DT to play the whole I&W in full next year!

[TAC]

I&W is one of the Top 3 Vocal Performances these ears have ever heard.

[red barchetta]

JLB is probably gonna feel pressured to sing the original notes. Hope common sense takes over, hate to see him injure his vocal cords again.

I've been thinking about that for some time since I heard an old live version of Another day a few months ago.  I don't think they have ever done it but they could possibly think of playing some songs in a lower key.  Rush has done it for many years now.  All of side one of 2112, Freewill and others have been played in a lower key.  Geddy can keep up with those songs, still he sings pretty high for his age and the songs sound very well for our ears.

[bosk1]

I agree both albums present their challenges, but TA was written with present day JLB's strengths and abilities in mind. IaW was not.

I wouldn't even say I&W was written with 1992 JLB's strengths and abilities in mind.    They basically wrote what they wrote.  But at that stage in their development, they had not yet really put much effort into figuring out how to construct vocals in a way to help out the singer.  Another Day and Take the Time both have extended passages that are close to impossible for just about any singer to pull off live, not only in terms of range, but also in terms of power and breathing space.  And Metropolis is tricky as well just before the instrumental break. 

[BlobVanDam]

I agree both albums present their challenges, but TA was written with present day JLB's strengths and abilities in mind. IaW was not.

I wouldn't even say I&W was written with 1992 JLB's strengths and abilities in mind.    They basically wrote what they wrote.  But at that stage in their development, they had not yet really put much effort into figuring out how to construct vocals in a way to help out the singer.  Another Day and Take the Time both have extended passages that are close to impossible for just about any singer to pull off live, not only in terms of range, but also in terms of power and breathing space.  And Metropolis is tricky as well just before the instrumental break. 

Very true! They were lucky to hire such an insane vocalist who could pull it off so well, but even 1992 JLB wasn't infallible live either.

[hefdaddy42]

I agree both albums present their challenges, but TA was written with present day JLB's strengths and abilities in mind. IaW was not.

I wouldn't even say I&W was written with 1992 JLB's strengths and abilities in mind.    They basically wrote what they wrote.  But at that stage in their development, they had not yet really put much effort into figuring out how to construct vocals in a way to help out the singer.  Another Day and Take the Time both have extended passages that are close to impossible for just about any singer to pull off live, not only in terms of range, but also in terms of power and breathing space.  And Metropolis is tricky as well just before the instrumental break.

I agree.

Not as a comparison to JLB by any stretch, but I can sing most of the stuff he sings with DT.  But those parts you mention in Another Day and Take the Time both almost make me pass out/rupture internal organs.

[OpenYourEyes311]

This would be more exciting if they hadn't already done it for the 15th anniversary.

Yes, and the 15th was also a Europe only thing as well. Maybe they'll realize this and bring it Stateside!

(I/we won't shut up about this until we have definitive answers one way or another)

[bosk1]

Well, for right now at least, it has only been announced for Europe.  So I wouldn't expect it to be for the U.S. as well unless and until we hear otherwise.

[robin5749]

can we call this be kind to james tour, very excited about it but don't want to hear him straining again, he still has a beautiful middle range and occasional high but not the whole gig.

[MirrorMask]

Any guesses about if Images and Words will start the show, or will be saved for the second set? they probably should start with it to let James go through the songs with a fresher voice...

[?]

Any guesses about if Images and Words will start the show, or will be saved for the second set? they probably should start with it to let James go through the songs with a fresher voice...

I hope they'll do it in the second set - when they kicked off last year's anniversary set with Afterlife, Metropolis and Caught in a Web, James' performance was pretty rough, at least in the Wacken stream and the Helsinki show I attended. On the other hand, when they played all those Awake songs in the second set on Along for the Ride tour, he nailed them, so I'd argue that it takes some time for his voice to warm up.

I also agree with those hoping for downtuning - even if James could hit those notes in the original keys, transposing would lessen the strain on his voice and help him preserve it.

[CrimsonSunrise]

One of my only DT bucket list items is to see ACOS in it's entirety live.  Seen them a dozen times, but never ACOS   Like some have mentioned, it would seem a fitting finale for an I&W's show.

[bosk1]

I wouldn't rule that out.

[nikatapi]

Any guesses about if Images and Words will start the show, or will be saved for the second set? they probably should start with it to let James go through the songs with a fresher voice...

My guess:

1st Set: Best of spanning the whole discography
2nd Set: I&W
encore: ACOS

[gzarruk]

Any guesses about if Images and Words will start the show, or will be saved for the second set? they probably should start with it to let James go through the songs with a fresher voice...

My guess:

1st Set: Best of spanning the whole discography
2nd Set: I&W
encore: ACOS

That would be amazing!

If we count all songs from that era, do you think they could play Eve, TLF and DLPM as well?


Also, I think they should, at least, add a couple instrumentals to the set, so James can rest his voice a little more during the show.

[MirrorMask]

Any guesses about if Images and Words will start the show, or will be saved for the second set? they probably should start with it to let James go through the songs with a fresher voice...

My guess:

1st Set: Best of spanning the whole discography
2nd Set: I&W
encore: ACOS

Where do I have to sign for this?

[Dublagent66]

Would be awesome but very difficult to nail down that 1st set and still stay within the time limit depending on song length.

[Thematt202]

Meh.  I'm gutted that there's not gonna be a proper UK tour for The Astonishing.  Very sad that I'll probably never get to experience the show live.

Huh? The first show of the tour was London!

Yup.  One venue in London isn't exactly a UK tour though is it?

[bosk1]

Any guesses about if Images and Words will start the show, or will be saved for the second set? they probably should start with it to let James go through the songs with a fresher voice...

My guess:

1st Set: Best of spanning the whole discography
2nd Set: I&W
encore: ACOS

If I had to guess, I would say that probably isn't too far off.  Except that I think the "1st set" will probably be about half TA songs.  But that is purely a guess.

[hefdaddy42]

Meh.  I'm gutted that there's not gonna be a proper UK tour for The Astonishing.  Very sad that I'll probably never get to experience the show live.

Huh? The first show of the tour was London!

Yup.  One venue in London isn't exactly a UK tour though is it?

They never do a UK tour.  They do a European tour.

[TAC]

It's an EU tour. They're skipping England.




























Sorry.

[RaiseTheKnife]

Good chance To Live Forever might finds its way into the setlist.

[TAC]

Good chance To Live Forever might finds its way into the setlist.

And Don't Look Past Me.

[bosk1]

Good chance To Live Forever might finds its way into the setlist.

And Don't Look Past Me.

Nobody is.  They were just throwing out song suggestions.  Calm down.

[TAC]

Good chance To Live Forever might finds its way into the setlist.

And Don't Look Past Me.

Nobody is.  They were just throwing out song suggestions.  Calm down.

Sure, I'll calm down. It's only a matter of time.

[bosk1]

On an unrelated note, at the job I started last year, we get regular emails from our Technical Assistance Center.  Several times a day, I have momentary confusion as I see emails from "TAC" pop up on my screen, often when I am on DTF. 

[hefdaddy42]

TAC doesn't know how to email.

[erwinrafael]

This would be more exciting if they hadn't already done it for the 15th anniversary.

Well, they did not play any song from it in the last two album tours, so this would be a treat to many fans.

[TAC]

TAC doesn't know how to email.

So true!

[RaiseTheKnife]

Good chance To Live Forever might finds its way into the setlist.

And Don't Look Past Me.

That would truly be a special anniversary.  Unlikely, but awesome!

[Darkstarshades]

This would be more exciting if they hadn't already done it for the 15th anniversary.

I didn't know about DT's existence 10 years ago, neither did many fans. Awesome by me.

[Madman Shepherd]

Very smart business move. They have to be aware of the mixed reaction to TA, especially with ticket sales not that great overall lately, so instead of taking time off and then doing the next album, in which some of those fans could slowly slip away from them, they are doing this, which will get a lot of those fans back into the fold right away.  Very smart.

I hate to say it because I've been one of MM-Era DT's biggest supporters and ADTOE is my all time favorite DT record, but if they didn't put this Astonishing stuff to rest, they may have done irreversible damage to my fandom.  I absolutely had no desire to see them.  I actually left halfway through The Astonishing show I saw.  I really am not that excited for any new DT material. 

This announcement does have me excited though and I am not even really a fan of playing albums in their entirety.  I would much rather have a badass setlist of varieties but hey, I&W is a great album (not their best) but it is definitely worth another three hour trip and 70 dollar ticket. 

As far LaBrie's performance...Anothery Day on the Happy Holidays album only had a line or two where he altered the melody and I'll be damned if that isn't my favorite performance of that song.  We'll see but hey, at least they caught my interest again. 

[Prog Snob]

Good chance To Live Forever might finds its way into the setlist.

And Don't Look Past Me.

Nobody is.  They were just throwing out song suggestions.  Calm down.

Sure, I'll calm down. It's only a matter of time.

Sure, it's always all about You, Not Me.

[Evai]

Y'know, Take The Time might sound the best it's ever sounded live, since James can back himself up in the chorus now.

[sfam2112]

Very smart business move. They have to be aware of the mixed reaction to TA, especially with ticket sales not that great overall lately, so instead of taking time off and then doing the next album, in which some of those fans could slowly slip away from them, they are doing this, which will get a lot of those fans back into the fold right away.  Very smart.

Dream Theater presents The Apology Live!

(sorry) 

[devieira73]

Looks like the time for my 1st post on the forum has come. I've been following the threads for a while, but never decided to post untill now.


Don't know if any of you guys saw this, but Mangini tweeted about transcribing two monster songs for the 2017 tour, and I'm pretty sure that "monster" refers to long/epic songs. I first thought about ACOS and/or Octavarium, but now they've confirmed the IAW tour, i'm almost sure they'll play ACOS.


I'll leave the link to his tweet here: https://twitter.com/ManginiMike/status/798421746638618624

Maybe it will costs too much time in the setlist, but if MM is talking about 2 "monster" tracks, I think that probably these are 2 songs on the 20 minutes (or more) mark. And MM already transcribed TCoT. So, maybe ACoS (I guess it's a safe bet) and...Octavarium or ITPoE or ... A Mind Beside Itself or... 6Degress

Or maybe the second monster track could be around 15 minute mark, which leaves open to a lot of "small epics" not played by MM, like Voices, Lines in the Sand, Home or ITNoG. We'll see.