DREAM THEATER - Europe leg of the 40th Anniversary Tour 2024-2025

[MinistroRaven]

From their Twitter account:

We are excited to announce the Europe leg of our 40th Anniversary Tour 2024-2025. This tour is going to be incredibly special for all of us! More info on dates, venues and how to get tickets at https://dreamtheater.net/tour

[Stadler]

Well, that's certainly news. 

Lovely that symbology for albums across the entire era of the band are prominent.

[SwedishGoose]

November 8th in Stockholm..... let's go!

[MinistroRaven]

What has me most excited is the return to the AEW format.

[OpenYourEyes311]

Very exciting that they're doing the 40th Anniversary tour! I for sure thought there would be one tour before that. An Evening With is always the way to go with DT!!

[Zydar]

Nice!

But what does that mean for the release date of the new album? Will they hold off the release until after this anniversary tour and then do the "proper" new album tour?

[nobloodyname]

Two things: 1) the O2 in London is massive. That's a Maiden/Metallica venue. DT historically haven't even been to fill Wembley Arena without it being half closed off. The promoter sure is taking a gamble on MP being back and it being a 40th anniversary show, and 2) I hope London will remain MP's first show back because while tickets will be pricey, it'll save me from flying to a more exotic part of the world for his return

[efx]

Are any of the tickets on sale yet? I only tried the Stockholm show but nothing is listed.

[Kocak]

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/dream-theater-album-tour-interview-1234998171/

DT whole band interview. Hadn't seen something like this in a while...

How does the band feel different with Mike back? Has he changed? Have you all changed?
Portnoy: I've changed a lot since I left in 2010. Back then, I was a control freak. I was very obsessive and controlling over a lot of elements. But everything I've done over the last 13 years outside of Dream Theater taught me how to be more of a team player. I've had all these experiences playing with these 87 other bands all these years, and each one of those bands has a different chemistry, different dynamic, different personalities. I think that's helped me grow as a person. For me, [returning] is almost like a learning process of how to fit in with this new chemistry. It's like, after 40 years, I'm the new guy.

Petrucci: We definitely had the hard conversation like, "OK, this isn't the same band you left. Things are run differently." It took us a few years to regroup and figure things out, and we got to a point where we're a really well-oiled machine. But Mike has been great. He's way more chill. [Turns to Portnoy]. You even say some things that are kind of funny, like, "If I'm allowed to do this." You don't have to be that careful, but I appreciate it. I feel like it's very respectful on his part. It's like a reset.

Myung: There's a maturity everybody has. It involves having more patience and just being more mellow and appreciating each other and what we bring. We keep talking about the group dynamic, what it takes to have a bunch of guys together and have it really work and move forward. We just feel that those elements are there to make a great album and to enjoy being together, and to enter this next phase with some real grace.

I'm glad that MP isn't a control freak now. Better dynamics.

[MirrorMask]

Excellent news, I'll be waiting for them in Milan! 

[Mladen]

Budapest looks like a fine option to me. 

[devieira73]

Let's hope they'll do this tour like the Octavarium tour, that was also the XX anniversary tour: one song per album (including MM albums), some b-side and a lot of the new album. The Evening With format is always great! BTW they named the tour XXXX because of the cool artwork? But isn't it should be XL?

[Mladen]

Given the average Dream Theater song length, there's no way every album is featured in the set list. 

[zerogravityfat]

Cool, time to hope for some good new tunes.

[EvantheMotel6Owmer]

Really happy to see Evening With make a return. I've always found DT shines in that format.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

Incredible news!! I knew JLB still had it and will be able to CRUSH these long form shows! Be ready to be WOW'd!!!!!

[devieira73]

Given the average Dream Theater song length, there's no way every album is featured in the set list. 

Let's see... 15 songs from previous albums = 8 minute average lenght + 40 minutes for the new album. It IS possible!

[MirrorMask]

Given the average Dream Theater song length, there's no way every album is featured in the set list. 

Also, 15 albums is kinda a drag to go through. I mean, I'd still watch it, but back with Octavarium you had 8 albums to go through, now the setlist would feel like a checklist: here's the 9th album.... here's the 10th album.... still five to go.... it kills the surprise of what's coming next, and if you want to hear a certain song and they skip it for that specific album, there, it's gone.

Ready to eat my words but I think these kind of chronological setlists should be done when the albums in a discography are not that many.

[PMSummer]

Super stoked about the Europe tour announcement! Thinking of hitting up one of the Scandinavian shows to catch Portnoy in action. Sure, I'm a bit worried about the concert length and James's performance, but hey, that won't stop me from having an awesome time!

[emtee]

Great news. Wondering if London will be the very 1st reunion show or if they will play any gigs in the US before that. That 1st show-no matter where it is-has to be recorded. It will be something very special.

[devieira73]

Also, 15 albums is kinda a drag to go through. I mean, I'd still watch it, but back with Octavarium you had 8 albums to go through, now the setlist would feel like a checklist: here's the 9th album.... here's the 10th album.... still five to go.... it kills the surprise of what's coming next, and if you want to hear a certain song and they skip it for that specific album, there, it's gone.

Ready to eat my words but I think these kind of chronological setlists should be done when the albums in a discography are not that many.

I think it would work much better without any obligation of chronological order. But I see your point, if some song of a particular album is played, then that album is done in the show.

[devieira73]

Loved this one:

"John Myung: It was a collective moment of certainty.

Petrucci: That sounds like an album title. [All laugh]."

[OpenYourEyes311]

I can't find anything representing WDaDU, ADTOE, or AVFTTOTW on that poster. Also, what's on the top of the very front X? I can't tell what that is. Helpppp

EDIT: It's the clown!! JLB posted a version on FB that's easier to see.

[Setlist Scotty]

Also, 15 albums is kinda a drag to go through. I mean, I'd still watch it, but back with Octavarium you had 8 albums to go through, now the setlist would feel like a checklist: here's the 9th album.... here's the 10th album.... still five to go.... it kills the surprise of what's coming next, and if you want to hear a certain song and they skip it for that specific album, there, it's gone.

Ready to eat my words but I think these kind of chronological setlists should be done when the albums in a discography are not that many.

They might do it like Rush did on the R40 tour - there could be a few albums that get skipped from show to show, depending on how much the setlist rotates from night to night (that RS interview gives the impression there won't be as much rotation as in tours past). I could also see them doing a reverse chronological setlist like Rush did for the R40 just to change it up; after all, the 20th Anniversary tour featured setlists in chronological order as did the brief 30th Anniversary tour they did through Europe in 2015. So to do the same thing again might feel predictable. Or they might just do a typical random assortment setlist as Rush did for the R30 tour. That said, given that it is being branded an anniversary tour and not one merely in support of their new album, I tend to think the setlist will have a chronological element to it.

That all said, I can't foresee them doing the 12SS on this tour, unless it was done in medley form, and since JP's anti-medley schmedley, probably not. Then again, doing the whole thing in medley form would be a great way to perform it in condensed form, banging out 5 albums from their catalog and leaving more room for everything else.

As for if the London show will be the first one, my guess is yes, judging by MP's final comment in that RS interview. Additionally, if they would do warmup shows, I would expect them to be done through Europe in the summer to hit the festivals; so it wouldn't make sense for them to go back to Europe a few months later for the proper tour.

[DAYAFTERDAY]

I'm extremely excited for this, even moreso for the fact that the very first show will be in London. However one thing I did notice is that this is a very gruelling schedule for James. Not only is it an evening with, but they are doing 3 nights in a row twice during the November run. Unless he's worked with an incredible vocal coach that has shown him how to preserve his voice better, those third shows will be hardgoing for both him and the audience.

[Buddyhunter1]

I can't find anything representing WDaDU, ADTOE, or AVFTTOTW on that poster. Also, what's on the top of the very front X? I can't tell what that is. Helpppp

That's the ADTOE clown, I can't find anything for WDADU or View either though.

Exciting news, though I'm a little bummed this means there probably won't be any American shows until 2025!

[devieira73]

This is interesting, maybe answering some questions here:

"Mike, are there songs from the Mangini albums they made without you that you'd like to play live?
Petrucci: I don't think he knows any of them. [All laugh].
Portnoy: One of the things we discussed with me coming back was about set lists for future tours. And John and the guys were open to me taking the reins back [in making them]. But with that came the discussion: what are we going to do with all the stuff from the last 13 years?
Petrucci: Yeah, you need to research.
Portnoy: I need to dive into those albums and do my research and learn these songs in order because obviously everything has to be represented. I am not going to speak for these guys, but I don't think they want those five albums just erased from the history of the band.
Petrucci: No, absolutely not. Especially not the Grammy Award-winning ["The Alien"]. Did I just say that?
Portnoy: Geez.
LaBrie: The irony in that is I don't want to play that song."

(Why, James?!)
Good to see MP still thinking as a fan inside the band!

[RoeDent]

They keep moving the anniversary earlier and earlier. Score tour was 05-06, not 04-05.

[Trav]

That's the ADTOE clown, I can't find anything for WDADU or View either though.

Exciting news, though I'm a little bummed this means there probably won't be any American shows until 2025!

I agree, but at the same time I'm glad that they're taking their time with all of this. They didn't immediately rush into a tour, they didn't go throw an album together in a couple of weeks. I think they're doing it right.

[BRGM]

That's the ADTOE clown, I can't find anything for WDADU or View either though.

Neither can I, however, there's a face in the "Awake clock" that I can't seem to connect to any cover art of theirs, am I missing something or is it a hint of the DT16 artwork? 🤔

[Azyiu]

The first show is London and it is a Sunday! I will be there!  I wonder where they may be playing at this time. 

[Trav]

They keep moving the anniversary earlier and earlier. Score tour was 05-06, not 04-05.

It's a celebration of their upcoming 40th anniversary.

[OpenYourEyes311]

That all said, I can't foresee them doing the 12SS on this tour, unless it was done in medley form, and since JP's anti-medley schmedley, probably not. Then again, doing the whole thing in medley form would be a great way to perform it in condensed form, banging out 5 albums from their catalog and leaving more room for everything else.

I can't see them knocking out 5 out of the 6 (now 7) albums that this "classic" lineup has on a medley, or even on the whole Suite. My guess is if it ever happens, it won't be on this tour.

I do agree with you that a good way to do this would be to copy Rush's R40 tour. I loved that backwards chronology of the setlist they did, and it will give them a good reason to finally end a show with Only a Matter of Time! (selfish want )

[James Mypetgiress]

Can anyone give me a hand understanding what pre-sale is or how it works lol... I put my email address in for the London date and it said something about pre-sale not guaranteeing tickets. Is it a select number of seats go up for pre-sale and beyond that you have to wait until when the main sale goes live?

Beyond stoked for this

[MirrorMask]

They might do it like Rush did on the R40 tour - there could be a few albums that get skipped from show to show, depending on how much the setlist rotates from night to night (that RS interview gives the impression there won't be as much rotation as in tours past). I could also see them doing a reverse chronological setlist like Rush did for the R40 just to change it up; after all, the 20th Anniversary tour featured setlists in chronological order as did the brief 30th Anniversary tour they did through Europe in 2015. So to do the same thing again might feel predictable. Or they might just do a typical random assortment setlist as Rush did for the R30 tour. That said, given that it is being branded an anniversary tour and not one merely in support of their new album, I tend to think the setlist will have a chronological element to it.

All nice points!

Also, I don't want to be disrespectful to the debut album, but WDADU kinda kills the chronological thing, either in order or backwards. Imagine that Images and Words is their first album -  you either start with Metropolis or end with Learning to Live or Pull Me Under. There are great songs on WDADU but starting with Afterlife (like they actually did in 2015) or closing with Only a Matter of Time just isn't that strong, especially with the big shadow of Images and Words looming over it.