Detailed Gigantour Review...
I haven't been on here in FOREVER...but here's the review I posted in a group I'm in...
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Hard Rock Live
Orlando, FL
Well, first off, because of there being only one stage, and nothing anywhere telling us any different, we were pretty sure we were only getting the Stage 1 bands, which is 5 acts. To our pleasant surprise, they extended it to 9 bands, and though the sets were shorter for the opening acts, it was a full day of music. I'll go into detail about the different aspects, and then review each band's show. I'll rate things on a scale of 1-10.
Price: $45 a ticket. When you parcel it out, it's only $5 a band. I got my tickets free, of course, so I didn't care too much about it. I think it was worth the ticket price, though.
Rating: 7 of 10.
Venue: I've been to Hard Rock Live once before, but not for a concert, and there are ups and downs to it. Acoustically, it was intense. They serve drinks AND food, so that's a bonus...until you see the prices! I asked for a bottled water, and 12 ounces was $4! A 20-ounce draft beer was only $5, so I had that instead...still not a very good bargain. Security was very non-obtrusive and didn't overdo anything, which is good or bad, depending how you look at it. I will explain later why it was a huge plus for me. The downside is that it can only accomodate one stage, which is why we ended up with shorter sets. Also, the outside of it where the bands and merchandise were was VERY cramped. Factor in the Florida heat, and that made that section a literal Hell. With the added bands, they started when doors were listed to open, so they opened about half an hour early, but the show went from 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM, almost exactly. All in all, I was pretty impressed at how well things went as far as the place itself, and since it's in the heart of tourist country (Hard Rock Live is at Universal's CityWalk), the prices were outrageous, but not very unexpected.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Merchandise: WAY too expensive. $35 bucks for a shirt, and nothing really that cool. Megadeth and Dream Theater had sweatbands, but they were $10 EACH. For a pair, I might have done it. I wanted a Nevermore shirt, but frankly, they were not that impressive. I think the new logo thing is cool, but the shirt with it was super plain, and the only other shirt was an old Dead Heart, In A Dead World shirt, and I can get that online for under $15. The selection could have been a lot better for all of the bands, and the program they had for the tour was very thin, and not worth the $20 price tag.
Rating: 4 of 10.
Accessibility to the bands: Well, the good news is that they had a setup so that after bands played, they'd be out at a table near the merchandise to meet the fans and sign autographs! The VERY bad news is that FYE, the overpriced music store, was there selling CDs, and you got a wristband. And that's supposed to be the only way you can get an autograph. I was VERY upset at this, since I own all the CDs and had no previous clue this was the deal. I got in line with no wristband, though, to see if I could get my stuff signed. Well...remember the lax security? They didn't really look, much less say a word, so I got autographs from both bands I wanted them from: Symphony X and Nevermore! The downside is that they were signing while other bands played, so that's the only bands I really went for. Megadeth signed early, way before their set, and Dream Theater did not meet and greet at all, but did offer pre-signed CDs through the Nazi-wannabes, FYE. I will never shop there again, because the theme of this show was supposed to be one of "cheap and accessible for the fans", and paying $19 AND UP for CDs I already bought is bullshit. I never download anything, always by special editions, buy re-releases with extra stuff, and then either give my old one to a friend or sell it at a used place. I feel that I deserve a chance to meet the bands, especially since the 6 bands I owned stuff by are bands that I own all or almost all of their stuff. As a fan, I think I've earned that right. So, while it worked out, my fear is that it won't be like that in other cities...and that will SUCK, big time. Please boycott FYE, and I plan to contact them soon with exactly why it should be done.
Rating: 6 of 10.
OK...so now to the shows themselves. We got 9 bands, as I mentioned. Opening acts were all under 30 minutes (about 20-25), and Dream Theater and Megadeth were each just over an hour. I'll list them in order of appearance, and review each one separately:
Bobaflex: Apparently, these guys headline an underground festival of some sort in the Midwest every year. I guess that's why Mustaine had heard of them. Their second CD comes out soon...August 23, same as Fear Factory's...and I'd have to say that if you like slightly off the wall stuff that's fun to see live, get it. Their sound quality was unbelievably good, especially because the place hadn't filled up yet. The second song had drop bass in a couple parts that was absolutely awesome. They're weird, silly and funny...but it was very entertaining. I had only heard the songs on the tour website (www.gigantour.com), so I don't know them well, but I liked what I heard. Much more dynamic live than studio.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Dry Kill Logic: I have a Hinge CD, which is what this band used to be called. I like them, as they're kind of a heavier hardcore type of sound, similar to Hatebreed or something, but a bit more technical. Very good set, as it got better as they played. Sound quality left a tad to be desired, but was good overall. I liked the set a lot, and would see them again and recommend their stuff.
Rating: 7 of 10.
Symphony X: OK, I LOVE this band! I have all their stuff, and have been listening for a lot of years...since their third one, The Divine Wings Of Tragedy. The set was WAY too short, and while it lists that they played 5 songs on the Gigantour forums, that is not true. They did 4, and I know exactly which ones they were, in order:
Inferno (Unleash The Fire)
Wicked
Sea Of Lies
Sins And Shadows
2 from The Odyssey, 2 from Divine Wings. Awesome, though the vocalist seemed not to be all the way "on". I wish it was longer, and while that's no fault of the band, it did hurt their set a little bit. Sound quality could have been better, but it was definitely not terrible or anything.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Nevermore: Well, this band gets my *SHOW STEALER* award. They were unreal! They only did 5 songs, which I also have in order:
Sound Of Silence
Born
Final Product
Narcosynthesis
Enemies Of Reality
This is actually correct on the website, too. They were 5 kick ass tunes, sound quality was absolutely perfect, and they were just completely awesome. I got right up front for this part, working my way through the crowd, and was there before the first song ended. The most notable thing other than Warrel Dane's perfect vocals was the guitar extravaganza put on by Jeff Loomis and Steve Smyth. Throw in a VERY tight rhythm section, and it's a recipe for perfection! I can't say enough how much I love this band, so maybe I'm biased, but they were absolutely incredible. This was my first time seeing them live, but I assure you it won't be my last.
Rating: 10 of 10. *SHOW STEALER*
Life Of Agony: Legends of old school hardcore, but I'm not a huge fan. I have heard them, and like them, but I'm not huge "into" them. But, with that said...their set was actually really good, and very surprising. If you like them at all, even a tiny bit, see them live. It was a good energy, and they seemed to really be into it. The sound quality was one of the better ones, too.
Rating: 8 of 10.
The Dillinger Escape Plan: I love these guys, and have all their stuff. They're weird, and some people don't get them...but they are technically amazing, and I couldn't wait to see them. I wasn't at all disappointed. Their sound is crazy, but I've heard them enough times on CD to know the quality could have been slightly better. I think they wanted it how it was, though. Very good live band, and if you like them at all, you should also see them live. VERY high energy stuff, to say the least.
Rating: 9 of 10.
Fear Factory: This is the only band I've seen live before...twice, in fact...so this short set wasn't really to my liking. They are infectious anyway, but much more so live. They only did 5 songs, contrary to the website, which I believe listed 6, so there was a lot missing:
Shock
Demanufacture
Acres Of Skin
Transgression
Replica
The sound quality was excellent, though they should have brought the treble end of the guitars up just a tad. The big downfall was that it felt rushed. They're scheduled to play 45 minutes normally on this tour, and only got 25. It did effect the overall feel, and they were much better the last 2 times I saw them. These guys are great, and the only reason I didn't go get their autographs was that I already had them, and they were signing during a set I just could not miss.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Dream Theater: Everyone goes on and on about how great they are live. I thought that the long-winded songs would make for a boring set, and that they'd do a ton of stuff I didn't like as much, because while I love this band, they're a bit enigmatic for me. They have songs I can't get enough of, and want to hear over and over...and then they have songs I can hear, forget about and move past. It's pretty extreme between pure enchantment and outright apathy for me, with this band. I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how wrong I was about their live set. Maybe the unbelievable talent they have is just ho-hum to me on CD, but live? It was insanely good. Sound quality was great, though the vocals could have come up a pinch...just a pinch. They did songs I love (and in fact, have on my practice CD) and songs I didn't like as much, and I was equally impressed. The new song, Panic Attack, is great, and it was great live. I highly recommend them live, and they plan to come back for An Evening With Dream Theater, and I assure you that I'll make every effort to be there.
Rating: 10 of 10.
Megadeth: I'm not a fan of their new stuff, and in fact, I have all of it...except the stuff after Youthanasia, with the exception of The World Needs A Hero. The newer stuff that's out now is a lot better, though, and went over OK live. Sound quality was good, with the notable HUGE pitfall that we could not hear the vocals well AT ALL! Very annoying, and surprising that a band of their stature would have it like that. The new guys - Mustaine's the only one left from the good old days - were good...but not the same. The solos that the new guy did in Marty Friedman's stead were notably subpar, and the bass was decent, but not great. The drums weren't as crisp as Nick Menza, but that's a tall order. Overall, the songs I wanted to hear were off my favorite, the classic, Rust In Peace. Hangar 18 was just not good, and the different harmonized chords in the song were really tough to make out. Tornado Of Souls was good, but the timing wasn't too crisp, and I wasn't overly impressed. The encore song was Holy Wars, though...and they flat out KILLED with it. It's weird, but some of the stuff I knew less sounded better than the stuff I knew more...probably due to the new members. I think I may actually pick up their latest stuff, because I've yet to hear anything bad from it, and it seems more like the old days...but after seeing them, I know just how not like the old days they are.
Rating: 7 of 10.
Other odds and ends: We met John Petrucci's cousin. (John is the Dream Theater guitarist, for those that don't know names and stuff.) He was really nice, and seemed to really be enjoying it. He had a backstage pass, and brought a friend. Good people, and I think it has a lot to do with why Dream Theater didn't sign: they have family here. The singer and drummer had on shirts that were Floridian. I couldn't see the words on James' shirt, but it had an outline of Florida on it, and Mike had a Magic jersey with Portnoy on the back.
Meeting Symphony X was great. I told Michael Romeo that the live CD seems really hard to get around here, and he said that while he wasn't the distributor, he'd see if he could nose around and figure something out. They are also trying to come back through, once this tour's over and they FINALLY get in the studio. As you may or may not know, they almost weren't going to do this tour, so they could get the new album done...but then decided not to pass up the opportunity. Good call, I think.
Meeting Nevermore was absolutely my highlight! I told them that they are "the best thing to happen to metal since...recording!" I also let them know that this was the best album to date, and they were very humble, but very happy to meet everyone. Total class acts, and I can't wait until they come back through. They go to Europe to headline after this tour, and I asked if they'd come back and headline here, and they said that is exactly what they're trying to do.
While waiting in line for Nevermore, a guy gave me a CD sampler for Gigantour. They were free if you bought a CD, and he got two, so he gave me one. I let him cut in front of me. lol He was a cool guy, and came all the way from Jacksonville, 2 hours away. I also got a Dry Kill Logic sticker that a guy was handing out just before they played, which I put on my footlocker with the other hordes of stickers I have.
Overall: I highly recommend this tour, because it's a lot of bands for the money (more bands in some cities), and a chance to check out new stuff you may not have heard before. If you're a fan of any of the bands - or like me, a fan of a lot of them - it's a worthwhile show. I was originally thinking we'd get 5 bands, and I have almost complete catalogs of 6 bands on the tour. 5 of the 6 were the 5 we'd have gotten, with Symphony X being the exception. Even that would have been worth it, and I hear tell they'd have played a lot longer if that had been the case. But I was happy to get the 9 bands, even if it was only to finally see Symphony X. The stuff I was surprised by made it all worth it.
Rating: 9 of 10.
If anyone else is going to Gigantour, or has been already, let me know. If you have any questions, or want to know anything I didn't cover, feel free to also contact me about that, either here in the forum, or by e-mail. And whatever you do, GO GET Nevermore's new CD, This Godless Endeavor! It's crazy good!
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Hard Rock Live
Orlando, FL
Well, first off, because of there being only one stage, and nothing anywhere telling us any different, we were pretty sure we were only getting the Stage 1 bands, which is 5 acts. To our pleasant surprise, they extended it to 9 bands, and though the sets were shorter for the opening acts, it was a full day of music. I'll go into detail about the different aspects, and then review each band's show. I'll rate things on a scale of 1-10.
Price: $45 a ticket. When you parcel it out, it's only $5 a band. I got my tickets free, of course, so I didn't care too much about it. I think it was worth the ticket price, though.
Rating: 7 of 10.
Venue: I've been to Hard Rock Live once before, but not for a concert, and there are ups and downs to it. Acoustically, it was intense. They serve drinks AND food, so that's a bonus...until you see the prices! I asked for a bottled water, and 12 ounces was $4! A 20-ounce draft beer was only $5, so I had that instead...still not a very good bargain. Security was very non-obtrusive and didn't overdo anything, which is good or bad, depending how you look at it. I will explain later why it was a huge plus for me. The downside is that it can only accomodate one stage, which is why we ended up with shorter sets. Also, the outside of it where the bands and merchandise were was VERY cramped. Factor in the Florida heat, and that made that section a literal Hell. With the added bands, they started when doors were listed to open, so they opened about half an hour early, but the show went from 5:30 PM to 1:00 AM, almost exactly. All in all, I was pretty impressed at how well things went as far as the place itself, and since it's in the heart of tourist country (Hard Rock Live is at Universal's CityWalk), the prices were outrageous, but not very unexpected.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Merchandise: WAY too expensive. $35 bucks for a shirt, and nothing really that cool. Megadeth and Dream Theater had sweatbands, but they were $10 EACH. For a pair, I might have done it. I wanted a Nevermore shirt, but frankly, they were not that impressive. I think the new logo thing is cool, but the shirt with it was super plain, and the only other shirt was an old Dead Heart, In A Dead World shirt, and I can get that online for under $15. The selection could have been a lot better for all of the bands, and the program they had for the tour was very thin, and not worth the $20 price tag.
Rating: 4 of 10.
Accessibility to the bands: Well, the good news is that they had a setup so that after bands played, they'd be out at a table near the merchandise to meet the fans and sign autographs! The VERY bad news is that FYE, the overpriced music store, was there selling CDs, and you got a wristband. And that's supposed to be the only way you can get an autograph. I was VERY upset at this, since I own all the CDs and had no previous clue this was the deal. I got in line with no wristband, though, to see if I could get my stuff signed. Well...remember the lax security? They didn't really look, much less say a word, so I got autographs from both bands I wanted them from: Symphony X and Nevermore! The downside is that they were signing while other bands played, so that's the only bands I really went for. Megadeth signed early, way before their set, and Dream Theater did not meet and greet at all, but did offer pre-signed CDs through the Nazi-wannabes, FYE. I will never shop there again, because the theme of this show was supposed to be one of "cheap and accessible for the fans", and paying $19 AND UP for CDs I already bought is bullshit. I never download anything, always by special editions, buy re-releases with extra stuff, and then either give my old one to a friend or sell it at a used place. I feel that I deserve a chance to meet the bands, especially since the 6 bands I owned stuff by are bands that I own all or almost all of their stuff. As a fan, I think I've earned that right. So, while it worked out, my fear is that it won't be like that in other cities...and that will SUCK, big time. Please boycott FYE, and I plan to contact them soon with exactly why it should be done.
Rating: 6 of 10.
OK...so now to the shows themselves. We got 9 bands, as I mentioned. Opening acts were all under 30 minutes (about 20-25), and Dream Theater and Megadeth were each just over an hour. I'll list them in order of appearance, and review each one separately:
Bobaflex: Apparently, these guys headline an underground festival of some sort in the Midwest every year. I guess that's why Mustaine had heard of them. Their second CD comes out soon...August 23, same as Fear Factory's...and I'd have to say that if you like slightly off the wall stuff that's fun to see live, get it. Their sound quality was unbelievably good, especially because the place hadn't filled up yet. The second song had drop bass in a couple parts that was absolutely awesome. They're weird, silly and funny...but it was very entertaining. I had only heard the songs on the tour website (www.gigantour.com), so I don't know them well, but I liked what I heard. Much more dynamic live than studio.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Dry Kill Logic: I have a Hinge CD, which is what this band used to be called. I like them, as they're kind of a heavier hardcore type of sound, similar to Hatebreed or something, but a bit more technical. Very good set, as it got better as they played. Sound quality left a tad to be desired, but was good overall. I liked the set a lot, and would see them again and recommend their stuff.
Rating: 7 of 10.
Symphony X: OK, I LOVE this band! I have all their stuff, and have been listening for a lot of years...since their third one, The Divine Wings Of Tragedy. The set was WAY too short, and while it lists that they played 5 songs on the Gigantour forums, that is not true. They did 4, and I know exactly which ones they were, in order:
Inferno (Unleash The Fire)
Wicked
Sea Of Lies
Sins And Shadows
2 from The Odyssey, 2 from Divine Wings. Awesome, though the vocalist seemed not to be all the way "on". I wish it was longer, and while that's no fault of the band, it did hurt their set a little bit. Sound quality could have been better, but it was definitely not terrible or anything.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Nevermore: Well, this band gets my *SHOW STEALER* award. They were unreal! They only did 5 songs, which I also have in order:
Sound Of Silence
Born
Final Product
Narcosynthesis
Enemies Of Reality
This is actually correct on the website, too. They were 5 kick ass tunes, sound quality was absolutely perfect, and they were just completely awesome. I got right up front for this part, working my way through the crowd, and was there before the first song ended. The most notable thing other than Warrel Dane's perfect vocals was the guitar extravaganza put on by Jeff Loomis and Steve Smyth. Throw in a VERY tight rhythm section, and it's a recipe for perfection! I can't say enough how much I love this band, so maybe I'm biased, but they were absolutely incredible. This was my first time seeing them live, but I assure you it won't be my last.
Rating: 10 of 10. *SHOW STEALER*
Life Of Agony: Legends of old school hardcore, but I'm not a huge fan. I have heard them, and like them, but I'm not huge "into" them. But, with that said...their set was actually really good, and very surprising. If you like them at all, even a tiny bit, see them live. It was a good energy, and they seemed to really be into it. The sound quality was one of the better ones, too.
Rating: 8 of 10.
The Dillinger Escape Plan: I love these guys, and have all their stuff. They're weird, and some people don't get them...but they are technically amazing, and I couldn't wait to see them. I wasn't at all disappointed. Their sound is crazy, but I've heard them enough times on CD to know the quality could have been slightly better. I think they wanted it how it was, though. Very good live band, and if you like them at all, you should also see them live. VERY high energy stuff, to say the least.
Rating: 9 of 10.
Fear Factory: This is the only band I've seen live before...twice, in fact...so this short set wasn't really to my liking. They are infectious anyway, but much more so live. They only did 5 songs, contrary to the website, which I believe listed 6, so there was a lot missing:
Shock
Demanufacture
Acres Of Skin
Transgression
Replica
The sound quality was excellent, though they should have brought the treble end of the guitars up just a tad. The big downfall was that it felt rushed. They're scheduled to play 45 minutes normally on this tour, and only got 25. It did effect the overall feel, and they were much better the last 2 times I saw them. These guys are great, and the only reason I didn't go get their autographs was that I already had them, and they were signing during a set I just could not miss.
Rating: 8 of 10.
Dream Theater: Everyone goes on and on about how great they are live. I thought that the long-winded songs would make for a boring set, and that they'd do a ton of stuff I didn't like as much, because while I love this band, they're a bit enigmatic for me. They have songs I can't get enough of, and want to hear over and over...and then they have songs I can hear, forget about and move past. It's pretty extreme between pure enchantment and outright apathy for me, with this band. I was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by how wrong I was about their live set. Maybe the unbelievable talent they have is just ho-hum to me on CD, but live? It was insanely good. Sound quality was great, though the vocals could have come up a pinch...just a pinch. They did songs I love (and in fact, have on my practice CD) and songs I didn't like as much, and I was equally impressed. The new song, Panic Attack, is great, and it was great live. I highly recommend them live, and they plan to come back for An Evening With Dream Theater, and I assure you that I'll make every effort to be there.
Rating: 10 of 10.
Megadeth: I'm not a fan of their new stuff, and in fact, I have all of it...except the stuff after Youthanasia, with the exception of The World Needs A Hero. The newer stuff that's out now is a lot better, though, and went over OK live. Sound quality was good, with the notable HUGE pitfall that we could not hear the vocals well AT ALL! Very annoying, and surprising that a band of their stature would have it like that. The new guys - Mustaine's the only one left from the good old days - were good...but not the same. The solos that the new guy did in Marty Friedman's stead were notably subpar, and the bass was decent, but not great. The drums weren't as crisp as Nick Menza, but that's a tall order. Overall, the songs I wanted to hear were off my favorite, the classic, Rust In Peace. Hangar 18 was just not good, and the different harmonized chords in the song were really tough to make out. Tornado Of Souls was good, but the timing wasn't too crisp, and I wasn't overly impressed. The encore song was Holy Wars, though...and they flat out KILLED with it. It's weird, but some of the stuff I knew less sounded better than the stuff I knew more...probably due to the new members. I think I may actually pick up their latest stuff, because I've yet to hear anything bad from it, and it seems more like the old days...but after seeing them, I know just how not like the old days they are.
Rating: 7 of 10.
Other odds and ends: We met John Petrucci's cousin. (John is the Dream Theater guitarist, for those that don't know names and stuff.) He was really nice, and seemed to really be enjoying it. He had a backstage pass, and brought a friend. Good people, and I think it has a lot to do with why Dream Theater didn't sign: they have family here. The singer and drummer had on shirts that were Floridian. I couldn't see the words on James' shirt, but it had an outline of Florida on it, and Mike had a Magic jersey with Portnoy on the back.
Meeting Symphony X was great. I told Michael Romeo that the live CD seems really hard to get around here, and he said that while he wasn't the distributor, he'd see if he could nose around and figure something out. They are also trying to come back through, once this tour's over and they FINALLY get in the studio. As you may or may not know, they almost weren't going to do this tour, so they could get the new album done...but then decided not to pass up the opportunity. Good call, I think.
Meeting Nevermore was absolutely my highlight! I told them that they are "the best thing to happen to metal since...recording!" I also let them know that this was the best album to date, and they were very humble, but very happy to meet everyone. Total class acts, and I can't wait until they come back through. They go to Europe to headline after this tour, and I asked if they'd come back and headline here, and they said that is exactly what they're trying to do.
While waiting in line for Nevermore, a guy gave me a CD sampler for Gigantour. They were free if you bought a CD, and he got two, so he gave me one. I let him cut in front of me. lol He was a cool guy, and came all the way from Jacksonville, 2 hours away. I also got a Dry Kill Logic sticker that a guy was handing out just before they played, which I put on my footlocker with the other hordes of stickers I have.
Overall: I highly recommend this tour, because it's a lot of bands for the money (more bands in some cities), and a chance to check out new stuff you may not have heard before. If you're a fan of any of the bands - or like me, a fan of a lot of them - it's a worthwhile show. I was originally thinking we'd get 5 bands, and I have almost complete catalogs of 6 bands on the tour. 5 of the 6 were the 5 we'd have gotten, with Symphony X being the exception. Even that would have been worth it, and I hear tell they'd have played a lot longer if that had been the case. But I was happy to get the 9 bands, even if it was only to finally see Symphony X. The stuff I was surprised by made it all worth it.
Rating: 9 of 10.
If anyone else is going to Gigantour, or has been already, let me know. If you have any questions, or want to know anything I didn't cover, feel free to also contact me about that, either here in the forum, or by e-mail. And whatever you do, GO GET Nevermore's new CD, This Godless Endeavor! It's crazy good!