The "A View from the Top of the World tour is awesome!" thread (spoilers)

[faizoff]

That's super cool of MP and James to acknowledge each other. Very cool of MP to be there.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

The show I saw was indeed superb. The band sounds amazing and there are no signs of slowing down amongst anyone-- everyone is firing on all cylinders. James started off rough with the Alien, but sounded good for the remainder of the show. The rest of the band was virtually flawless and also showed great energy.

As a guitar nerd, I must say that JP's tone is insanely godly. Arch Echo provided the context for how good his sound truly is. Their lead guitarist, who is a great player, was inaudible at some points in his solos-- the notes were indistinguishable from each other and just buried under the noise of the other instruments. On the other hand, you could hear every single note JP played and his lead sound rang throughout the venue like sonic ecstasy. Even when he played the 8 string, it sounded crystal clear in the mix and not muddy at all. I realize this is the difference between thousands of dollars worth of gear (not to mention decades of experience doing shows and tweaking your sound) and not, but the difference was so stark.

Sort of an interesting setlist. There were no solo performances, no ballads, no intermission, and the songs seemed to sit on the longer and heavier side of the DT spectrum, with a few exceptions. I was not in love with the song selection because they omitted 2 very strong tunes from DT15 and one good song, which appears to be everyone's favorite. and instead they played 6:00, Endless Sacrifice, and Bridges in the Sky, all of which they've already played in the MM era. Bridges is one of my favorite DT songs so I was happy to experience it again but I would have preferred to hear ATC, TT, SG, or any number of songs they've never played live in the MM era.

Overall, it was a great, if not quick-feeling, evening.

[devieira73]

That's super cool of MP and James to acknowledge each other. Very cool of MP to be there.

Tonight's show in NYC was great. The entire band was on point, including James. There was even a special guest in the crowd tonight: Mike Portnoy.

Really glad to know that this happened!!

[crystalstars17]

Tonight's show in NYC was great. The entire band was on point, including James.

I'm literally counting the hours now til tonight    Fourth time for me, and first concert since 2019. So excited for the setlist.

[cramx3]

Tonight's show in NYC was great. The entire band was on point, including James.

I'm literally counting the hours now til tonight    Fourth time for me, and first concert since 2019. So excited for the setlist.

Leaving my house in about an hour to drive up to CT 

[Architeuthis]

So cool on Mike Portnoy's part to attend this show.  I hope he really enjoyed hearing their new material,  I'd like to hear his take on it..   

[faizoff]

Found this on Reddit



And with a little bit of more searching found an article with more pictures


https://metalinjection.net/news/mike-portnoy-attended-dream-theaters-show-last-night-got-a-shout-out-from-the-stage

[Kram]

A show-goer on Twitter mentioned that James gave Mike a shoutout and Mike saluted back.

WOW!  That's awesome to hear.

[Ben_Jamin]

Nice of him to be there supporting the guys.

Probably interested, like many of us were/are, to see Mangini drum Dream Theater songs on a small kit.

I wonder if he sang along to some of the songs, or just sat there taking it all in, like how the guy next to me was just standing there taking it all in and clapping after the song.


Upon reflecting the show, man feels like a long time since I saw the first show, the best part of the set for me was the transition from About to Crash into The Ministry of Lost Souls. I love when random songs transition or crossfade into another, and when the ending to ATC was coming up, I was thinking "where would they go from this?", Then my eyes lit up when I heard TMOLS banging intro, I was all...."That was perfect"...

[Kocak]

I remember a comment of his in the vein of never having attended a DT show before. Well, now he has.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Nice of him to be there supporting the guys.

Probably interested, like many of us were/are, to see Mangini drum Dream Theater songs on a small kit.

I wonder if he sang along to some of the songs, or just sat there taking it all in, like how the guy next to me was just standing there taking it all in and clapping after the song.


Upon reflecting the show, man feels like a long time since I saw the first show, the best part of the set for me was the transition from About to Crash into The Ministry of Lost Souls. I love when random songs transition or crossfade into another, and when the ending to ATC was coming up, I was thinking "where would they go from this?", Then my eyes lit up when I heard TMOLS banging intro, I was all...."That was perfect"...

Yeah that transition was perfect. This is also my favorite encore I've seen from them. Yes that includes A Change of Seasons. The Count of Tuscany is arguably the most satisfying sounding closer they have, and I got to cross another big favorite of mine off the live list with them playing it.

[The Letter M]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=506157400878936&id=100044540401846

Mike took pics with every band member except Myung.

-Marc.

[425]

MP just added in a comment: "PS - Of course I spent time w John Myung as well...(in fact went to the show with his family), we just didn't snap a pic"

[MirrorMask]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=506157400878936&id=100044540401846

Mike took pics with every band member except Myung.

-Marc.

The photo of James and him together is probably the first good thing happened in 2022 so far!

[SeRoX]

I expected James would welcome Mike during the concert because no matter what James is a class act human but taking photo with Mike? I didn't expect that and James has every right not to talk with him again. But that's super cool that him and Mike united after 10-11 years. A quick small chat and a photo just made me smile. Hope their relationship grows nicely after that because no matter what deep down inside I want reunion concert at least once for the near future. 

[MirrorMask]

Frankly, I don't really care for a reunion (not in a bad way, as in "MP stay the phuck away from DT", I'm just happy with the band as it is), but I do want James and Mike to patch it up and be on good personal terms again. I hope this is a stepping stone for that. I mean, they're growing older, it's been 10 years, there's been a pandemic (and still there is) and now there's war, it is so important that 10-15 years ago MP complained about James' performance? time to bury the hatchet, life could end tomorrow and sadly it's not anymore a way of saying.

[faizoff]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=506157400878936&id=100044540401846

Mike took pics with every band member except Myung.

-Marc.

That's so cool. MPs caption about attending his 1st Dream Theater show is hilarious

[Trav86]

Delete. Portnoy's comment pretty much stated what I said.

[nobloodyname]

That photo of Mike and James

So happy for both of them.

[hefdaddy42]

I am SO HAPPY.

[goo-goo]

That photo of Mike and James

So happy for both of them.

Finally

[TAC]

I'm actually happier to see the pic of MP and MM.

[darkshade]

I'm actually happier to see the pic of MP and MM.

*Imagines what DT16 would be like with both drummers*

[gzarruk]

I'm actually happier to see the pic of MP and MM.

Yes

[emtee]

That photo of Mike and James

So happy for both of them.

Finally

Amen!

[cramx3]

That is awesome, and what mirrormask said. 

[Trav86]

Frankly, I don't really care for a reunion (not in a bad way, as in "MP stay the phuck away from DT", I'm just happy with the band as it is), but I do want James and Mike to patch it up and be on good personal terms again. I hope this is a stepping stone for that. I mean, they're growing older, it's been 10 years, there's been a pandemic (and still there is) and now there's war, it is so important that 10-15 years ago MP complained about James' performance? time to bury the hatchet, life could end tomorrow and sadly it's not anymore a way of saying.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[425]

Video of James's shoutout to MP has been posted on reddit. The audio quality isn't that great, but you can hear a lot of what he says.

[TAC]

It just keeps loading. It's not playing.

[425]

Hmm. Does this link work any better for you?

[TAC]

Hmm. Does this link work any better for you?

Nope.

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

You aren't missing too much. James pointed out MP was in the crowd, most people turned around and clapped, a lot of people threw up phones and snapped pics/videos of MP, the show proceeded. It was a quick cordial gesture but I wouldn't read much into it. At most, it appears the hatchet is buried based on the backstage picture and caption.

[MirrorMask]

Exactly, as someone else said, the public shoutout during the show was kinda "mandatory", it's a concert, MP is there, everyone will recognize him, it was kinda a given that the frontman "had" to call for him. The backstage pic was not necessary and it shows  that, at the very least, they finally talked.

[Stadler]

So, there was a lot "right" about Saturday night, I have to tell you.

TAC was right; the ending of AVFTTOTW is WAY better live.  I really enjoyed that.

vmadera was right; his seats were AWESOME.

I was right; as James goes, so goes Dream Theater.

A couple other posters were right; James has been ON FIRE lately. I thought he was amazing Saturday, and it really elevated the show. 

The band was really tight; not a lot of "adventure" or "danger", but it's not that kind of show, so it's not a negative thing to say. 

That was a really good experience for me (including meeting up with some old and new friends before the show). 

[MinistroRaven]