Impressions from last night Dream Theater's gig

[Steff]

Right... So I went to see Dream Theater last night at Wembley Arena.

I am a prog fan, my favourite bands are Yes, King Crimson, Rush, Gentle Giant, Karizma, Planet X and so on...

I never liked DT too much as I find them too cold and too concerned about the mathematical side of things rather than emotional side. However I do appreciate their musicianship, those guys are some of the most technical musicians I've ever seen which I respect a lot even though I don't necessarily like it.

Now... for a start, the whole night I thought they looked as they had a huge argument just before they got on stage. I don't know if that's some sort of thing they do, very clinical, much too serious, stone faces and all... the only person who was showing some excitement was the keys player.

Mike Mangini... I remember back in the late 90s watching his videos on precious VHS' with my jaw dropped, admiring and loving it... Last night he looked a bit like "yeah... another gig, another 20 grand in my account... whatever". No excitement, no pleasure, no emotion on his face apart from a brief moment when he was chatting to the keys player while playing. Also what struck me was after every tempo or time signature change he was dragging the beat, not creating the needed pressure and tension for the moment. It was always taking about 4 bars for the other musicians to get together with him and start sounding tight, as they were getting in the moment with a bit more excitement (which I think is appropriate and necessary for live playing).

John Myung now there's a question: If John plays a super complicated, technical bass line and no one in the audience can hear him, does he really make a sound?
Why would you hire a sound technician who would put the bass so low frequency wise that the only thing you could actually hear from it was... no wait, you couldn't actually hear it. You could only feel it. With the same results John Petrucci could have used an octave effect. There goes Myung's 30 or 40 years of exercising 8 hours a day...

The singer - not my type of voice or singing, but I gotta admit - he was flawless at what he does. Not a single false note. Brilliant.

The keys player was good too, performing very well and sounding great.

Petrucci at the start was a bit like he hadn't taken his espresso before the gig but after the second song he got awake and played great. Massive guitar sound.

Drums sounded a bit distorted, especially the snare and hi-hat. (I have a few years of live sound and studio mixing experience).
Apart from that and the lack of a distinctive bass sound, the sound was phat. Big, like a thick brick wall. From the 3rd - 4th song on it was clear, with a nice punch and I could hear what every instrument plays (apart from bass, don't remember if I mentioned that already).

They had some sounds on track, on the LED wall behind them during a couple of songs there were some clips going, and there was car engine sounds, gunshots, thunder and other sounds. Way too loud and with a piercing top end, overwhelming the whole high register almost painfully. Really, get a new sound tech.

I did like it in general but it won't make me a DT fan. Still I'm glad I went to see them, great work with the odd time signatures live and great playing skills.


Anyone else been there last night?

[lefrash]

I've seen them a few times. Saw them at the Garage in Glasgow. They were awesome that night. Live though they're not the most exciting band. And I really dislike most of their ouput since around 2000. I'l not go see them again.

[Truckstop]

Last time I saw them was 2003 (I think) at the Hammersmith Apollo on their Train of Thought tour and remember being distinctly unimpressed with their live sound. Everyone apart from Petrucci sounded flat and tame.

Probably sounded great on stage though.

I wouldn't see them again. I prefer to listen to them at home on CD; terrific production values and you can really hear what they're trying to achieve. Live it's too loud and it lacks the crispness that a band like DT need.

Truckstop

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Saw them a few times. I have a few CDs but never play them. Myung has never been heard in all the gigs I've. Seen them. Always found them brilliant live,especially when they did the encores. However, the last 2 gigs at wembley , I thought that opeth and symphony x were the better bands at each gig.
Maybe they didn't expect a big crowd. Because of the weather last night (hence the scowls )??

[christhammer666]

I was there last night,being the big dream theater geek I am I managed to get meet and great tickets and told john myung I was so inspired by him.He really is a humble and genuine guy and seemed genuinely pleased..........the gig itself I thought was great but as Steff said the bass sound was proper cack I was so disappointed.I was in the 3rd row so there was no excuses.I also agree with Steff in the fact that the band looked like they was working a night shift rather then playing a gig which they should enjoy doing.

[geilerbass]

Interesting comments... sorry to hear there was some disappointment at their show.

I've seen them live quite a number of times over the years, going back to 1997. Last night was the first time i'd seen them since Portnoy left and the first time in about 4 years.

Personally, i was blown away by the setlist (particularly Space Dye Vest :-o) and had an awesome time.

That said, their sound seemed a bit 'woolier' than usual and lacked the crystal sharpness that i've experienced in the past. It didn't detract from my enjoyment, but it was just something i noticed.

Interestingly, i thought if anything, the bass was higher and more prominent in the mix than it's ever been before, but maybe that was just down to where my seat was (near the back).

Mangini was a monster technically, but for me he doesn't have the presence and charisma on stage that Portnoy has. Not necessarily a good or bad thing, just different.

Final thought: The suite of Scenes tracks at the end made it worth the price of entry alone. :-)

[NancyJohnson]

I'd second the John Myung quote. I spent some time with them before and after a gig - Bristol Bierkeller - just Googled it, feck, 1993! He was just lovely. Quiet and humble. I honestly wondered how long he would last when the rest of the band were so extrovert by comparison. I still buy the CDs when they come out, but all the material just seems to blur into one long cacophony of notes now. Haven't seen them in years. Hammersmith, many moons ago. It was like torture.
P

[paulconnolly]

I was at the Manchester Apollo gig on Thursday. I thought the sound was great, the band looked like they were enjoying themselves, particularly Mangini and Rudess who looked to be having great fun mooning to the cameras positioned around them and yes JM was audible in the mix although I think he fluffed the tapped section in Metropolis.

My big gripe from the gig? We took our seats in the middle of the stalls a couple of rows behind the desk and to the left with a lovely view of a large yellow platform containing the pre-show projector screen, which was about the size of a small fridge and a large movie camera mounted on a tripod. Admittedly there was a sign saying the platform would be moved once the show started. Ok fair enough but then they stuck a huge chair for the camera op to sit in. Had we stayed in our allocated seats we would have had a crap view. The security guy pointed a couple of empty rows a little further back and a little further left where we could relocate to. We did so and had a great view. This brings me to gripe number 2:

I'm thoroughly pissed off with people who go to a gig and then spend most of it videoing the gig with their smartphones . I don't mind the odd photograph now and again, I do this myself, but to spend large parts of a gig taking video and spoiling the view of those around just really gets my goat. There was even a guy doing it at Nearly Dan last night. And don't get me started on the twonks who hold conversations through most of a gig ........... .

[ambient]

[quote name='paulconnolly' timestamp='1392569139' post='2370127']
I was at the Manchester Apollo gig on Thursday. I thought the sound was great, the band looked like they were enjoying themselves, particularly Mangini and Rudess who looked to be having great fun mooning to the cameras positioned around them and yes JM was audible in the mix although I think he fluffed the tapped section in Metropolis.

My big gripe from the gig? We took our seats in the middle of the stalls a couple of rows behind the desk and to the left with a lovely view of a large yellow platform containing the pre-show projector screen, which was about the size of a small fridge and a large movie camera mounted on a tripod. Admittedly there was a sign saying the platform would be moved once the show started. Ok fair enough but then they stuck a huge chair for the camera op to sit in. Had we stayed in our allocated seats we would have had a crap view. The security guy pointed a couple of empty rows a little further back and a little further left where we could relocate to. We did so and had a great view. This brings me to gripe number 2:

I'm thoroughly pissed off with people who go to a gig and then spend most of it videoing the gig with their smartphones . I don't mind the odd photograph now and again, I do this myself, but to spend large parts of a gig taking video and spoiling the view of those around just really gets my goat. There was even a guy doing it at Nearly Dan last night. And don't get me started on the twonks who hold conversations through most of a gig ........... .
[/quote]

I don't see the point in videoing gigs with a smart phone, what're you actually gonna hear recorded through such a piddling little microphone ?

I'm guessing people who talk all the way through the show are there as some entertainment package or something. I remember going to see a gig at Ronnie Scott's, the place was full of guys in suits, all talking throughout the show, it's corporate entertainment .

[paulconnolly]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1392571736' post='2370166']
I don't see the point in videoing gigs with a smart phone, what're you actually gonna hear recorded through such a piddling little microphone ?

I'm guessing people who talk all the way through the show are there as some entertainment package or something. I remember going to see a gig at Ronnie Scott's, the place was full of guys in suits, all talking throughout the show, it's corporate entertainment .
[/quote]

Smartphone recording - agreed

Talking at gigs - In my experience they are not corporate jollies but are normal punters like me who are either pissed or not really interested, Alternatively they are the WAGS who are only along for the night out

[chrismuzz]

I must admit, I'm one of those dickheads that talks through pretty much every band I've ever seen... Unless I'm really drunk and shouting along with the words... Don't know which is worse

[Leen2112]

I went to wolverhampton to see DT and mostly i thought what i seem to say after every metal gig.......to loud, couldnt make much out! I just thought that was me showing my age! I've been to watch them since the very first shows and found In the bigger arenas the sound is better....like the ahoy Rotterdam so maybe they cater for bigger european gigs and then forget to turn it down for the smaller gigs.......although for a pro outfit like DT that sounds ridiculous! Anyway I couls hear JM fine in scarred and some of the new tracks so i was happy.