DT Wish List Moving Forward - Special Projects/Tours You'd Still Like to See

[Samsara]

Been thinking a bit lately about what's left for Dream Theater to "do" in terms of things they haven't done in awhile, or haven't done, period. Came up with a little list. I set the votes at two, since I know we've all probably got more than one thing we'd really like to see done. Take a look at the list, vote, and discuss.

[gmillerdrake]

Would have voted movie soundtrack.....because I think they'd be awesome at that....BUT.....I'd love to see a start to finish 'old school' Prog album ala ELP/Genesis....something along that vibe. All the songs be 10-15 minutes long with massive instrumental sections throughout.

[DragonAttack]

An album similar to D/T in teamwork, and the resulting enjoyment I've had from numerous listens.  A tour with the 8VM title track, or at least with 'The Razor's Edge'.....just because I think there is no better 'show ender' in their catalogue.  I have enjoyed their last two tours immensely, but I don't need a complete replaying of any more.  'Solitary Shell / 'About To Crash' / 'Losing Time' would be A+, 'In The Name Of God', 'Misunderstood', and lots of D/T thrown in would get me to more than one show on the next tour.

[Max Kuehnau]

Other. More specifically: another concept album (but it has to work well and be different from both TA and Met2 and more technical than those 2 combined)

[cramx3]

I'd check out an acoustic tour, but I'm not really asking for it.  I'd check out a sound track of theirs, but I'm not really going to go to the movies or am asking for it.  I'd dig another cover album, but I selected a packaged tour.  I think that would get them the most new fans and seeing  DT with say Devin Townsend and Haken touring the amphitheaters would be way cooler than anything else on this list, specifically if it meant a healthy song rotation (since no evening with) and maybe a collaboration with the other bands for an encore, that's the one thing on this list that would get me really excited to pay money for.

[Max Kuehnau]

I forgot to mention: I'm not asking for anything here. I do my best to like what they will be doing. (doesn't always work out though)

[Lethean]

I'd check out an acoustic tour, but I'm not really asking for it.  I'd check out a sound track of theirs, but I'm not really going to go to the movies or am asking for it.  I'd dig another cover album, but I selected a packaged tour.  I think that would get them the most new fans and seeing  DT with say Devin Townsend and Haken touring the amphitheaters would be way cooler than anything else on this list, specifically if it meant a healthy song rotation (since no evening with) and maybe a collaboration with the other bands for an encore, that's the one thing on this list that would get me really excited to pay money for.

That's a pretty big If there.  They weren't rotating much when they toured with Trivium and I think maybe not at all with Periphery.  I don't think a package tour would at all mean rotation.  Even if it did, and it was "healthy" - we still probably wouldn't get as many songs over the course of a few shows as we would at one evening with show. 

I'd prefer they stay with the evening with format for as long as they can.  I went with acoustic and covers set for this poll, but your post made me think I should have chosen "other" and then requested a tour (evening with for me) with lots of setlist changes.  I'd love them to do that even if just one more time.

[cramx3]

I'd check out an acoustic tour, but I'm not really asking for it.  I'd check out a sound track of theirs, but I'm not really going to go to the movies or am asking for it.  I'd dig another cover album, but I selected a packaged tour.  I think that would get them the most new fans and seeing  DT with say Devin Townsend and Haken touring the amphitheaters would be way cooler than anything else on this list, specifically if it meant a healthy song rotation (since no evening with) and maybe a collaboration with the other bands for an encore, that's the one thing on this list that would get me really excited to pay money for.

That's a pretty big If there.  They weren't rotating much when they toured with Trivium and I think maybe not at all with Periphery.  I don't think a package tour would at all mean rotation.  Even if it did, and it was "healthy" - we still probably wouldn't get as many songs over the course of a few shows as we would at one evening with show. 

I'd prefer they stay with the evening with format for as long as they can.  I went with acoustic and covers set for this poll, but your post made me think I should have chosen "other" and then requested a tour (evening with for me) with lots of setlist changes.  I'd love them to do that even if just one more time.

Yea, well this is a wish list, but since MM joined, they only did the rotating sets on the ADTOE tour?  With the A/B sets where there was only a few swapped songs I think (I may be wrong, but that's all I can think of for the NA tours).  I wouldn't consider that "healthy".  But I think they only had one opener for that tour?  If they had two, it would mean even less DT so even more opportunity to switch things up.  It's obviously hopeful, I don't expect a major package tour from them let alone a healthy song rotation during the tour. 

[pg1067]

An entirely acoustic album/tour:  I might conceivably have some interest in an acoustic show.  Definitely no interest in an acoustic album.

DT commissioned to do an entire movie score/soundtrack:  Meh.

Another entire album covered:  Virtually no interest at all, and that's largely because any album I might have interest in seeing DT cover likely wouldn't be a good fit for JLB (e.g., Close to the Edge or Hemispheres).

Making a move or musical out of The Astonishing or another of their albums:  This was one of my selections.  I would go see a musical version of TA, and that might be what is needed to get me interested in that album.  As silly as this might sound, I think a movie version of SFAM would be cool.

Doing another package tour:  I think you'd be hard pressed to find a band other than Fates Warning that would make me interested in DT shortening its set to allow for another band to be on the bill.  DT and FW together in 1994 was one of the best concerts I've ever seen.

Other:  Nothing specific comes to mind.

Kevin Moore:  This was my other selection, and not for usual, facetious reason.  One of these days, it would be cool for all nine members of DT to be on a stage together.  Even getting KM on stage without the others would be cool.

[TheCountOfMinnesota]

I voted for The Astonishing movie/musical.  That was the only one from the list that I would really get excited for.

Some "other" ideas:
-Doing a Nightmare Cinema tribute to the music of Adrenaline Mob
-Releasing KISS-style solo albums (JM's could be spoken-word poetry, JR could do an album of ragtime music performed on the Continuum, you get the idea)
-Perform the entire 12-step suite live, but in reverse order so that the protag...

...wait, those ideas are terrible.  OK, here's a real one: I'd like them to hire a professional biographer and then write an official biography/autobiography of the band.  Something like Motley Crue's The Dirt, but obviously less salacious.

[krands85]

An entirely acoustic album/tour:  This doesn't interest me at all, it's just not really my thing. A couple of songs during a normal tour like they did on the ADTOE tour is fine, but anything more wouldn't appeal to me.

DT commissioned to do an entire movie score/soundtrack:  This could be cool. I'd always thought about Jordan doing something like this on his own - possibly he mentioned being interested in doing it in the past - but I hadn't really thought about the whole band doing it before.

Another entire album covered: This would be fun if it was an album I was familiar with and I enjoyed, but it's far more likely it would be something else. I've never really listened to most of the classic prog bands they might do. The only thing that comes to mind that could possibly work would be one of Muse's older albums like Origin of Symmetry. That would be a little more special for me as it would be my favourite band covering the band they succeeded as my favourite.

Making a movie or musical out of The Astonishing or another of their albums:  I thought it would have been cool if they did a performance of The Astonishing with guest singers for the different characters. I think that ship has long since sailed now though.

Doing another package tour:  Again, this just comes down to the other bands chosen. I've seen a lot of my favourite DT tracks live now (big thanks to the I&W & Beyond tour!), so I'm not quite so desperate for evening with shows anymore, but they'd need to pick the right bands to go with them, eg. Haken and Symphony X (though I think they've toured with them before). 

Other: The only other thing I can think of would be to have a tour where the setlist would in part be voted for by the fans. They could exclude songs that they can't/don't want to play live from the voting process to retain a bit of control.

Kevin Moore: Presume this is just the standard joke poll answer, but it would be nice to see him share the stage with the band again at some point. However, I don't think that will ever happen.

[Cool Chris]

The first four of those options seem too... gimmicky? I never got the whole album cover thing, and am glad they aren't doing that any longer. A movie score does sound intriguing, but at this stage of their career I don't know if they want to, or should be, doing anything outside the norm that could take them away from recording new music and touring.

I know package deals can be popular but I am not sure who they would realistically tour with on a dual bill that would get me excited.

[TAC]

Sam, this is a great idea for a thread.


As far as a movie soundtrack, I'd point to The Astonishing, even though I don't quite think that's what you were thinking. Not sure I'd want a movie soundtrack at this point in their career as I think that'd take up way too much of the time they have left.


I want a cool sounding live album. LALP and BTFW sound so studio-ish. I literally cannot listen to BTFW. The crowd noise injections are so cringeworthy. I usually listen to the boot.
I love the fact that James forgets Erin's name, or he thanks the "Boston" College Of Music.




I know this sounds so corny, but I'd honestly love a Christmas album.

And I'd love an acoustic club tour.

[zappafrank2112]

Other:  a tour with the setlist 100% fan generated.  I'll leave the logistics to someone else.

[geeeemo]

Other:  a tour with the setlist 100% fan generated.  I'll leave the logistics to someone else.

[TheCountOfNYC]

I would love a tour of all album deep cuts and diehard fan favorites. Do two alternating setlists with A Change of Seasons and Octavarium as the encores. Have The Glass Prison open every show and In the Name of God as the final main setlist song every night. Figure something like this:

The Glass Prison
Room 137/S2N
Surrender to Reason
Under a Glass Moon/Fatal Tragedy
Panic Attack/These Walls
Blind Faith/Misunderstood
Innocence Faded/Lifting Shadows off a Dream
Lines in the Sand/Bridges in the Sky

At Wit’s End
Only a Matter of Time/The Killing Hand
Erotomania/A Life Left Behind
Voices/The Dark Eternal Night
The Silent Man/Beneath the Surface
A Rite of Passage/New Millennium
Outcry/Stream of Consciousness
Out of Reach
In the Name of God

Octavarium/A Change of Seasons

[nobloodyname]

I'd settle for a non-anniversary anniversary tour at this stage.

[dparrott]

I've always wanted them to do an MTV Unplugged style one off show that's recorded for DVD and an album.  Not for TV really, but a 2 hour live acoustic setting.  That solo for Silent Man would sound great live acoustic, always wanted to hear that.

[MirrorMask]

An entirely acoustic album/tour.

I'd welcome an acoustic show for the novelty of it, an album maybe would be overkill. The acoustic thing I'd prefer it more as a bonus disc for a studio album - a bonus EP with, say, 2-3 original acoustic songs, 2-3 acoustic versions of songs of the studio album, and 1-2 covers.

DT commissioned to do an entire movie score/soundtrack.

Nah. If they genuinely feel like it, good for them, but it's one actual album less this way.

Another entire album covered (Dark Side of the Moon, Master of Puppets, etc.)

Nah again. Too overkill of a tribute doing an entire album, and if you don't like the album covered, you're screwed.

Making a movie or musical out of The Astonishing or another of their albums.

Potentially cool idea, but I guess only The Astonishing and Scenes qualify.

Doing another package tour (ala DT/QR/FW in 2003, albeit with different bands).

I'm greedy and I want Evening With tours as long as they feel like doing them 

[Rob24]

Definitely NOT a movie score or musical.

[Aythesryche]

I chose the movie/musical of the Astonishing for the movie option. First because it would most definitely be a brilliantly bad B grade production, which is always fun with popcorn. Second, I’d enjoy even more popcorn reading all the butthurt comments about it around the social spots. Entertainment all around.

The only option I wouldn’t really care for is the cover album. In a limited live setting it could be cool, but with all the music out there in the world, it’s sort of a waste of time for me to get hung up on cover songs. Novelty of them wears off after the first listen.

[Renzo]

I hope MP appears in a live show just to play The Best of Times.........

[Indiscipline]

The Astonishing Guest Vocals Tour:

Gabriel ... James LaBrie
Faythe ... Cristina Scabbia
Nafaryus ... Alice Cooper
Daryus ... Bobby Blitz
Arabelle ... Alannah Myles

NOMACS Aerial Evolutions courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

[ZirconBlue]

OK, here's a real one: I'd like them to hire a professional biographer and then write an official biography/autobiography of the band.  Something like Motley Crue's The Dirt, but obviously less salacious.

This already exists, although it could always be updated with more new info.

[bosk1]

Faythe ... Cristina Scabbia

I like Christina, but her voice is not what I picture for Faythe.

Arabelle ... Alannah Myles

Wow, now there's a name I hadn't heard in a long time.  Is she still even making music?

[zappafrank2112]

Anneke van Giersbergen for Faythe!

[Max Kuehnau]

Anneke van Giersbergen for Faythe!

either her or Sharon den Adel/Floor Jansen

[Max Kuehnau]

Faythe ... Cristina Scabbia

I like Christina, but her voice is not what I picture for Faythe.

Arabelle ... Alannah Myles

Wow, now there's a name I hadn't heard in a long time.  Is she still even making music?

I don't think so.

[Max Kuehnau]

The Astonishing Guest Vocals Tour:

Gabriel ... James LaBrie
Faythe ... Cristina Scabbia
Nafaryus ... Alice Cooper
Daryus ... Bobby Blitz
Arabelle ... Alannah Myles

NOMACS Aerial Evolutions courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

I'd love Alice for Nafaryus

[Ruba]

Faythe ... Cristina Scabbia

I like Christina, but her voice is not what I picture for Faythe.

Arabelle ... Alannah Myles

Wow, now there's a name I hadn't heard in a long time.  Is she still even making music?

I don't think so.

Wiki says she released an album in 2014, so maybe...

Black Velvet is one of my favourite late 80s songs, I wonder why she didn't have lasting star power.

[Max Kuehnau]

Faythe ... Cristina Scabbia

I like Christina, but her voice is not what I picture for Faythe.

Arabelle ... Alannah Myles

Wow, now there's a name I hadn't heard in a long time.  Is she still even making music?

I don't think so.

Wiki says she released an album in 2014, so maybe...

Black Velvet is one of my favourite late 80s songs, I wonder why she didn't have lasting star power.

yeah maybe, I don't know. Why did she not last long? (pun not intended) She had ongoing quarrels with her record label(s), IIRC.

[YtseJamittaja]

What I really would love to see that they give for Majesty demos a new life like Haken did with Restoration. Old songs with new arrangements.

[Grappler]

A good package tour.  And Kevin Moore.   

[Samsara]

p.s. The Kevin Moore addition was the usual joke. But it would be, for me, incredible if he ever made a guest appearance with DT again. His more atmospheric playing style, and style of writing in general is something I really valued in DT, and is a big part of the reason I still consider Images and Awake to be the top 2 in DT's catalog (followed by SFAM and Distance Over Time).

[hefdaddy42]

I've always thought that they were uniquely suited to make cinematic music, so I guess that.