DREAM THEATER ANNOUNCE THE RETURN OF DRUMMER MIKE PORTNOY

[Dedalus]

I'm curious - are they any songs left from the MP era that has never been played live before? Or was that box checked when they started doing Space Dye Vest?

The Best of Times.

[Zydar]

Ah, of course.

[gborland]

A well-packaged product goes a long way toward generating business.

A well-packaged product is precisely what led to the abysmal ticket sales on the last tour.

People don't want a sterile cookie-cutter pre-packaged performance. They want a proper live show with energy and spontaneity and unpredictability. This is what's been missing, and this is what Portnoy will bring back, and this is what will bring the crowds back.

[Mladen]

The Best of times is the only studio album track from the first ten albums that was never performed live.

[crystalstars17]

People don't want a sterile cookie-cutter pre-packaged performance. They want a proper live show with energy and spontaneity and unpredictability.

It is what some fans want.

This is what's been missing, and this is what Portnoy will bring back, and this is what will bring the crowds back.

I'll believe all of this when I see it.

[gborland]

n

[KevShmev]

People don't want a sterile cookie-cutter pre-packaged performance. They want a proper live show with energy and spontaneity and unpredictability.

It is what some fans want.

This is what's been missing, and this is what Portnoy will bring back, and this is what will bring the crowds back.

I'll believe all of this when I see it.

That can also be said for static set lists.  It is what some fans want, but certainly not all.

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

[nobloodyname]

A well-packaged product goes a long way toward generating business.

A well-packaged product is precisely what led to the abysmal ticket sales on the last tour.

People don't want a sterile cookie-cutter pre-packaged performance. They want a proper live show with energy and spontaneity and unpredictability. This is what's been missing, and this is what Portnoy will bring back, and this is what will bring the crowds back.

I don't know that everyone wants this but my suspicion is that it'd bring more people back to the live shows than it'd lose.

[Schurftkut]

most of my drummer friends said they're looking forward to seeing them again now, since they felt MM was a woodchopper, and now the groove will be there again 

[crystalstars17]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

I don't know that everyone wants this but my suspicion is that it'd bring more people back to the live shows than it'd lose.

Well I think it may bring back a certain group of fans - that contingent who wants 2010 back and the band to once again exist as if the last 13 years never happened.

[ReaPsTA]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

I don't know that everyone wants this but my suspicion is that it'd bring more people back to the live shows than it'd lose.

Well I think it may bring back a certain group of fans - that contingent who wants 2010 back and the band to once again exist as if the last 13 years never happened.

I guess like, in a sense it's hard to know for certain. Maybe they go back to three hour shows with rotating setlists and an occasional appearance of the Canadian Rap and no one shows up or things get worse.

But the numbers are what they are and they tell a story. If people vote with their dollars, they're saying what they don't vote for. I'm not sure what the alternate narrative we're trying to derive from that is.

[Stadler]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".   

[crystalstars17]

I guess like, in a sense it's hard to know for certain. Maybe they go back to three hour shows with rotating setlists and an occasional appearance of the Canadian Rap and no one shows up or things get worse.

And it would, and quickly, lol. I wouldn't show up, that's for certain. I know I'm far from being the only one.

But the numbers are what they are and they tell a story. If people vote with their dollars, they're saying what they don't vote for. I'm not sure what the alternate narrative we're trying to derive from that is.

Voting with our dollars is exactly my point. And I believe that I speak for a cohort who would vote in the opposite direction.

As I also pointed out, there are other legacy bands who do not have rotating setlists, have a polished "production", and probably (oh heavens to betsey! 😱) even use a click. And the tickets keep selling.

I don't think that reverting to archaic methods of producing concerts from a time when today's modern production technologies didn't exist is necessarily the answer. Maybe all those who think it is should just stay home and enjoy their bootleg videos from 1993.

I don't think the band, however, will (or should) choose to live in the past. Who's to say whether the decision would've been made back in the early 2000's to use the technology that exists today had there been a choice? Perhaps so. I doubt seriously that a band like DT, who is by definition progressive, would simply choose to go backwards both artistically and technologically when so much of their progress has been established in embracing the future.

[nobloodyname]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".

I'd pay seriously good money to see both those happen

[ReaPsTA]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".   

They could be like Rammstein and shoot white foam into the audience at the end of the sample section of Home.

To get people excited for the keyboard solo you see.

[Zydar]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".   

Can you picture James in this?

[crystalstars17]

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".

Ok, whether we agree or not in this conversation, your visuals just gave me enough laughs to get me through my Monday.   

[nobloodyname]

I guess like, in a sense it's hard to know for certain. Maybe they go back to three hour shows with rotating setlists and an occasional appearance of the Canadian Rap and no one shows up or things get worse.

And it would, and quickly, lol. I wouldn't show up, that's for certain. I know I'm far from being the only one.

But that's the thing: I would show up and, what's more, I'd go to multiple shows. And that's despite what I've said about James' struggles being a reason for not going since 2020.

[ReaPsTA]

I guess like, in a sense it's hard to know for certain. Maybe they go back to three hour shows with rotating setlists and an occasional appearance of the Canadian Rap and no one shows up or things get worse.

And it would, and quickly, lol. I wouldn't show up, that's for certain. I know I'm far from being the only one.

But the numbers are what they are and they tell a story. If people vote with their dollars, they're saying what they don't vote for. I'm not sure what the alternate narrative we're trying to derive from that is.

Voting with our dollars is exactly my point. And I believe that I speak for a cohort who would vote in the opposite direction.

As I also pointed out, there are other legacy bands who do not have rotating setlists, have a polished "production", and probably (oh heavens to betsey! 😱) even use a click. And the tickets keep selling.

I don't think that reverting to archaic methods of producing concerts from a time when today's modern production technologies didn't exist is necessarily the answer. Maybe all those who think it is should just stay home and enjoy their bootleg videos from 1993.

I don't think the band, however, will (or should) choose to live in the past. Who's to say whether the decision would've been made back in the early 2000's to use the technology that exists today had there been a choice? Perhaps so. I doubt seriously that a band like DT, who is by definition progressive, would simply choose to go backwards both artistically and technological when so much of their progress has been established in embracing the future.

I don't have a strong opinion on the rotating setlists thing. I'm generally not the person who's going to see multiple shows. Maybe rotating sets would incentive me. Or maybe it would just annoy me about certain songs I wouldn't get to see.

With the highly produced shows, I'm not totally sure what the advantage is. I know The Astonishing tour was what it was, but it felt like the nadir to me of the band feeling like an afterthought of their own show. It was actually weird when Petrucci went to center stage for the solo of A New Beginning. Like, oh right, we're here to see great instrumentalists perform. It's not like Dream Theater's shows had bad lighting or boring video presentation before they used a click track. Aesthetically, I agree it would be disappointing if things started to look cheap.

But with the click, one song I distinctly remember not working is Lie, which tends to sound better if the tempo's pushed a bit, and it sounded like the live tempo was actually slower than the album, which was weird. There's no stage lighting or stage presentation that's so good it requires the performance to be stifled.

When the click is introduced and the show's gussied up so much, it almost feels like the band voicing a lack of confidence in themselves.

Plus like, I know there's a lot that goes into ticket prices, but maybe if they brought a less expensive production with them, the costs could be brought down.

I'm not trying to act confused that you'd like good stage production. Good lighting is good aesthetics which makes it feel better. I quite enjoyed the little lighting gag in Trial of Tears when they shined the light on JLB's mic stand and it reflected into the audience. For me it's more a matter of priorities. I'd pay to see Dream Theater play under a wash as long as the sound mix was good. Lots of pop artists have lavish stage production, I go see none of them live.

[Evermind]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".

I'd pay seriously good money to see both those happen

Yeah, I was going to say, I kinda do want to see a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".

[Setlist Scotty]

But to go back to the bolded and your reply, are you saying you don't want a show with energy and spontaneity?

So you don't think Iron Maiden and Helloween have "energy and spontaneity" in their shows? I would beg to differ.

...and do those bands use a click or other modern technology that you're touting DT should use because they're a progressive band?
 
 

I don't know that everyone wants this but my suspicion is that it'd bring more people back to the live shows than it'd lose.

Well I think it may bring back a certain group of fans - that contingent who wants 2010 back and the band to once again exist as if the last 13 years never happened.

I'd wager that contingent is larger than you might think it is. Face it, when MP split, DT's live audience was continuing to grow - I say that as someone who saw it first hand. Now, it seems that it's starting to falter judging by reports from others regarding the last tour, and even from comments I've heard from fans in Europe pre-Covid. That could be due to a number of different factors, but clearly something needed to change in the live setting.
 
 

But the numbers are what they are and they tell a story. If people vote with their dollars, they're saying what they don't vote for. I'm not sure what the alternate narrative we're trying to derive from that is.

Voting with our dollars is exactly my point. And I believe that I speak for a cohort who would vote in the opposite direction.

And that's fine and that's your choice. But the same is true for those who feel the complete opposite of you. And judging by the general reaction of fans here and elsewhere online, I think there's a larger number who are looking forward to those changes than not.
 
 

As I also pointed out, there are other legacy bands who do not have rotating setlists, have a polished "production", and probably (oh heavens to betsey! 😱) even use a click. And the tickets keep selling.

But you forget that just because it works for some legacy bands doesn't mean that the same is true for DT as apparently DT's ticket sales show. DT is not your typical band. It doesn't trot out the same tired hits over and over and over again on each tour and throw in the token new song from the album they're promoting. Their audience and its expectations are different from many other legacy bands.
 
 

I don't think that reverting to archaic methods of producing concerts from a time when today's modern production technologies didn't exist is necessarily the answer. Maybe all those who think it is should just stay home and enjoy their bootleg videos from 1993.

I don't think the band, however, will (or should) choose to live in the past. Who's to say whether the decision would've been made back in the early 2000's to use the technology that exists today had there been a choice? Perhaps so. I doubt seriously that a band like DT, who is by definition progressive, would simply choose to go backwards both artistically and technologically when so much of their progress has been established in embracing the future.

Wow - we should just stay home and listen to bootlegs from 1993? 

I don't think the band will live in the past. Just look at the gizmos that JR uses and the updates to JP's equipment every tour. But if the decision is made to backtrack on some things they implemented after MP left, who are you to say they are living in the past? Ever make a decision and then decide to change it later?

[ReaPsTA]

I'd wager that contingent is larger than you might think it is. Face it, when MP split, DT's live audience was continuing to grow - I say that as someone who saw it first hand.

True and underappreciated, and incredible for a band 25 years into their career.

[ReaPsTA]

As a side note, I hate any sort of pre-taped performance during a live show. I semi-unironically think it should be considered fraud. Part of the reason for the click track was so they could pipe in backing vocals. Bad enough. For Dream Theater of all bands to do it was.... beneath them to say the least.

[KevShmev]

Yeah, the idea that some of us want to the band to go back to rotating some of the set list and be more live means we are living in the past or want to act like the last 13 years never happened is just silly.

But that's sort of apples and oranges, since they bring the energy in different ways.  I'm not sure I want to see James with flamethrowers on his arms during "Burning My Soul", or a big inflatable "Count" during "The Count Of Tuscany".

 

Can you picture James in this?

Okay, someone needs to fix that so we see James' face on that. 

[gzarruk]

I'm curious - are they any songs left from the MP era that has never been played live before? Or was that box checked when they started doing Space Dye Vest?

The Best of Times.

Then there's the infamous Raw Dog

Btw, I wouldn't mind it at all if they played that one. It was MP's last official recorded performance with DT before he left after all.

I'm not going to join the rotating vs static setlists debate but what I'll say is that I'd rather see the band focus on the stuff that hasn't been played live with MM the past 13 years. Instead of doing PMU, TSCO, AIA, etc. for the billionth time, why not focus on some of the stuff that hasn't been played in over a decade? DT with MM played a little over half of the MP era catalog, so why don't they lean into the other half + MM era stuff that hasn't been played live + new material with MP? I know, fan favorites and all that, but there's still plenty of those that weren't performed with MM.

[Dedalus]

I'd wager that contingent is larger than you might think it is. Face it, when MP split, DT's live audience was continuing to grow - I say that as someone who saw it first hand. Now, it seems that it's starting to falter judging by reports from others regarding the last tour, and even from comments I've heard from fans in Europe pre-Covid. That could be due to a number of different factors, but clearly something needed to change in the live setting.

And changed. On this point I agree with you.
They made the easiest decision of all to solve the problem. MP's return will bring back whoever had abandoned the band.
Before the law firm speaks out, I make it clear that this is just MY GUESS. But for me, the economic factor weighed heavily on the return.

But I draw attention to the underlined part. Indeed, but some guys here comment as if the fact that the shows with click was definitive for this. I find it very questionable. I'm sure some of the audience didn't even realize they were using click. In fact, I imagine that we would have to explain to a portion of the public what "using click" is (there is a video of Polyphia's drummer having difficulties at the show, as he stopped hearing everything on his monitor, including the click. .. the drum technician helps him by hitting his leg. I saw comments on the internet from people not understanding what was happening).

[Zydar]

Okay, someone needs to fix that so we see James' face on that. 

[Dedalus]

I'm curious - are they any songs left from the MP era that has never been played live before? Or was that box checked when they started doing Space Dye Vest?

The Best of Times.

Then there's the infamous Raw Dog

Btw, I wouldn't mind it at all if they played that one. It was MP's last official recorded performance with DT before he left after all.

I'm not going to join the rotating vs static setlists debate but what I'll say is that I'd rather see the band focus on the stuff that hasn't been played live with MM the past 13 years. Instead of doing PMU, TSCO, AIA, etc. for the billionth time, why not focus on some of the stuff that hasn't been played in over a decade? DT with MM played a little over half of the MP era catalog, so why don't they lean into the other half + MM era stuff that hasn't been played live + new material with MP? I know, fan favorites and all that, but there's still plenty of those that weren't performed with MM.

Oh yeah, Raw Dog. 

[ReaPsTA]

Raw Dog is good

[gzarruk]

Raw Dog is good

The DT instrumental, yes. The meat, I'm not so sure

I'm curious - are they any songs left from the MP era that has never been played live before? Or was that box checked when they started doing Space Dye Vest?

The Best of Times.

Then there's the infamous Raw Dog

Oh yeah, Raw Dog. 

To make the list a little bigger, yes The Best of Times and Raw Dog are the only MP era songs they haven't played live BUT there's also Don't Look Past Me, Space-Dye Vest and The Shattered Fortress that they never played live with MP.

[porcacultor]

I guess like, in a sense it's hard to know for certain. Maybe they go back to three hour shows with rotating setlists and an occasional appearance of the Canadian Rap and no one shows up or things get worse.

And it would, and quickly, lol. I wouldn't show up, that's for certain. I know I'm far from being the only one.

But the numbers are what they are and they tell a story. If people vote with their dollars, they're saying what they don't vote for. I'm not sure what the alternate narrative we're trying to derive from that is.

Voting with our dollars is exactly my point. And I believe that I speak for a cohort who would vote in the opposite direction.

As I also pointed out, there are other legacy bands who do not have rotating setlists, have a polished "production", and probably (oh heavens to betsey! 😱) even use a click. And the tickets keep selling.

I don't think that reverting to archaic methods of producing concerts from a time when today's modern production technologies didn't exist is necessarily the answer. Maybe all those who think it is should just stay home and enjoy their bootleg videos from 1993.

I don't think the band, however, will (or should) choose to live in the past. Who's to say whether the decision would've been made back in the early 2000's to use the technology that exists today had there been a choice? Perhaps so. I doubt seriously that a band like DT, who is by definition progressive, would simply choose to go backwards both artistically and technologically when so much of their progress has been established in embracing the future.

Let me ask you something, and it's not meant to be confrontational: have you ever seen footage from a complete MP-era concert? From any time, but let's say from the late 2000s.

Some of your posts seem to imply that you (and the subset of fans that got into the band during the Mangini era) would be apalled by the practices of the MP days. And I'm not so sure that neither MP was (or will be) that much of a boogeyman nor that they did things in a way that was as unprofessional (or at least as unpolished) as some of your posts suggest.

Of course, we're at pure conjecture phase before the band has even had the chance to get together and play, let alone make a new album or live concert. And you are more than entitled to vote with your dollars and refrain from supporting the band if you feel that they're not making you happy.

My point is perhaps it never was "that" bad, or bad at all. Definitely not an "archaic method of producing concerts".

EDIT: verbatim at the end.

[OpenYourEyes311]

I'm not going to join the rotating vs static setlists debate but what I'll say is that I'd rather see the band focus on the stuff that hasn't been played live with MM the past 13 years. Instead of doing PMU, TSCO, AIA, etc. for the billionth time, why not focus on some of the stuff that hasn't been played in over a decade? DT with MM played a little over half of the MP era catalog, so why don't they lean into the other half + MM era stuff that hasn't been played live + new material with MP? I know, fan favorites and all that, but there's still plenty of those that weren't performed with MM.

This. These are the songs never played with Mangini.

Status Seeker
The Killing Hand
Light Fuse and Get Away
The Ones Who Help to Set the Sun
Only a Matter of Time
Innocence Faded
Erotomania
Voices
New Millennium
You Not Me*
Hollow Years
Lines in the Sand
Take Away My Pain*
Just Let Me Breathe
Anna Lee*
The Glass Prison
Blind Faith
Misunderstood
Disappear
Overture
Goodnight Kiss
This Dying Soul
Honor Thy Father
Vacant
Stream of Consciousness
In the Name of God
The Answer Lies Within
I Walk Beside You
Never Enough
Sacrificed Sons
Octavarium
Repentance
Prophets of War
In the Presence of Enemies - Part II
A Rite of Passage
The Best of Times*
Surrender to Reason*
Room 137*
S2N*
Out of Reach*
Transcending Time*

Eve*
Raise the Knife
Where Are You Now*
The Way It Used to Be*
Cover My Eyes
Speak to Me
Raw Dog*
Viper King*

*Never played by Rudess/Portnoy version of the band either.

Obviously there's a lot here that they probably won't ever revisit (most of the ballads, a lot from WDADU and FII probably, B-Sides, maybe some harder to sing songs like Voices...), but there's a lot here that is gold. IMO, they should, and probably will, focus on the 2000's era. They only played 50% of it while Mangini was in the band and skipped songs like The Glass Prison, Sacrificed Sons, Octavarium, In the Name of God, Stream of Consciousness, Misunderstood, I Walk Beside You... Lots of good stuff there. Focus on that and the few songs from the Mangini Era that they didn't play yet, and I'd be a happy camper.

[WilliamMunny]

I guess like, in a sense it's hard to know for certain. Maybe they go back to three hour shows with rotating setlists and an occasional appearance of the Canadian Rap and no one shows up or things get worse.

And it would, and quickly, lol. I wouldn't show up, that's for certain. I know I'm far from being the only one.

But the numbers are what they are and they tell a story. If people vote with their dollars, they're saying what they don't vote for. I'm not sure what the alternate narrative we're trying to derive from that is.

Voting with our dollars is exactly my point. And I believe that I speak for a cohort who would vote in the opposite direction.

As I also pointed out, there are other legacy bands who do not have rotating setlists, have a polished "production", and probably (oh heavens to betsey! 😱) even use a click. And the tickets keep selling.

I don't think that reverting to archaic methods of producing concerts from a time when today's modern production technologies didn't exist is necessarily the answer. Maybe all those who think it is should just stay home and enjoy their bootleg videos from 1993.

I don't think the band, however, will (or should) choose to live in the past. Who's to say whether the decision would've been made back in the early 2000's to use the technology that exists today had there been a choice? Perhaps so. I doubt seriously that a band like DT, who is by definition progressive, would simply choose to go backwards both artistically and technologically when so much of their progress has been established in embracing the future.

Setting aside the (unintentional???) dig at 'people like me,' I will say this: I fully respect that everyone has a right to 'want' whatever they want. If that means a big, fancy 2023-production (whatever you think that entails), then so be it. I don't begrudge you and would never say 'you should just stay home and watch your Youtube video bootlegs'

Me, however, I'm all about the 'live'' experience. I just played a show on Saturday–sweaty club full of sweaty people...loud, intense, and full of mistakes. To me, there's nothing better.

It may seem archaic, but in my humble opinion, DT circa 2006 was a band at the peak of their powers. Anything that comes close to recreating that will be something I am happy to put my money behind.

[hefdaddy42]

I would be fine if they stay with static setlists, I guess, if they would just come off the click.

Which I assume they will, since, AFAIK, MP does not play to a click live in any of his other projects.  The only reason they ever did had nothing to do with the music; it's not like MM couldn't keep time without a click track.  It was done to tie the lights/production into the music in an automated manner.  And also to pipe in background vocals.

No need for piped in vocals anymore, with MP singing background vocals.  And they had cool production before the MM era, with lights personnel doing the light shows live with the band, instead of automated.

[Mosh]

Is there actual data behind the claim that DT has seen a decline in attendance? Because my personal experience has been the opposite. The pattern seems to be that when DT extends their album cycles for an additional leg (View From the Top 2023, the 2nd Astonishing US leg) it doesn't go very well. IMO DreamSonic had marketing problems and was maybe an ill-conceived concept, but I don't take it as an indication the band was in decline. They have clearly had to rely on nostalgia to market tours (playing I&W/SFAM in their entirety, heavy emphasis on Awake in 2014), but that's par for the course for a band about to hit 40 years. I don't really think bringing back rotating setlists or significantly changing the approach to the setlist at all is going to juice ticket sales in any way. I'm skeptical that MP being back is going to have a long term impact on ticket sales beyond maybe a small bump on the next tour.

I'm not going to join the rotating vs static setlists debate but what I'll say is that I'd rather see the band focus on the stuff that hasn't been played live with MM the past 13 years. Instead of doing PMU, TSCO, AIA, etc. for the billionth time, why not focus on some of the stuff that hasn't been played in over a decade? DT with MM played a little over half of the MP era catalog, so why don't they lean into the other half + MM era stuff that hasn't been played live + new material with MP? I know, fan favorites and all that, but there's still plenty of those that weren't performed with MM.

This. These are the songs never played with Mangini.
*list*

There is definitely a lot of gold here, would love to see a lot of these come back. One of my slight fears with the Portnoy reunion is that they're going to start fresh, meaning more emphasis on SFAM/Images and Words/Awake. In other words, pulling out deep cuts that were already given some time in the Mangini era. I hope they pull more from the list posted by OpenYourEyes, but I also fear that nobody is really keeping close track and the only one who would be conscious of it (Portnoy) isn't really paying attention to the last 13 years.

I would be fine if they stay with static setlists, I guess, if they would just come off the click.

Which I assume they will, since, AFAIK, MP does not play to a click live in any of his other projects.  The only reason they ever did had nothing to do with the music; it's not like MM couldn't keep time without a click track.  It was done to tie the lights/production into the music in an automated manner.  And also to pipe in background vocals.

No need for piped in vocals anymore, with MP singing background vocals.  And they had cool production before the MM era, with lights personnel doing the light shows live with the band, instead of automated.

Yes. i wonder if that is going to be a compromise. i.e. DT agrees to come off the click/backing tracks, but Portnoy agrees to let the band vote on the setlist in return. I also like the idea someone posted of letting the other 4 guys choose the pool of songs that Portnoy pulls from to write setlists.