Dream Theater's Stage Performance?

[icysk8r]

I think Portnoy, LaBrie, and Rudess have a pretty good stage presence.

[zmazar]

I've always thought that they put on an amazing show.  I don't think there's anything plain or boring about them at all.  They put a lot of effort in every night, and if the crowd responds they feed off of it even more.  I'm never worried about being disappointed when going to see them live.

[Bombardana]

Jordan moves around more than any other keyboardist I can think of, Labrie has great stage presence, and Portnoy is always playing around. It is Myung and Petrucci who move around the least, and I can almost forgive that of Myung considering how he generally acts the rest of the time. So in short, the only member I feel should be more active and performing on stage is John Petrucci. Every so often I come across a live video of Myung and Petrucci riffing side by side and I wonder why they don't do that more often.

[2Timer]

I'm okay with JP's performance as long as he keeps making those funny faces during his leads.

[Quadrochosis]

I don't know if it's been said yet but I know that MP doesn't throw sticks anymore because someone fell off a tier trying to catch one once and got hurt.

[Adami]

I don't know if it's been said yet but I know that MP doesn't throw sticks anymore because someone fell off a tier trying to catch one once and got hurt.

If you're talking about the St. Louis show, which I almost went to, I think it was a drum head.

[Chagny]

I'm seeing DT in June with Maiden, so it'll be the most black-and-white thing visually.
We'll have DT just standing there, blowing minds.
Then after that we'll have Maiden running the fuck around and blowing minds.

[Darkes7]

I think DT are keeping a very good balance between being spectacular and just focusing on the music. They don't just stand there, they move, James is a very good frontman, JP is mostly focused on playing but he also seems rather energetic, moves around and seems to be in a sort of telepathic contact with the audience , JM is rather quiet and focused but that's the way he usually is, Jordan is DEFINITELY someone who really manages to create a little show with what he does, and Mike is also a very energetic drummer and it's really fun to look at him playing.

It's not Rammstein, they don't have fireworks and stuff, but for a band on this level of instrumental complexity, they're doing really well that way. Just like musically, live they are also kind of balanced between prog (the "meditative" approach and focus on music) and metal (energy). Seen them three times, and that's the impression I've always had.

[Martinman300]

Stage presence win:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHqoyZtSK-s&feature=related

[LCArenas]

Stage presence win:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHqoyZtSK-s&feature=related

My argument has been destroyed by a single video.

[hefdaddy42]

Stage presence win:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHqoyZtSK-s&feature=related

Not crazy about the song, but that was pretty rockin'.

[TAC]

I thought of this old thread while watching DT Saturday night.
I decided to go back and reread my original post..

I've seen a lot of concerts in my life and without question the 2 best live bands I've ever seen are Iron Maiden and Dream Theater.
Dream Theater is a "band" first and foremost. They are not "rock stars" in the Motley Crue sense. They come out and play, and do it better than anyone else.
You go to Dream Theater shows expecting to hear music performed, not to bounce a f##king beachball through the crowd.

While I sat out 2000-2004, I've been seeing DT since 1992 and they have ALWAYS delivered. Only once I had the impression that they were "somewhere else" (Boston 3/30/06), but even the boot of that show still proves that it was an amazing performance.

All things already said are true..MP seems like he's having a party all by himself, JM is very reserved but precise but also very enjoyable to watch, JR is very cool (DT had no greater statue than Kevin Moore).
JLB and JP both really seem to feed off the audience, and I think you can say that about the whole band in general. JLB is NOT Bruce Dickinson..never will be, but I've never had a problem with him on stage. I'm sure it's not easy being the vocalist for this band. I thought it was a tough proposition back in 92.

Dream Theater's Evening With shows are Zepplinesque and the fact that they basically play their entire catalog is quite impressive. I believe the fine art of playing and performing, and holding (my) attention throughout IS the very definition of Stage Presence.

While I still believe everything I wrote, there surely was a fun factor present in Worcester that has been missing from most DT shows. Not that the others weren't fun..I mean, I've maintained that they are a great live band, but this past show felt like a party instead of a concert.

[rumborak]

The only thing I would say is missing in DT's stage presence is "personability". I always feel there is somewhat of an invisible wall between us and them.

rumborak

[TL]

The only thing I would say is missing in DT's stage presence is "personability". I always feel there is somewhat of an invisible wall between us and them.

rumborak

They need that invisible wall to protect the fans when JP goes into killzone mode.

I will say, it really feels like they've improved their stage presence in the past couple years. They were always a great live band, but it really seems like they've kicked it up a notch lately. The show I was at in Montreal back in August last year had a really fun vibe to it.

[Global Laziness]

You go to Dream Theater shows expecting to hear music performed, not to bounce a f##king beachball through the crowd.

Hahaha that definitely happened at the Ottawa show. Not that that was the reason I went there (obviously), but we definitely had a couple floating around. And, as someone else already started a thread about, John Myung even got into it.

[Seventh Son]

I dunno, bouncing a beachball during a concert sounds pretty kickass to me! 

[LTE]

I saw them on Prog Nation last year in Boston, and they were perfect playing-wise but they pretty much kept to themselves. I saw them the 10th in Worcester at the Palladium, and you could tell in the small club setting, they loved it! Great energy, looser playing in a good way, they had a ton of fun.

[TAC]

I saw them on Prog Nation last year in Boston, and they were perfect playing-wise but they pretty much kept to themselves. I saw them the 10th in Worcester at the Palladium, and you could tell in the small club setting, they loved it! Great energy, looser playing in a good way, they had a ton of fun.

Last year in Boston, I'm not sure JP even looked up at the crowd.

[Global Laziness]

I saw them on Prog Nation last year in Boston, and they were perfect playing-wise but they pretty much kept to themselves. I saw them the 10th in Worcester at the Palladium, and you could tell in the small club setting, they loved it! Great energy, looser playing in a good way, they had a ton of fun.

Last year in Boston, I'm not sure JP even looked up at the crowd.

Wow, really? He couldn't stop looking at us in Ottawa, making manly/bearly faces all the while. I'm pretty sure I made eye contact with him a couple of times, to be honest.

[Dublagent66]

- LaBrie has shown lots of energy on stage.  He's always been a great frontman for DT and an outstanding talent.

- I've always admired Petrucci for his composure.  He doesn't jump around all over the place and why would he?  It's the one's who can't play who jump all over the place.  JP doesn't need to because his playing is all the "show" he needs.  He connects with the audience just fine with his facial expressions and outstanding musical ability.

- Myung is…well you know.  He is the way he is and people except that about him.  He’s a man of few words and a great bass guitar player.  What else is there to say?

- Rudess is a great showman without overdoing it.  He spins his keyboard around, uses body English and facial expressions to interact with the crowd while being an amazing musician.

- Portnoy is one of a kind.  Aside from being one of the best drummers in the world; he gives the most back to his fans than any other musician I’ve ever known.  He is also a great showman and the backbone of DT.

Overall, DT delivers and the fan’s reactions are proof of that.

[nightmare_cinema]

Um... Portnoy is one of the greatest showmen I've ever seen. Seriously, he stands up, he sits down, he throws his sticks around, he spits, he makes faces and shouts stuff at the audience, he's freakin' amazing and all that from behind the tether of a drumkit. Every single time I've seen DT live, his passion and enthusiasm and talent has been so visible it's given me spine tingles. He's incredible.

LaBrie doesn't seem particularly natural but he puts the effort in, as for the other guys I don't expect anything from Myung, Rudess always seems awesome and like he does the best he can while being stuck to a keyboard (and is good with the keytar) and I'm too busy watching Petrucci's hands to really notice what else he's doing. They're not the greatest band for putting on an amazing 'show' but I love watching them more than any other band out there.

[Seventh Son]

- I've always admired Petrucci for his composure.  He doesn't jump around all over the place and why would he?  It's the one's who can't play who jump all over the place.  JP doesn't need to because his playing is all the "show" he needs.  He connects with the audience just fine with his facial expressions and outstanding musical ability.

Comments like these are why people bash prog fans. There's nothing wrong with jumping up and down on stage. Every note does not need to be played perfectly for it to be enjoyable. Its nice to see the band into it, that's all.

[bosk1]

He never said there was anything wrong with jumping up and down on stage.  People bash prog fans because people is ignorant.

[Seventh Son]

He never said there was anything wrong with jumping up and down on stage.  People bash prog fans because people is ignorant.

He said the ones that jump all over the place can't play.

[bosk1]

No, he said the ones who can't play are the ones who jump around.  Although those two points sound similar, they mean quite different things.  And besides, it's called hyperbole.  He was making a generalization, not making a blanket assertion of fact.

[ZBomber]

I saw them on Prog Nation last year in Boston, and they were perfect playing-wise but they pretty much kept to themselves. I saw them the 10th in Worcester at the Palladium, and you could tell in the small club setting, they loved it! Great energy, looser playing in a good way, they had a ton of fun.

Last year in Boston, I'm not sure JP even looked up at the crowd.

Of the 115 pictures I took at that show, JP is looking up in one of them. One.

[TAC]

I saw them on Prog Nation last year in Boston, and they were perfect playing-wise but they pretty much kept to themselves. I saw them the 10th in Worcester at the Palladium, and you could tell in the small club setting, they loved it! Great energy, looser playing in a good way, they had a ton of fun.

Last year in Boston, I'm not sure JP even looked up at the crowd.

Of the 115 pictures I took at that show, JP is looking up in one of them. One.

Yeah, I wasn't complaining. At the '07 show at The Pavillion, he was much more animated to the crowd. Last year, he was really focused on his instrument and gear. We were front row dead center and he just didn't look happy..perhaps with his sound or something.

[setrataeso]

At Bluesfest, they were pretty animated. The 4 four guys were working hard to entertain the Maiden fans, and JM just did his thing.

[hefdaddy42]

- I've always admired Petrucci for his composure.  He doesn't jump around all over the place and why would he?  It's the one's who can't play who jump all over the place.  JP doesn't need to because his playing is all the "show" he needs.  He connects with the audience just fine with his facial expressions and outstanding musical ability.

Comments like these are why people bash prog fans. There's nothing wrong with jumping up and down on stage. Every note does not need to be played perfectly for it to be enjoyable. Its nice to see the band into it, that's all.

DT's music lends itself to a bit of precision.  If Petrucci started to jump around all over the place, he would screw up a LOT.  It would also be fake as hell, since it obviously isn't in his nature to do it.

If I want to see a sloppy-ass metal band jumping around all over the place, I would go see one - I I wouldn't go see DT.

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

JP used to jump a lot when he was young, and there was no mistake in his playing. Well of course age is a factor, but I don't think JP can't manage to move around while playing songs like, Root of All Evil or The Mirror (relatively easy).

So I think it's more of a personality factor.

[hefdaddy42]

He's bulkier now.

[Adami]

Anyone else notice that when JR isn't playing for a minute or so he stands there and snaps his fingers to the beat?

I always lol at that. Imagine if any other member of any other metal band stood there and snapped their fingers to the beat anytime they had a minute.

[BRGM]

Now that JMX (What does the X stand for?! :S) has kicked a beach ball, they all got great stage presence.

[ScioPath]

The X stands for everything and nothing. Remember that.

[BRGM]

hmm, interesting...John Myung XTREME!!!