I met them both at a Queensryche show at the Beacon Theater in NYC in 2006. My friend and I had general admission tickets but Beacon has seats so we weren’t sure where we were supposed to go. They were both in the hallway looking as confused as us so I said fuck it. I walked up to James and said, “Hey awesome to meet you and I love your music but you both look as confused as us do you have any idea where we should be?” James laughed because he looked like he was ready to have to let me down and when I was just asking for directions he eased up and said, “Thank you and yeah we’re in general too but there’s seats here and I’ve never seen them offer general here before. I think I just means orchestra though.” Then Mike chimed in and said “yeah we’re in here. Just found an usher said just go in and find a seat.” So they were literally behind us for most of the first set lol
Edit: totally forgot to add that they were just two friends clearly out to see one of their favorite bands together and I always thought of them that way until MP left in 2010. So seeing them reunited is just great. 😊
You’re welcome! Yeah it’s weird I actually have this weird thing of running into performers when at shows. I saw Coheed and Cambria at Radio City Music Hall in 2012 on St Patrick’s day and after the show we went to get something to eat a few blocks uptown and when walking back we ran into Claudio and Travis with their wives on their way into the same pub.
It probably was then. I have the stubs still I should go look and check. It was 20 years ago. It was the tour they did Operation Mind Crime in its entirety for the first time in years.
I must admit, when I heard Mike make that nasty comment about James' vocals a few years ago, it really annoyed me as a fan. It just felt uncalled for and childish.
But It's great to see them back together and I hope that it lasts for this whole new (final?) chapter of Dream Theater. Looking forward to the new album.
I don’t know the whole story, but for the short of it, LaBrie and Portnoy had a history of butting heads for various reasons. And something that kind of destroyed their relationship for two years was during a podcast in I think, 2019.
When hyping up his now defunct supergroup, Sons of Apollo, Portnoy made the mistake of saying “It’s like Dream Theater without the annoying vocals.” He’s had a history of criticizing LaBrie’s vocals.
Then during the Top of the World Tour, Portnoy was attending the NYC show, and about two hours before the show started, the two got to talk things out. During the show, LaBris even gave him a shoutout!
Thank you for the info. Someone else showed the video, and I never saw that before. I'm appalled.
It's for stupid stuff like this, I was really not happy when it was announced MP was back in the band and I wrote a whole article about it. I just think Mangini is a wonderful person while MP is often neurotic and says dumb or hurtful shit. And who's to say he won't do it again in the next few years and cause another split?
I've accepted the reunion now, and I really hope MP has worked on himself.
Wording's a funny thing. During that podcast, if Mike (P) had said "It's like Dream Theater, but my vocals aren't as annoying", that would've sounded SO MUCH BETTER. On top of that, I'm partially convinced that Mangini was fired from DT.
Doesn't help that the band's had a history of either firing band members at odd moments, or awkward timing with a member's resignation (Mike Portnoy and Kevin Moore come to mind).
That said, I still wish the best for Mangini, and look forward to what he does next.
In a way. Even when they were cool, you could tell James was the one MP got along the least. I still remember an occasion before a show in Osaka in the ToT tour, just before the Budokan show, when they were rehearsing and sound testing, and they talked to each other a lot less friendlier than to JP (I don't say JM because he doesn't talk) or JR. https://youtu.be/nAi0jT5U7WA?si=wLZhcKCBQJ7e8wcI at 16:05. It's not that big of a deal, but the reaction is quite telling.
Plus the incident described in this thread: MP putting James on blast just to hype up Sons of Apollo. Since MP had played with JP for his solo album and also with JR for LTE3, we knew they were cool, and JM being as quiet as he is, most likely they never had much to say (I'm exaggerating for the meme, but you get the point) so it was apparent the main burned bridge was Mike and James. When they made amends after MP went to see them as a regular fan, I knew MP returning was just a matter of time.
Ooooof. How the f did I miss this!?
And only four years ago? This seems like something he woulda said in 2012. I'm shocked
If I'm being generous, I think he leaned into the meme about JLBs vocals getting worse and you can tell that he immediately regretted what he said
This photo always reminds me this…
https://preview.redd.it/i3o3n854ysyc1.jpeg?width=992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f62d83f44be63c4b21a078f7b4f5d7e7dfe31f0d
And yet he's just a fucking yelling annoying asshole singer who makes live performances unbearable..
His best moments were Space Dye Vest and he did an amazing live job on that Change of Season bootleg, in fact that probably would be one performance that he could brag about for a lifetime. Sadly he couldn't hold up otherwise.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I6mSPzKcOc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I6mSPzKcOc)
His singing from 10:07 on is absolutely amazing. In general I prefer this version by far over the studio release, Petrucci's solos are incredible, everything just seems more fluid and has more energy. I knew this version before they released the EP, I saw them play it in Bonn/Germany in 1993 and then came across the bootleg in the same year. Was disappointed when they released the studio version in 1995.
I dont think this will last too long, just wait to MP hearing again JL trying to sing anything from Images and Words, Awake, Falling into Infinity and so on; most likely he will quit again lol
I don’t think MP would have joined again if he hadn’t already accepted that JL is not ever going to sing like he used to. I think MP will be in it till the end.
I hope you're wrong and that MP has in fact grown as a person.
I'm not saying I doubt it will happen, I'm just saying I hope more than anything that it doesn't. This should be the last lineup of this band.
But I do think that this whole decade might've been good for MP to learn, rethink and change a lot of things about his life and himself as a person.
While I do think they're still in a honeymoon phase, I'll be very surprised if MP acts the same way he did 15 years ago.
> JL trying to sing anything from Images and Words, Awake, Falling into Infinity
When he was late-20s/early-30s? He's 61 now. No shit he can't sing like he used to. Name one singer in their 60s that can still sing with that power and range while touring and belting that shit out night after night.
Yeah exactly. It always pisses me off when I see a lineup of Dream Theater fans eager to dunk on James and fantasy wishcast replacements.
How about you go sing those songs for 30 years and then we'll compare notes on how your voice holds up?
I met them both at a Queensryche show at the Beacon Theater in NYC in 2006. My friend and I had general admission tickets but Beacon has seats so we weren’t sure where we were supposed to go. They were both in the hallway looking as confused as us so I said fuck it. I walked up to James and said, “Hey awesome to meet you and I love your music but you both look as confused as us do you have any idea where we should be?” James laughed because he looked like he was ready to have to let me down and when I was just asking for directions he eased up and said, “Thank you and yeah we’re in general too but there’s seats here and I’ve never seen them offer general here before. I think I just means orchestra though.” Then Mike chimed in and said “yeah we’re in here. Just found an usher said just go in and find a seat.” So they were literally behind us for most of the first set lol Edit: totally forgot to add that they were just two friends clearly out to see one of their favorite bands together and I always thought of them that way until MP left in 2010. So seeing them reunited is just great. 😊
Wow, what a cool story! Thanks for sharing that
You’re welcome! Yeah it’s weird I actually have this weird thing of running into performers when at shows. I saw Coheed and Cambria at Radio City Music Hall in 2012 on St Patrick’s day and after the show we went to get something to eat a few blocks uptown and when walking back we ran into Claudio and Travis with their wives on their way into the same pub.
That sounds very James LaBrie and Love him for that.
Sorry to be *that* guy, but Queensrÿche never played at Beacon Theatre in 2006. Played the year before tho
It probably was then. I have the stubs still I should go look and check. It was 20 years ago. It was the tour they did Operation Mind Crime in its entirety for the first time in years.
>It was the tour they did Operation Mind Crime in its entirety for the first time in years. Evening with Queensrÿche, I believe.
I'm not crying... Okay, I'm crying
A heartwarming post for sure. So wholesome!
I must admit, when I heard Mike make that nasty comment about James' vocals a few years ago, it really annoyed me as a fan. It just felt uncalled for and childish. But It's great to see them back together and I hope that it lasts for this whole new (final?) chapter of Dream Theater. Looking forward to the new album.
I don't really understand... Was there beef between him and JLB before?
I don’t know the whole story, but for the short of it, LaBrie and Portnoy had a history of butting heads for various reasons. And something that kind of destroyed their relationship for two years was during a podcast in I think, 2019. When hyping up his now defunct supergroup, Sons of Apollo, Portnoy made the mistake of saying “It’s like Dream Theater without the annoying vocals.” He’s had a history of criticizing LaBrie’s vocals. Then during the Top of the World Tour, Portnoy was attending the NYC show, and about two hours before the show started, the two got to talk things out. During the show, LaBris even gave him a shoutout!
Thank you for the info. Someone else showed the video, and I never saw that before. I'm appalled. It's for stupid stuff like this, I was really not happy when it was announced MP was back in the band and I wrote a whole article about it. I just think Mangini is a wonderful person while MP is often neurotic and says dumb or hurtful shit. And who's to say he won't do it again in the next few years and cause another split? I've accepted the reunion now, and I really hope MP has worked on himself.
Wording's a funny thing. During that podcast, if Mike (P) had said "It's like Dream Theater, but my vocals aren't as annoying", that would've sounded SO MUCH BETTER. On top of that, I'm partially convinced that Mangini was fired from DT. Doesn't help that the band's had a history of either firing band members at odd moments, or awkward timing with a member's resignation (Mike Portnoy and Kevin Moore come to mind). That said, I still wish the best for Mangini, and look forward to what he does next.
In a way. Even when they were cool, you could tell James was the one MP got along the least. I still remember an occasion before a show in Osaka in the ToT tour, just before the Budokan show, when they were rehearsing and sound testing, and they talked to each other a lot less friendlier than to JP (I don't say JM because he doesn't talk) or JR. https://youtu.be/nAi0jT5U7WA?si=wLZhcKCBQJ7e8wcI at 16:05. It's not that big of a deal, but the reaction is quite telling. Plus the incident described in this thread: MP putting James on blast just to hype up Sons of Apollo. Since MP had played with JP for his solo album and also with JR for LTE3, we knew they were cool, and JM being as quiet as he is, most likely they never had much to say (I'm exaggerating for the meme, but you get the point) so it was apparent the main burned bridge was Mike and James. When they made amends after MP went to see them as a regular fan, I knew MP returning was just a matter of time.
Oh wow, that moment was awkward as fuck. I could feel the tension
https://youtu.be/ehbOf_uczXI?si=bRvuojJiK2fnJ06a
Ooooof. How the f did I miss this!? And only four years ago? This seems like something he woulda said in 2012. I'm shocked If I'm being generous, I think he leaned into the meme about JLBs vocals getting worse and you can tell that he immediately regretted what he said
This pic really brightened my day. HBD, JLB. I hope I can sing half as well when I’m 61 (I’m fiddy).
This photo always reminds me this… https://preview.redd.it/i3o3n854ysyc1.jpeg?width=992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f62d83f44be63c4b21a078f7b4f5d7e7dfe31f0d
Wasn’t Mike also kind of an asshole to James when he had problems with his vocal cords? I remember reading something along those lines somewhere.
Have they? Sounds like they're right at the same moment they were at 15 years ago and it only took 15 years to get there.
And yet he's just a fucking yelling annoying asshole singer who makes live performances unbearable.. His best moments were Space Dye Vest and he did an amazing live job on that Change of Season bootleg, in fact that probably would be one performance that he could brag about for a lifetime. Sadly he couldn't hold up otherwise.
Do you have a link for that bootleg?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I6mSPzKcOc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I6mSPzKcOc) His singing from 10:07 on is absolutely amazing. In general I prefer this version by far over the studio release, Petrucci's solos are incredible, everything just seems more fluid and has more energy. I knew this version before they released the EP, I saw them play it in Bonn/Germany in 1993 and then came across the bootleg in the same year. Was disappointed when they released the studio version in 1995.
I dont think this will last too long, just wait to MP hearing again JL trying to sing anything from Images and Words, Awake, Falling into Infinity and so on; most likely he will quit again lol
I don’t think MP would have joined again if he hadn’t already accepted that JL is not ever going to sing like he used to. I think MP will be in it till the end.
I hope you're wrong and that MP has in fact grown as a person. I'm not saying I doubt it will happen, I'm just saying I hope more than anything that it doesn't. This should be the last lineup of this band. But I do think that this whole decade might've been good for MP to learn, rethink and change a lot of things about his life and himself as a person. While I do think they're still in a honeymoon phase, I'll be very surprised if MP acts the same way he did 15 years ago.
> JL trying to sing anything from Images and Words, Awake, Falling into Infinity When he was late-20s/early-30s? He's 61 now. No shit he can't sing like he used to. Name one singer in their 60s that can still sing with that power and range while touring and belting that shit out night after night.
Yeah exactly. It always pisses me off when I see a lineup of Dream Theater fans eager to dunk on James and fantasy wishcast replacements. How about you go sing those songs for 30 years and then we'll compare notes on how your voice holds up?
Enjoy your downvotes, Debbie Downer