Dream Theater hits a new low: FAKE LEAD VOCALS at live shows
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- As evidence continues to mount that Dream Theater has abandoned all integrity, how many of the fans who defended them previously will jump ship, and admit I was right? The followup: • More proof of James La...
You kicked the hornet nest, lol. Redditors in r/dreamtheater are sad and had their feelings hurt because of your video! They can't admit that their favourite band is so dishonest about their singer, which can't even sing for a full show, and even justify it, like it's okay because it's a common practice in the industry. I hope they don't find out that autotune is commonly used nowadays in pop, and shitty music like reggaeton, because next DT album will be full of autotuned vocals (worst than last 3 albums, including the infamous parts in The Astonishing)
All they can do is accuse me of being mentally ill, even though they're the ones defending dishonesty, and claiming things that are completely divorced from reality. This person happens to be right though:
"I do not think it is accurate to blame MrDreamTheater2 of being mentally ill, I think playing the mentally ill card is a lazy way to be dismissive over a situation that is much more complex."
They also falsely accuse me of posting on Reddit when I have never posted on Reddit about Dream Theater, and have stated this many times. I had that piece of information as a pinned Tweet on my Twitter account for over a year, and none of the bozos from r/DreamTheater even saw it. Anyone who goes on there claiming to be MrDreamTheater2 is an impostor.
Well, am a fan since early 2000's. All I can say is they are not getting younger. Part of life. Period.
@@bobtjitro16 Not contested, but how does it follow that they need to lie to their audience because they're getting older? They should've Arnel'd LaBrie with a younger singer a long time ago.
Got a good laugh out of this one: www.reddit.com/r/Dreamtheater/comments/t0ds6h/labrie_and_why_hes_not_the_problem/
LaBrie is not the problem, the band writing things in too high a register for him is the problem. Like I haven't heard that one before. But then you watch something like the bungled Black Hole Sun cover, and hear how bad he can sound even in his lower register.
I saw them live a couple of times in the 90's.
Even then, he could not make it.
The reason is simple, all vocal lines are to the edge, stuff you can do only when you give 100% in a controlled situation, in a studio, with all the time you need to nail it.
By trying to repeat that live he just stressed his vocal chords for years, making it worse.
Axl Rose was able to do it throughout Guns N Roses hay day and those vocals are more difficult. No reason the guy shouldn’t have been able to sing a couple good shows
@@MichaelMyers-pj2uk Completely different singers/abilities.
@@skippertheeyechild6621 by you’re comment you really haven’t checked out GNR much. I recommend you listen to more of there discography. There’s no excuse bro. Legit there’s hundreds of videos showing off SPECIFIC things only Axl himself can do. There’s no reason homeboy can’t do at least ONE show 😂 come on dude. Check out Coma by GNR, that song is one of the songs that shows off Axls strongest vocal ranges and he performed the same song live amazingly
@@MichaelMyers-pj2uk Er, I'm not denying Axl Rose is a good singer. But they are two completely different people. Not everyone is born with the ability to sing well and consistently.
@@MichaelMyers-pj2uk depends on how much time between live shows a singer gets to recuperate. If he has to constantly sing night after night then he can't just belt it out every show or he'll loose his voice completely won't be able to sing at all through several shows. So he has to keep it mellow to at least sing partially good through every show if there's no breaks between shows
Dream Theater is my favorite band, but come on guys. It’s so fucking obvious that the backup vocals have been backtracked since Mike left. I can love them and still hold that critique over their heads at the same time. Sad to say, they’ve become a studio band in their old age, and losing Mike was the death knell for their live performance.
lol imagine thinking their live performances have undergone a death knell
@@tankwfw Did…did you watch the Scenes from a Memory anniversary dvd from a couple years ago? James’ performance is absolutely awful. All of JP’s vocals are backtracked. Did I still enjoy watching it? Of course I did. But it’s pretty sad to to go back and watch something like Budokan or even Luna Park and compare it to now.
I gave up on em after they did that Kilroy Was Here type thing a few years back. Sappy and awful and almost made some of Savatage or X Japan's ballads sound like Cannibal Corpse in comparison
Backing vocals were always done by Petrucci and Portnoy. So yes… one part is missing
@@themadmattster9647 Kilroy Was Here... can you explain for the dummies? (Me)
Nobody pays attention to the techno version of Bridges in the Sky..... its flawless
I was thinking the same. That shit was lit.
I did. It sound awesome!
Not techno but yeah pretty cool
I attended a Mike Mangini clinic a few years ago and during the Q&A it was said that since Portnoy left the band, one of the changes they’ve made for live performances is the use of click tracks which also coincides with doing the same sets night after night. Click tracks and backing tracks that help the band stay in time but also can have things like sound effects or extra guitar parts or vocal parts or anything that the band can’t perform which the audience can still hear. There’s another video floating around of them performing pale blue dot where James totally botches his lyrics yet you can still clearly hear him singing the correct lyrics at the same time. So in conclusion it’s probably the backing track that is coming through and James and John simply missed their spots where they should be singing along with it too 🤷🏼♂️
DT without Portnoy is not DT, what a shame :(
Following a DT click track is already a huge challenge lol
Well, an actual click track is just to keep time, it doesn't have anything but the literal click on it. Lots of technical bands use them (usually the drummer is the only one who can hear it). Using backing tracks to cover other parts of a song is a whole different thing.
Technically speaking a click track is not the same as a backing track. A click track is just a track to keep time. A backing track, like backup vocals in the live performance, is just a track to back up the singer. And for the OP, just because you use backing tracks of backup vocals doesn't necessarily mean the lead singer is using "fake lead vocals."
@@kennethsarmiento3136that’s correct, I perhaps should’ve been more succinct in my explanation. To your point about the vocals tho I never said James was faking anything, but clearly in the video mentioned his vocals are coming through despite him pulling the mic away from his face, so I guess make of that what you will 🤷🏼♂️
Dude.
I've watched a couple of phone recordings of their current tour, and I kept asking myself why in the world he sounded so good in this exact part of that song, while singing horribly for the entire rest of the concert. Wow.
He’s 58 years old. At some point compromises will need to be made. Do you think Petrucci will be able to play these songs in his 60’s-70’s? No. He’s going to have to write slower stuff or retire.
@@Sharppz15 Interesting how you went with "write slower stuff or retire", instead of "mime to a playback track".
The fucking balls to even try to defend this...
jesus, its part of the reason Ive given up on defending these singers. For everyone its "age" excuse but also alcohol and smoking. Fans don't care because they are all too drunk during the shows to notice. And meat farting to hell so you can't even sit near the smelly, disgusting sacks of flesh
@@Sharppz15 Why do compromises have to be made? “He’s 58” okay so what about the other musicians his age that aren’t doing this hacky “do my part for me” shit. How do you get from “he’s old” to “well sometimes you just gotta sit back and let your mp3 play that part”
🙄
@@Killopotamus that's was hilarious and true!
Man i need that Bridges in the sky remix please
Yes, please
Yea lmfao
Here It Is: th-cam.com/video/nZjuXcv9Bew/w-d-xo.html
Geddy Lee never faked his lead vocals. He always gave it his best effort even as he got older and had a hard time hitting the high notes.
I saw them in 2015, and Geddy was bad. However, Rush had the dignity to retire when they knew they no longer had it.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 bad, but still live though, that's the point. Thanks for the video, that's just shocking honestly
Musically Rush could still go but the vocals were not good at all and this is coming from a huge rush fan. The vocals on the older stuff are insanely high though to be fair. But he definitely couldn’t do it justice anymore. They ended at the perfect time
Funny you mention that - Alex's "backing vocals" had been pre-recorded for 20 years, by choice, on purpose, and not really hidden. Not Geddy, mind you, but it's not like any of
this is some world-changing revelation
Well, I don't think Rush is a good example. Geddy sang terribly when he got old.
Alex lip-synced his vocals, sooo, no.
The backing vocals aren't really all that bad IMO, but this is really dissapointing. Especially for a band like DT who pride themselves in technicality and "perfect" musicianship but let's be honest we all know Labrie's vocals have been lacking for a while now
yeah if they dropped labrie they would be so much better lol. dont get me wrong i love the dudes work but he just doesnt sound the same anymore, he has been horrible in recent years. so many clips ruined by his voice because he's been required to sing so strenuously for 30+ years, cant even blame him for sounding bad at this point.
James Labrie has always been pretty underwhelming though.
Saw them live at Download 09 and he was so off key, sad to see he hasnt improved
@@dragonforks93 I saw them just before the pandemic hit. He started of REALLY off key but then seemed to get better as the show went along. He probably just wasn't warmed up and got warmer as he went but still we come to see a performance, not a practice session
Rush, for example, from the writing process they know they have to sound live exactly as the studio recording. Geddy uses lots of samplers. But in DT case they are depending a lot of these tech assistance.
The prob is that a voice is the human instrument. And they wanna help James.
I've been listening to Dream Theater since Images and Words back in '92. That said....after LaBrie got food poisoning, he was never the same singer. Add that on top of his attitude (which let's be honest, has NEVER been fan friendly)....and it's killed it for me. I used to buy the new DT album without hearing a note on it. But between LaBrie's shit attitude/piss poor performances and them forcing Portnoy out....I've pretty well moved on. Each album since Portnoy's departure has gotten more bland. I've got zero problem with Mangini. The man is a drum god. But he doesn't write music. DT always had 3-4 guys writing the songs with an occasional song from LaBrie. Now it's all Petrucci and LaBrie and sounds sterilized. And with LaBrie's shit live performances over the years (I've personally seen them live half a dozen times and seen ONE solid performance from LaBrie), I can't say I'm surprised he'd be lipsyncing at this point. You want a comparable band....that actually sings live? Sons of Apollo. It's like Dream Theater...with a good singer.
Couple of things. By all accounts Portnoy left on his own. He was not forced in anyway. I’m fact, he tried to get all of the rest of them to stop being DT for roughly FIVE years to allow him/them to pursue other projects. They didn’t want to and he quit. It’s that simple.
Secondly, Petrucci and Jordan wrote most of the music, lyrics and Melodie’s with virtually no contribution from James most of the time, historically. And when I say historically, I mean since Mike left.
@@masque1313 As far as writing the music part....Portnoy was heavily involved from day one. Thus being credited on damn near every song in the DT catalog (I said damn near not all) from the time the band started until he left.
And yes Portnoy wanted to take a break. His reason being that DT had started sounding stale. I love DT. From the first album through SDOIT....every album sounded different and had a different vibe. THAT was a huge selling point to DT fans. From SDOIT through Black Clouds, you could jump any mix of those songs together for the most part and they would sound like they were from the same album. So yeah things were getting stale....thus him wanting a break. They didn't want to and.....the next album sounded like the last 5. Sometimes, as much as fans hate it happening, a band taking a couple years of can be a great thing. And note that all of them have said Portnoy wanted a break and was not at all insistent on the 5 year thing.... He simply wanted the band to take a break to recharge.
And since he left the band, until very recently when things seem to have gotten mended, LaBrie blasted him every chance he got in the press. Portnoy wasn't blasting people. None of them...except LaBrie were. And let's not pretend here. Every musician that is or has been in DT has been damned good. All of them including Mangini. who is a hell of a drummer (though weak on the song writing side)....with the exception of the 2 singers. Dominici is a cool dude, but he was replaceable. And let's not pretend that someone couldn't come in and do what LaBrie does....He barely writes, he sings badly live.....he's the weakest link in the band hands down. He may be a cool guy, I don't know him. But come on....
@@danimal097521 I’m confused. I’m not sure what point you are trying to make. We’re on the same side in loving DT. If you look at my post I’m aware portnoy contributed to the writing or at least the arrangements of yeh songs. James has had virtually nothing to do with the writing of the music or songs in general from day one. He barely does now. And my statement of a five year break was taken directly from a Portnoy interview where he was explaining his intentions. Regardless he wanted them to take a break of some kind and the rest didn’t. He left. I wish he hadn’t. I personally like all of the anime they have done since he was gone. I still wish he was in the band.
@@masque1313 Cool cool. I agree with you mostly. Though I gotta say for the most part, the bulk of the stuff done post Portnoy is just to sterile for me. At least for me it lacks as much heart. I liked the old school thing of Portnoy writing lyrics to a few, Petrucci writing a few and maybe one from Myung and/or LaBrie. Since Portnoy left, my biggest complaint is that Petrucci is writing damn near all the lyrics and it just doesn't work as well for me. I like some of it, but I no longer excitedly wait for the new album.
Of note, my little piece of DT history that you might appreciate..... I saw them back in '02 on the Six Degrees tour in Boston. When Portnoy started his drum solo, he said he was bringing up his friend to join him. Was Mike Mangini. Who knew that 8 years later.... LOL But I got to see Mangini's first time on stage with DT. Which looking back is a pretty damn cool moment.
Labrie has never been a good LIVE singer from the start
I see your point for sure, but admittedly…I’d be more butthurt if Petrucci faked his guitar playing rather than backing vocals.
check 10 : 50 on this video
th-cam.com/video/PeZ2TG5FjI4/w-d-xo.html
There's a clip from one of the recent shows where Petrucci breaks a string at the end of the solo in The Alien, and while you can hear the string breaking, you can also hear him finish the solo. So unfortunately he is also faking some parts
@@KnexRules8365 link?
@@KnexRules8365 I just watched it…disappointing if it is that but you know what, it doesn’t change the way I feel about DT…I still hold Petrucci in the highest regard, he DID compose and play all these songs over many albums; an incredibly skilled musician and I’d be as bold as saying the greatest guitarist on the planet
@@KnexRules8365 also, have you tried switching from a lead back into verse? He normally does this quickly live since he’s the only guitarist in the band, so I suspect the backing note is to sustain the ending of a solo whilst switching back to verse…just my theory
Now LaBrie is resorting to miming. That is appalling, embarrassing and shameful. He is trying to deceive the paying fans.
And the price tickets for their concert in Istanbul is equal to an above minimum wage monthly paycheck. Truly disgraceful.
Now that you mentioned Istanbul that reminded me of Mezarkabul and what great live shows they have!
Can we just all agree that only Mike Portnoy's back vocals was keeping DT shows on the level? 🤔😅
Yes
I love this band and have been a fan of theirs for almost 17 years. However, why defend this? When I pay to see a band LIVE, I want instruments AND vocals to be live. This is something I'd expect from some shitty pop group or artist.
Someone aptly said that modern DT fans are like Jehovah's Witnesses, running around with a pamphlet full of canned excuses. It's amazing how the standards keep getting lowered. First, I would watch people on Dream Theater Forums get angry if someone said LaBrie was using auto-tune. Then they switched to "OK, he's using auto-tune, but everybody does it." Then, they abandoned the idea that singing needs to sound good altogether.
No such thing as a makorvtouring act that is 100% live anymore. Unicorn.
@@MFitz12 "Anymore" is the operating word there. What happened?
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 - Audiences want to hear it just like the record. Most are not there to hear live music and wouldn't know it if it bit them in the ass anyway.
They all play to click tracks now - helps match the music to the light and video show.
They all use tracks and samples to cover parts - cheaper than having a bunch of guys playing backstage or hiding behind the Marshall stacks (Foreigner anyone?)
Speaking of those Marshall stacks, even those are fake. Behind most walls of Marshall stacks (which are empty shells) is usually a 50 watt single speaker combo amp or,... a modeler,
If you want to hear actual live music save your money, don't enrich Ticketmaster and go see a local bar band.
@@MFitz12 I don't think it has to do with audiences. I think it has to do with people in the industry itself becoming exceptionally cynical, dishonest, corrupt, and lazy.
I don’t get Dream Theater. Their stage looks EXACTLY like my churches does on Sunday. But even our worship team has more energy. This with lip syncing vocals, Hannah Montana shit
I have never got them, just seem like a bunch of smug ass pricks trying to be so perfect their music has no feeling.
I mean, I’ve always had respect for the other musicians in the band, but Labrie has done nothing for me for a while. So I honestly don’t feel anything but, “huh, whack”. Jesus, Labrie might be on his last legs
Labrie cannot sing anymore. Just take it as a fact. Even on the last studio tape his voice sounds too overtuned. They have to either change frontman or teach him sing again. Point!
I did enjoy that cheesy raved up version of bridges in the sky. Made me laugh cheers
Right on; can’t wait for the full version!
Where can we get a copy of that?! Need it when I work out!
That thing was the best 😂
Paul Stanley and ding dong lost all respect when they pushed the jab.
th-cam.com/video/nZjuXcv9Bew/w-d-xo.html Enjoy, my friends
I’m okay with backing tracks as a supplement but outright faking the lead parts is inexcusable.
The backing tracks were a slippery slope to the fake leads.
A fake's a fake. Fake titties, fake lips, fake arse.
Either you can pull it off or give it a rest.
Rhythm tracks OK. But if you're too lazy to solo then fuck you
I've never been able to stand the sound of Labrie's voice, especially live. Anything they can do to make him sound better is A-OKAY with me.
Tbh. I had a good laugh about your comment and I cant deny that there is wisdom in your words. In my Opinion it is funny how they kicked Portnoy who kept delivering fine, and kept this dude in who was not even in his prime better than mediocre. They should propably consider taking Domininci back, this guy can propably still sing at least.
@@painkillerauflauf5770 kicked? Dude left of his own accord.
@@Xephyrak yeah Not really kicked. He wanted to so His own stuff and stay in the Band. Band Said No. So in a way He was kicked
@@painkillerauflauf5770 sad part.is Portnoy was right, he wanted the band to give some time without touring and recording. Seeing what I mess of albums came after his departure maybe he was onto somethin.
P.S. Not that the last DT album with Portnoy was an masterpiece, but at least I was able yo hear it all more than once.
@@toribiogubert7729 - Portnoy was hoping to secure that spot in A7x , which didn't pan out so well...
when you cant perform your material anymore but still tour you're just milking your fans for money its disgraceful
I like dream theater and I don't care about this much because I've maintained since I found them in 2004 that I would like the music better with no vocalist. I'll still enjoy skipping around to 8:15 on scarred, 5:12 on lie, 7:55 on blind faith, 4:48 on goodnight kiss part 2, 7:45 on stream of consciousness, etc. At some point in high school I think I had their entire discography in my head memorized with timestamps of when james labrie stopped singing. I can still enjoy the music that I enjoy even if the singer can't sing for shit in concert.
Just so you know, you can safely listen to the first 8 minutes of stream of consciousness without any dangers of hearing JLB! 😜
The instrumentals in View From the Top of the World are dope check em out intro is in 12/8
^Guitar solos in that song are really something
I really didn't anticipate seeing you in this comment section, lol
Don't forget Ozzy had a back up singer, singing offstage for decades.
Ozzy was on drugs, alcohol and god knows what else. LaBrie only has to acknowledge that his voice isn't what it used to be.
@@kagemarushun7378 I think LaBrie smokes weed, thereby further damaging his voice, but maintaining his delusion that other people need to hear his awful caterwauling.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 i know that this is 2 years ago. but.. i am.. shocked and broken. and my dad has been hearing dream since they released image and words. he yet doesn't know about this, he showed me about dream theater and i liked it so much that i started hearing every album.. but.. i didn't know about this and the mimicking and the fakes..
LaBrie is way past his prime. He can't hit those notes anymore
Just goes to prove, you can make a fortune in lies.
They rode the red but nobody smiled.
Damn, Petrucci wrote the lyrics to that song too. What a sellout.
Heard Pull me under in 92 as a teenager, instant fan. Changed my life. Grew up with DT. After the BLack Clouds album, I kinda lost interest. Portnoy left, never cared for the new DT. Songs were lacking, just didn’t sound DT anymore. James LaBrie has kept it going for 30+ years and has been a huge part of DT’s sound. I still think he’s an amazing singer, but yes, he’s obviously getting older. Personally I don’t understand why someone is offended by this video.
Labrie is horrendous, with or without lip syncing. One of the most annoying voices.
not just his vocals, his personality is so baf too
Sad. Up until Black Clouds these guys were one of my favorites.
Dude, Thank you for this. But what peeps refuse to accept is on them. You did a great job. Those who know music will always know that LaBrie fails on every live show. Pathetic. Makes me wonder all those albums were cooked up!!!
That remix is 🔥🔥🔥
You made James angry :P but if that isn't lip syncing what is? Also before anyone says it.. you can see by his posture and mouth movements he's not "singing along in a lower octave"..
His defense is one of the most ridiculous I've ever heard. Not only is the "harmony" inaudible in most clips, what would people be saying if another member of DT did something like that? What if Rudess played a whisper-quiet, octave-down line on top of a pre-recorded line?
I swear DT is prog for pop fans. No other genre accepts this.
"I swear DT is prog for pop fans"
To be fair, so is Steven Wilson.
How will the DreamTheater fans recover from this, it was already boring but now it's also fake
The problem, to me, is faking. If there is a tape playing and no-one pretends to play what it plays, it's ok for me, even though I like it better when it's not the case ,and when everything we hear is actually played. But pretending to be doing something that's actually done by tapes, for me it's the line to not cross. Be honest with it.
They still my favorite band.
The thing about "fake" backing vocals, there's different ways they can be done. Most of the time they're pre recorded and played back, but I have seen at some shows, where the lead vocalist's mic is going through an effects pedal, that kinda simulates harmonies. I don't care for the pre recorded and played back stuff, but there's so much cool shit vocalists can do with vocal effects pedals. Then imagine you have other members of the band do backing vocals, and every vocalist in the band has a vocal effects pedals. The possibilities would be endless at that point lol
It would just be stupid.
@@mbgmail5911 idk, I think it'd be pretty cool, but to each their own I guess
You can sing Bohemian Rhapsody.
“Full Paul Stanley” hahahahahahahahahaha that made my day
That aint dream theater. Thats reality cinema
I understand what Portnoy meant back in the days, saying some of the guys were tempted by the industry
John P wrote the lyrics to "A Fortune In Lies." What a sellout!
It's almost comical how useless Labrie is to this band. Doesn't write ,has no stage presence and his voice(which wasn't great to begin with) is pretty much gone. The other guys are some loyal dudes to keep him around for so long.
Not only is he not a songwriter, he's tried to actively steal credit for other people's songwriting. See my video on Distance Over Time.
Probably why I've loved LTE so much more than Dream Theater. They write more musical without vocals.
@@way2sh0rt07grad Honestly LTE3 was so good. There was a little more King Crimson influence in it compared to the other 2 albums which was pretty sick (there was even an Elephant Talk reference)
I agree Labrie is really bad these days but it's hard to argue his voice on those first two albums he did was phenomenal. This is why to me this descent into lip-syncing and autotune is so so sad :/
Damn man, I knew you'd make this video. When I saw it I couldn't believe my eyes. I have always supported dream theater, even after IAW 2017 tour, even after horribly autotuned 'Distant Memories", even their last album I have on repeat. But this new tour is a total disaster. Labrie sounds worse than 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020 tours, basically all of them. And now this lip sync thing... Very disappointing to see. Unluckily, when I tried to reach out to people on reddit, and say like "hey, JLB sucks at the beginning of the tour, does somebody even hear it?" i got attacked by dozens of DT defenders, who claimed the band is just "rusty", or labrie got a flu, or some kind of other crap. There was even a guy who said it's my problem if I can't get over the fact that labrie sounds that bad now... Wow, I've been listening to them for 13 years, and now that I see what my favourite band has turned into, do I have to stay silent?? r/dreamtheater has some extraordinary idiots following it.
P.S. Besides all of that, during that tour JLB has another backing track singing exactly his vocal parts, which means he can float away and let the pre-recorded track to the job for him. It's a lot more present throughout the show, than this lip synced part. I'd expect to see this practice from Lil Pump or other rapper, but not from a band like DT...
totally agree
It's weird too since I feel like people usually come back singing better after taking time off touring . Mikael from Opeth's growls sounded a lot better and less tired when they played in LA this year
JLB has always sucked that's why i just listen to Circus Maximus. Their first two albums are better than anything DT has ever done except for IAW
Celeb worship and apologetics is at an all time high across all forms of entertainment/media. So many crave for a safe space where they can all unambiguously circlejerk their favourite's supremacy without being hurt by critics. Fans don't demand bands to raise their standard as heavily as they used to
@@DeffoZappo You don't like Nine?
While we’re talking about fake things and DT, can we talk about the most offensive fake of them all. The Just for Men is. Out. Of. Control!
Glad you called them out on this!!!! Tell it like it is!
This is just sad. I've been (and still am) a big DT farn for nearly 20 years. I've always defended James, as I honestly thought he didn't always sound terrible and he did all he could in an honest way. This, however, lowers the bar too much for me to defend it or even go along with it. I am not one of those "bring Portnoy back" fanboys, but surely some magic has gone in the last few tours. I still think the ADTOE tour was sensational, probably the best concert I've ever experienced, but everything that went after it went downhill. It probably is a mix of many things.
First, the use of a click track means stiffer, less flexible performances. I no longer expect them to pull up an Instrumedley or a Budokan Hollow Years or even a decently extended solo (when they do extend them it tends to be short and kind of predictable, unlike say, Surrounded in Chaos in Motion). Related to the click track, rotating setlist are entirely gone, with not even 4-5 songs that may change from concert to concert, just one fixed setlist for all the tour. I really miss the old-school concerts where unpredictable shit could happen (this is, I think, the most obvious loss after Portnoy's departure). Now it's all too cold, too rigid, too "professional" if you will, lacking too much soul and overall joy.
Then, obviously, Labrie's performances have become really painful, even in the low registers he sings poorly (e.g. slow parts in The Ministry of Lost Souls during this tour). I get it, he is getting roo old for this and some songs are really tough, but come on, Bridges in the Sky's chorus is as beautiful as simple to sing, and the band is already tuning down the harder songs and now they are also implementing these embarrasing backing vocals (which sometimes just become lead vocals...). In his prime, I think James had one of the most impressive voices in metal history, and even after the poisoning he sounded pretty damn good (e.g. Once in a Live Time), but it is extremely sad to see him struggle so much in every song nowadays.
Sad times.
Absolutely spot on comment. Even after the food poisoning incident, Labrie still sounded great. I think he sounded very good in Japan in 95 and during several shows in 98. 1999-2003 was very shaky, and 2004 is when it went it downhill completely, with his voice sounding completely nasally and having no tonal control. Generally speaking, the band has sounded less and less inspired after each release, as the overplaying and technical wankery became worse and worse and the songwriting took a back seat to accommodate it. I think this can be traced all the way back to Moore leaving, but it didn't become a huge problem until the last 10-15 years in my opinion
Get off my mind. Its exactly what I think. ADTOE was an amazing Album, it sounded like everything I missed from DT that was not present in their latest albums with MP. But it just went downhill after that. I still remember buying awake at a store in 1996. They here heroes for me. Its sad to see where they are when you see other "old" bands still kicking ass and releasing amazing albums even with 20-30 years of carer. The latest DT album I could not listen even 5 times. Its just bland. I see videos of their concerts today and I just dont want to see it. Its so robotic, without life, like a band in autopilot mode.
Well stated, fan for 5 years, still very much a fan but disappointed by these revelations and the whole drummer audition.
They were unbeatable in 90s and beginning of 2000. All their best albums are from that era. Nothing compares to I&W, Awake, Scenes from a Memory, Or 6Doit. Even falling into infinity is top album in comparison with their later acts. With Change of season, there is no match for their 90s in their later career. Who had not a chance to live it with them “live”, he/she missed a lot.
@@holkounholkoun6945 although at that time FII was considered as the least of their albums (I still loved it), when you compare it to their later releases with Portnoy or their current albums, its clear FII was absolutely amazing. Trial of Tears, Just let me Breathe, New Millennium (what a song), Peruvian Sky, Lines in the Sand... Those songs alone are better than 90% of their later releases.
Ur remix background that u put in this video sounds more refreshing than DT new album
That's an oldie from 2015! Still have 90% of my old content saved, but can't possibly bring myself to like this band anymore. What a tragedy. They ruined everything they had built up on account of LaBrie.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 This was the Band i grew up listening and now they don't have any innovation left and clubbed with dishonest practices from James and the group
Everybody pilloried Mike Portnoy but he was right about them needing a new singer, he was right about them being to take time off to recharge and he was right about the relationships in the band. There's only one reason why they are doing this now, because it's lucrative and comfortable.
DT defenders love calling me a Portnoy fanboy, but actually, I was as irritated by Portnoy as anyone circa 2010-2013. I came around to a more positive view of him in 2017, when it was obvious the band was in shambles without him, and Mangini was not filling his shoes. Yes, Portnoy was the primary person standing between DT and totally losing touch with reality.
They need to tune their damn songs down by at least a whole step!! It's not bearable anymore for him
@@bakalaudia5620 They already did this in 2017, in the I&W World Tour, and Labrie Sounded worst than ever.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 you're delusional if you think mangini is a worse drummer than portnoy
@@williamjohnson7247 Whaaat? But I thought, according to Mangini supporters, music is entirely subjective. How am I delusional for having an opinion? I'm just going off of what my eardrums tell me. Drums on 2013 album and The Astonishing sound very bad, Mangini's drumming sounded stiff and robotic on the tours for those albums too (according to my ears).
Boy being a long time DT fan, I can't believe they would lip sync. If I'm paying good money to see a live show, I want to see a LIVE show. David Lee Roth sucked as a singer but at least he was trying without the help of technology. I don't mind seeing a live show where the singer or the band isn't perfectly hitting every note. At least they are performing live and not memorex.
I saw them one time and I was blown away at the musicianship and sheer talent of all the players. And I thought why do they even need this singer?
Check out Liquid Tension Experiment of you haven’t already: Original drummer, guitarist, and keyboardist.
Man I thought I was the only one
They should have had a better singer since ages! At least someone who fits with their musicianship, or their style. Labrie sounds as an amateur Powermetal singer 99% of the time.
Because when they were just starting out no other respectable singer wanted to work with them after Charlie Dominici left and they had to spend 3 years playing live without a singer until Labrie joined.
they kicked out the first singer and they should do the same to the current one
Pretty sad considering LaBrie's vocal ability in the 90's, like on Under A Glass Moon, was pretty much untouchable.
I know. He was soooo good then, unfortunate that he sounds like this now. And I would think they put effects into his voice in the studio. Idk if him going for a much lower style would help?
common he sounded even terible back then.
Bro, it’s 2022 and you’re still using iMovie. That’s a bigger sin than anything DT has done.
No, I use Final Cut Pro X.
Don't be a douche, we all know that Microsoft Photos is the industry standard NLE!
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 Yeah, but you still use that nasty “Gill Sans” font. 🗿🗿🗿
th-cam.com/video/BfNig-FyM3E/w-d-xo.html
Still not as bad as Comic Sans.
@@linuxuser2142 lol
@@almightyhotdoglady5383 It's the default font.
They fell apart after Portnoy left.
This dudes vocals have NEVER been at a comparable level to the skill of the musicians around him. I never understood why they have this singer. to me he ruins the whole band.
Was comparable 1990-1994, and parts of 1995-1998. It's been a slow descent ever since.
Gonna keep an eye out for this when I see them in Philly in a few weeks!
Once upon a time there was a great prog band called Dream Theater. Not anymore.
It's interesting how some DT fans, especially of the Reddit variety, waffle in and out of "they're better without Portnoy," and "you're judging the band too harshly because they're old."
They were absolutely, stunningly amazing. Whoever these weird, senseless musicians are now who call themselves Dream Theater are like parodies of who they once were.
I will not defend this. I believe every guy in the band is extremely talented, even James back in the early days was an incredible vocalist, and I still think their music is really good, but this is pretty dumb. I would rather hear James real voice (even if it’s not great live) over this effortless nonsense.
Right because it's just like acting. I want to hear the raw voice
yeah id even take David Coverdale's almost black metal style screeching nowadays live since at least it's actually live over backing tapes
It's like how Cobain is a terrible singer but people still like it cuz its real. Plus it fit the style
^^^ Kurt Cobain is a "terrible singer"? 'the fuck
@@runnersdialzero1244 have you heard him live?
I’m a massive RUSH fan. I know that in the later years I’d hear Geddy’s lead vocal as well as his backing vocals. Sometimes Alex would be “singing” in to the mic, but all I could hear was Geddy. It never bothered me that/if they used any backing tracks. The shows always sounded great, and it’s only three people trying to recreate their studio sound as closely as possible. I know Alex had a live mic sometimes as you’d hear a voice sounding different than Geddy’s, but I couldn’t tell you exactly what songs.
You can hear Alex's backing vocals clearly in the Sarstock show. That whole performance is a complete mess but it's an interesting look into a more stripped down Rush.
@@Sheehy223 Cool, thank you👍🏻
He did, in fact, turn away from the crowd both times they played the chorus in Chicago.
to anyone trying to use the age argument, i have just two words: Bruce Dickinson
I know, right? He sounded better in the 2000s than he did in the late 80s and early 90s.
Or Alice Cooper
Best comment.
People don't pay steep ticket prices to see false performances.
DT fans apparently do
I tried to get into DT after seeing John Petrucci play with G3 with Vai & Satch in 2006. Musically I thought they were really good, but as soon as the lead singer starts. It was like fingers on a blackboard for me
Exactly what kills it for me is the singer...oh how amazing they could have been.
I started getting fatigued with DT after Octavarium, personally. I think if they had ended things there, or maybe at Dramatic Turn with their Grammy nom, they could have still salvaged their reputation and gone down in history as one of the greatest progressive metal bands in history. But the music has just become lifeless gymnastics, the heart and soul in the composition just isn't there anymore, their live shows are stiff and lifeless, James has been subpar for years anyway (even on the good albums), and now this. It's embarrassing.
Prime example of not knowing when to quit, or at least take an extended break. I mean, Jesus, can you imagine how James might have been able to save his voice or at least keep it longer if they simply took a goddamn vacation now and then between albums so he could let it rest and recuperate? I never understood this mindset the band has always had where they seem to think this eternal loop of write-record-tour-write-record-tour is the only way they can keep their fanbase. Tool waited over 15 goddamn years to release their latest, and the fans came right back. It would have been the same for DT as well.
I think the Grammy nomination, especially in conjunction with it occurring after Portnoy quit, went to their heads. Petrucci and Rudess got egomania and thought they could do no wrong.
I think also with Maynard, he’s kept his voice in top shape on top of doing his other bands being A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. I can see why people would be upset. They dont owe us anything. If they wanted to take a break, that would be totally fine!
I imagine they need the money. I feel compassion for James, as I felt for Chris Cornell since Soundgarden’s 1996 album. It’s his job and he’s the victim.
@@Zappabain yeah, the money is the reason behind this insane write-record-tour loop without rest. Besides Tool, Metallica (with all their problems) is another good example of a band outside that mindset.
Comparing DT and Tool on a financial basis is way out of line. DT cannot afford to take 15 years off. DT is much less commercial and known to the masses. The complexity of their music narrows the fanbase much more than Tool, hence they have to tour much more to make it.
I`m not surprised. Honestly, from the videos I have watched of their live shows from the last 10 years, his voice has dramatically declined. I'm a professional singer so I know how hard it is to do what JL has done for so long and DT songs are extremely difficult to sing not only because of the range but the changes in tone when he switches character from song to song, especially in the Metropolis Pt. 2 stuff. Then throw in his age and vocal health issues he had years ago and you have to supplement his live vocals with pre-recorded tracks because he is struggling to hit the high notes, his tone is nasal and thin, and the stamina is no longer there. This is why I will not go to see DT live. Their albums sound great and I appreciate their music but I'm not putting out $$ to hear JL struggle. To be fair, these guys perform at such a high level, its almost impossible for any vocalists to maintain that level of mastery. The human voice is a very delicate instrument and to sing night after night at this level is simply not possible.
I don't dispute the fact that LaBrie's voice has given out from old age and overuse. That's common sense. The question is, why not just get a new vocalist, rather than resort to fakery like this?
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 Two reasons that I think of:
1) For many people, the lead vocalists is the sound of the band and DT knows this. These are top notch musicians so they know JL is struggling but they also know he is the "sound" that many fans associate DT with. Replacing him is playing with their loyal fanbase support. Thanks to studio tricks, JL can still make a decent sound with lots of help but live he is exposed.
Again, its not easy singing these songs at any age, let alone after his vocal issues, the rigors of touring, and the fact that many of these songs do require him to change the tone and character of his voice, especially the material from Metropolis, Pt.2.
With all that said, I think DT realizes that JL cannot continue this way so a move will be forthcoming in another year or so. Let them finish this tour and then they`ll probably have to make a very difficult decision. If they plan to perform live for the next 10-15 years, they will have to find someone with JLs old range, and someone who can change his tone/character. And it would help if that person were in their late 30s - early 40s.
2) Loyalty. Before JL joined the band, DT was struggling to find a singer who could do what they wanted. It was only after JL joined that they had their sound together. So they are sticking with him for as long as the fans can stand it, if I had to guess. Like I said above, they know he is struggling and knowing how proud each of these musicians are of their own craft, they know JL is dragging them down.
Ideally, they speak to him and he decides to "resign" from the band to seek other adventures and genres he has been excited about... or something along that wording. Then the band can put out a letter on their social media feed thanking him for making them who they are and all his years of service, and wishing him nothing but the best. That is probably how this will play out. I cannot see him fronting DT for much longer unfortunately.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 If LaBrie has rights to the Dream Theater intellectual properties, then there are probably contractual obligations also before he can part the band.
You might be foreshadowing something, let's see how the summer pans out for Dream Theater.
All being said, I still love LaBrie of course despite his performances hehehe, and am happy for him genuinely. Not everyone gets to have a career like that as a singer.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 I'm with you. If it's just to make a few extra bucks by continuing to do shows when he can't physically handle it anymore, maybe it's time to stop.
I think that any show I pay for, where the artist is PRETENDING to perform THEIR ROLE in the band, is money stolen from me.
What if I'm a huge fan of this guy? What if the only reason I came to the show was to hear him sing? And what? I'm supposed to watch him dance around and PRETEND to be the lead singer? No way. That's money stolen from me.
What ought to happen is there should be class-action lawsuits when this happens. For at least a portion of the ticket sales to be returned. NOBODY paid to see the band PRETEND to perform their song. They PAID to SEE DREAM THEATER PERFORM. Class-action lawsuit is the only answer. Then all these people maybe will think twice about going out there to steal more money from us.
We need to make it hurt them to do this - if it pays to fake a performance, they're gonna keep doing it. But if they end up taking a massive loss every time they get caught, they might actually stop doing it.
@@auxorion It's especially unacceptable with Dream Theater, because they built up a reputation as being highly talented, and a lot of their audience is musicians. Why so many in their audience defend this sort of drivel is beyond me.
Anything is better than hearing his actual live vocals lol. That shit was nightmare inducing
To defend them for a moment, James is getting older. Doing a 2-hour live show 5 nights a week is particularly daunting for his voice. As far as I can tell from these live shows this is pretty much the only part of the show that he lip-syncs. The register he’s singing it is tough for him to keep tight after singing the rest of the song. Yes, lip-syncing is bad live. I agree. But, devils advocate, if it makes him last longer and sing better overall during not only that particular show but the rest of the tour, I don’t see much of an issue.
Now if he goes full pop and starts lip-syncing full songs, then it’s a different story all together. But as far as I can tell, it’s only that part in that song.
Aging is tough. Especially to a vocalist. Some, like Devin Townsend, can sing just as good if not better now than 30 years ago. Some, like James, have a tougher time with it.
And yes, if he can’t sing a song live, they shouldn’t play it. I agree with that. Don’t pretend with the audience. Backing tracks are fine so long as what you see them singing and playing is actually them doing it live. Sound effects, backing vocals, no big deal to me. But lead parts are different. I just wish they would’ve taken that song out of the set if James can’t do it live.
This current tour seems like they are not stressing his voice but it was early in the tour when i saw them. The last 3 times I have seen DT, it sounded like he was blown out. This year sounded like 2000ish James.
"Age is an excuse for dishonesty." - 40% of Dream Theater fans in 2022
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 It’s not an excuse, it’s a reason.
@@seanentrikin9263 You implied that it's justified to do what he does because he's old. That's an excuse. "Reason" would be saying that they're doing this because LaBrie is old, but you not taking sides. You wrote "I don't see much of an issue." Enough with the semantical games. Admit he should have been out of the band a long time ago.
@@Azaereth2 why should he retire from what he loves doing? He has a lot of fans out there. If they don’t like what James and DT are doing, they don’t have to shell out the money to go see them.
I don’t understand your problem with the autotune or prerecorded stuff. James created some of the best vocals ever. He is getting older, has endured an injury on his voice, wth is your goal, troll?
Being a good vocalist at one point in time does not entitle one to mediocrity down the road. By that logic, the abomination that is Geoff Tate's music, over the last ~12 years is excused, just because he used to be a top-notch singer.
I saw them at the London Astoria. Images and words tour MANY years ago. They were incredible and James didn’t miss a beat. I was astounded at his ability to replicate his performance on the album in a live situation. Father Time catches up with everyone.
Honestly, Labrie is generaly so terrible live I don't think I mind some dubbed verses that much. Who goes to a Dream Theater concert for the vocals anyway
Well, explains why Labrie's voices sounded so much better during the Distant Memories record. As someone who has been a fan for so long but has always felt the vocals were the weakest link, I am disappointed.
That release has maybe the most auto-tuned vocals I've ever heard on a "live" album. So fake.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 The drum mix is disgusting too.
Well, I found out that the band Måneskin "plays" with prerecorded guitars mimiced by their guitarrist... I received a lot of backlash everytime I posted the evidence. I guess some people aren't honest to themselves.
What a pathetic path the planet is going down. Normalized dishonesty.
Do Måneskin do regular live gigs because I can't find anything other than televised performances and while that sucks, that sort of comes with the territory. TV shows almost always have a backing track and live vocals. Of course, I have no proof of this but I believe it has something to do with past experience where bands like Nirvana and Metallica were hired to play performances of their hits on live tv and they rebelled by playing whatever the fuck they wanted.
@@itsfine5818 Yes, the do regular gigs. I had a few examples with time marks but I can't find them now.
But what I have in hand is a "live" radio performance. I'll give you two examples th-cam.com/video/_NYGebTyn-k/w-d-xo.html
(You'll hear a guitar strumming but his hand is in the air)
th-cam.com/video/xgMftdjnKpo/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/users/clipUgkxfu_ZgO81l-vuN5m2LV0DKz1Rfq2OzefY
The vocals on the current DT album are so awash with autotune, it might as well be a giant midi file of vocals.
But DT fans say "he still sounds good in the studio!"
@@jaym6906 r/copypasta
Black Clouds was the last one I liked. It didn't happen to be because Portnoy left after, it just legitimately was the last music I enjoyed by them as a coincidence
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139
He does… with processing… 🤣
Hate the band and all the posturing and I have no idea how I ended up here but this doesn’t surprise me one bit. They are rich now and lazy. I guess the fans will prop them up forever.
I saw them last month, they used a backing track 100%. I clearly heard a younger LaBrie at one point, I’ll never forget it. Im fine with it, but it’s definitely happening.
Their music post Portnoy is just boring. It's everything in excess. How many quirky time changes can we cram into this tune? Portnoy was the fire in this band.
DT without Portnoy only made one good album, which is A Dramatic Turn Of Events. Self-titled has some good material, but also one of the worst drum tones of all time. And the last three albums are insufferable dogshit. Even when the songwriting isn't totally derivative and recycled from past albums, LaBrie's insidiously pitch corrected and spliced together vocals ruin it.
Went to a show in Montreal last week. Labrie messed up midway through About to Crash and you could both hear the wrong thing he was singing and the backing track not very loud underneath, probably to give reference and maybe a little boost to the vocal mix.
So at least we know for sure that his mic is still on. And while his overall performance was strong, it definitely wasn't good to the point that it wouldn't be something he could actually achieve.
Petrucci on the other hand I'm not convinced has actually sung anything in the past few years. Both times I've seen them (2019 and last week), his performance was 100% lip-synced I'm almost completely certain of it.
All that being said, I'm not sure how much I really care about backing vocals being pre-recorded. I kinda just wish John wouldn't even bother to even try tricking people and just focus on playing guitar.
FOH engineer is riding faders between the live track and the recording. He knows all too well when things can go off the rails so he has to make adjustments on the fly. This isnt anything new, I know regional and local bands playing to tracks and I have done it as well. Van Halen played to sequences so Eddie wouldnt have to try to pull off playing keyboards and guitar. Sadly, VH shouldve used tracks for DLR, but his timing is so bad he couldnt even fake it.
thats the hardest part of being the vocalist or the front man for the band, your instrument is your troat, wich cannot be replaced like instruments when damaged.
Sadly yes
We saw them in Boston last night and kept our eyes open for this. It looks like this section of Bridges in the Sky did seem to have some kind of backing track on it, but we did not see any other evidence for the rest of the show of him using a backing track or lip syncing. It's weird for whatever reason they chose to have a backing track for this small section, I don't think previous tours with this song used it. Very interesting nonetheless.
That’s what I’m saying, he very clearly was signing the whole time other than this besides backing tracks which I see no issue with and his real time leads were great. This dude is just being way too zealous about the integrity of live performances and couldn’t outsing James if his life depended on it. Stupid to act like James can’t sing, sure he struggles but he also crushes it a lot of the time
so pay them money to come watch them play the studio recording? seems greasy 🤔
Wow, guess I’ll find out for myself Saturday night in CT…agree that it is deceptive - but not sure if I have a strong emotional response to that; there is some value in the idea that they want to give their fans the best sounding show possible. Looking forward, agree that a new, younger singer just might do the trick -
One reason i dont go on concerts anymore. You dont know anymore whats live and whats not. Everybody is doing this nowadays... When i see a macbook on the stage i am already disgusted.
But this is common in shows. Since they play in sync, the backvocals, choirs and all that are usually recorded and this is for most bands.
Argumentum ad populum. It's also an "industry standard practice" to have vocals on studio recordings be 100% pitch corrected. I hate modern technology.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 No, because the band is playing for real. They are not doing a Playback, but they are not able to provide all that was done on studio (singer cannot harmonize with himself alone). Same goes for bands that have orchestras and choirs, is all recorded.
Argumentum ad populum is hating modern tech and having a youtube channel 🤔
@@fasgamboa They are not doing a Playback"
The evidence in the video clearly shows otherwise. And the argumentum ad populum fallacy is saying something is right just because lots of people are doing it. You're accusing me of hypocrisy, which is something different.
I'm sorry but they need to get rid of james
I love the man but for a band which is characterised by having godly talent they sure have a sub par singer
He was awesome in the day
I agree!. I don't know about "awesome back in the day" or whatever. But they definitely need to fire his ass now. He sucks.
It seems unnecessary. Just choose a different song. Doing this tarnishes the DT name and the rest of the guys who are world class players.
They just need to find a world class singer lol
i was pretty confused as to why they would pick bridges in the sky, seeing how it has long vocal sections without any breaks, meaning it might be difficult for james to handle. but now i see its not at all difficult to handle something when theyre faking it
ALL vocals in Dream Theater are GARBAGE anyway. Just terrible
Dude, give them some slack. They have been giving us so much great music over the years...and the first studio album was released 32 years ago. And yes, they are getting older, like everyone else. James LaBrie is becoming 59 years old this year, so naturally he can't sing as well as when he was younger. This is just disrespectful to the most respected musicians ever existed.
Good music stopped in 2013
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 good music still is made today, I don’t know what you mean, or you just think literally any song made after 2013 sucks? hmm.
@@Kinetex I was speaking strictly about Dream Theater. Their self-titled album from 2013 was the beginning of the end for me, due to the terrible drum sound.
I just can’t describe how bad this brakes my heart. They are the last band I thought would pull off something like this
🤣🤣🤣🤣
2006: Score. First time they partially dubbed lead vocals on a DVD.
2009: BC&SL. First album to use pitch correction on lead vocals.
2011: Backing vocals are now played from tape, JP is lip syncing and using heavy chorus on his guitars to persue a studio sound.
Band drags on, each new DVD sounds more artificial than the last.
2020: Distant Memories. Lead vocals are half dubbed and half autotuned to absolute shit.
2022: Lead vocals partially roll off tape.
Honestly, we should've seen this coming. The only thing that surprises me is that it's _this_ part of _that_ song he's lip syncing. It's not high or demanding or anything. Like, why?
@@elvancor Pitch correction on studio albums may have started with Octavarium. At that point, not very detectable, but on The Astonishing and Distance Over Time, it's absolutely gratuitous.
@@theravenskillrebelmilitia139 Listening to the isolated vocals of I Walk Beside You, yeah, you're right. That's also touched up, just tastefully.
They been doing it since the late 90s
James knows about this and he’s pissed lol
Good
So the other guys in the band are working while the singer is in lala land. What else is new?
It looks like they're playing at a primary school auditorium ha ha is the headmaster headbanging 🗣
I love Dream Theater, but I had issues with Mangini playing Portnoy songs when I saw them live. It didn't sound the same, didn't have that "je ne sais quoi".
So I saw them last night in Boston, going into it knowing JLB might be lip-synching, but I think I've figured out what they're doing. There was a part in The Count of Tuscany where JLB held the mic to the crowd to get them to sing along, and you could very clearly hear JLB and JP's vocal tracks, even though neither of them were at their mics. But then when JLB resumed singing, you could hear it get louder. Also, when JLB was backstage during a solo, and the vocals resumed, JLB didn't get to the mic in time, and you couldn't hear the vocals as loud until he started singing. I think they're using prerecorded lead and backing tracks from JLB and JP, but also letting JLB sing in unison to the lead track. So not technically lip-synching, but still not great. But that's just my opinion.
Shady for sure. Supposedly, this is becoming the new "industry norm" in progressive metal... because something is right just because lots of people are doing it.
I was at that show too. Definitely something like that going on, I noticed a few bits and pieces playing in the background. When I saw them in 2019 I did not notice anything like that, either because they weren’t doing it at that time or my memory is just bad. Either way I’m not a fan of this new standard…
@@gevoman3959 I've seen them in the past clearly fuck up things on stage. And there was no backing track then. So I'd say this is a new development.
Yea I was at the Boston show too and swear some parts had the studio vocals playing in the back at some points. Not that there's anything wrong with it. Still a great show. 👍
At the Boston show, JP's guitar string broke, and while he was handing his guitar to the tech, the backing track guitar note was still playing.
My issue with this is, at any given point in time I no longer know what I am listening to. I'll rather watch a truly live show with fuckups, than a half:live show like that.
Not only that, this is a 5-piece band, one of whom is a keyboard player. Why do they need two backing tracks on top.
i love the remix version of bridges in the sky you made
Damn, this is sad. I mean, i completely turned dt off since the last album because it literally did nothing for me. Sure the musicianship is always top notch, but who cares really. There's not a single memorable moment in that album. Distance over time i feel was a step in the right direction: "simpler" songs, way shorter hence more "focused". Damn... now lip synching live too. I mean i already knew john wasn't actually singing his back vocals, you could tell they were backing ones and frankly i don't give a shit. But for the lead singer to do this kind of bullshit... wow. Why bother even doing the song. Just don't. Do the ones la brie can still "sing". Wtf man, this was sad to watch for a 20+ years DT fan like myself... At this point i'd rather them to hang their coats and enjoy life. They're tarnishing their own reputation with this kind of bs.
It finally became LaBrie's band after Portnoy got booted. This is where they've landed.
I was thinking the same. It's the James LaBrie band now!
James Labrie is kinda like Walmart Russell Allen🤣. He had quite the vocals back in the days, now it's kinda just like wailing
The poop-stained sweatpants Russell Allen
Who goes to a Dream Theatre concert for the vocals? As long as the musicians are live I’m ok with it. I actually much prefer the instrumental parts.
FINISH HIM! [LaBrie is decapitated by a cymbal] PORTNOY... WINS
And James actually turns away from the crowd to "hide" the fact he's lip syncing there. That is crazy.
They have no respect for the fans to resort to such deception.
They write such complicated songs that they can’t reproduce it live . It’s a shame .
They were better live than in the studio 92-98 (in my opinion)
I saw them live last month, and I noticed at this same part of the song, although James was singing, I could still hear the backing track with the studio vocals. I also found it more noticeable on my phone recording of the segment. My guess here is that his real vocals were not picked up. Not saying it’s fine to use a backing track like that, but I’m not 100% convinced he was lip syncing here, since I saw the exact same segment live and heard his voice (which unfortunately leaves something to be desired).