What's the the deal with the DoT tour program? (Pre-order?)

[zappafrank2112]

Went to the show last night in Upper Darby and they had both a sign and little leaflets about pre-ordering the tour program.  I can't find anything on the website about it.  Does anyone know what the deal is?

[Air Weaver]

Looks like a "no" so far.

I had the same question.

[zappafrank2112]

I love tour programs!  I always make sure to get one if it's available.

[Setlist Scotty]

I was hoping to get one too when I saw them, but it seems that they aren't ready yet. Unlike some bands (such as Rush) that primarily use live photos from the previous tour, typically DT does a warm up leg, and photos are taken from that leg and the tourbook is all put together in time for the first real tour leg. Since they didn't do a warm up leg for this tour, and with the stage set being very different from previous tours, I believe they opted to take photos of the band from this first run of shows and the tourbook will be available by the time the next leg starts.

[zappafrank2112]

I was hoping to get one too when I saw them, but it seems that they aren't ready yet. Unlike some bands (such as Rush) that primarily use live photos from the previous tour, typically DT does a warm up leg, and photos are taken from that leg and the tourbook is all put together in time for the first real tour leg. Since they didn't do a warm up leg for this tour, and with the stage set being very different from previous tours, I believe they opted to take photos of the band from this first run of shows and the tourbook will be available by the time the next leg starts.

My main concern is missing out on the pre-order.  There's nothing on the website or the merch page about it, even though they had the little leaflets at the merch stand.

[Setlist Scotty]

I was hoping to get one too when I saw them, but it seems that they aren't ready yet. Unlike some bands (such as Rush) that primarily use live photos from the previous tour, typically DT does a warm up leg, and photos are taken from that leg and the tourbook is all put together in time for the first real tour leg. Since they didn't do a warm up leg for this tour, and with the stage set being very different from previous tours, I believe they opted to take photos of the band from this first run of shows and the tourbook will be available by the time the next leg starts.

My main concern is missing out on the pre-order.  There's nothing on the website or the merch page about it, even though they had the little leaflets at the merch stand.

I wouldn't sweat it. They'll make sure that enough copies are printed for the whole tour. So as long as you purchase one during this summer (when they're doing their festival run of shows in Europe), you should be guaranteed to receive it without any problems.

[bosk1]

I thought the guy who did some of their past tour programs did a pretty good job.  They should look into using that guy again.  Can't remember his name though.

[Setlist Scotty]

I thought the guy who did some of their past tour programs did a pretty good job.  They should look into using that guy again.  Can't remember his name though.

[Samsara]

There was indeed something on the website about the pre-order, because I pre-ordered it right before I saw them in San Francisco. I'm staring at the email confirmation as I type this.

Glad someone posted the thread. I haven't heard anything since I ordered almost a month ago, and was wondering.

[zappafrank2112]

There was indeed something on the website about the pre-order, because I pre-ordered it right before I saw them in San Francisco. I'm staring at the email confirmation as I type this.

Glad someone posted the thread. I haven't heard anything since I ordered almost a month ago, and was wondering.

Do you still have the link by chance?  An e-mail address in the confirmation?

[Samsara]

There was indeed something on the website about the pre-order, because I pre-ordered it right before I saw them in San Francisco. I'm staring at the email confirmation as I type this.

Glad someone posted the thread. I haven't heard anything since I ordered almost a month ago, and was wondering.

Do you still have the link by chance?  An e-mail address in the confirmation?

There's no direct link in my invoice/email. Its run by Livenation. So I have an order status link (which is not what you need) from fanfire.com, and a phone number - (800) 767-7160 or direct (949) 333-4820. You could call and ask how you can order it, maybe?

[zappafrank2112]

Received this e-mail from the DT merch site:

Hi,

Thanks for contacting us. We greatly apologize, but our website is a direct reflection of all items currently in stock. If an item/size is not pictured, then we are out of stock at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Best regards,

Cecily
Dream Theater Customer Care

This makes no sense at all.  They're sold out of an item only a few weeks into the tour, an item that isn't even available yet? 

At the merch stand at the Upper Darby show, they had a sign about pre-ordering the program, along with some little leaflets with the same info.  I checked the next day on the DT website (as indicated on the leaflet) and saw no link.  I scanned the QR code on the leaflet, which took you to a LiveNation merch page, that had nothing indicating the pre-order.

Someone's wires are crossed somewhere.

ETA: I just called the 1-800 number to LiveNation, and the guy I spoke with says he can't find any indication of the pre-order being available, and was in fact familiar with the issue but really didn't know what to tell me.

There are people on the forum who have a direct line to the band, right?  Maybe we can get a message through that way?  This is all very weird.  It sounds like the program was always pre-order, but how the hell would they sell out of an item designed to be available in quantities sufficient for an entire tour??

[bosk1]

It is not "sold out."  As others have said above, it is a pre-order item that was not intended to be ready until they could actually get a good number of quality photos from the present tour.  LiveNation would not necessarily know about that.  I was told it is in the latter stages of being completed, and will be available in the not-too-distant future. 

[zappafrank2112]

It is not "sold out."  As others have said above, it is a pre-order item that was not intended to be ready until they could actually get a good number of quality photos from the present tour.  LiveNation would not necessarily know about that.  I was told it is in the latter stages of being completed, and will be available in the not-too-distant future.

Thanks for the clarification. It would be good if the DT merch team could clarify that, b/c "out of stock" implies "we had it but no longer do" to most people.

I'm curious, though, why the pre-order link has since been removed from the DT website (unless I'm just blindly missing it), when as mentioned ITT, others have actually pre-ordered and received confirmation of such.

That's why it's been such a bugeroo for me: there's no indication anywhere I can find that the item *is* available for pre-order, despite your assurances that it will be soon be available and other forum members having actually pre-ordered.

[zappafrank2112]

Bumping just to see if they're still handing out the leaflets at shows.  Still nothing on the main website. Plus, wondering if the one person who said they'd actually pre-ordered has any updates.