Portnoy, Sheehan, Macalpine, Sherinian gig(s)

[HealthyNational]

Just noticed this listing for a show on November 18th @ BB King's in Times Square. Anyone have any info / seen them / heard 'em? Just when you thought we'd make it through the end of the year without anymore Mike Portnoy threads, here he comes again! And a monster group again! Should be a killer rhythm section with Billy. Tickets are always reasonable at BB's, but there are a lot of buts with that venue. Especially the but my back is turned away from the stage because of the seating situation there. We'll see, gonna check my work schedule and the weather. Maybe an additional best concert of the year reply on that other thread.

[Shadow]

They have a show on Dime from Tel Aviv. I grabbed it but haven't had time to listen. They also had/have one from NAMM earlier this year on Dime.

[HealthyNational]

NAMM earlier this year on Dime.

Yes, now it comes back to me...there are YouTube clips from the NAMM show. I started watching and then, along with so many others, put them on a watch later list. Never did watch them later. Maybe before the show.

[Scott Bails]

Don't know anything about this band except the lineup, but I think it's a shame that Portnoy's bands don't get more exposure.

There were several tracks on Flying Colors that could have received airplay if it was promoted properly, and this lineup sounds like it rocks. But they're both so under the radar, no one knows about them.

[gpeccary]

That's quite a line up even though portnoy isnt on my favs list. Sure to be no shortage of wanking on stage that night boys and girls!!

[MudShark22]

Less MP side band gigs, I want to see Jelly Jam and/or Platypus !!

[Firth]

Mike Portnoy Reportedly Has Onstage Meltdown

http://www.antimusic.com/dayinrock/

[Dan Roth]

Mike Portnoy Reportedly Has Onstage Meltdown

http://www.antimusic.com/dayinrock/

I read about that. Apparently he was frustrated over the constant failures of the local gear and techs they have been using.

And now he is upset because the promoter of their Asian gigs "named" the band in the press there:

256

[Dan Roth]

Mike Portnoy Reportedly Has Onstage Meltdown

http://www.antimusic.com/dayinrock/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjP4CV3SL2k

[gpeccary]

still a jackass. Took away from every other musician on the stage.

[Scott Bails]

His response, obviously, was unprofessional, but the "techs" were nothing like what was promised, and he had every reason to be upset. Again, I don't condone the response, but completely understand the emotion.

[Progatron]

Love Mike's playing and his love of all styles of music, and his devotion to the fans - but he has GOT to stop taking the mic with these bands of his.

[PapaJimH]

Remember the old days when every single thing you did wasn't available on the internet the next day? I agree with Bails, it was unfortunate even unprofessional, but not unprovoked. We all have our breaking points. I just hope when I hit mine, no one has a camera rolling!

[gpeccary]

I don't know, seems to me you'd have a drum tech with you that knew how to set up your shit. Seriously, since when does a musician at his level arrive at a show without a personal tech and be so unprepared?? Didnt he check it out before the show? I dont understand, clearly. It would be like me complaining and throwing shit around someones studio because they don't have pencils. Hes a jerk. And the reason I wont walk the three blocks to see the band.

[MudShark22]

I don't know, seems to me you'd have a drum tech with you that knew how to set up your shit. Seriously, since when does a musician at his level arrive at a show without a personal tech and be so unprepared?? Didnt he check it out before the show? I dont understand, clearly. It would be like me complaining and throwing shit around someones studio because they don't have pencils. Hes a jerk. And the reason I wont walk the three blocks to see the band.

If the band had to bring their own peeps; then it would have cost too much $$$ and the shows would not have happened at all.
I think you grossly miscalculate the $$$ musicians at "MPs Level" have available to them.

[gpeccary]

If the band had to bring their own peeps; then it would have cost too much $$$ and the shows would not have happened at all.
I think you grossly miscalculate the $$$ musicians at "MPs Level" have available to them.
Maybe, But it still seems odd for guys like that to not have a dedicated guy setting up his gear.

[Scott Bails]

Maybe, But it still seems odd for guys like that to not have a dedicated guy setting up his gear.


They're traveling without their own techs as a way to save money, as MudShark says. However, they were given assurances by the promoters, or possibly the venues, that they would be provided with competent professional local techs.

Obviously that wasn't the case.

[Shadow]

Maybe, But it still seems odd for guys like that to not have a dedicated guy setting up his gear.

Did Niacin have their own drum tech at Nearfest

[Dan Roth]

They are going to be filming/recording their November 14th concert in Tokyo, Japan for a live CD and DVD.

[Scott Bails]

Let's hope he has a better drum tech for that one. ;)

[Gruno]

They're traveling without their own techs as a way to save money, as MudShark says. However, they were given assurances by the promoters, or possibly the venues, that they would be provided with competent professional local techs.

Obviously that wasn't the case.

All of those musicians are seasoned veterans. They all have toured around the world. They have seen enough to know how it is away from the U.S. in regards to stage hands. Saving money on techs ends up compromising a performance more times than you know.

[Scott Bails]

Saving money on techs ends up compromising a performance more times than you know.

No doubt.

I understand the cost concerns, but it certainly presents a risk.

[izz_brian]

All of those musicians are seasoned veterans. They all have toured around the world. They have seen enough to know how it is away from the U.S. in regards to stage hands. Saving money on techs ends up compromising a performance more times than you know.

Amen!!! I have 1/964th of the experience that these guys have, and I know full-well that you have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario when you show up for a gig without your own crew, no matter what the venue tells you. Plus, having done tech at NEARfest - I know it's not an easy job. Competent or not, please shoot me if I ever curse out a tech on stage - bad form!!

Like others have said, we all have bad days. There are a lot of MP fans on his forum, though, saying he handled the situation well. I'm trying to picture someone behaving like that in an office setting...psych evaluation at the least...fired more likely!

[izz_brian]

Of course, we could just chalk this all up to P.M.S. (s). :D

[Scott Bails]

There are a lot of MP fans on his forum, though, saying he handled the situation well. I'm trying to picture someone behaving like that in an office setting...psych evaluation at the least...fired more likely!

Yeah, there's no way he was in the right, here. But again, I understand the frustration.

[80s were ok]

don't care about the meltdown but do care that he's back with Sherinian. Hope to catch this show!!

[gpeccary]

Yeah, there's no way he was in the right, here. But again, I understand the frustration.

With all due respect Scott I dont understand it at all. I dont imagine fans of any of the other three guys on that stage get it either. That's a complicated set, not a trap set. Didn't he sit at the kit before the show?? Cant imagine Colaiuta or Phillips or Donati or Minnemman or Mangini ever acting like that or taking that risk. Stopped the whole show, interrupted everything and acted like a complete blowhard. Hes not the royalty he obviously thinks he is. I wasnt much of a fan because of his high and mighty attitude before, but now? I wouldnt go see him if he played for free.

[Gruno]

Let's hope this never happens again... for fear of Portnoy rapping! Talk about lowering the bar of the show. What the hell was that rap? Please leave the improvising in the drum throne and not on the mic!

[Scott Bails]

With all due respect Scott I dont understand it at all. I dont imagine fans of any of the other three guys on that stage get it either. That's a complicated set, not a trap set. Didn't he sit at the kit before the show?? Cant imagine Colaiuta or Phillips or Donati or Minnemman or Mangini ever acting like that or taking that risk. Stopped the whole show, interrupted everything and acted like a complete blowhard. Hes not the royalty he obviously thinks he is. I wasnt much of a fan because of his high and mighty attitude before, but now? I wouldnt go see him if he played for free.

Read what I wrote.

I'm not defending the response - it was completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

But I do understand the frustration of being told that you'd have a competent professional tech who obviously had no idea what they were doing.

[gpeccary]

I did read it. So, actions aside, he's blaming the techs, for not setting HIS kit up correctly, when its HIS responsibility to make sure it's set up correctly. No ones going to see the techs, they're going to see him play. Its 100% his fault. Hence, why I'm not sympathetic to his frustration. He fucked up.
And worse, took away from the other three killer musicians on the stage with him. Not cool.

[Gruno]

I did read it. So, actions aside, he's blaming the techs, for not setting HIS kit up correctly, when its HIS responsibility to make sure it's set up correctly. No ones going to see the techs, they're going to see him play. Its 100% his fault. Hence, why I'm not sympathetic to his frustration. He fucked up.
And worse, took away from the other three killer musicians on the stage with him. Not cool.


All true.

[Scott Bails]

I did read it. So, actions aside, he's blaming the techs, for not setting HIS kit up correctly, when its HIS responsibility to make sure it's set up correctly. No ones going to see the techs, they're going to see him play. Its 100% his fault. Hence, why I'm not sympathetic to his frustration. He fucked up.
And worse, took away from the other three killer musicians on the stage with him. Not cool.

Okay, then we disagree.

Sure, he has to make sure the kit is correct, but it's the tech's job to set it up. Otherwise, what are they getting paid for?

And we don't know the details - maybe he was delayed in getting to the gig and didn't have time to do a proper inspection/sound check. I know they've been having travel problems in that part of their tour.

Again, not at all defending the response.

[Gruno]

Sure, he has to make sure the kit is correct, but it's the tech's job to set it up. Otherwise, what are they getting paid for?

Who says they are getting paid?

You never know what you are getting when you tour overseas.

I was with TFF when they performed for the first time in Manila at the Araneta arena in 2010; same place as the "Thrilla In Manilla". We advanced our entire kit specs to them months before. Emails assured us the gear would be ready. Yes, there was a drum set there when we arrived at the arena. No, it was not to our specifications. It took 4x longer to piece together that kit to make it work for our show than to set up a standard kit. None of us had been in the Philippines before, yet, we all had toured for years so we knew what problems we might encounter. There were 5 stage hands assigned to the drums. It happens and happens a lot.

I really am curious what the other band members thought of this tirade from Portnoy. I can't picture any of them throwing a fit because a string breaks or their amp might go out. As a pro, they should know how to handle it and not let the show suffer because of their unwillingness to let things go during a show. Move along, get over it and continue with the show. Don't shine the spotlight on the problem and raise a fuss about it. Riots were built on instances such as this one. They are lucky fans didn't get involved and go after the techs. Who would be to blame with that?

[Scott Bails]

Who would be to blame with that?

The fans, in that case.

[Gruno]

The fans, in that case.

Yes, but the reason it would have started would be the person on stage who threw a fit complaining about the workers who 'ruined' their show.

[Sharp]

Oh give poor Mike a break, he was probably just practicing for his next Who Tribute gig :lol

[Man In The Mountain]

From what I understand the band got to the gig and NOTHING was set up, with crowds filing at the doors. But decided to just get the gear up and wing it. There was no soundcheck at all. The band also didn't get any sleep the night before, and little for several days. What happened is the snare mic fell over, so Mike started playing a tom instead... and when he called the tech to set the mic back up, the guy just removed it. And that's when Mike lost it. I saw that he apologized on his website, but can't find it now.

[Gruno]

I saw that he apologized on his website, but can't find it now.

http://www.mikeportnoy.com/forum/m2802466.aspx


Not to excuse my actions, but at least to explain the situation:
This PSMS tour has been VERY difficult on all of us in terms of gear and production. The only way we have been able to make it to such far away places such as Manila, Russia, Israel, Indonesia, etc (where it is normally VERY expensive to tour unless you are a "name" band that has been around for many years) is we've have had to make concessions by using supplied gear and local techs at each show.

Granted, WE agreed to these terms and are willing to make it work - however, on at least a half dozen occasions on this tour we have been incredibly frustrated to arrive at the venue only to find the band's gear requirements were simply blatantly ignored (wrong keyboards, wrong amps, Zildjian cymbals, etc) AND were not setup and ready for us as was supposed to be the case and what the promoters had promised.

We have been as patient and understanding as we possibly can be...but when you get 4 guys who haven't slept more than a couple of hours every night in order to fly to these shows without sleep...sometimes our patience can wear thin.

In the case of the Manila show, we arrived hours before the show to find out the drums weren't setup, cymbals were missing, Billy's amp was wrong (again) and Tony had a buzz on his gear that would not go away...but we forged ahead because we were VERY excited to play for the fans!

At the start of Stratus (where the video on youtube is from) - my snare drum mic fell off and I motioned for the tech to come put it back on the stand/drum...and instead, he comes up to the drum kit and takes the mic away...leaving me playing with NO snare mic!!! (you'll hear I begin playing the high tom instead of the snare)...realizing he had no idea what was going on or how to fix the situation, I stopped playing and did my little "rap" while they fixed the situation and we wouldn't have to play the whole song with no snare in the mix.


In the video, you can see I was at least making a joke out of it and wasn't maliciously trying to hurt anybody or storming off in anger.

Moral of the story: WE ARE HUMAN! And sometimes frustrating circumstances create frustrated behavior. I'm not saying I was right in stopping the song...but if you see a video from later in the show, you'll see I explain to the audience that I've been waiting my whole career to play in Manila and I wasn't going to let ANYTHING ruin my night or their show!!
And we carried on and everybody had a great night...

And I look forward to returning...
(although this may be the last time I tour without my own kit and my own drum tech...hahahaha!!!)

MP

[JKL2000]

The band name has been announced:

SPaSM

[Shadow]

They have a double cd coming out. I have an advanced copy and it sounds pretty good.