First Confirmed Dates for JOP/CIIC/Manticora U.S. tour

The Chicago show was great. We called the venue the day before to ask when the show started. They said, "Sometime between 8 and 9." WTF? They don't even know when the show is going to start?

I used to go see tons of local cover and tribute bands in the area, and used to call the bars to find out when the bands would start. They would never give me an exact time, and if they did, it would be an hour prior to the start. They want you in the bar, buying drinks.

I wouldn't call Chicago City Limits a venue at all. I haven't been there for a few years, but it's a sports bar with a stage for live music acts. At least there was a place for this show in the area though!
 
I wouldn't call Chicago City Limits a venue at all. I haven't been there for a few years, but it's a sports bar with a stage for live music acts. At least there was a place for this show in the area though!

I said the same thing last night on the way there. I said, "There's tons of places to get something to eat right near the venue. Then again, I don't think I can call that place a venue. It's just a bar." It wasn't bad though. The last time I was there, the bands just set up in the corner on the same level as the crowd.

BTW, tickets at the door were only $20! How can you not go for $20?
 
Last night's Chicago show was incredible.
I'm running on about two hours of sleep, but it was well worth it to see them in such an intimate environment.

Yippee is right...the venue is a small....sports bar. Yep.
It was so weird seeing them go from the big stage at Center Stage to a small, crappy sports bar stage.
And I would say 200 people is a good estimate.
Kind of sucks for the bands, but I didn't mind, as I found a spot in the front row rather easily.

The sound was decent, although I made the mistake of standing directly in front of the bass player's speaker, so all I got was a bunch of bass and very little of LaPorte's chilling recreation of Criss's guitar style. Luckily, the bass player kicks ass. ;)

The setlist was great...very similar to the PP setlist, with a few more added.....including CHANCE!!!!
I can now die a happy girl.

CIIC was just as great if not better than their Wednesday show last week in Atlanta.
It was cool to hang out with Zak and Bill and meet the rest of the band members. Being a smaller venue, it was a lot easier to have a conversation.

It sucks that they chose to play Chicago on a "school night", considering I was up at 5am this morning. But it was totally worth the sleep deprivation.
 
The Chicago show rocked!

CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sleep deprived at the office today but still on a happy high from last night / er this morning I guess.


It was so totally cool to stand like 1 foot from them. There was a guy trying to pose so that his girlfriend (or girl friend - I don't know) could take a picture with both him and Jon in it. Jon went right up to him and was giving him the devil finger horns and totally posing with him while he was singing.

He is one genuinely cool dude!

Yip's right, funny as hell. I agree also that I think Manticora actually sounded better last night than they did on Thursday - maybe just a little different sound mix, maybe just the smaller venue, not really sure.

Was nice to visit with the Manticora guys a little bit again, they are so fun!

Lars man, hope you feel better!
 
200? That's pretty good. I was worried we were talking about under 50!

I know the costs of the tour make it so more are wanted, but unfortunately you never know how well these shows are being promoted by the local promoter, the venue, and the fans.

For those who used to see Savatage shows... how many were they pulling in on a typical night?
 
If Phoenix gets skipped again I am going to be hella pissed.

Phoenix does not fall on the current tour schedule. So you're going to be hella pissed. :Smug: :p

But as stated more than once before, Jon really wants to head toward the southwest and west coast sometime in the foreseeable future. So let's see how this east coast/midwest leg goes first, eh? :cool:
 
and concerning where and when they 'choose' to play, many times it's not up to the bands. It depends entirely on routing and who will take the show (promoter/venue). And the promoter/venue taking the show depends on nothing more than how many people came to see [band 'x'] last time they were through town. So if you don't get out to the venues this time - even if it's a school night ;) - then chances are your town may be skipped next time around. And that's simply the nature of the business.

So get out and support these shows! :headbang:
 
Phoenix does not fall on the current tour schedule. So you're going to be hella pissed. :Smug: :p

But as stated more than once before, Jon really wants to head toward the southwest and west coast sometime in the foreseeable future. So let's see how this east coast/midwest leg goes first, eh? :cool:

Yeah I noticed it was all east coast. And if they don't come to the west coast at all that will be fine no biggie.

But if they jump on what seems to be the bandwagon this year, and come to the west coast and skip Phoenix, then I am going to be pissed. It's annoying when bands go to a crappy town like Albuquerque and not Phoenix lol.

Well at least I got to see them at Prog Power either way :kickass:
 
Yeah I noticed it was all east coast. And if they don't come to the west coast at all that will be fine no biggie.

But if they jump on what seems to be the bandwagon this year, and come to the west coast and skip Phoenix, then I am going to be pissed. It's annoying when bands go to a crappy town like Albuquerque and not Phoenix lol.

Well at least I got to see them at Prog Power either way :kickass:

Sounds like a promoter/venue problem.
 
The Chicago show rocked!

CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sleep deprived at the office today but still on a happy high from last night / er this morning I guess.


It was so totally cool to stand like 1 foot from them. There was a guy trying to pose so that his girlfriend (or girl friend - I don't know) could take a picture with both him and Jon in it. Jon went right up to him and was giving him the devil finger horns and totally posing with him while he was singing.

That was my buddy Ron, he was totally psyched.

- R
 
Some of my favorite moments/comments came when Jon and Zak were getting in their digs on death vokills, with Jon doing some mock dv bits...and doing them quite well actually.

Also when Jon commented about how he's probably going to hell for writing stuff like City Beneath the Surface and how he might have to explain that to JC when he's standing in judgement at the end. :lol:

They did a lot of my favorites but I was secretly hoping they might sneak in Devastation because I wanted to sing along during certain parts like: Prepare yourself to die/THIS WORLD'S INSANE, etc. If they add another HoTMK track, I hope it's that one!
 
Some of my favorite moments/comments came when Jon and Zak were getting in their digs on death vokills, with Jon doing some mock dv bits...and doing them quite well actually.

Also when Jon commented about how he's probably going to hell for writing stuff like City Beneath the Surface and how he might have to explain that to JC when he's standing in judgement at the end. :lol:

They did a lot of my favorites but I was secretly hoping they might sneak in Devastation because I wanted to sing along during certain parts like: Prepare yourself to die/THIS WORLD'S INSANE, etc. If they add another HoTMK track, I hope it's that one!

glad you enjoyed the show. :)

and yeah, Devastation is an old fave of mine too! :kickass: