Distant Memories - New live release

[JeopardousRaven]

Definitely.

My issue with Score is the whole second set. But once they get to Sacrificed Sons, it's all good from there.

I get that MP was constrained by the setlist choices from Budokan and wanted to give us a unique setlist for the 20th Anniversary video, and in that sense I think he made great choices.

That being said, I do find the setlist generally underwhelming. I definitely would not have picked Spirit to represent Scenes, I think Home or SDV/TMW/FT would have been a lot more interesting. I'm glad that we got the entire Six Degrees on video and on a live album, but it also takes up 45 mins of the show and I much prefer Glass Prison or Blind Faith. Again, Vacant was great to include due to its rarity in live shows and getting it with the orchestra was really cool, but at the same time, it's Vacant. Not exactly what comes to mind first when I think Train of Thought.

So therefore, I think he was really in a no-win scenario when picking the Score setlist. Either go for the rarities and disappoint people or go for the crowd pleasers and disappoint other people.

[TAC]

I get that MP was constrained by the setlist choices from Budokan and wanted to give us a unique setlist for the 20th Anniversary video, and in that sense I think he made great choices.

That being said, I do find the setlist generally underwhelming. I definitely would not have picked Spirit to represent Scenes, I think Home or SDV/TMW/FT would have been a lot more interesting. I'm glad that we got the entire Six Degrees on video and on a live album, but it also takes up 45 mins of the show and I much prefer Glass Prison or Blind Faith. Again, Vacant was great to include due to its rarity in live shows and getting it with the orchestra was really cool, but at the same time, it's Vacant. Not exactly what comes to mind first when I think Train of Thought.

So therefore, I think he was really in a no-win scenario when picking the Score setlist. Either go for the rarities and disappoint people or go for the crowd pleasers and disappoint other people.

Yeah, you're not wrong.

[Tyrannosaurus Chicken]

but at the same time, it's Vacant. Not exactly what comes to mind first when I think Train of Thought

I get where you're coming from, and largely agree, but to be fair, we did get most of Train of Thought on Budokan.

[wolfking]

I get where you're coming from, and largely agree, but to be fair, we did get most of Train of Thought on Budokan.

And I think the band were on that thinking also when it comes to Score.  As much as I love TOT, everything else didn't really fit the feel of what they were going for on Score IMO.

[Ben_Jamin]

I get where you're coming from, and largely agree, but to be fair, we did get most of Train of Thought on Budokan.

We have official live releases of the entire ToT album.

And I think the band were on that thinking also when it comes to Score.  As much as I love TOT, everything else didn't really fit the feel of what they were going for on Score IMO.

Having Honor Thy Father and The Great Debate as bonus content is what drew me to buying the dvd.

And I can't be the only one that loves how HTF comes across way better live in terms of the energy it has. Regardless of the lyrics, this song    I wish they would play this again, but I highly doubt we'll ever see this song played live anymore.

[wolfking]

We have official live releases of the entire ToT album.

Having Honor Thy Father and The Great Debate as bonus content is what drew me to buying the dvd.

And I can't be the only one that loves how HTF comes across way better live in terms of the energy it has. Regardless of the lyrics, this song    I wish they would play this again, but I highly doubt we'll ever see this song played live anymore.

Good call.  I've watched that bonus DVD as much as the main DVD.

[Tyrannosaurus Chicken]

And I think the band were on that thinking also when it comes to Score.  As much as I love TOT, everything else didn't really fit the feel of what they were going for on Score IMO.

Couldn't agree more.

[hefdaddy42]

Luna Park was a solid live album IMO though.  I know people complain about the crowd noise, but that was the best live album from DT since Score IMO.

They do?

To me, the problem with that one is JP's guitar level.  Just like their live shows, he is fucking loud as hell.

[cramx3]

They do?

To me, the problem with that one is JP's guitar level.  Just like their live shows, he is fucking loud as hell.

Yeah, apparently its fake crowd noise.  And also, that guitar sound on the album, just like their live shows being loud, is actually a reason why I like it over say Distant Memories where at least Luna Park sounds live, DIstant Memories sounds too polished like an album. I've watched Luna Park so many times in my home theater because it felt like a live album.

[Tyrannosaurus Chicken]

They do?

To me, the problem with that one is JP's guitar level.  Just like their live shows, he is fucking loud as hell.

This. I rewatched it last night, and the guitar volume is WAY louder than it needs to be. Drowns out the rest of the instruments. Keyboards are too low in the mix, as well.

[hefdaddy42]

Yeah, apparently its fake crowd noise

The audacity

[Dream Team]

I really like the Luna Park DVD, apart from the guitar being too loud. Awesome set list, beautifully shot, and James is great.

[Max Kuehnau]

everyone was that day (and in Boston in 2014)

[SeRoX]

What I miss is the rawness of the live performances.

DM is polished as hell, like every inch of it. I couldn't even call it "live DVD" Hopefully the next DVD will have real live vibe.

LET THIS LIVE DVD GREAT AGAIN!

[Tyrannosaurus Chicken]

What I miss is the rawness of the live performances.

DM is polished as hell, like every inch of it. I couldn't even call it "live DVD" Hopefully the next DVD will have real live vibe.

LET THIS LIVE DVD GREAT AGAIN!

That's why Live Scenes From New York is my favorite. LaBrie's performance isn't perfect, and they left blemishes in. Same for the other guys.

[Thierry]

I really like the Luna Park DVD, apart from the guitar being too loud. Awesome set list, beautifully shot, and James is great.

I agree, it's my favorite live release from the band.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I think Breaking the Fourth Wall is the best show of the 3 but they are all great.

[Max Kuehnau]

yeah definitely

[javidt]

What I miss is the rawness of the live performances.

DM is polished as hell, like every inch of it. I couldn't even call it "live DVD" Hopefully the next DVD will have real live vibe.

LET THIS LIVE DVD GREAT AGAIN!

Agree. I prefer the live at Berlin LNF than the DM release.

And we need Score released in Blu Ray.

[Max Kuehnau]

I agree, it's my favorite live release from the band.

the one MM era tour I was mad as can be about not being able to attend. The release does a good job of amending that for me though

[Max Kuehnau]

That's why Live Scenes From New York is my favorite. LaBrie's performance isn't perfect, and they left blemishes in. Same for the other guys.

it's one of their many Neil Young albums in that respect ( seriously though, he is literally the only artist where I can live with performances not being 100% spot on, very realistic though and he does care about good sounding releases too so)

[Shooters1221]

I really like the Luna Park DVD, apart from the guitar being too loud. Awesome set list, beautifully shot, and James is great.

My copy of Luna Park always distorts when James uses an "s" sound into the mic which is why I don't watch it that often anymore. Still like it though.

[Tyrannosaurus Chicken]

I really like the Luna Park DVD, apart from the guitar being too loud. Awesome set list, beautifully shot, and James is great.

Fully agreed, spot on.

[Setlist Scotty]

The audacity

For me, fake crowd noise isn't a major issue if properly added, but when it's done in a piss poor way where you can hear the same whistle every 8 seconds throughout many parts of the recording, it is.

[Tyrannosaurus Chicken]

As stated earlier in the thread, while I enjoy Luna Park, aside from the guitar being way too loud, I really don't like John's crunch tone on it; way too much modulation for my taste. Doesn't keep me from enjoying the overall performance, though. And James sounds great on it.

[hefdaddy42]

For me, fake crowd noise isn't a major issue if properly added, but when it's done in a piss poor way where you can hear the same whistle every 8 seconds throughout many parts of the recording, it is.

Yeah.  

I've never noticed any problems with the crowd noise on that release.  I mean, if they had mics on the crowd to properly record them (which they would have) and there was some issue with the recording of the crowd, they couldn't put out the project with no crowd noise or muffled crowd noise, so the only alternative would have been to use fake or repurposed crowd noise, which in my mind isn't much different than overdubbing a guitar part or a vocal line, and a lot more reasonable than those IMO.

[SwedishGoose]

I didn't think I needed Distant Memories so I didn't buy it until now.
Ginza (swedish online rcord store) had the 3CD + 2BR version on sale for 139 SEK (about $12).
Couldn't resist.

Watched it yesterday and I liked it quite a bit.
Brings back memories of seeing the tour as one of the last before the pandemic.

[Max Kuehnau]

that seriously is a great price for that configuration of the album

[cramx3]

that seriously is a great price for that configuration of the album

I'm not even a big fan of this live album but yeah, that's an incredible price.

[Zydar]

Brings back memories of seeing the tour as one of the last before the pandemic.

Those memories would be quite distant now. 

[nobloodyname]

Still gives me a cheap thrill when I watch The Spirit Carries On and see myself looking into the camera, unable to resist giving it a cheeky little nod.

[TheOutlawXanadu]

Had the house to myself last night, so I decided to blast the SFAM portion of the set from Distant Memories. It was awesome and got me so hyped to see the band in just a couple of weekends! I did notice that something seemed to be seriously wrong with the crowd noise, which after reading this thread I guess is because they used fake crowd noise instead of the real thing. I also found myself wondering what Mangini did to piss off the director, because he was barely in it.

Anyhow... Watching these guys play live always gives me a whole new level of respect for them. Seriously, how do you play let alone remember that much challenging music all at once?

[Dream Team]

I finally own this (rec'd in mail today) and wow, way better than I was anticipating. Yeah Mangini got screwed out of screen time lol. James sounds so good I wonder how much fixing was done.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

A superb performance though I do wish there was more of DoT on it. A LOT of that album did not make the show.

Nonetheless that version of PBD is one of their best professionally recorded videos ever. Same with AWE.

[Max Kuehnau]

At Wit's End actually works considerably better live IMHO, because it has an ending (and John's solo leading up to it works very well too)