Dream Theater

In less controversial news: Mike Portnoy is premiering the 12 Step Suite in its entirety tonight.

Seems pretty anticlimactic really. They spent 8 years and 5 albums writing the suite, only for it to finally be played live 7 years later and with an MP solo project, not DT. Probably won't be filmed and there doesn't seem to be any buzz around the event.
 
They haven't started yet, but some people who are there are reporting that they see gear from Eric Gillette (guitarist for Neal Morse Band), Diego Tejaida (keyboards for Haken), and Connor Green (bass for Haken). No idea who's singing, but right now I'm betting on Daniel Gildenlow from Pain of Salvation. Could also be the Haken singer.

Not a bad lineup. No surprises either really. Gildenlow is a great singer (assuming it's him), kinda similar to JLB but better and more versatile. Eric Gillette is basically a Petrucci clone, he even plays a Petrucci model guitar. The Haken guys are also great and, again, expected. I was actually half expecting him to do it with just Haken.
 
Also reported that Tony Levin is there, so maybe they'll do some Liquid Tension Experiment stuff. How cool would it be if they got JP and JR to join them when they take this show to dry land?
 
Mosh said:
I was actually half expecting him to do it with just Haken.
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Well turns out this was right. He brought on all of Haken (minus the drummer of course) including their singer. So it's Haken + Portnoy and Eric Gillette. Interestingly he's using 3 guitarists. Not a bad lineup though.

Edit: Daniel Gildenlow joined in for This Dying Soul.

Edit edit: Current Spock's Beard singer, Ted Leonard, on vocals for The Root of All Evil. Interesting choice. Portnoy on vocals for Repentance. That one was also expected, he sang vocals on that song for Flying Colors.
 
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The whole thing just feels...awkward. I don't know. I think the vocalist sounds good technically, but he does not have the personality or fire needed to pull off this song. It really makes me appreciate LaBrie even more. Doesn't help that Portnoy's backups are twice as loud, either.
 
I like the Haken singer but it seems weird after Portnoy said he would've preferred a more traditional Metal singer in the 00s, he finally has a chance to get exactly that for some of the heaviest DT material but he goes with someone who is pretty close to JLB in terms of style.
 
MrKnickerbocker said:
Video here for immediacy:


The whole thing just feels...awkward. I don't know. I think the vocalist sounds good technically, but he does not have the personality or fire needed to pull off this song. It really makes me appreciate LaBrie even more. Doesn't help that Portnoy's backups are twice as loud, either.
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I wonder what's up with having 3 guitarists. It's like the opposite of DT.
 
My guess is he wanted all of Haken to participate for the whole thing plus Eric Gillette because he's so much like Petrucci. I don't mind it. Petrucci has so many overdubs in those songs that it works. Those songs are also very rhythmically tight, so props to them if they were able to hold it together.

By the way, are all three of them playing Petrucci signature guitars? :D Eric Gillette and Richard Henshall definitely are, looks like Charlie is too.
 
I think it's funny that the guitar player played the arpeggio section more accurately than Petrucci ever did. The singer was OK; I don't see why everyone disliked it. It's not like the original track was anything unique by LaBrie.

But I think it's strange and kind of sad that this was played without Dream Theater. I realize that it's Portnoy's music, but it just isn't the same.
 
Petrucci never nailed the arpeggios live but Gillette didn't pull them off flawlessly either. It's just a wicked hard part to play, especially when your drummer is MP.
 
For people who aren't fond of the Astonishing. ;)
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