Fix the setlist (spoiler alert!)

[Ben_Jamin]

Inevitably, they can't please everyone.  Play more "new" material, some fans will bitch they're not playing enough "classic" material.  It's a no win situation for them.

Yeah like the people saying they wish they would include SFAM and I&W songs, when they played those albums in their entirety and are documented.

If I discover a band so late on their career, I expect not to hear a lot of songs, both classic and modern songs. I find it unfortunate when a band does not play their recent material more and just play their hits that everyone loves. That to me shows they care about generating seats in the venues.

But also, I realized that DT did actually play off their theme of their album. Took the chance to play 4 songs off the new album, and included a lot of 10+ minute songs in their unusual set-time of 2 hours.

If anything, not playing the title track like some were suggesting in their set-list predictions would say more about not enjoying the album.

Also, you have to remember that they have to learn to play the songs. JR has to create patches for his live sound and he likes to change things up and add certain qualities to his Keyboard live patches. His Patreons on Awaken The Master and others are great behind the scenes to see that happen, its neat how much layers he puts into 1 minute of music. And since people are complaining about JLB vocals, you think he would be able to do Answering The Call, Sleeping Giant, or Transcending Time well enough to meet peoples exceedingly high expectations of his vocal abilities.

The guys are great musicians but are not gods. They're humans that have flaws and are not perfect. I do not expect anything from them at all in regards to their music. It's why I am just along for the ride and whatever they choose to play I will be there to support them no matter what they decide to play and do production wise.

I love this setlist because they threw in a lot of surprises for me. All of the songs I enjoy and was happy to get that many in one setlist.

[crystalstars17]

Answering the Call 7:35
Transcending Time 6:24

Yes!!!!!

 

[Bluefish]

I love the set list as is, so my modifications are minor and don't significantly change the total show length.

The Alien
Innocence Faded
Awaken the Master
This Dying Soul
Bridges in the Sky
Invisible Monster
About to Crash
The Ministry of Lost Souls
A View From the Top of the World
The Count of Tuscany

[TAC]

well enough to meet peoples exceedingly high expectations of his vocal abilities.

Since when is expecting them to be "good" an exceedingly high expectation?

[425]

The biggest miss to me is leaving off Sleeping Giant, which is my favorite on the album. And as some have mentioned, when they leave songs like this off the album tour, there's sort of a question as to whether they'll ever show up. Especially longer ones like this.

Actually, this album is pretty well set up to include most of it in a rotating setlist, if they didn't want to take up so much of the set with new songs. They could alternate Awaken the Master with Sleeping Giant and Invisible Monster with Transcending Time. I would prefer for them to leave off Invisible Monster entirely and alternate Answering the Call with Transcending Time, but they aren't going to leave off a single (one of the other problems with limiting how much of the new album gets played is that many of the choices end up getting controlled by which songs get released as singles).

[crystalstars17]

I would prefer for them to leave off Invisible Monster entirely and alternate Answering the Call with Transcending Time

Noooo! Don't even suggest it. As much as I love these songs, I love Invisible Monster more and would be upset if they didn't play it.

[hefdaddy42]

The more I think about it, I would have liked to have seen some of I&W and Scenes.

They have played the fuck out of those albums in recent tours.  If they pulled some of those songs out again for this tour, I would have been EXTREMELY disappointed.

[ZirconBlue]

Man, I want a band to support the new album, but I would never expect them to dedicate 50% or more of their setlist to new stuff. 

[SeRoX]

The Alien
The Mirror
Sleeping Giant
In The Name Of God
Outcry
Transcending Time
Blind Faith
Sacrificed Sons
A View From the Top of the World
-
Octavarium

[TerryTT]

This makes more sense to me than the current list.(I still want to see them though )

The Alien
A Rite of Passage
Fall into The Light
Awaken The Master
Prophets of War
Misunderstood
Invisible Monster
Peruvian Skies
Through Her Eyes
A View from the Top of the World
ENCORE
Ytse Jam
Take The Time

[UndercoverMyung]

This makes more sense to me than the current list.(I still want to see them though )

The Alien
A Rite of Passage
Fall into The Light
Awaken The Master
Prophets of War
Misunderstood
Invisible Monster
Peruvian Skies
Through Her Eyes
A View from the Top of the World
ENCORE
Ytse Jam
Take The Time

Ooooooooooh
I like this one

[TerryTT]

As a alternative to my first one


The Alien
Caught in a Web
S2N
Awaken The Master
The Killing Hand
Never Enough
Invisible Monster
Breaking All Illusions
Disappear
A View from the Top of the World
ENCORE
Stream of Consciousness
Pull Me Under

[Buddyhunter1]

Don't play The Ministry Of Lost Souls

/thread

[TAC]

I actually like TMOLS. I was happy to see it as I didn't go to the '08 leg of the SC tour. But with them closing the set with both AVFTTOTW and TCOT, I do find it curious that they'd also add TMOLS as well. That's 3 songs comprising half the show.

The first half of the show is extremely heavy. Even though I'm not a huge fan, I thought playing About To Crash was a brilliant move to offset some of the heaviness.

[zappafrank2112]

I could have done without The Ministry of Lost Souls, Endless Sacrifice, and Bridges in the Sky, only because they take up such a chunk of time and I've already seen them do those songs before.

I view concerts as collecting live experiences, so I always love hearing stuff I've never heard them do live before, over and above even "oh wow, I've never heard this live."

6:00 and The Count of Tuscany were two bucketlist songs, so those plus the new album made the show an obvious win for me.  I've love to hear more WDADU stuff (doubtful these days with James' lower register), or some of the more radio friendly stuff from FII, actually (You Not Me, Just Let Me Breathe).

I was perfectly fine with no I&W and definitely no SFaM.

Even though this was my 15th DT show since 2000, there's still plenty of songs for me to "collect"!

[MrMike]

I've come to love Outcry so much I wish they'd chose that as the ADTOE selection.  Don't know if that one's ever been played since the album tour.

[TAC]

I've come to love Outcry so much I wish they'd chose that as the ADTOE selection.  Don't know if that one's ever been played since the album tour.

I love Outcry too, and personally would've rather heard that than BITS. That trade off would've helped balance the heaviness of the first set.

[OpenYourEyes311]

I view concerts as collecting live experiences, so I always love hearing stuff I've never heard them do live before.

Even though this was my 15th DT show since 2000, there's still plenty of songs for me to "collect"!

This is how I see going to my favorite bands as well. DT, 311, Metallica... I really want to hear the songs I haven't heard before. It's getting tougher as the years go on. This is the first tour that I haven't seen a "new-old" song, as I had seen all six of the older tracks played in Boston. However, I still enjoyed the heck out of Count and Endless Sacrifice. And I hadn't seen Mangini play About to Crash or Ministry (or Count). So all that was cool. I maybe would have swapped 6:00 with Caught In A Web (a song I've seen, but never with Mangini), and Bridges with one of the newer ones they haven't played yet (S2N or Surrender to Reason). But I thought the setlist was pretty spot on.

I'm going to suggest a second-leg setlist, though.

The Alien
Burning My Soul
Answering the Call
The Killing Hand
Surrender to Reason
Sleeping Giant
Out of Reach
Transcending Time
In the Presence of Enemies - Part 2
-----------------------
Octavarium

Mmmmm that's a good 7/10 I haven't seen, plus Alien and the two ending epics. Yes please.

[zappafrank2112]

I'm going to suggest a second-leg setlist, though.

The Alien
Burning My Soul
Answering the Call
The Killing Hand
Surrender to Reason
Sleeping Giant
Out of Reach
Transcending Time
In the Presence of Enemies - Part 2
-----------------------
Octavarium

Gooooooooooooooooood, goooooooooooooood, yesssssssssss *creepy Jack Nicholson nod*

ETA: Though I'm scared to think how James would handle that final high note in The Killing Hand.  Or "TRAPPED INSIDE THIS OCTAVARIUM"

[SeRoX]

I am totally fine if they alter the high notes. But please play them already!

[UndercoverMyung]

I think they'll play Octa next tour when the album turns 20.

[geeeemo]

I love the setlist. Even TMoLS, which is pretty low in my ranking, was fabulous. SC has a distinct sound, and it was great to hear.
There is something I would change though.

Skip Arch Echo (they are great musicians, but not my cup or tea).
And add.
Just let me Breathe.
Sleeping Giant
Disappear.

[cfmoran13]

I think they'll play Octa next tour when the album turns 20.

I would've liked a little more 6DoIT representation for its 20th.

[evilasiojr]

I've come to love Outcry so much I wish they'd chose that as the ADTOE selection.  Don't know if that one's ever been played since the album tour.

I feel the exact same way but it is Lost not Forgotten for me. Such a great song with a strong energy. They're even using guitars tuned to D for Endless Sacrifice, they could've used the opportunity to play it.

[EPIC Outro]

For me there is nothing to fix. The two hour set was incredible and very surprising - I predicted the AVFTTOTW songs they would play, but I never could have guessed the rest.

The Ministry of Lost Souls was the highlight of the night for me and my sister. We both adore that song and after missing it last time they toured it, I was worried I might not get another chance. Definitely a top ten bucket list song for me.

Now if I can just hear Disappear and A Vision before they hang it up I will be incredibly satisfied.

[Chino]

I actually found A View from the Top of the World to be the most boring track of the night (felt very similarly about Pale Blue Dot last tour). I think I'd swap that out with just about any other song(s) TBH.

[Stadler]

I wrote before - prior to seeing them - that I would swap out Invisible Monster for Transcending Time.  Now that I saw them, honestly, leave it the way it is.  It's not perfect - nothing ever is - but it was a good, balanced show, and THEY were into what they were playing.  It SOUNDS like TMOLS, AVFTTOTW and TCOT is a huge chunk, but being there it never felt like that.  In fact, I don't even really remember distinctly hearing TMOLS.  I suppose it's all what you're looking for in a show (I love that idea of "collecting experiences") but for me, that was an event.  That was an experience.   And I got an incredibly positive experience out of the event that Dream Theater staged.  Leave it alone. 

[Trav86]

I wrote before - prior to seeing them - that I would swap out Invisible Monster for Transcending Time.  Now that I saw them, honestly, leave it the way it is.  It's not perfect - nothing ever is - but it was a good, balanced show, and THEY were into what they were playing.  It SOUNDS like TMOLS, AVFTTOTW and TCOT is a huge chunk, but being there it never felt like that.  In fact, I don't even really remember distinctly hearing TMOLS.  I suppose it's all what you're looking for in a show (I love that idea of "collecting experiences") but for me, that was an event.  That was an experience.   And I got an incredibly positive experience out of the event that Dream Theater staged.  Leave it alone.

Awesome! One more week until my experience in Dallas!

[bosk1]

Now if I can just hear Disappear and A Vision before they hang it up I will be incredibly satisfied.

Hate to say it, but that's probably a really tall order. 

[EPIC Outro]

I know A Vision is pretty unlikely, but I think there is a very real chance I'll get to see Disappear live some day. Here's hoping!

[bosk1]

I think it is more likely than A Vision.  But I still wouldn't bet on it ever being played again.  But hey, I could be wrong.  I love it, and would be thrilled to see it myself.

[EPIC Outro]

I know James recently said he would love to sing Disappear at his final Dream Theater concert. Hopefully that won't be for a long, long time.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

The Alien 9:31
Transcending Time 6:25 (replacing 6:00 which I was a little disappointed to hear again)
Awaken the Master 9:47
The Glass Prison 13:52 (replacing Endless Sacrifice)
Answering the Call 7:35 (replacing Bridges in the Sky)
Invisible Monster 6:30
About to Crash 5:51
S2N 6:21
Surrender to Reason 6:34 (replacing Ministry)
A View From the Top of the World 20:23
-
The Count of Tuscany 19:17

Overall I would have liked a little more DT15 and more songs that haven't been played or not in a while.

[bosk1]

The Alien 9:31
Transcending Time 6:25 (replacing 6:00 which I was a little disappointed to hear again)
Awaken the Master 9:47
The Glass Prison 13:52 (replacing Endless Sacrifice)
Answering the Call 7:35 (replacing Bridges in the Sky)
Invisible Monster 6:30
About to Crash 5:51
S2N 6:21
Surrender to Reason 6:34 (replacing Ministry)
A View From the Top of the World 20:23
-
The Count of Tuscany 19:17

Overall I would have liked a little more DT15 and more songs that haven't been played or not in a while.

Hmm...  My take:
-Transcending Time:    Okay, I guess.  I'm with you in being kind of disappointed when I saw it in the set list.  But only slightly, and only because it was played on the ADTOE tour.  But I had to remind myself that that was actually 10 years ago.  And I like 6:00.  I'm okay with TT.  Don't hate it, but don't love it.  If not for one of your other changes farther down, I would veto it if I were king, simply because too many View songs.  But I'll let it ride.
-The Glass Prison:  On paper, my answer is "YES!  1,000 TIMES YES!"  I'm not crazy about Endless Sacrifice, and TGP just misses my top 10 and is VERY high on my short list of songs I really want to see.  That said, Endless was the unexpected highlight of the show for me, so I'm a bit torn.
-Answering the Call:  Just the opposite.  On paper, there is no way.  I love Answering the Call.  But Bridges is top 10, and I really wanted to see it again.  That said, it fell flat live this time for me. 
-S2N and Surrender:  Nicely done.  Two songs I really want to see in place of one that is near the bottom of the DT discography for me.  I fully embrace this.  And we get 2 for 1.

[cygnusaz]

The glaring issue for me in the set list is after three (3) tours of playing full albums (Astonishing, I&W, SFaM) we only got 6 / 14 albums represented in the set list.  And 2 of those were represented on the last tour (BCSL, SC).  I get they played I&W in full, but that was 5 years ago, and it's the most popular and best selling album.  Skipping SFaM made sense - but you can't skip your two most popular albums.  That's like Metallica skipping 'Black Album' and 'Master of Puppets'. 

I think where there was 'opportunity' was 'Ministry of Lost Souls'.  That was 15 mins of time that could've been used for two other songs. In addition, I think 'Answering the Call' is a far better song than either 'Awaken the Master' or 'Invisible Monster'.  So here is how I would re-boot this set list for a Fall 2022 Tour (If it happens), keeping in mind DT rarely make major changes during a tour cycle (last time they swapped PMU with At Wits End for the encore between the Spring and Fall tour)

1. The Alien
2. 6:00
3. Answering the Call
4. Endless Sacrifice
5. Transcending Time
6. Bridges in the Sky
7. Misunderstood
8. Take the Time
9. Surrender to Reason
10. A View from the Top of the World
--
11. Count of Tuscany