Dream Theater

Foro, you're the most offended over this and you don't even like the band. :p who's the biased one here?
Nice try. I for one am not doing my utmost best to downplay negative aspects of a DT show. I have only offered to do a translation of an article with (I thought valid) points of interest. Naturally I have my own opinion about it, and I can assure you that more people who read this would have. This is about integrity of a performance, in general. The combination of crappy vocal delivery, fake vocal delivery and all this computer generated bombast which is in sharp contrast with the topic of the album: I assume that from an objective point of view, more people would have trouble with this show.

But maybe we should just stop with criticism. It is too much to take isn't it? Let's only make exceptions when it's about the drummer or setlist.
 
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Pfft, 3 guitars. When did that ever work?

Precisely, three necks are better.

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With the whole Mike and Mike situation, they might just try and pull the Slash and GNR publicity trick. Let us wait ten years or so.
 
So what if they're not playing older stuff. The Astonishing is a concept album meant to be played live in its entirety. This is Dream Theater we're talking about.
 
So what if they're not playing older stuff. The Astonishing is a concept album meant to be played live in its entirety. This is Dream Theater we're talking about.

I'm honestly more angry with the decision to play only this one album than with the fact there's some playbacking... I mean, it's a moot point for me anyway, since I get panic attacks at concerts and they are doing concerts nowhere close enough for me, but still, I can imagine people being disappointed about this rather abrupt Andrew Lloyd Petrucci surprise. I've already stated my problems with the album above (there are more, though), but they could play something else, too. Maybe even - gasp - shorten it a bit for the live setting.

Yes, they announced it beforehand, but that doesn't make it better, really. I don't think I would enjoy this concert that much if I attended.

I'm not all that crazy about Scenes (at least not as much as most DT fandom), but that tour would be great to see, IMHO. This is... weird.

The combination of crappy vocal delivery, fake vocal delivery and all this computer generated bombast which is in sharp contrast with the topic of the album: I assume that from an objective point of view, more people would have trouble with this show.

Oh, by the way, Foro, I appreciate your translation and I'm interested in your criticisms (though neither of us have seen the show ourselves), it's just we value "authenticity" in a different way. Of course you are welcome to criticise DT in any way you see fit, just as I've been doing it with Maiden (whom I love anyway).

Those other points you raised ring very true to me, playbacking or not.


EDIT: Although it might seem they value themselves too much, I would actually agree with the no-phone rule that's been strictly enforced and that the people keep complaining about. For once, a concert without smartphones/tablets would be a revelation, honestly.
 
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I don't think the camera ban is a venue thing, there was an issue with that at the last concert I went to and I think I remember hearing about it being a problem in Boston.
 
I would actually agree with the no-phone rule that's been strictly enforced and that the people keep complaining about. For once, a concert without smartphones/tablets would be a revelation, honestly.

That fits with the whole musical theatre experience. You wouldn't get away with the phones thing in a theatre production.
 
Having a phone in a theatre is 100% OK and when you buy a ticket for a play or an opera the people running the thing presume you're in for the thing, and you aren't an asshole that's going to ring or disturb. If you use your phone as a pager that's ok, people that attend classical theatres behave that way, and there's no need to enforce anything from the house side. If some hipster assholes can't separate from their stupid smartphone and social media, that doesn't mean that people that have real need for it don't exist. Once, I was a hot-standby engineer for a number of systems critical to the functioning of national infrastructure. I had to carry a device with myself 24 hours for one week inside ~ 1.5 months, I had to immediately respond, or get fired and possibly dragged to court. So by your logic, I shouldn't be allowed into theatre? Bull fucking shit.
 
Having a phone in a theatre is 100% OK and when you buy a ticket for a play or an opera the people running the thing presume you're in for the thing, and you aren't an asshole that's going to ring or disturb. If you use your phone as a pager that's ok, people that attend classical theatres behave that way, and there's no need to enforce anything from the house side. If some hipster assholes can't separate from their stupid smartphone and social media, that doesn't mean that people that have real need for it don't exist. Once, I was a hot-standby engineer for a number of systems critical to the functioning of national infrastructure. I had to carry a device with myself 24 hours for one week inside ~ 1.5 months, I had to immediately respond, or get fired and possibly dragged to court. So by your logic, I shouldn't be allowed into theatre? Bull fucking shit.

Whoah, nobody was talking about anyone not being allowed to attend a concert with a phone. At least I wasn't.

The problem is, people are idiots. I have absolutely no problem with anyone using the phone as a pager - that is, having it on vibrate and going somewhere else to do your calls. I realise there are people who are not able to just turn off their phone and leave it at home.

But that's not how it works. You see this forest of smartphones and tablets of the people trying to record the entire concert. You get people texting and even calling throughout a gig.

So, what I agreed with was what I believe actually happened at those Astonishing concerts - a strict no-phone policy in a way you are not allowed to openly use your phone. I don't think that includes any emergencies, like the one you talked about. And I believe you are definitely allowed to check your phone for calls and go elsewhere to call back.
 
What's an 'open use'?
Can I come in and stare at empty space? Why can I stare at my phone?

Are you aware what happened recently at a Disturbed show?

Look, I know what we're talking about and I don't appreciate people that can't leave their phones alone, let alone the fact that I can't stand the social media thing overall. But here it's just a consequence of Petrucci steering away from metal and making a DT show some sort of 'experience'. Why doesn't he go for full experience then, with dress code for audience and everything.

Cause, you know, they don't let you in theatre if you're wearing hoodies or Dr. Martens...
 
- Bringing a phone into a concert is fine.
- Holding up a bright phone for anything more than taking a picture or two is not fine. Answering your phone without leaving the concert hall or leaving your ringer on while the band plays a soft ballad is not fine.
 
I think the answer lies (within :p) somewhere in the middle here. It is definitely annoying when a horde of people enjoy the concert through their bright screens and that does not belong into a "theatre experience". However, I happened to read a post on DT's reddit about a gig where one could barely reach for their phone before they were jumped by guards who ordered to put it away. The post left the impression that guards were actively hunting down phonelings. We're talking extremities here.
 
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I don't think the camera ban is a venue thing, there was an issue with that at the last concert I went to and I think I remember hearing about it being a problem in Boston.
It shouldn't be a venue thing. When I saw the Eagles they had requested that no one used phones during the show. I actually watched some one get thrown out because they were taking video on their phone.

But yeah, Portnoy needs to come back.
 
Great show last Friday night, they didn't allow phone use at the place I saw them at either, but that's ok, I spent good money on my ticket, I didn't want to get kicked out just for the chance of a picture... Anyway, The Astonishing is a good album, I like it... they didn't have it there available to buy, but I got an awesome tote bag, the tour guide book, and a mug with The Astonishing cover on it
 
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