Leeds reviews

[ich_bin_besser]

I read the setlist was as followed:

Hyperventilate
Welcome to Nowhere
Pocket Sun
Dear Dead Days
Black Light Macine
The Other Me

Frost were marvellous as ever! Not the slickest live band as they don't play often enough, but still pretty tight and played with a lot of energy. Original drummer is playing these two gigs (and he rocks) and their new bassist is good. And Jem is always a good laugh on stage!

Let us know more!

[ich_bin_besser]

Oh, forgot to add the linky to the source: http://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/board ... topic=34.0

[Trapezium Artist]

DDD?

Yum yum for tomorrow night ...  

[gr8gonzo]

That looks like a good pre-DT set.  Should pick up a fair number of fans from that.

[drblowthingsup]

just got back! it was so good. SO VERY AWESOME...
you blew my mind, boys.
aw i cant even explain it
it was like my first gig up near the front and i will never forget it
i... should really get some sleep now

[Neilgwhite]

wow, great night, great venue. enjoyed it all. The dream Theater boys obviously have a great  deal of time for Jem and Co, just a shame they couldn't have given a few more feet of stage, poor Nathan must have felt the breeze from Andy's drum sticks and one false move would have had all 3 in a right mess.

The boys got warmed up quickly, they had to! the rest of the set was a great showcase for the band and let's hope a few copies of Milliontown and EIMA will fly off the shelves tomorrow as DT fans have money burning a whole waiting for their next offering.

I was amazed by the divesity of the audience, young and old, all had a ball. We were a bit too near the front, and while we were fine for Frost*, within 3 songs from DT, we were running for the shelter of the bar. The sound was awesome and overwhelming with energy.

The frost* boys had chilled and come down to the bar, so i took the opp for a quick photo and asked Jem and Nathan for a few minutes. We chatted and had photos taken and it mad our evening.....

good luck in Southampton boys,ask for another foot on stage ;-)

[sawtooth]

What a night - Frost* played a blinder. DDD was fantastic live, if anything it seems to have more flow and energy now. But I reckon the star of the show was, unexpectedly, The Other Me. It's the best version I've heard yet, the 'jam' session at the end really rocked.

All the band were on form,,nice to have seen one of Andys last full Frost* gigs. Dec and JM were as usual stonkingly good. Special mention to the BLM guitar solo which sounded really great. Missed JJ, but Nathan looked like he was having fun. I couldn't hear much of what he was doing as the sound was wafting under the balcony a bit.  Oh, and that rascally Godfrey looked like he was having fun (thanks for the man-hug) :shock:

Dream Theater were good, but I think I had heard their repertoire of loud/fast/even faster/moody/widdle by 10 minutes in. A mate of mine lent me their entire back catalogue to swot up on and what I heard sounded note perfect, but I wonder where they can go from here. If whatever Frost* becomes over the next album or two progresses as much as difference between Milliontown and EIMA, I think we're all going to be kept very happily surprised with each release. But DT seem locked in a bit of a rut, but it's a rut that seems to keep their fans happy so what the hey... At the very least I would admit they are consummate professionals, and owned the stage totally while they were on, and the musical and technical chops were astounding.

And Nosser - NO!!!! Once you've spun your OASYS a full 360° we've seen the trick. So no need to do it all night then OK?  Nifty playing on the Continuum though, and did I detect an iphone in use on stage?

Lovely to meet Racing Hippo (thanks for getting the cd for me mate), Beano and pal, Clan Pedro, Mike EVS and Mouse. Looked for other familiar faces but being up in the Gods I couldn't make anyone out amongst the heaving horde of DT acolytes.

And the CD! Don't want to give anything away but f**k me. Saline is BRILLIANT!    

Back home now, happy and ready for bed.
Nighttzzzzzzzzzzz

[rogerg]

cool!  keep the reviews coming, mates!

[Pedro]

Too shattered to do it justice right now so I'll be back some time tomorrow....

For now....some headlines I'll edit some meat into later....

Bewildered smalltown prog fans faced with a *massive* queue for a gig 30 mins before "doors" time.

All venues in Leeds have sticky floors (it's the law)

Northern Pound exchange rate pushes £5 CDs to £8

DT fans know how to claim territory - Earth's curvature becomes significant over viewing distance

Mrs Pedro too short to see properly (not actually news that one)

RosFest Intro not re-wired for 240 volts (sadly)

DT fans very receptive

Nathan's knees buckle under fast fret work

Jem in John Beck configuration (sans hat) - claims to have "rehearsed sitting down" - you could tell, he sat down really well....

Good set, well delivered despite a couple of tiny sound issues and an uncharacteristic dip in tightness

DT very impressive for this first time viewer - only not knowing the songs made it feel a little over-long.

Portnoy drumsticks very slippery it seems

Petrucci has one guitar for every chord...or so it seems. But, man, does he work hard all through the set!

iPhone for sure. Was that a Zeetar too?

Petrucci and Rudess lie down on stage and out widdle each other - only the balcony can see.

...and then, there were hugs....

'night!  

[moogy]

Awesome as ever! Hearing their set I wanted them to play on for 2 hours. Much preferred their set to Dream Theater but they were pretty incredible too. But they do go in for too much note shredding for my like! lol Sound under the balcony wasn't brilliant either.
Frost*'s Black Light Machine was awesone. Was I the only one singing "big banana" lol
Great show - hot as hell though. Any chance of a copy of the BLM sounds Jem for the X6 lol!
Take Care Everyone, Moogy

[Mirror]

Wow, that is a great sounding set list!  I keep seeing The Other Me crop up, and I think that might be a little Jem fav like Snowman...one of those songs that might evolve every time you hear it (this is a good thing!!!)

Sad to read the bit reminding us that this was in all likelihood Andy's last gig, but it is cool to hear he did it my melting people's faces off  :twisted:

Keep those reviews (youtubies, go!) coming!

[RacingHippo]

Bewildered smalltown prog fans faced with a *massive* queue for a gig 30 mins before "doors" time.

This, combined with the boys being on 10 minutes earlier than the expected 8pm, caught us out - Hyperventilate was playing as we came in!

Northern Pound exchange rate pushes £5 CDs to £8

Tha needs to use Northern Pounds then, lad. Did thee not know?

Mrs Pedro too short to see properly (not actually news that one)

Well you shouldn't stand in front of her then, should you?  :roll:

I can add to the headlines (as many, especially Sawtooth, have said pretty much what I would!):

• It's a strange feeling being the only Englishman in a group in an Irish bar surrounded by 4 Scots and a Welshman.
• Nathan King is a Top Bloke. Not only is he a stupendously good player (THAT good on his debut gig?), but he seems to have fitted into the slightly-unhinged mentality of the band...
• DT are good for background music whilst chatting to Dec and Sound Man (I didn't catch his name, but he's a nice fella), and later the rest of the fellas.
• I bought 5 of the live CDs. She was getting to know me quite well by number 5.
• Mouse is, in fact, a weremouse. He chose to take on human form for the gig, presumably for his own safety.
• I have a new t-shirt - thank you Nellie  :mrgreen:
• TBE has come up with another slightly weeeeeiiiird set-up for his kit. Alas, i wasn't in a very good position to see it, let alone get a photo, but you can see a corner of it here:
  
• It appears I was feeling a bit down after Frost* had finished, as evidenced by Drarok's sneaky photo-taking:
  
• TBE actually stands for "To Bed Early" (thank you, JM). A real shame I didn't get to chat with him, especially as I'm seriously thinking about employing him in his official capacity - even more so after talking with Dec and DaveM last night.

All in all, a cracking night. Great to see the band and great to meet Fellow Frost*ie Friends, old and new!

Jem/John/Dec/Nathan/Andy - Break a leg tonight!
Those lucky enough to see 'em tonight - prepare yourselves for a blast!

[Brom]

Fantastic words fellas! Top marks for getting so much down so late!    Hope I can recipricate later tonight. And after I've recipricated I plan to to offer my own review contribution from Sarfampton.

Frost* and DT.... sooo excited!!    

[Ecosse]

Had a great night!

Got home at 3.15 without any probs, but was all worth it just for The Other Me (the guys were just awesome) and for DT's medley for the encore.

Great to meet a few Frosties too

My only real grumble was that under the balcony, it was seriously bass heavy.

[weezul]

Oh mate what a night! Frost were just sublime! Only problem was the crowd, far too tame. In an reverse of the norm I ended up closer to the front by the end of the dt set but for frost I couldn't get very close. So happy abput black light machine. Also go the cool white shirt with multi colour frosterisk and logo on back which is mint. Got the live cd too but unfortunately forgot to get any more after the gig and diddnt fancy queing again :/ I'm sure the leftovers will be online. They were also 8 quid which was steep, I guess there was a misunderstanding somewhere ? Aside, it was immense and dream theater were good, although I don't think mp was feeling it. A lot of lost 1s and the sound was bad. Frost's was worse unfortunately, its like the sound guys just sat and watched the meters and diddnt change a thing. Waiting for the train now, I'm shagged. Great night and free breakfast from travelodge because our room flooded before we got there. Winner