Dream Theater Latin America 2010 |
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Dellinger
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: June 18 2009 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 12732 |
Topic: Dream Theater Latin America 2010 Posted: March 08 2010 at 22:26 |
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I just saw Dream Theater at Mexico City last night (March 7th 2010), and oh boy, what a great concert that was. It was not as perfect as I might have wished, but almost. The band Bigelf from USA opened the concert, which was nice, though I didn't know them and so couldn't enjoy so much the music... and it seems not many people in the audience knew them either. Now, something I guess didn't help them is that the concert was schedueled at 7:00, but they started playing at 6:30, and so not even half the auditorium had arrived, and even though they were cheered at the end of each song, there certainly wasn't much enthusiasm for their performance: nobody would stand for them, and even a few rude people could be heard saying they should leave so Dream Theater would come in. Now, for one of their songs Mike Portnoy entered the stage to play drums for Bigelf (and poor guys, during this song most people stood up and cheered a lot and so on): now I must say, Portnoy on drums made a really big difference on their sound, while before they had sounded a bit messy, now their sound was much better (perhaps they would benefit from getting a new better drummer?)
However, the real fun indeed began with Dream Theater. The audience was in an uproar when they came in, the Auditorium full. During all the concert the audience would sing with the band and it was clear they were enjoying the concert... as well as Dream Theater themselves seemed really happy about the response they were having; it all really added to the experience. Now, the performance ofcourse was flawless, and all those somewhat annoying extended solos made only to show how fast they can play are as a matter of fact really fun to watch in the concert. Now, one of my regrets is they didn't play The Mirror, which they had been playing regularly last year, nor did they play As I Am, both of which I would have loved to hear... but then, they played Pull Me Under, which I didn't expect as was very good... except when they decided to cut the last solo from the song and begin Metropolis (in a Meddley fashion), but not the whole of this song, it started at the point when the solo begins, and so they only sang the final part of the song... oh well, I would much rather have heard both songs complete (I have never liked medleys, I prefer whole song, but ofcourse if I'm going to a DT concert I already know it's more than likely they'll play some Medley). Now, the Setlist was: - A Nightmare to Remember. - A Rite of Passage. - Hollow Years. - Keyboard solo. - Prophets of War. - Wither. - The Dance of Eternity. - One Last Time. - In the Name of God. - Pull me Under / Metropolis. Encore: - The Count of Tuscany. For me, the best was Nightmare to Remember, Count of Tuscany, Pull me Under, then Rite of Passage, and then Prophets of War and One Last Time. However, the very Highlight for me was In the Name of God. However, the downside is the sound was really bad: too loud and distorted, specially the guitar, and it would be hard to say how good LaBrie's performance was too because of this, his voice wouldn't be loud enough in the mix, but distorted all the same, and often I would hear the audience singing instead of LaBrie, but then the audience singing sounded really cool anyway. So, I wonder if any one else from Latin America will be attending other concerts from this tour, it would be nice to read how about them. |
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jampa17
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 04 2009 Location: Guatemala Status: Offline Points: 6802 |
Posted: March 09 2010 at 09:55 | |
My God... Dellinger, do you know how I envy you right now...? there was a producer trying to bring them down here to Guatemala at the end of this tour leg, but they have to choose between Megadeth or DT... which was stupid because MD are way more popular and are a metal band, so they chose MD (especially after the success of Metallica this past weekend) and at least I have fun on Metallica and will have as well in Megadeth in may, but it's a shame they didn't make it for this tourleg... but well... the hope is still there...
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Catcher10
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: December 23 2009 Location: Emerald City Status: Offline Points: 17847 |
Posted: March 09 2010 at 09:56 | |
Seems like a short setlist, 10-11 songs.
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Dellinger
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: June 18 2009 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 12732 |
Posted: March 09 2010 at 21:08 | |
Yes, ofcourse I wish they had played more songs, but in the end, there was a 16 min song, a 14 min song, and a 19 minut song, plus the extended solos. It was about 2 hours, which is very decent.
Hope you get lucky soon enough Jampa, Dream Theater are a really cool band live. Metallica also came to Mexico, but indeed I prefered to go to see DT, so much more music that I like. I still have a bit of a regret for not going to see Metallica... but not too much. |
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Catcher10
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: December 23 2009 Location: Emerald City Status: Offline Points: 17847 |
Posted: March 10 2010 at 11:18 | |
I will be seeing DT with Iron Maiden in June here in Washington state.
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jampa17
Prog Reviewer Joined: July 04 2009 Location: Guatemala Status: Offline Points: 6802 |
Posted: March 10 2010 at 11:23 | |
In the words of Lindsay Lohan: "shut up!" I have it clear that you will see both in june... d*mn...!!!
Thanks Dellinger... I know someday I will go to see them... I just hope it could be next year or sooner...
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Catcher10
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: December 23 2009 Location: Emerald City Status: Offline Points: 17847 |
Posted: March 10 2010 at 14:02 | |
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Vaize
Forum Groupie Joined: January 13 2005 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 55 |
Posted: March 29 2010 at 20:54 | |
We had the same bands performing in Rio in March 19...
I will not write a review about the concert here, but as "an image says more than a thousand words", please have a look at two samples I uploaded in Youtube. - Bigelf Live in Rio - Neuropsychopathic Eye - Dream Theater Live in Rio 2010 - A Rite of Passage (I´ll post short versions of other Dream Theater songs later, the site is limited to 10 min...) |
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daisy
Forum Newbie Joined: June 01 2010 Location: U.S.A Status: Offline Points: 3 |
Posted: June 03 2010 at 22:50 | |
This is great information provides here on dream theater latin America 2010 . I have no more knowledge about this before read here . Informative information .
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moshkito
Forum Senior Member Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 17524 |
Posted: June 26 2010 at 09:32 | |
Hi,
Dream Theater in Portland, OR on June 21, 2010
Considering that the opening band considered itself "prog" and were so cardboard and conventional that it almost made me want to leave the building, with a singer that couldn't even stand up straight, and sing with a conviction that was any better than merely picking up the girls ... the anticipation was that DT would show these kiddies what it is all about.
They did.
But, sadly, Portland is not a very good place for music, other than rock'n'roll and too much of the music that came through the speakers was guitar and drums, and the rest of the band, might as well take a break and just mail in the stuff!
It is totally beyond me, why a band like Dream Theater allows amateurs to ruin their music, specially when you can barely hear or make out anything that James is singing, or just about anything that Jordan was playing with the exception of some small solos here and there.
It's pathetic, stupid and demeaning to what "music" is and means!
And it needs to stop!
In the middle of all that, John was playing massive bass, on his 6 String Basses, and it is simply too bad that you could only pick it up on a CD ... never in concert. It just seems like a massive waste, since he is excellent contrast to John and his massive guitar playing, which we never miss!
All in all, Mike was Mike, and in general, I think that he is an ok drummer, but is still way too dependent on his snare drum, in music that wants a little bit more than just a time beat. With musicianship this good, the last thing that Mike needs to be is a simple time keeper, but sadly ... is all he does otherwise, and I tend to consider it subpar when it comes to "progressive" music anywhere in the world. Considering his experience, this is not acceptable, even the drum setup is massive, and obviously rich enough to sound good, but not portentous enough to make him better ... it's still about the person behind it all!
All in all, it was a good show. It's pretty obvious that Jordan has everything down and setup on his laptop, but if my name was Jordan I would force the keyboards also to show up someday!
What you get in these types of concerts is a second rate band that can only do guitar and drums with a little note here and there for keyboards, and one note here or there for the bass ... and I'm sorry ... that is not the Dream Theater I know and like to listen to! That band is a group of well rehearsed and talented musicians that are playing something, but ... it's hard to figure out what ... in a concert like this!
All this might sound nice on the sound board, but a band like this should know there is an audience out there ... so if they only came for the guitar and drums they got a fabulous show ... too bad that the others can't be heard, or understood.
While I still like and appreciate this band, the lack of concern for the fidelity and quality of the output of their sound is a major disappointment and something that will hurt them in the future. You either stand up for your music and make it shine, or die playing Chuck Berry!
Great concert, but disappointing ... you know John is playing something ... that you will never hear, unless you get the CD ... same for Jordan ... and that is sad, bad, and totally disappointing. Dream Theater is not about one person, and never was ... it's about its musical totality, and for this show ... it was missing courtesy of the world's worst mix'ologists in the business.
Dream Theater take note ... you're hurting your music more than you care to learn of find out. Edited by moshkito - June 26 2010 at 10:10 |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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Dellinger
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: June 18 2009 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 12732 |
Posted: July 05 2010 at 22:28 | |
^ As I said in my post, there was about the same problem in Mexico too, the sound was too bad. Here it was only LaBrie whom was a bit lower in the mix, but the sound in general was too loud and distorted, specially the guitars. The concert was wholly saved by the audience, which was fantastic and had such energy and enthusiasm during the concert (and the band ofcourse played superbly, but ofcourse the sound quality wouldn't allow the playing to be enjoyed as it should). I had thought this was a problem of the venue, but it seems it might just as well be a problem of the band that they haven't taken seriously enough. I really hope they will fix it for further tours, because I would really like to see them again, but with good sound.
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Catcher10
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: December 23 2009 Location: Emerald City Status: Offline Points: 17847 |
Posted: July 06 2010 at 09:46 | |
I did not go to the Portland show..kinda wish I had but I could not make the trip on Monday night to Portland from Seattle, then go to see them again on Tuesday night with Iron Maiden.
I have to say I did speak with a few folks that went to the Portland show and it was a small venue, only about 1500 people I heard, so more of a club atmosphere, which is too small for a band like DT, their sound is too big.
The following night at White River Amphitheater in Auburn, WA......Dream Theater sounded very good, Jordan's keys were coming out pretty good but in general it was hard to hear his playing. Now they played a much shorter set and not many keyboard songs, probably the only one was on Home where you heard Jordan very well.
Petrucci and Myung sound very good.
I would have loved to hear them play 2 hours on the big stage/sound system of White River.....maybe they will come back next year...but I doubt it, not a big DT following here in Seattle.
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moshkito
Forum Senior Member Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 17524 |
Posted: July 09 2010 at 18:54 | |
Hi,
I've pretty much given up on Portland doing good music. The last band I got to see that sounded really good, was Tangerine Dream in 1986 at the Arlene Schnitzler Hall, and the reason why is because not a single moron is going to touch their sound system ... that simple!
Even Gong did not escape this a whole lot, but they cleaned it up from the 1 st tour to the 2nd one, after I had been critical of it to Michael (he later played the bass in University of Errors), and specifically said we should not allow only one thing to be heard and to make sure we could make out Didier and whatever keyboards Steffi was going to do. It wasn't great, but it was ok, though you would never know Pip was drumming, but his style was very background'ish!
On their next tour, with Pierre on the drums, it was a different band and the totality of the sound had power, depth and a wonderful bottom end. I remember Mike making a comment during the warm up where I got many pictures and he was asking if it sounded "too bassy" ... to which I replied "what would rock music sound like without the bassy part" ... and he liked the comment and agreed. No. He sounded just fine. I don't think you can make a Fender Precision sound too bassy ever! And Michael made sure that everyone was on even keel ... it was ... excellent.
Since then?
Not a single good concert in Portland, and this includes Ozric Tentacles, Todd Rungren, DT twice, Queensryche, and some others. Roger Waters sounded ok, but also sounded really small compared to before! Edited by moshkito - July 09 2010 at 18:56 |
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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WalterDigsTunes
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 11 2007 Location: SanDiegoTijuana Status: Offline Points: 4373 |
Posted: July 09 2010 at 18:59 | |
Ah yes, Portland. One of Latin America's most charismatic and cheerful cities.
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Ronnie Pilgrim
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 09 2010 Location: The South of TX Status: Offline Points: 771 |
Posted: July 09 2010 at 19:44 | |
You slay me.
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Vaize
Forum Groupie Joined: January 13 2005 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 55 |
Posted: July 17 2010 at 09:29 | |
I was not at the Portland show, but I have the best memory of the Rio's performance of DT...
Maybe because I was in a better position, not too near the stage and in an upper centered mezzanino, I found the sound superb, every instrument perfectly clear and with propper volume. Maybe it can also be due to the hypnotic effect of listening to Dream Theater live for the first time... Little problems here or there, but nothing to reduce my evaluation. That show was 10... A+... |
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Dellinger
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: June 18 2009 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 12732 |
Posted: July 17 2010 at 21:28 | |
Good to find someone who attended the same concert. I had gone to the previous tour concert in Mexico, and I enjoyed this one much better. Indeed this time I was in the stage floor, the first time I was in the upper level too. I remember it had been too loud and a bit distorted too, but perhaps it didn't bother me as much as this last concert. Sure enough you'll want to see them live when they come again... I know I will.
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moshkito
Forum Senior Member Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 17524 |
Posted: July 20 2010 at 19:40 | |
Hi,
No more DT for me though. I don't need to see 2nd rate bands anymore.
I saw Pink Floyd many times, and their sound was superb ... and did not bury the keyboards in the next city block. I just don't think that DT has it anymore, and am starting to think that they are over rated all around. A serious band that takes pride and joy in their work, would ... very simply ... not allow this to happen to their music ... doesn't matter if Petrucci wants to be louder than Deep Purple or Leon Russell ... you either have respect for your music or it's over!
I may be way too critical here ... but the very best ... NEVER ... EVER ... sacrificed that which made them! It's all really simple in the end ... and DT is not showing it.
Too bad!
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Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
www.pedrosena.com |
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Garion81
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2004 Location: So Cal, USA Status: Offline Points: 4338 |
Posted: July 21 2010 at 12:34 | |
Moshkito
What was the name of the opening band? Sorry you get raw deals in Portland. The only places most prog bands play on the west coast is SF and LA and that is only because each city has a prog friendly promoter. |
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"What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
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Vaize
Forum Groupie Joined: January 13 2005 Location: Brazil Status: Offline Points: 55 |
Posted: July 21 2010 at 12:46 | |
Too bad I didn´t see Pink Floyd anytime to compare, but for sure I would like to see Dream Theater again and again...
What is the point of pushing DT down with such comparition? It brings me memories of what was made in the past with Beatles x Stones, Genesis x Yes... But what for? Useless compare oranges x apples, RR x VW or whathever other unmatching couples. I prefer to say what I like in a band, keeping for myself the best moments only. Defects and mistakes are not good to be remembered... |
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