Dream Theater always tours with the coolest bands overseas (Pain Of Salvation, Vanden Plas, Empty Tremor, Enchant, and now Angra), but we end up seeing them with bands that could easily go out on a separate tour. Granted, it was cool of them to tour with Fates Warning a couple of years ago, but it seemed like an insult for Fates to play a half-hour set. The tour with Satriani had the potential to be cool (it would have been nice to see them all jam together), but we basically got the usual sets from both acts, not to mention the god-awful opening slot from King's X! I personally prefer to see Dream Theater alone, seeing as how they can easily play a three-hour show. If they do bring an opening act, they should do it like they did when they brought Spock's Beard out with them: have a kick-ass-yet-not-so-well-known band open. There are plenty of bands dying to get out there, and Dream Theater is a band that can help them get that much needed boost. Seeing as how Portnoy chooses all of the opening acts, I can't see how that would be a problem. Then again, it all comes down to who can bring in more money. I guess doing a co-headlining tour with Queensryche or Joe Satriani makes more sense from a financial standpoint in this country. 'Tis a shame.
Stay metal. Never rust.
Met-Al
