Denver Feb 12.. and I am going to beat that dead horse

[geeeemo]

There is a DT USA preshow meet up at Rock Bottom Brewery from 4-6. Fun!!

And now about the horse...

It really bugs me when the audience sits a rock/metal concert. I understand and have read the reasons why people sit. I just disagree for the most part. I am 58, kill my feet in boots, and have a bad knee. So. It is still more fun to get into it! In addition, I am embarrassed to be in a dull crowd. I am pretty sure the band enjoys playing more for a lively crowd than a dead one. Two shows that I know of James has commented on people sleeping during the show.
Who knows how many more shows we are going to get. Look how quickly with covid they were done. It's really not impossible to think it could happen again. James said they are touring for a  couple of years. So, then it's write another record, and then tour again....so 3-4 years from know. They will be from nearly 60 to nearly 70. That means maybe 1, 2 at most 3 more albums to tour. Thats only a few more times to see them live. I feel they deserve great audience feedback. I am grateful they are touring and will be standing every time I see them.

This is just my opinion and thoughts and with no anger or ill-will toward anyone!

(They should just have the venues with GA; that would help)

[bosk1]

I think you should just have anger and ill will toward everyone.  That way, it's nondiscriminatory, and oh so freeing! 

Just kidding, of course. 

[geeeemo]

 

[Architeuthis]

Everybody was standing for the entire show in Seattle, at least all those on the floor section anyway . It was in a nice sized arena, so I think more people are likely to stand than they would in a theater.
DT sounds awesome in a arena setting! 

[Podaar]

Everyone around me stood for the entire show in SLC, last night. Of course, I was on the second row and didn't look around me so I don't know what was going on behind us. Pretty engaged crowd, though.

[cramx3]

I hope the NJ show is more lively, but their more recent shows since TA tour have had quite dull crowds.

[bosk1]

For the Oakland show, everybody sat for Arch Echo.  The keyboard player even motioned a few times for people to get up, and nobody did.  Actually, slight tangent here:  the crowd as a whole was actually incredibly dead and apathetic for Arch Echo, but they still did their best to bring as much energy as possible, and stayed upbeat and gave it their best, and they really have my respect for that.  Back on topic:  I was concerned for DT about the crowd--so much so that I actually texted JP between sets and told him to have James make a point of specifically telling the crowd to get on their feet.    Turned out, that wasn't needed.  As soon as the intro tape finished and the band walked out onstage, the vast majority of the crowd stood up (at least on the floor--I couldn't see the balcony) and mostly stayed that way.  There was a point during a quieter part of one song (I forget which one) where some people started to sit down.  I was determined not to, and was hoping most people would stay standing so that I wouldn't have to be "that guy" wanting to stand while the people behind me are wishing I would sit so they could see.  But thankfully, most people stayed up, and the ones that had sat down got back up when the music kicked in again.  Wish I could remember which song that was.  May have been during the the intro on Endless Sacrifice, but I can't remember. 

[Architeuthis]

For the Oakland show, everybody sat for Arch Echo.  The keyboard player even motioned a few times for people to get up, and nobody did.  Actually, slight tangent here:  the crowd as a whole was actually incredibly dead and apathetic for Arch Echo, but they still did their best to bring as much energy as possible, and stayed upbeat and gave it their best, and they really have my respect for that.  Back on topic:  I was concerned for DT about the crowd--so much so that I actually texted JP between sets and told him to have James make a point of specifically telling the crowd to get on their feet.    Turned out, that wasn't needed. 

Arch Echo was a fun band to watch and they got a good reception in Seattle. Were they really loud at Oakland? The reason I ask is because when I saw them they were louder than DT. The kick drum, bass, and lows from the keyboard were rumbling through my chest which is hard for me to take. I have heart arrhythmia at times so heavy duty sound waves don't help. 
DT had a cleaner sound in that regard.

[bosk1]

Both bands were really loud in Oakland.

[Architeuthis]

That was definitely the loudest I ever heard DT in Seattle.  The snare drum was the only thing that fatigued my ears at times. Otherwise it was a good loud.

[geeeemo]

THAT was friggin awesome!

[Architeuthis]

THAT was friggin awesome!

       Glad to hear, this tour is amazing!

[Trav86]

I use these…

High Fidelity Concert Ear Plugs, Hearprotek Noise Reduction Music Earplugs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PBQFQH6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_CH9TDJE0S5DJYG6373KR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[geeeemo]

This may have been one of the best shows I have seen. Way better than Oakland where it seemed like they were still getting their footing.

The mix was perfect. Not too loud either. James was on fire. The funny moment was when he put his mic back in the mic stand, and then started to sing in the mic stand and not the mic. He laughed, we laughed. Man he was holding the long notes too. He was very animated and the band seemed relaxed and appeared to be having a great time. The crowd..was Awesome!! I could tell James and the band loved it. ES is a great live song. And The Count. JP was On It for that iterlude.

The show ended too soon as always.

[Kram]

This may have been one of the best shows I have seen. Way better than Oakland where it seemed like they were still getting their footing.

The mix was perfect. Not too loud either. James was on fire. The funny moment was when he put his mic back in the mic stand, and then started to sing in the mic stand and not the mic. He laughed, we laughed. Man he was holding the long notes too. He was very animated and the band seemed relaxed and appeared to be having a great time. The crowd..was Awesome!! I could tell James and the band loved it. ES is a great live song. And The Count. JP was On It for that iterlude.

The show ended too soon as always.

Awesome!  Great to hear James is pulling it together as the tour progresses.

[Ayeegit]

My wife and I attended the Denver show, and thought it was excellent overall. I decided to go in totally cold from a setlist/spoilers perspective, so other than knowing they'd open with Alien, and play AVFtTotW at some point (probably near the end), everything else was a nice surprise. TMoLS has never been one of my favorite songs, but still enjoyed it live - I thought the song selection was really nice, and closing with Tuscany made for a great encore.

Few random thoughts:

• There's already quite a discussion about the piped-in vocals on one of the other threads, so I won't dwell much on that. But I *did* notice (think it was during BitS) James turn himself so he was looking towards the stage wings both times he sang the chorus (rather than facing the audience as he almost always otherwise does), with his hair mostly hiding his mouth, and wondered if that was coincidental or not...
• We now know what brand gum James likes to chew while performing 
• Myung is obviously an android - and they had the bass at a nice level within the mix, enjoyed focusing in on some of his parts during the course of the show
• Mike's smaller kit made it a lot easier to watch him a bit closer; was nice being able to see more than his hands and sticks
  
• Arch Echo did a great job getting the crowd fired up - enjoyed their set as well

Have probably seen DT 12+ times now, and I hope we get a couple more tours before they call it a day - always a pleasure being able to see them live.