Interview with Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater

[@DavidOakesMusic]

They have to play the Entire 12 Step Suite now. It has to be done. Plus The Best of Times.

[@JorgeBotas]

That seems bound to happen now!! There's a plethora of possibilities again! :)

[@petrucci973]

I was expecting the best of times to be played. I was in London front first row Petrucci side and captured all JP's solos in 4K.. check my page bud.. many videos are in shorts too. Enjoy

[@SpaceDyeDream]

I hope not. The Shattered Fortress is such a snooze fest

[@DonTitoification]

Seems from his words that might happen eventually, as well as the best of times, which he is totally aware that it's the only never played live song.

[@JorgeBotas]

@@petrucci973 Thank you so much and yes, I have seen some of your videos. :)

[@eduardomartinez5102]

Great interview! Thanks for uploading. Was at the O2 and I had goosebumps from seeing Mike on drums again!

[@JorgeBotas]

Thank you! The show in Berlin was awesome as well!

[@BobMcMac]

@@JorgeBotasI was at both shows and I second this! Very great interview, by the way!

[@JorgeBotas]

@@BobMcMac Thank you, Bob! Was a very enjoyable gig in Berlin. Looking forward for their show in Lisbon in November, where they'll probably be tighter!! :)

[@BobMcMac]

@@JorgeBotas Enjoy it, buddy! Did you speak to the other guys as well?

[@JorgeBotas]

@@BobMcMac Not yet! I did in the past hehe apart from John Myung, I talked with the other guys before. :)

[@lukeharris97]

Great interview man! I was at the O2 and it was such an unreal experience. The best gig i've ever seen for sure.

[@JorgeBotas]

Thanks, Luke! Glad you enjoyed it. The Berlin show was awesome! :)

[@petrucci973]

@@lukeharris97 I back this statement!

[@jonathancant2031]

Fantastic of you I was there at the O2 and it was an amazing show. Just wish my wife could’ve been there. Sadly she had to work bless her but it was still amazing regardless.

[@JorgeBotas]

There'll be a next time for her to see DT again! For sure!!

[@Argon_John]

Really great interview. Great questions, great conversation, and you’re lucky to get him to sit down while on tour!

[@JorgeBotas]

I know I was very, very lucky! He was a gentleman, as always! I'm glad you liked the interview. Thank you!

[@Robfnord]

Best of times live would make me cry

[@JorgeBotas]

Would be awesome to hear it! One day, hopefully. :)

[@petrucci973]

@@Robfnord we all would most probably sob the moment that guitar solo is played.

[@vrabierobert5031]

Thank you, Mike, for the Home surprise at O2. After Octavarium ended, i was yelling Home, Home, Home, and then when the "there's no place like home" clip played, i literally shed a tear, i knew what was coming and i felt heard 🙌 the whole setlist was fucking great. Thank you!

[@JorgeBotas]

It is a great setlist!! :)

[@DJTraceman]

They gotta play The Glass Prison

[@hahaheslop]

I've seen DT 12 times, and I've never heard that song live! It's my favourite track.

[@surj1kal]

@@hahaheslop It's one of the best, for sure. Never gets old!

[@spencergsmith]

@@hahaheslop I was just thinking about this today. Why haven’t they ever played it live, I wonder?

[@Itsallfun3000]

Thanks for sorting this

[@JorgeBotas]

You're welcome! :)

[@AdamLeon-yf4yo]

I would love to hear Shattered Forrest in LA Feb 2025

[@JorgeBotas]

Hit Mike Portnoy on social media! Get some friends to say the same, and maybe he'll add it to the setlist. :)

[@Metalfan81-q6t]

Enjoyed the interview. Mike is an awesome guy and it's great that hes back. 👍

[@JorgeBotas]

Good to see him where he belongs. :)

[@Metalfan81-q6t]

Yes, he shouldn't have left in 2010. His place is in DT.

[@Necca_UK]

Glad he is back 👍🏻O2 was monumental.

[@JorgeBotas]

This tour/setlist is awesome!

[@neftalicruzluciano]

Twelve steps suite CONFIRMED!!! That would definitely be material for a single concert!! Thats really cool that hes sharing a collective train of thought.

[@MSA]

Cant wait for the setlist to change, i love the songs that are being played but i loved when mike changed the setlists every night, you never knew what were you going to listen. Im going to see them twice in a row, same venue so really hope there is a difference hahah

[@JorgeBotas]

I don’t think they’re going to change the setlist on this leg of the tour hehe but will be great anyway!! :)

[@lars_larsinger]

I've seen an Interview with John Petrucci (I think it was with Ola Englund) and John mentioned that he always has to relearn old songs when he doesn't play them for a while. So I guess that for their collective mental health we will see less variation on the tours :)

[@henrikpoulsen4228]

Nice interview. Looking forward to Copenhagen on Nov 10th. It could have been awesome if the new album had been released but then again this tour is a reunion tour. I'm sure we will have another chance in 2025-26

[@JorgeBotas]

You'll enjoy the show regardless. I think They'll do the album tour cycle after the summer of next year. :)

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

Looking forward to The Best of Times and the entire 12 step suite being played!

[@CompleteProducer84]

Heck yes!! I have ALWAYS wanted to see JP play the solo for The Best of Times live

[@JorgeBotas]

It seems that it will happen sooner rather than later. :)

[@_Just_Some1]

Portugal caralho!!! I was at the O2 and it was EPIC!

[@JorgeBotas]

Em Berlin também foi épico hehe agora é esperar por Lisboa. :)

[@_Just_Some1]

@@JorgeBotas ainda pensei ir a Lisboa ver mas não consigo justificar o custo 😅

[@JorgeBotas]

@@_Just_Some1 Pois, a vida não está barata para andar em viagens hehe

[@_Just_Some1]

@@JorgeBotas e como fui ao O2 não dá mesmo pra justificar! Haha.

[@WWROABM]

Not everyone as there is no Japan or East Asia in the 40th tour schedule. Hope I am wrong. Would love to see this set list in Japan!!!

[@JorgeBotas]

I'm sure they'll tour Japan at some stage soon! :)

[@WWROABM]

@@JorgeBotas - I do hope so. I know Japan is notoriously difficult to schedule and deal with when it comes to foreign acts performing. It really takes a lot of planning, but the fans usually pack the venues, especially for DT. Every show I have been to here in Japan has been packed and the crowds are really into the performances. Personally, I really want to see Octavarium live. My favorite DT epic. Such a great song!!!!

[@alexanderbartosch2433]

Great interview

[@JorgeBotas]

Thank you, Alexander! :)

[@knotchbass]

Everything in the world is right now. DT Fan forever!!!!

[@JorgeBotas]

Can’t wait to hear the new album! :)

[@simonr344]

Great interview 🤘🏻

[@JorgeBotas]

Thank you, Simon! :)

[@unclerhombus]

Why is there a weird echo effect on the mics?

[@JorgeBotas]

probably because we were a bit too close to each other, so the mics might have capture the voice at the same time... will try to have that in mind next time. Thanks for noticing. :)

[@voncius]

BRAZIL MENTIONED 🇧🇷

[@jaredklock8473]

See I knew the setlist wasn't going to change right now.

[@JorgeBotas]

It is good the way it is. I guess to change the videos on the screens is some work and they want to keep it as tight as possible for the rest of the tour. :)

[@jaredklock8473]

@@JorgeBotas I'm seeing them in March here in the states and If they keep the same setlist as this Europe tour I won't be disappoinetd.

[@JorgeBotas]

@@jaredklock8473 They might change a bit for the US tour... maybe! The setlist is great as it is. I'm sure they'll be saving the greater changes for the album touring cycle.

[@jaredklock8473]

@@JorgeBotas Yeah, I'm excited regardless.

[@DonReinhardo]

Sadly there was no question to Mangini or the songs created when he was drummer of dt. I think songs like On the Backs of Angels, Breaking all Illusions or The bigger picture are worth it to be played portnoy-like. That's what I find more interesting than all these "you're great, was awesome" phrases.

[@JorgeBotas]

The interview wasn't about Mangini or the Mangini time in DT. I understand your frustration, but I had a very limited time and asking about Mangini wasn't a priority as you can understand as well. :)

[@DonReinhardo]

@@JorgeBotas maybe Portnoy is not much comfortable with questions to Mangini. Anyway it was better not to risk that he quits the Interview. I like Portnoy as Person and for his style. And I celebrated his return to DT. Nevertheless I think that Mangini did a great job.

[@JorgeBotas]

@@DonReinhardo Well, I don't know about that, but try to put it in this perspective: If you got back with your ex-wife, would you ask her how was her former husband/boyfriend? It would be weird, right?

[@KevinLuWX]

Should have asked him what it was like to learn the Mangini era songs.

[@nickpruett8022]

Learned? Please, he played mediocre version at best.

[@JorgeBotas]

I had a very limited time and had to focus on certain things... but I just thought by asking if there was a harder song to learn or (re)learn, he was going to mention one of those. alas, he didn't :)

[@billstrohler]

@@JorgeBotas Yeah, you put it out there, I thought he was going to say Barstool Warrior because he didnt write it.

[@lucianothomas3875]

Labrie was a disaster and is ruining everything, its insane that hes still on board

[@JorgeBotas]

You are wrong, but entitled to your opinion!

[@lucianothomas3875]

@@JorgeBotas Maybe youre deaf brother, go to a doctor 😂

[@spsmith45]

Were you there? He really wasn’t a disaster.

[@EricPatton-NC]

James missed every note.

[@JorgeBotas]

In Berlin took him a couple of songs, but after that he was pretty good!

[@EricPatton-NC]

@@JorgeBotas Some of the Berlin show was better, I agree. Overall, he seems to have lost either control of his voice, or his ability to hear himself. I think he is going deaf, it would explain a lot.

[@JorgeBotas]

@@EricPatton-NC From what I could see from the front, he was having issues with his in-ears (was touching the volume thing during the first two songs), so that could have been an issue. I think he can't reach certain notes, but when you hear his lower registry, he is absolutely spot on. "Vacant" for instance was perfect for me! His last scream on "Octavarium" was great as well... and I did think "Constant Motion" was a highlight in Berlin as well.

[@DuncanMcArthur-l7l]

@@EricPatton-NC i agree very good point

[@duaneharris8417]

⁠​⁠@@EricPatton-NCdamn bro… I think you hit the nail on the head. I think he is going deaf, damn. For those that pay attention he is constantly adjusting the in ear monitors.

[@nickpruett8022]

Old Portnoy didn’t play the Mangini tunes very good at the O2 show. It was just like I thought, but all the fan boys screamed and got their little undies wet.

[@immortalbehemoth88]

Nobody cares.

[@nickpruett8022]

@@immortalbehemoth88 Nobody? Hahahahahaha

[@nickpruett8022]

@@immortalbehemoth88 You seem to care you dumbass…….

[@vosoryan]

Keep crying

[@bradjohnson9583]

Sounded pretty good to me? I was there lol