Ayreon/Arjen Lucassen Thread (Star Three on the way)

[MoraWintersoul]

I always thought James LaBrie might be too big for something like this, I was a little surprised they got him for Ayreon, but come to think of it, he's always said he'd be interested in doing Broadway, hasn't he? In retrospect, yeah, of course he went for it! It's theatrical, very different to his usual gigs, but a completely logical progression. And he gets to take the lead role.

I thought he was simply too busy to do this, not too big - he's done small club shows for his solo project and said he was looking forward to doing more of them before the Static Impulse tour fell through. I think he'll do fabulously.

[Cyclopssss]

He needs to do another live on Earth. I want some more of that cheesy goodness.

Not very likely. Arjen has professed time and again how much he hates touring/performing live. It's just not his thing. Also, it needs to be stressed that although it's his music that's being performed, Arjen himself is not putting this production together. He has said on FB that he'll be in the audience with a whole box of Kleenex.....

[Ben_Jamin]

He needs to do another live on Earth. I want some more of that cheesy goodness.

Not very likely. Arjen has professed time and again how much he hates touring/performing live. It's just not his thing. Also, it needs to be stressed that although it's his music that's being performed, Arjen himself is not putting this production together. He has said on FB that he'll be in the audience with a whole box of Kleenex.....

That explains him not playing the role of The Best Friend.

[Nihil-Morari]

He needs to do another live on Earth. I want some more of that cheesy goodness.

Not very likely. Arjen has professed time and again how much he hates touring/performing live. It's just not his thing. Also, it needs to be stressed that although it's his music that's being performed, Arjen himself is not putting this production together. He has said on FB that he'll be in the audience with a whole box of Kleenex.....

That explains him not playing the role of The Best Friend.

The guy who does the Best Friend part however is a Dutch hiphop star, who is loudly stating his love for DT and other prog in the media. I knew him as a hiphop singer, but this makes him a hundred times as awesome.

[Evermind]

Well, he played some human guy in 01011001, so that's probably the main reason he's got involved in this project.

[Ben_Jamin]

He needs to do another live on Earth. I want some more of that cheesy goodness.

Not very likely. Arjen has professed time and again how much he hates touring/performing live. It's just not his thing. Also, it needs to be stressed that although it's his music that's being performed, Arjen himself is not putting this production together. He has said on FB that he'll be in the audience with a whole box of Kleenex.....

That explains him not playing the role of The Best Friend.

The guy who does the Best Friend part however is a Dutch hiphop star, who is loudly stating his love for DT and other prog in the media. I knew him as a hiphop singer, but this makes him a hundred times as awesome.

He sang on 01....and sang the beginning of Day 2 on the making of dvd. Arjen cracked up. I look foward to his performance.

[PixelDream]

He needs to do another live on Earth. I want some more of that cheesy goodness.

Not very likely. Arjen has professed time and again how much he hates touring/performing live. It's just not his thing. Also, it needs to be stressed that although it's his music that's being performed, Arjen himself is not putting this production together. He has said on FB that he'll be in the audience with a whole box of Kleenex.....

That explains him not playing the role of The Best Friend.

The guy who does the Best Friend part however is a Dutch hiphop star, who is loudly stating his love for DT and other prog in the media. I knew him as a hiphop singer, but this makes him a hundred times as awesome.

He even did a cover of A Nightmare to Remember if I recall correctly.

[Cordez]

He even did a cover of A Nightmare to Remember if I recall correctly.

Indeed! https://soundcloud.com/wudstik-1/wudstik-covers-dts-nightmare

[Nihil-Morari]

Cool!

[Onno]

That cover was pretty cool! I hope I can get some tickets for The Theater Experience

[Nefarius]

I'm usually not very interested in travelling pretty much anywhere but I caught myself seriously considering a trip to .nl next year.
Well, let's see how this will unfold.

Greetings...
Nef

[ErHaO]

Wudstik is very good, he is a perfect fit for an Ayreon live show.

He needs to do another live on Earth. I want some more of that cheesy goodness.

Not very likely. Arjen has professed time and again how much he hates touring/performing live. It's just not his thing. Also, it needs to be stressed that although it's his music that's being performed, Arjen himself is not putting this production together. He has said on FB that he'll be in the audience with a whole box of Kleenex.....

He also stated that he likes the idea of Theory of Everyting live, so you never know (somewhere in a yt reply).

[robwebster]

I always thought James LaBrie might be too big for something like this, I was a little surprised they got him for Ayreon, but come to think of it, he's always said he'd be interested in doing Broadway, hasn't he? In retrospect, yeah, of course he went for it! It's theatrical, very different to his usual gigs, but a completely logical progression. And he gets to take the lead role.

I thought he was simply too busy to do this, not too big - he's done small club shows for his solo project and said he was looking forward to doing more of them before the Static Impulse tour fell through. I think he'll do fabulously.

Well - there's different kinds of "bigness." He's not Metallica, but Dream Theater have built up a bit of a brand, I did wonder if he might have been slightly outside the budget of a little indie theatre project in the Netherlands! Not necessarily, though, he had a blast with THE, and he's interested in doing musical theatre, so it's something he might do for the love of it. Schedule is the main thing, though, absolutely, and I suppose that's part of the reason they're planning so far in advance - block it out now and it's more likely to be free.

Either way, I think it's a very savvy choice. The way to make your costs back on this is absolutely to make it unmissable. It's the difference between a tribute act and a supergroup. Until lately, I thought, "Hey, that's neat," but the second they announced JLB, I decided I'm coming in from the UK... I think this might well work for them!

[Nihil-Morari]

I'm usually not very interested in travelling pretty much anywhere but I caught myself seriously considering a trip to .nl next year.
Well, let's see how this will unfold.

Greetings...
Nef

It's still unsure where it'll be, but if it's gonne be somewhere around where I live, you're more than welcome to come hang and listen to good music!

[JRundquist]

Flyer of the upcoming Theater series of Shows:

[Cyclopssss]

Well, just sent in my audition for the 'Epic Rock Choir'. Fingers crossed!! 

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

That's pretty cool man. I will hold my thumbs firmly. 

[Dr. DTVT]

No Nicky Spaanjaards?  Not interested.   

[Lolzeez]

No Nicky Spaanjaards?  Not interested.   

Also,my dutch friend is going and I want to kill him.

[Cyclopssss]

Well, didn´t make the cut, but here´s a video of the auditions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ydPQIF6D0&hd=1

[Onno]

Too bad you didn't make it, but damn, awesome video. I hope there are still tickets for this.

[Cruithne]

Well, didn´t make the cut, but here´s a video of the auditions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4ydPQIF6D0&hd=1

That's a shame Cool video though.

Btw, am I imagining it or is the chap at the end doing grunts? Kinda looks and sounds like it 

[Cyclopssss]

Yes, there was grunting in that song.

[Ben_Jamin]

I figured this deserves a spot here





Also, Arjens favorite Lacuna Coil song is my favorite as well.

[Zook]

Had a tiny chat with Arjen on Facebook recommending some Iced Earth, but more specifically pimping Barlow, Ripper and Stu. 

[MoraWintersoul]

I actually expected to see some of them in Ayreons already, imagine how cool it would be if he got all three for the next one

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Spun Victims Of The Modern Age today. Man I really love that album. There's so many awesome vocal moments. Arjen knows how to push the right buttons, he's shown that before and this is no exception.
The intro to Digital Rain including Down The Rabbit Hole is just totally rad! That Organ and drum fill!  and the guitar sound just slays! To bad I don't really enjoy the rest of the song that much.

Top 3
#1 It All Ends Here
Best track on the album, there's just so many powerful vocal moments.

Highlights: Russell 6:32-7:35

#2 As The Crow Dies
Takes the number two spot because of the vocals and for just being a really good song.

#3 Closer To The Stars
Tony fuckin Martin! What a voice, had no idea to be honest.

Highlights: 3:40

(#4) Human See, Human Do
Just a fun track, love it!

Highlights: 3:38 Joost and Garys solos

This was really hard actually, there's so many great tracks with great moments on this album. It's a real grower.

[jingle.boy]

Probably my 2nd fav Arjen album.  Though, I can't stand It All Ends Here - I probably skip it 80% of the time.  Cassandra Complex and Human See, Human Do are where it's at for me.  Damian's performance in 24 hours is freakin amazing too.  That three track run is as good as any in my library.

[abydos]

Human See, Human Do is amazing, especially Joost's work. Even more so towards the final part, at 4:37. That shit is so fucking brutal.

[Ben_Jamin]

The Theory of Everything is amazingly awesome. I have it split by phases, with my favorite being Phase 3. The story flows like a movie with no real choruses.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Probably my 2nd fav Arjen album.  Though, I can't stand It All Ends Here - I probably skip it 80% of the time.  Cassandra Complex and Human See, Human Do are where it's at for me.  Damian's performance in 24 hours is freakin amazing too.  That three track run is as good as any in my library.

Interesting, any particular reason why? I guess the slow tempo could be a factor of it being a bit tough to bear but for me that just makes it heavy and powerful. Love the heavy riff at 4:50.

Human See, Human Do is amazing, especially Joost's work. Even more so towards the final part, at 4:37. That shit is so fucking brutal.

Yea the ending is awesome with the guitar riff being more and more heavy from 4:39 and Dans growls being added.

The Theory of Everything is amazingly awesome. I have it split by phases, with my favorite being Phase 3. The story flows like a movie with no real choruses.

I agree, he really nails the flow in phase III, love track 1 and 2. Have to highlight The Breakthrough from phase IV though, I just love the vocal work with the high screams followed by The Note, man Tommys voice is pure ear candy.

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, the pace, the tones of the guitar, and I just don't enjoy the vocal melodies. Dem's tastes for ya!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I have recently decided that Into The Electric Castle is my favorite Ayreon record.

And Tunnel Of Light is making strong competition for one of my favorite Ayreon songs.

[Bolsters]

I have recently decided that Into The Electric Castle is my favorite Ayreon record.

I can get behind this.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

I have recently decided that Into The Electric Castle is my favorite Ayreon record.

This is the correct choice.