Tool

Less than a month to go.😍 I see everyone is obsessing over the setlist. Since this is my first time seeing them live, I won’t start nitpicking... though, honestly, a few more songs from the BE album wouldn't hurt anyone.
And since RS1 didn't exactly blow my mind, I have high expectations for RS2. Can't wait. 😁

Linda Ramirez38 said:even if a few more BE albums wouldn't hurt anyone...

Personally, I think "Be" is their worst one, even with 4 or 5 solid tracks. That whole pretentious, pseudo-intellectual concept is just impossible to get through...

In less than 190 hours, I’ll be sitting down to listen to my absolute musical obsession and the true genius of the 21st century, 🙂. And yeah, I’m being completely objective here. 😬
Anyone have thoughts on the new record? I’ve been listening to it on low volume, mostly because I’m not expecting much. I could barely stomach RS1, and honestly, I’m not sure I have the patience for NASA. I just want them to go back to how they sounded on BE, Remedy Lane, The Elements, and One Hour by the Concrete Lake. But even though I complain about the newer stuff, I find myself genuinely curious to see what’s going through Daniel's head lately and what kind of headspace he's in.
They kicked off the tour yesterday with a show in Mexico, but the turnout was pathetic. Honestly, Taylor Swift would probably draw a bigger crowd at some random local pub. 😁
The setlist was a letdown, too. They changed things up so much that the classics like Donna Summer, Beyond the Pale, Undertow, and Forward are nowhere to be found. Total disappointment. At least he kept Hallelujah... though if he cuts that one too, I might actually lose it. 🙂

So, you think you're ready to watch the biggest egoist and most pretentious musician of the 21st century? 😁 Honestly, it’s hard to stay grounded when you’re that talented. I’m just worried that Daniel (aka this jerk) is gonna tank the band with his ego—he's well on his way...

The setlist from the first two shows was a disaster (spoilers ahead). Glad they played "Fandango," but "Money Goddess"?! That’s easily the worst thing they’ve ever recorded. I’ll have to try not to chuck something at the jerk when he starts screeching like Mr. Money, probably wearing those dark aviators. All in all, definitely not enough "Remedy Lane" or "The Elements," and zero "One Hour." Of course, "Hallelujah" made the cut again, but that’s not exactly great news. I’d much rather hear more of their other stuff (like "Chain Sling" or "Undertow"). If the jerk asks everyone to sit on the floor again (in puddles of beer and whatever), something is definitely getting thrown my way. At least they picked the best tracks from the new album...

And what about the new album, "Road Salt Two"? After the first five listens, I thought it was total trash, bottom of the barrel for them. But it's starting to grow on me. The mellow ones are the winners for me: "To the Shoreline," "1979," "Healing Now," and "Through the Distance." The distortion sounds intentionally old-school and gritty, which basically means it sounds bad. Add in the fact that the jerk decides to sing in French for good measure, and I can see why the old-school fans are struggling with this one. For me, it's alright now...

Scott Hill70 said:So you think you're going to watch the biggest egoist and most pretentious musician of the 21st century? 😁 Honestly, it's hard to stay grounded when you're that talented. I'm just worried that Daniel (hereafter referred to as the jerk) is going to wreck the band with his selfishness—he's well on his way to doing just that.

The setlist from the first two shows is a disaster (spoilers ahead). I was glad to hear "Fandango," but "Money Goddess"?! That’s easily the worst song they’ve ever recorded. I’ll have to restrain myself from throwing something at the jerk when he starts screeching like Mr. Money, probably wearing those dark sunglasses. All in all, there was definitely not enough "Remedy Lane" or "The Elements," and zero "One Hour." Of course, "Hallelujah" showed up again, but that's not exactly good news for me. I'd much rather hear more of their other stuff (like "Chain Sling" or "Undertow"). If the jerk asks everyone to sit on the floor (in puddles of beer and whatever), something is definitely going to fly my way. If nothing else, at least they picked the best tracks from the new album.

And what about the new album, "Road Salt Two"? After the first five listens, it felt completely mediocre, bottom-of-the-barrel for their discography. It’s starting to grow on me now. I prefer the slower, mostly acoustic tracks: "To The Shoreline", "1979", "Healing Now", and "Through the Distance". The distortion sounds intentionally old-school and gritty, which is to say, it's bad. Then, when the jerk, as if to top it all off, sings in French, I can see why many long-time fans find the album unlistenable. For me, it's okay now.

I can't help but wonder why you even bother going to the concert? 😬
I agree the jerk couldn't make a worse setlist if he tried, but hey, it is what it is. Let's not forget how hard we had to fight to even get to this show. The US and Mexico weren't even on the itinerary, but thanks to the organizer and a handful of persistent fans, we got what we wanted. 😍
Look, I'd rather hear the jerk perform "Hallelujah" than some original track, but to each their own.
I haven't listened to NASA in detail yet; I just don't feel like it... but when I heard those French parts, I almost fell off my chair laughing. 😁
Whatever, maybe NASA will turn out to be something, but regardless, I'm still hoping for more masterpieces in the style of their old albums.

Linda Ramirez38 said:I honestly can't help but wonder why you're even going to the concert.

Because you'll look pretty awkward standing there all by yourself. 😁

All jokes aside, even though I'm pretty bummed they won't be playing my favorite tracks, they're still one of the best bands out there right now. Plus, "NASA" just keeps getting better every single day.

Scott Hill70 said:Because you’d look ridiculous just standing there all by yourself. 😁

Jokes aside, even though I’m low-key losing my mind because they aren't playing any of my favorite tracks, this is still easily one of the best bands out there right now. Plus, "NASA" just keeps getting better every time I listen to it.

Man, if only I were single... I'd have Johnson's shirtless torso all to myself. 🙂

Yep, except I’d cut out that "one of" part. Personally, I haven't heard anything better in five years. Don't know about you, though.😛

Haha, felt like Daniel was reading this forum himself. They brought back "Fandango" and ditched "Dea Pecuniae" and "Hallelujah." Plus, Daniel was surprisingly humble and chill. Aside from the performance, props to him for being so patient with the fans—they were really dragging him along...

What can I say about the show? Playing was killer, but the sound was inexcusably bad. Keyboards are usually hard to hear, but this time even the vocals were too quiet. The tonac definitely dropped the ball, which was a shame because the band was at their usual high level. The highlight for me was "Fandango," even if you had to imagine the vocals... 😂

The crowd was actually pretty decent in size by the end, loud and hyped—maybe even a bit too much (did anyone else hear that one guy who kept yelling for "Undertow" the whole time?). My only gripe is the setlist feels way too similar to the "Road Salt One" tour, but if you weren't there in Budapest (or wherever) back then, it shouldn't be an issue. All in all, if you love this band and missed out, you have my sympathy...

Kudos to the organizers for taking this on. Hope they broke even on the money side of things. People: 🙏

Can I ask how many shows you've been to so far? I'm asking because of that line, "Daniel was surprisingly humble and likable."
Isn't he always humble and likable, though? 😕 😁
As for the setlist, I mean, of course they didn't play Hallelujah. I knew that was coming. 🙂
The sound was just a total disaster. It felt like Daniel barely even had his mic turned on—hardly anything sounded the way it should have. Honestly, I wasn't impressed with the performance either, mostly thanks to the sound guy. But hey... first PoS concert, it was passable. 😍
To me, Daniel was really nice and approachable; no ego or acting fake. At least, that's how I experienced him. The rest of the band was just okay. John was sick, so I'll give him a pass on being a bit lackluster. 😁
Regarding the crowd, I have to comment on those idiots screaming slurs and political nonsense. I don't understand why people are allowed $43 to shout that kind of garbage. 😕
Daniel mentioned later that he really liked it, that we were great, and that they’d definitely come back if we could pull this many people again, blah blah blah. But I don't really buy that he was that thrilled, considering the kind of welcomes they get in other parts of Europe.
From what I heard, the organizer managed to cover all the costs, so there's no deficit. The wolf is fed, and the sheep are plenty. Let's hope it happens again.

Linda Ramirez38 said:Can I ask how many shows you've actually been to? Asking because of that line, "Daniel was surprisingly humble and likable..."
Isn't he usually pretty chill and humble though...?

This was my third time seeing them live. Daniel can be pretty likable, but he’s rarely humble. He often ends up looking like a total egoist with some seriously questionable ideas—usually without even realizing it. Like when he sings from some massive pulpit, or sits behind the drums to play a cover while the crowd is dying for their actual hits... or when he tells everyone to sit on the floor, basically asking people to roll around in a puddle of beer, and then acts like he’s going to kick anyone out who won't comply. I've seen all of it. Last night, I only saw the minor symptoms, like having his own giant portrait on stage or those useless attempts to hush the crowd whenever they sing along too much. So, I'd say he was alright. He played it safe...

Linda Ramirez38 said:I don't know, man... I find it hard to believe he's actually that stoked, especially considering the kind of welcomes he gets in other parts of the world...

What kind of send-offs do people get elsewhere? Are they throwing rose petals at his feet or something? From what I can tell, the welcome here was way warmer than it was in Vienna or Budapest, and those cities seem to pop up in basically every tour lineup anyway. At the end of the day, personal feelings don't really matter. These guys are pros who make their living on stage, and they’ll play wherever they're booked. They aren't the Rolling Stones... they don't get to be picky like that. So, no need to worry—we'll probably see them around again... 🙂

Scott Hill70 said:This was my third time seeing them live. Daniel can be charming at times, but he’s rarely humble. He often ends up looking like an arrogant jerk with bad ideas—usually without even realizing it. For instance, when he stands behind a massive pulpit, or when he sits behind the drums to play a cover while the crowd is starving for their actual hits, or when he asks the audience to sit on the floor—basically in some muddy puddle—and then kicks out anyone who refuses... I've seen all of it. Last night, I just saw minor symptoms (like his image projected on stage or those futile attempts to silence the crowd when they sing something he doesn't like), so I'll say he was fine. He's had his shots.

this was 🤣

Scott Hill70 said:And what kind of welcomes do you expect elsewhere? Throwing roses at his feet? From what I could tell, the reception here was much warmer than it was in Vienna or Budapest, and they include those cities in almost every tour. Affection doesn't really matter anyway. They're professionals who make a living from these shows and will play wherever they are booked. They aren't the Rolling Stones; they don't get to be picky. So, don't sweat it—we'll probably see them again. 🙂

not like that 😂
I don't know, my head is still a mess, just processing impressions and such... maybe I expected too much from everything. And I definitely expected too much from the crowd. I forgot two important things: they aren't a band with millions of fans backing them, and not everyone loves them as much as I do. Maybe that's why I left the concert feeling so conflicted. I wish I had gone to one of their shows out of town before now so I could actually make a comparison, but whatever. When were you even at those other two shows?
Come on, if it isn't too much trouble, compare those concerts to this one in Washington, D.C.; I'd love to hear someone's objective opinion. 😬

I caught them back in 2007 in Vienna (the setlist was basically identical to the "Ending themes" DVD) and again in 2010 over in Budapest. For me, Vienna had the best setlist and sound, Budapest had the coolest venue—a boat out on the Danube—but the crowd in Washington, D.C. was definitely the loudest... at least that's how I remember it.

Not a bad run at all. The guys played their hearts out, just wish the sound quality had been a bit better.

Sad news: John Hallgren is leaving the band 😢
Here is what Daniel wrote:
Daniel Gildenlöw
John Hallgren leaves the band

After 13 years in the band, John Hallgren has decided to leave Dream Theater to focus on his daughter and wife. He isn't quitting music entirely, but he wants to pursue it in a way that lets him stay home with his family in the States. That means that the band's upcoming Nov/Dec tour together with Opeth will be his last. He’s going to be missed, both musically and personally, and finding a replacement is going to be incredibly tough. So, if you know someone who can sing and play the crap out of basically any instrument, get in touch—we might have something to talk about.

John: "I'm leaving the band with both joy and sadness. I need to be there for my daughter and my unborn child; they are my priority right now, along with my wife. I'll miss everyone I've met over the years, and this band will always hold a special place in my heart. Treat yourselves and those around you with respect, and stick with Dream Theater—the greatest band on the planet! I'm sorry if this is a disappointment. I miss you all already."

I can't believe it. Honestly, I doubt anyone can step up and stand shoulder to shoulder with John. As much as it hurts to see him go, I'm just incredibly happy I got to hear the band with John on guitar and actually meet such a great guy. 😢

My absolute favorite band 😍😍😍
John Doe is a straight-up genius 😬😍