OK, I still have the attitude that I’m sitting around a bar having drinks and BS-ing with those present. Same tone as yesterday. Maybe I'll even buy an extra round.
As to Mike Mangini: thanks for the memories! Class act all the way. A treat to have met him twice, to say ‘thanks’, and talk hockey for a couple minutes (even though the Bruins lost a game to the Leafs that night in the playoffs).
Welcome back Mike Portnoy! It was your ‘frontman’ antics at my first DT show when I went to see Queensryche that drew this wanna be drummer in. Along with that amazing drumming on ‘Six Degrees’ (and all the LPs before and after). And I rarely took my eyes off of him during the DC show with Petrucci last fall. Guess I’ll get to see him in person yet again.
So.... my feelings are still a bit mixed as to the changes at this time.
Real brief as to James. I noticed a few off moments at the Philly concert this year. No big deal. My friend who has cohosted numerous preshows with me (including JP’s) going back to 2014 said he wouldn’t attend another DT show again unless some changes were made. Well, Portnoy was in the audience that night, so his thoughts must be closer to mine.
The future: with modern technology, one might speculate that ideas and stems are already being floated around back and forth while current bandmember Mike is on tour. That said, perhaps a couple could be finished off early next year, and a handful or so shows performed in NYC/Philly/Boston (two nights in each city) in late winter/early spring to keep the momentum going. Perform 8-10 fixtures (1928 Overture / Strange Déjà vu, The Glass Prison, Misunderstood, As I Am, most of 8Vm would be great), the new songs, something LTE, with a small rotation such as the ADToE tour on alternate nights (along the lines of ‘Erotomania’, ‘At Wit’s End’, ‘Hollow Year’s one night, ‘Ytse Jam’, ‘Fall Into The Light’, ‘The Spirit Carries On’ the next).
Heck, Meanstreak might not be a bad opening act to have.
Having created yet more good publicity, have a new album ready for a bigger summer tour to follow, starting in either Europe or the States. I know the South American fans would be hungry for a few performances.
Oh, and please, get rid of all the moving videos above the drum kit. It was near impossible for me to focus on Mangini during the last tour with all the movement from my front row balcony seat. Other times, he was just a silhouette.
Now I’ll step back and order another round of drinks, and hand over the floor to all that follow.