Top Of The World Tour 2023

[Kram]

I've just watched some clips from Barcelona concert. No exaggeration, James sounds great. I'm so glad and hyped.

PMU: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AJbennifxM&ab_channel=HellYeah%21
TCOT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo&ab_channel=MechDvil7
SS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QNvt2Zt0QE&ab_channel=TonyMu%C3%B1oz
6:00 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_jMwarlHG0&ab_channel=TonyMu%C3%B1oz

I hope they'll add some other unplayed songs for the US dates and make a DVD.

Agreed he sounds really good and much approved from last years tour.  Happy for him and all us fans of his!

[wolfking]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

[Trav86]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

You’re just a ray of sunshine all of the time.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

You’re just a ray of sunshine all of the time.

He makes spot-on observations though. These performances are consistent with the prior.

[KevShmev]

I only watched Solitary Shell, but I agree.  He sounded okay on the chorus, but he sounded warbly as heck on the verses.  Not sure what people are hearing for that to pass as "great," but to each their own.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I think we have more than enough audience footage from the View tour to say that the live shows are not due to mechanical or equipment issues. It's not an injury or just a weird one-off night. We are just in a different period. We can argue about when that change started but it doesn't matter ultimately-- here we are. Either it stops you from seeing the guys or it doesn't. If you haven't seen the tour yet and are on the fence, I encourage you to see them. It's a great show.

I am still hoping the band comes back to the US because I want to see the new set list. I hope that JLB does his best and I am rooting for him, but right now there is a gulf between him the abilities of the instrumentalists. IMO, fan disappointment is not going to facilitate a lineup change at this stage. It's too far down the road to take a different path...no matter what happens on that stage and even if ticket sales were to go down 50% as a result. Just enjoy the ride if you can.

[Ben_Jamin]

I wouldn't mind at all if they played Never Enough again. It's a great live song and it's one I actually got to see live, but too bad I wasn't that much of a fan yet.

"What would you say
If I walked away
Would you appreciate
But then it'd be too late
Cause I can only take so much of your ungrateful ways."

I think it'd be neat to hear how JLB sing this now, even if his voice isn't up to certain fans high standards. I am just grateful that the band is able to tour and I get to hear the actual vocalist sing the songs. I feel the same exact way about Tesla playing Edison's Medicine, at least I get to still hear that song played by the band live. At least I still get to see the band live. That's all that matters to me.

[wolfking]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

You’re just a ray of sunshine all of the time.

Oh....sorry.  OMG James sounds amazing fucking amazing here!  I don't think I've ever heard him sound this good.  Best he's sounded in years, what a performance.   

[wolfking]

I think we have more than enough audience footage from the View tour to say that the live shows are not due to mechanical or equipment issues. It's not an injury or just a weird one-off night. We are just in a different period. We can argue about when that change started but it doesn't matter ultimately-- here we are. Either it stops you from seeing the guys or it doesn't. If you haven't seen the tour yet and are on the fence, I encourage you to see them. It's a great show.

I am still hoping the band comes back to the US because I want to see the new set list. I hope that JLB does his best and I am rooting for him, but right now there is a gulf between him the abilities of the instrumentalists. IMO, fan disappointment is not going to facilitate a lineup change at this stage. It's too far down the road to take a different path...no matter what happens on that stage and even if ticket sales were to go down 50% as a result. Just enjoy the ride if you can.

Summed up really nicely mate.

[SeRoX]

TCOT from Barcelona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H3AtWnhfUY&ab_channel=Livemusicshows

And I think Spanish fans are one of best.

[cminor]

I have to agree that James sounds much better than he did a few days ago in Tel Aviv. He has even finally returned to singing the "and at last the time has come..." melody in BITS in the normal register.
I'm glad to see / hear that!

[TAC]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

You’re just a ray of sunshine all of the time.

Oh....sorry.  OMG James sounds amazing fucking amazing here!  I don't think I've ever heard him sound this good.  Best he's sounded in years, what a performance.   

[James Mypetgiress]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

You’re just a ray of sunshine all of the time.

Oh....sorry.  OMG James sounds amazing fucking amazing here!  I don't think I've ever heard him sound this good.  Best he's sounded in years, what a performance.   

Me when the sun comes to shine my way, and healing waters bury all my pain

[TheCountOfNYC]

I still don't think he sounds that great at all but changing the melodies makes it all much more palatable.

You’re just a ray of sunshine all of the time.

Oh....sorry.  OMG James sounds amazing fucking amazing here!  I don't think I've ever heard him sound this good.  Best he's sounded in years, what a performance.   

Me when the sun comes to shine my way, and healing waters bury all my pain

When Iron Man and Iron Monger were fighting mid-air in the climax of the first Iron Man, you could almost say that Tony Stark was crossing Bridges in the sky.

[kevinpwrs]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

[gzarruk]

Now that I think about it, they probably added BITS to this tour's setlist because it's also sort of a view from the top of the world/sky.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

[Ben_Jamin]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

They don't have any?

Also want to add that this is not the first time that during a concert-- though not necessarily in the middle of a song-- JLB has said 'F you' to the fans. I find it extremely un-classy and childish for a grown man who has spent over 30 years as a professional musician to behave this way. I am not saying a response of some sort is never warranted. I just think his behavior is out of line and a little disappointing. I could never imagine in a million years John Petrucci behaving this way.

[Ben_Jamin]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

They don't have any?

If they do, I have no idea what they are. That's why I asked you, what are the high standards of the band? Since you claim to know what these high standards of the band are.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

They don't have any?

If they do, I have no idea what they are. That's why I asked you, what are the high standards of the band? Since you claim to know what these high standards of the band are.

I added a little more to my previous post. The band members in DT are extremely professional both on and off stage and they take their job and image very seriously. It doesn't mean there is some great charter of official standards they have hanging at DT studios. You don't see the band members as embodying a high degree of professionalism after 30 years in the public eye? I mean, it seems pretty obvious to me.

[WilliamMunny]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

They don't have any?

Also want to add that this is not the first time that during a concert-- though not necessarily in the middle of a song-- JLB has said 'F you' to the fans. I find it extremely un-classy and childish for a grown man who has spent over 30 years as a professional musician to behave this way. I am not saying a response of some sort is never warranted. I just think his behavior is out of line and a little disappointing. I could never imagine in a million years John Petrucci behaving this way.

I dunno man–personally speaking, if someone is going to hurl insults or gestures (not saying this happened here, just in general), I think an artist/actor/comedian/whoever has every right to hurl them back.

Is it childish? Sure. But I'm not going to lose respect for someone if they feel like they need to defend themselves.

As far as Petrucci goes–I suspect (again, correct me if I'm wrong) that you don't know him personally. What you, I, and virtually every member of this board know of the man is what he chooses to share in public.

That said, he's human, and even HE has a breaking point. We all do. Get in the guys face on the wrong day and he very well might flip you the bird.

I think the bigger question here is, why the hell do people buy tickets to shows only to harass the band?

I went to see, oh God I wish I could remember who, maybe Tool??? Anyway, I went to see a band some years back, and this guy behind me spent a good half hour screaming, at the top of his lungs, "you fucking blow!"

Now, he was a tad drunk, but still.

Finally, I turned around and asked him what his deal was. He looked at me like I had two heads and said, "they used to be good, but now this new stuff fucking blows!"

Well, fair enough. But still, what the hell? I asked him why he spent seventy bucks on a ticket to see a band he didn't like.

He looked at me, shrugged, and said he had no idea. Then (thankfully) he went to get another beer and never came back.

Point is, there's guys like that at every show.

[SeRoX]

No big deal. I mean I don't defend what James did on the stage but this kind of things could happen, especially among rock/metal bands. This doesn't define what band's standards are. "Come on James, you can't yell F*ck you to someone on the stage because we have high standards."... I remember James kicked or pushed someone from the audience back in 93 or 94. Shit sometimes happens. I've seen worse from many bands that globally known. They are human and it doesn't take away from their personality. No matter what James is one of the class act and down the earth musician in the music community.

[Ben_Jamin]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

They don't have any?

If they do, I have no idea what they are. That's why I asked you, what are the high standards of the band? Since you claim to know what these high standards of the band are.

I added a little more to my previous post. The band members in DT are extremely professional both on and off stage and they take their job and image very seriously. It doesn't mean there is some great charter of official standards they have hanging at DT studios. You don't see the band members as embodying a high degree of professionalism after 30 years in the public eye? I mean, it seems pretty obvious to me.

If anything, I'd say it's the audience member that was being childish.

[James Mypetgiress]

Just my two cents here, there's people like this at almost any gig you go to. Especially for a band the size of DT. Hell, I've experienced it a few times as a (former) gigging musician just playing kinda crummy local venues. James is well within is right to give as good as he gets. He's putting on a show and it can't feel good to have someone have effectively paid money to assumably shout something unpleasant at you. I feel it's the case for most performances. If you heckle at a comedy show, local indie gig, etc you're probably gonna get something back. I think that's only rarer in bigger venues because the musicians are less likely to hear you.

[wolfking]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

It was actually me in the crowd and James recognised me and gave it to me for slagging his vocals off on DTF. 

Seriously though, I love it.  We don't know what was going on in the audience so James obviously felt the need to tell the guy to get fucked so more power to him.  I don't understand why people pay to go to a gig and end up being fuckwits to other people in the crowd or the band.

[wolfking]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Sounds like someone from the crowd would have to opine what happened exactly. Probably someone in the audience was disrespectful.

As far as his response is concerned, I think it's extremely unprofessional for anyone in the band to insert 'F you...' etc into a live performance. It's beneath the high standards of the band, quite frankly, and puts a stain on the song.

What are these high standards of the band?

They don't have any?

Also want to add that this is not the first time that during a concert-- though not necessarily in the middle of a song-- JLB has said 'F you' to the fans. I find it extremely un-classy and childish for a grown man who has spent over 30 years as a professional musician to behave this way. I am not saying a response of some sort is never warranted. I just think his behavior is out of line and a little disappointing. I could never imagine in a million years John Petrucci behaving this way.

I'm guessing you're not a Bruce Dickinson fan then!? 

[cramx3]

TCOT in Barcelona. What happened at about the 6:18 mark? James pointed at someone, flipped them off  and sounded like he said "You getting all you need?"  "F you." Interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlx59v1vIPo

Looks to me he's saying it to the guy holding his camera high above his head, but hard to tell for sure.  Getting all you need could refer to videoing.  I think it's well known the band doesn't like people taking video of them (even though I've done it plenty). Maybe that person was obnoxious (they look it in that clip) for most of the concert. While I don't think it's worth the effort to shit on people taking video, I generally don't have a problem with this and kind of like it.  A metal front man should have *some* appropriate attitude from time to time and I think that fits the bill here.

[NoFred]

Doesn’t bother me on its own, but kind of a bummer that’s what it takes to get some quality mid-song spontaneity and interaction out of the frontman. Would like to see more for sure.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

I highly doubt the guy was only videoing but I could be wrong. I don't think videoing alone would have provoked such a sharp response in the year 2023, when this is happening at literally every show. There was a kind of agitation that indicated more to it.

Hey, to each his own. It goes without saying that a lot of people feel like boorish behavior is acceptable/expected/normal for rock and metal musicians though they wouldn't find it appropriate for a lawyer or investment banker or a locksmith to do the same. Just as a small example, for years, Pantera sold hundreds of thousands of tickets despite the fact that their singer was getting wasted, saying all sorts of things to the fans like 'I got a big dick' etc and slurring his speech at every show. And for sure JLB is not the first to repeatedly give the bird to the fans in a live setting. I am not comparing what happened during TCOT to the worst thing that's ever happened, but it's just in poor taste and I don't think 'well it's a rock show' is a particularly satisfying defense. His F you response to the lip synching speculation was also pre-mediated and I think showed a surprising degree of fragility. While he wasn't lip synching, the fans were actually onto something...he was getting pre-recorded help.

I remember over 20 years ago I saw Alien Ant Farm open for Taproot and Linkin Park. The crowd was very obviously not pleased with their musical style. We were very close to the strage and a group of kids in front of me screamed insults at the band for the better part of their act, including 'you suck balls! get off the stage!'. After some time went by, the lead singer in the middle of a song took out a condom, asked the kids if they lost their condom, filled it with air and floated it directly at them. This discussion reminded me of that event and I am still not sure what I think. Sometimes fans can cross the line for sure. At the end of the day, the more JLB shows these little things are getting under his skin, the more they'll continue to occur. 

[Wim Kruithof]

LaBrie is a pure prof... but he was crystal clear about his vocal crash back in the days with his injury, that he was going through a very dark period and was constantly doubting his own abilities. Of course I hope that is not the case here - and it's way too early to drop that label just on a f* you to the croud - but I have my concerns.

He knows his abilities aren't what they were when he was constantly spot-on and I truly hope that doesn't cost him too much joy in life. And I also believe he can be difficult to handle or to be in the tourbus with, when he struggles each day.

He brought us all way too much overall, to be disconnected with in the late fall of their carreer.

edit: Not saying that you can't critisize him anymore or should only adore his voice, even when it lacks. I can understand fans like wolfking who have been fan for decades... that it's a hard swollow when you hear him these days, compared to what it used to be.

My first Dream Theater concert was Images, Words & Beyond in '17... so what LaBrie performs these days, is what I'm used to.

[wolfking]

LaBrie is a pure prof... but he was crystal clear about his vocal crash back in the days with his injury, that he was going through a very dark period and was constantly doubting his own abilities. Of course I hope that is not the case here - and it's way too early to drop that label just on a f* you to the croud - but I have my concerns.

He knows his abilities aren't what they were when he was constantly spot-on and I truly hope that doesn't cost him too much joy in life. And I also believe he can be difficult to handle or to be in the tourbus with, when he struggles each day.

He brought us all way too much overall, to be disconnected with in the late fall of their carreer.

edit: Not saying that you can't critisize him anymore or should only adore his voice, even when it lacks. I can understand fans like wolfking who have been fan for decades... that it's a hard swollow when you hear him these days, compared to what it used to be.

My first Dream Theater concert was Images, Words & Beyond in '17... so what LaBrie performs these days, is what I'm used to.

I think James would know though that to really feel the joy in life, he'd have to suffer through the pain.

Seriously though, since you mentioned me, I really don't mean to sound like a dick, I'm just calling it as I see it.  I love the guy and its more just a shame.  Any aging vocalist going through the same thing is no exception.  I just think the band could do a bit more to accommodate him.

I've been a fan for about 25 years so, not as long as a lot of guys on here and I've only seen them once live so it's not a big thing in that regard, it's just inevitable but still unfortunate.  I just kind of can't swallow some of the praise his vocals are getting here.  As I said I love the guy, but I'm not going to polish his turds.

[Wim Kruithof]

I think James would know though that to really feel the joy in life, he'd have to suffer through the pain.

Surrender, Trust & Passion is all he's left to.

I've been a fan for about 25 years so, not as long as a lot of guys on here and I've only seen them once live so it's not a big thing in that regard, it's just inevitable but still unfortunate. 

Can be that I am misreading your post completely, but are you really saying that you only 've seen them once, live? Now, I can follow that when you live in Alaska, but how come you don't visit them more often?

[genome]

I just noticed the tiny gong that Mangini hits at the end of Grand Finale 

[KevShmev]

Seriously though, since you mentioned me, I really don't mean to sound like a dick, I'm just calling it as I see it.  I love the guy and its more just a shame.  Any aging vocalist going through the same thing is no exception.  I just think the band could do a bit more to accommodate him.

I've been a fan for about 25 years so, not as long as a lot of guys on here and I've only seen them once live so it's not a big thing in that regard, it's just inevitable but still unfortunate.  I just kind of can't swallow some of the praise his vocals are getting here.  As I said I love the guy, but I'm not going to polish his turds.

Honestly, and I hadn't thought of this before, I don't think the band's current approach does James any favors.  By having the full scale production with the video screens and the click track and the same set list every night, it is set up where nearly everything is perfect, so when the singer is off a bit, it is that much more noticeable.  20 years ago, when they weren't playing the same sets every night and not to a click, the band felt more loose and maybe playing this song we rarely do sounds a bit rough around the edges to where James struggling a bit didn't stand out quite so much.  I guess that's the difference between a rock concert and a rock production.  Not saying the band should now think, "Okay, let's go out and play some stuff wrong to make James sound less bad," merely that the approach sets it up to where any imperfections on the part of the singer, whose instrument is more human than the others, are going to stand out.