Quote from: nobloodyname on February 07, 2025, 10:54:32 PMDelighted you're all having the same reaction as most of us did in Europe and South America!

Yeah, lovely sentiment. In a world so divided and with many economical, climatic and political threats around, we still have music to unite us 

Now it's your turn on the other side of the pond to relive songs not heard in a long time and enjoy the super energetic enthusiasm that reverberates at these gigs!!!!

Not the biggest fan of TDEN, but live will be awesome and far better (IMO) than Constant Motion/As I Am.  As many others have stated, just psyched to see vacant/SoC and Octavarium still in the set.  Love the add of Midnight Messiah, as well That was the first single to grab me immediately and (along with pretty much everything on the new album) will be awesome live!  Early reviews of Philly have looked overwhelmingly positive, 3/14 cannot get here fast enough

Quote from: jimgolf on February 08, 2025, 12:44:43 AMI think so. When the intro tape was playing either the lasers or various lights were shining across the backdrop (and it looked really cool).

Yeah, that's it. It does look cool, huh?

I'm looking forward to getting to New York now. Would be good to see The Dark Eternal Night, having seen Constant Motion on this tour already. That's if they don't happen to swap it out for A Rite of Passage or the other one that was mentioned. Argh! Forgotten what the other song was!

A very colorful Dark Eternal Night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwt_zxldUYo

Really, the visuals of this tour are truly incredible! Also I'm very happy that they brought back the N.A.D.S. videoclip from the SC tour, it's classic.

I'll just echo what was already said...wow, what a great show.
The band sounded great, the visuals were spectacular, and the crowd was amazing.  The venue was really stunning but the merch line was crazy.  There were no bags which I wish I knew before I spent like a drunken sailor.
I can't wait for NYC but Philly really brought it last night.
10/10 would recommend!!

I'm amazed by James' performance. He sounds even better than Europe tour. Midnight Messiah is a bit rough but it'll get better by time, I belive.

Can anyone show what the shirts looked like??

Quote from: nobloodyname on February 08, 2025, 03:50:11 AMYeah, that's it. It does look cool, huh?

I'm looking forward to getting to New York now. Would be good to see The Dark Eternal Night, having seen Constant Motion on this tour already. That's if they don't happen to swap it out for A Rite of Passage or the other one that was mentioned. Argh! Forgotten what the other song was!

I thought the other song that was shown in the tour hype video was "Midnight Messiah". There's supposedly still another song that hasn't been played on over 20 years, but to my knowledge it hasn't been named yet.

Now that I've heard Midnight Messiah a few more times (I only listened to it once when it initially dropped a few weeks ago), it makes sense that with the addition of it to the set list now that they dropped As I Am; the verses in the two songs are extremely similar.

Constant Motion, for me, was the only weak spot in an otherwise stellar set list from last year, so seeing it dropped for almost anything is a good thing.  The Dark Eternal Night is all kinds of fun live as well, so good choice.

Swapping in A Rite of Passage at any point would be a major ick, though.

hoping to see the tour in toronto if things line up! would be happy with these setlist changes even if i'm not a *huge* fan of TDEN.

i feel like the odd one out in that i really like 'rite', though i find it overstays its length and the solo section isn't super interesting. i'd normally welcome it but i feared they'd swap it in the place of 'home' - glad they didn't!

I wouldn't be so mad if they swapped out Spirit and Panic for almost anything.

Quote from: Adami on February 08, 2025, 06:50:13 AMI wouldn't be so mad if they swapped out Spirit and Panic for almost anything.

same, actually. but sometimes people suggest dropping other big hits (PMU) and i'm like... the all-time classic that got me into the band? please keep it!

Quote from: three__days on February 08, 2025, 07:01:13 AMsame, actually. but sometimes people suggest dropping other big hits (PMU) and i'm like... the all-time classic that got me into the band? please keep it!

Yea it makes sense to keep it for this tour since there's gotta be so many more people that haven't seen the band a ton of times. For some of us it's gotta be our "most seen" song though, so we can dream lol

Quote from: devieira73 on February 08, 2025, 04:49:05 AMA very colorful Dark Eternal Night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wwt_zxldUYo

Really, the visuals of this tour are truly incredible! Also I'm very happy that they brought back the N.A.D.S. videoclip from the SC tour, it's classic.

I loved Mangini and was mostly satisfied with the band's output during that period. But one of my biggest issues during those years was how the band never strayed from the tempo or the arrangements of the studio recordings of songs. I am THRILLED to see how many songs they've immediately sped up even by a bit for the tour, also adding in the classic little things they used to do (like that circusy-sounding bit after the first chorus of UAGM). Those changes brought back so much personality to the stage and the shows feel so much more organic and LIVE. I've never seen the band with MP and I am so excited to finally witness the classic DT experience!!

Quote from: three__days on February 08, 2025, 07:01:13 AMsame, actually. but sometimes people suggest dropping other big hits (PMU) and i'm like... the all-time classic that got me into the band? please keep it!

Yeah, if there's one song that should not be dropped for a 40th anniversary tour, that's the one. If people really don't want to hear it, they can leave a little early or just wait for the next tour when it will be much less likely to show up. 

My only disappointment of the whole day yesterday was the merch line. I had money to spend but the line must have had 500 people in it. It snaked up 2 flights of stairs and all the way across the venue. I've never seen anything like it in 40 years of going to concerts, and I was bummed going home empty-handed.
I wonder if they will offer this merchandise online?

Quote from: frogprog on February 08, 2025, 08:33:57 AMMy only disappointment of the whole day yesterday was the merch line. I had money to spend but the line must have had 500 people in it. It snaked up 2 flights of stairs and all the way across the venue. I've never seen anything like it in 40 years of going to concerts, and I was bummed going home empty-handed.
I wonder if they will offer this merchandise online?

Yeah, this is what happened to me. Wound up buying a bootleg tour shirt for $20 outside. Pretty cheap print, but at least I have a token now. I wasn't even in a rush to get out of the venue or anything, but that line was just too crazy for me.

I think the merch table at the Met always sucks, but this is something I've noticed at shows recently as merch becomes more popular. Shows are getting more expensive these days and so you're filtering out the people just happy to be there and attracting those who've got a higher threshold of disposable income. Lots of people go to show fully intending to buy one of everything.

Anyone get a pic of the merch? Curious if its the same as Europe. I would kill for multiple colors of the tie-dye shirt they did

Quote from: frogprog on February 08, 2025, 08:33:57 AMMy only disappointment of the whole day yesterday was the merch line. I had money to spend but the line must have had 500 people in it. It snaked up 2 flights of stairs and all the way across the venue. I've never seen anything like it in 40 years of going to concerts, and I was bummed going home empty-handed.
I wonder if they will offer this merchandise online?

Another thing about the merch...
If the shirts run small, note it next to the outrageous price.  I got an XL soccer jersey and it's an L if that

Found a post on Reddit for merch:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/s/EeU1fKVtLt

Quote from: Awaken on February 08, 2025, 09:26:18 AMFound a post on Reddit for merch:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/s/EeU1fKVtLt

Thank you! Same as previous legs

Bosk (or Hef), how about moving this thread to the Shows And Concerts section?

Great show

Quote from: Awaken on February 08, 2025, 09:26:18 AMFound a post on Reddit for merch:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/s/EeU1fKVtLt

Thank you so much for the post!

Quote from: Max Kuehnau on February 08, 2025, 09:47:10 AMBosk (or Hef), how about moving this thread to the Shows And Concerts section?

I think it's fine right here.

Makes it easier to toggle between the tour and the Parasomnia threads.

ok then, never mind. Carry on

Quote from: Max Kuehnau on February 08, 2025, 12:40:18 PMok then, never mind. Carry on

I was just offering a counter. Whatever the mods want to do is fine.

On the way to the Raleigh pre-show meetup. 

Quote from: hefdaddy42 on February 08, 2025, 01:00:29 PMOn the way to the Raleigh pre-show meetup.

I'm finishing my hotel beer and on the way myself

Finally not only home, but spent the day replacing my hot water heater, since it broke right before heading to Philly... time to edit.  I see blabbermouth shared my video.

https://blabbermouth.net/news/watch-dream-theater-kicks-off-north-american-leg-of-40th-anniversary-tour-in-philadelphia

ReaperKK, skydivingninja, and The Silent Ham in the house!

Several great vids available and JLB has made huge progress. Band sounds great too!

One song in at Raleigh but James is actually killing it

I'm a bit surprised people aren't thrilled at seeing Dark Eternal Night live. My section went crazy when the riff started. I've seen the song twice live with Mangini, and this is the first time I've seen it live with Portnoy - and it's easily the superior version.

There's nothing Mangini did wrong exactly, but Portnoy just has such a great feel for the song and his backing vocals make the song sound extra badass. Plus, the NADS video was hilarious 

Paying attention to see if any songs rotate. Not disappointed either way as it's a killer setlist.