimes years after the initial tour that we heard the other songs. Heck, for both those albums it has been years and there are still songs we haven't heard live.

[bosk1]

^Correct.

[cramx3]

Hasn't it kind of historically been a given that they wouldn't necessarily play all songs from a given album on that album's inaugural tour? I definitely remember that being the case for BCASL and DT. In those cases, it was sometimes years after the initial tour that we heard the other songs. Heck, for both those albums it has been years and there are still songs we haven't heard live.

Yea, it's 100% not a given and at this point essentially 100% that they won't play the entire album throughout the first tour.  Having said that, they have before, just not since MM joined.  They played all of SC during that tour (not at once) but I saw every track out of the three shows I went to (and I was lucky enough to be at the one and only where they played Repentance).

I actually don't get how anyone could have thought that playing it was going to be a realistic possibility.

Well, is there any history of them not playing the fan favorite?  AWE seems to be the fan favorite from the album over PBD and BW (I thought there was a poll here that I am struggling to find where it was rated the highest).  Obviously with SFAM they weren't going to play all the longer songs from the new album, but I don't think it was out of line to think they would play AWE especially with ANTR ending up being in the setlist. 

[EPIC Outro]

I imagine they had their setlist figured out before fans started reacting to the album.

[bosk1]

Well, is there any history of them not playing the fan favorite?  AWE seems to be the fan favorite from the album over PBD and BW (I thought there was a poll here that I am struggling to find where it was rated the highest).  Obviously with SFAM they weren't going to play all the longer songs from the new album, but I don't think it was out of line to think they would play AWE especially with ANTR ending up being in the setlist. 

That's not the right question.  Even if they did have some history of trying to play the "fan favorite" songs from each new album on its inaugural tour, there was no "fan favorite" before the album even dropped when the set lists were being created.  But, again, if anyone paid even passing attention to which songs the band was most excited about, they hyped BW and PBD (and, to a lesser degree, Room 137) nonstop.  It was obvious that, aside from the singles, those songs were going to be played, which would edge out S2N and AWE. 

[pg1067]

Well, is there any history of them not playing the fan favorite?  AWE seems to be the fan favorite from the album over PBD and BW (I thought there was a poll here that I am struggling to find where it was rated the highest).  Obviously with SFAM they weren't going to play all the longer songs from the new album, but I don't think it was out of line to think they would play AWE especially with ANTR ending up being in the setlist. 

That's not the right question.  Even if they did have some history of trying to play the "fan favorite" songs from each new album on its inaugural tour, there was no "fan favorite" before the album even dropped when the set lists were being created.  But, again, if anyone paid even passing attention to which songs the band was most excited about, they hyped BW and PBD (and, to a lesser degree, Room 137) nonstop.  It was obvious that, aside from the singles, those songs were going to be played, which would edge out S2N and AWE. 

I'm also skeptical that there is any consensus about what "the fan favorite" is.  To suggest that AWE is "the fan favorite" -- the exclusion of every other song on the album -- seems to me to be highly spurious.  It's not my favorite.

[nikatapi]

So coming back from yesterday's show in Athens, Greece, it was a good experience. Setlist pretty much the same, as expected.
To be honest that is one of the few things i miss about Portnoy, given the fact that the band hasn't been here for 8 years, one would expect 1-2 more songs just for the sake of it.

Anyway, the new songs sound great live, even though at points James seemed to struggle a little bit in FITL and BW, but it definitely sounds like these songs were arranged and written in a "live" mindset.

I wish we get to see the band in a full "evening with" format, unfortunately it's difficult due to location and the fact that their production is expensive.

[abydos]

Yeah, so the setlist was as expected. The support act that DT brought was really unpleasant to listen to and the sound for them was really high. There were sound issues during the first 2 songs for DT too, the band was too low, James was too high and it felt like it had only highs in the EQ but after that they kind of fixed it, but overall I did not enjoy the sound as much as the last time I saw them.

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dream-theater/2019/ndk-hall-1-sofia-bulgaria-5391570d.html

The highlight for me was definitely Peruvian Skies and while I appreciate seeing songs like ITPOE and ANR live for the first time, they are not my favourites and overall I did not care much for half of the setlist (having an instrumental there is still a huge mistake, imo, unless James really needs the break on this tour), so it was really an underwhelming show for me. Especially considering that until recently I was expecting an Evening With... show. For those who had no such hopes, I assume the show was mostly really good. But for a 90-minute set, it felt rushed. I'll definitely pay more attention whenever DT come again, I'm not gonna take days off, travel and pay for the stay and so on for a 90-minute set again.

[the_silent_man]

I get some people were disappointed about not seeing SFAM in full, but at the festival I saw them at (Download, in the UK - a proper festival) I thought the setlist was great and worked really well for that setting, giving a strong focus on their heavier edge.

[Cool Chris]

Good lord Peruvian Skies and The Dance of Eternity? Blech.

[Moor]

Do you agree with me that after all those years, the band is currently having its "moment in the sun" in terms of exposure, popularity and success?

[TAC]

Good lord Peruvian Skies and The Dance of Eternity? Blech.

I would love to get those.

[GasparXR]

Do you agree with me that after all those years, the band is currently having its "moment in the sun" in terms of exposure, popularity and success?

Are they also afraid of facing the unknown?

[pg1067]

Good lord Peruvian Skies and The Dance of Eternity? Blech.

I would love to get those.

TDOE, yes.

Peruvian Skies, blech.

Do you agree with me that after all those years, the band is currently having its "moment in the sun" in terms of exposure, popularity and success?

Not sure what "all those years" means, but DT's real "moment in the sun" happened in the early 90s.  They had a brief foray into the mainstream and then slipped back into the relative obscurity of prog metal stardom (an arena in which they've pretty much been the undisputed kings for the last couple decades.

[cramx3]

Good lord Peruvian Skies and The Dance of Eternity? Blech.

I would love to get those.

TDOE, yes.

Peruvian Skies, blech.

Swap that for me, I'd love to see Peruvian Skies, still haven't out of my 18 or so shows I've seen.  TDOE I've seen enough.  It's a spectacle to see so I think it's a cool inclusion, but I've seen it enough.

[Pettor]

I always feel Octavarium tour was their "moment in the sun" since it was in a quite large arena, pretty much sold out, and even going around Stockholm there were signs on billboards etc that they would play. Could be many factors and Sweden doesn't represent the main popularity, but damn that was nice 😁

[Moor]

I always feel Octavarium tour was their "moment in the sun" since it was in a quite large arena, pretty much sold out, and even going around Stockholm there were signs on billboards etc that they would play. Could be many factors and Sweden doesn't represent the main popularity, but damn that was nice 😁

You mean "going around Stockholm Syndrome"... that what was going on during the Octavarium tour

[Addy]

Saw them last Saturday in Warsaw. 90 min setlist. Not my favorite. I've seen all the songs on the 7 previous shows I've been to (besides the DOT material ofc).

It was a good one. I've seen them doing better as well as worse shows. The band was very good, the mix was great (maybe a touch too loud). I enjoyed the sh#$ out of the new songs. Really, they work great in a live setting. James was ok for his current standards. Had good moments as well as bad ones. But you know what? When you're in the 1st row seeing your favorite band it doesn't really matter if the vocalist is a bit flat or if the drummer missed one 32nd note. It's the energy and great emotions that count.

Hope to see them on "An Evening With" show in January/February with a full SFAM set as JLB announced at the end of the show...

...and they better play At Wit's End.

[Ben_Jamin]

You know, I can kinda see why they didn't play At Wits End. If people think The Glass Prison Arpeggios are tough, I believe the intro to At Wits Ends are even tougher. Its like, ITPOE PT.1 verse section with TGP speed.

[Addy]

There's nothing impossible in that intro. There are way more challenging parts in their catalogue (TGP arpeggios alternate picked i.e.) Besides, it's JP, he'll manage.

[Lonk]

Yeah, Glass Prison is tougher for sure. At Wits End is fun to play and to listen to, and it is challenging but not as difficult to play as Glass Prison (Which I still struggle with).

[geeeemo]

I see the US tour dates are starting to pop up on the website!!......

[JayOctavarium]

I see the US tour dates are starting to pop up on the website!!......

October!

[Lonk]

 

[Ben_Jamin]

Ooo....That might be the date I'll likely attend.

[cramx3]

I guess only a matter of time before the full leg announcement, looking forward to it 

[Architeuthis]

I see the US tour dates are starting to pop up on the website!!......

Only two so far, Arizona and California.  Hopefully the Pacific Northwest gets added to the list this time around.   

[Ben_Jamin]

I clicked the link for Bands in Town, its not up anymore. I wanted to be notified when tickets on sale.

I guess only a matter of time before the full leg announcement, looking forward to it 

Yup. End of month maybe or sooner.

[JayOctavarium]

I wish the California date(s) were going to be later in the tour. They'd have to be doing something I really wanna see to get me to buy a ticket this time around. And if the tour is going to start on this side of the country there's no way to know what the show'll be like in time to make plans to go.