San Francisco show report

[rockmanxpr]

Setlist for tonight's show was:
Oculus ex inferni
Set the world on fire
Domonination
Serpent's Kiss
Paradise Lost
Smoke and Mirrors
Sea of lies
Inferno
Of Sins and Shadows

Encore- some greek poem, I think Sean Bean or Armand Asante was in it...

Correct me if I'm wrong or missed something on the setlist...

Show was great, and my hat's off to the Opening acts too, frontman for Sanctity had a good sense of humor, not taking everything too seriously ("I think I hear crickets").

SX: shit, man you get your money's worth and spare change, guys were once again spot on delivery and having a better venue at Slim's (last time they were at The Pound) made the live sound that much better. I took some friends with me that like Symphony X and after they see them live now the LOVE SX. Also a pretty descent light show, even though strobes tend to bug me (I like having my seizures in Japan thank you very much).

Some cool moments: Staff actually doing their job (see cons below on why). Giant sign saying no moshing etc etc (No kidney damage at this show). Russ singing to boy on his dad's shoulders during the Siren movement of said greek poem (I hope his dad at least gave him ear plugs). Got to talk to Lepond after the show (he seems to be the first one out to meet and greet) he seemed pleasantly surprised that I asked him how he was feeling after his operation.

Cons: Some jerkoff pretty much RAN and forced his way to the front (nicer people would have slowly make their way...) but a minuete later he was collared by Staff and thrown out, yay! and my buddies were very impatient with me waiting for MJR to come out and autograph my young guitar mag he was in so I didn't get that signed...

All in all a great night out! Dream Theater was playing Saturday night in Berkley at the Berkley Community Center (G3 also played there) and I'm REALLY hoping that whenever SX comes back to the Bay Area they play at the community center, its big, got great acoustics, and can pack more fans in

 

[PrgrsveMetalnChains]

They didn't play Walls of Babylon??!?!??

Hopefully that was either a mistake or they had to cut the length of the show down for that venue due to time frame issues.

Hopefully they keep playing that amazing song damnit.

 

[HatePlau]

^ They did play Walls of Babylon. I think it was after Sea of Lies, though I cant quite remember. Amaaazing show. My friends and I were totally speechless after

 

[PrgrsveMetalnChains]

Well if you are correct I am very pleased.

By far the main reason I am going to the show...+ the Odyssey of course.

CANT WAIT!!! 7 days!!!

 

[BARfest]

The San Francisco show was spectacular-- It had been a while since I had been to Slims-- I was really pleased to see that they had redone their sound system-- a great digital board and a re-tuned sound system made the guys sound really good-- I really think SYX is on another planet right now-- this was about as close to perfection as I have seen lately-- even after a great DT show the previous night!!

 

[PMA]

Although DT was great the night before, the opening acts suffered from poor sound and those in attendance suffered from a venue that was way too HOT. These things took away from what could have been a great show. The Symphony X show on the other hand was more intimate, had great sound for all 3 bands and showed (again) why SX are a world class band. I enjoyed this show much more than DT. I don't think I will ever go to the Berk. Comm. Theater again unless they fix their air conditioning.

 

[InFlames235]

This show was AWESOME!!!! I've only seen symphony x once before when they were an opening act at Gigantour. I must say this completely devastated that show. I am a HUGE HUGE HUGE russel allen fan and seeing him up there singing so perfectly and getting SO into the music just made my night. There really is no better vocalist than him or better front man. Extremely energetic show and I just had SUCH a good time I can't even describe it. I saw Dream Theater the night before as well and even though that show was GREAT, I must say the symphony x one was better. There was just more energy, the band was more into the music, and also the newness of seeing for practically the first time contributed to this where-as i've seen Dream Theater about 5 times.

 

[RequiemX]

Symphony X played their hearts out that night and blew me away.

I do, however, have some complaints about Slims:

1. Playing Battle Royal and news videos of murder victims interspersed with guys getting "SLAYER" CUT into their arms and concert footage is NOT COOL. I know the little punk kids may have liked it, but it's just not needed and not really appropriate.

2. One word: ventilation.

3. This was probably the lowest stage I've ever seen. It was barely more than waist-level. This made the view for everybody not in the front row horrible. I could hardly see Sanctity's drummer's HEAD and had to stand on tiptoes to even hope to see Romeo's solos. I'm not short, either. 6' 1".

 

[razoredge]

Awsome, glad they are kickin ass ! Imagine the people in Europe that get to see both Symphony X and Dream Theater in the same show. I think I'd fall to my knees. Only thing that could beat that would be Savatage as the 3rd band.

 

[Follow the Roope-R]

yeah you left out walls of babylon, no biggie.


The show was amazing. I left there speechless. That was my second time seeing SX, and they are gods at what they do.

 

[Psycho_Warheart]

I was there. LOL at the gay parade happening down the street. That's San Francisco for ya. But yea it kicked ass, but no one really seemed into it. People were mad that I was trying to mosh...wtf why go to a metal concert and not expect to mosh. What's so fun about standing with your elbows crossed and a straight face? Usually the people who don't mosh go to the back.

 

[Meedleyx10]

People were mad that I was trying to mosh...wtf why go to a metal concert and not expect to mosh. What's so fun about standing with your elbows crossed and a straight face? Usually the people who don't mosh go to the back.

What's so fun about making an ass of yourself and ruining everyone else's good time by flailing around like an idiot hitting and running into people?

(not directed at you in particular, but rather in general to anyone who does that shit at shows)

J-dubb's recent incident at the SX show he went to is a perfect example of just how retarded moshing can be. Some people go to shows to enjoy music, not to get punched in the kidney by some dick who is out of line. I promise it's not very hard at all to have a good time at a show without moshing. Obviously if people were getting mad at you for trying to mosh then YOU were the one out of line, not all the other people who were enjoying the show without moshing.

BTW, the harsh tone is directed at moshing in general, not at you

 

[Psycho_Warheart]

Well I have never once been to a concert where people weren't moshing. Even at Sonata and Blind Guardian people were moshing. When I seen Symphony X at Gigantour they were moshing, even for Dream Theater. It's like a trademark of metal shows, it's the dance of metal. You can't go to a metal show and get pissed off at people moshing. You're supposed to expect it. It's like going to see a comedian and then getting mad when he makes a joke that offends you. I think the show is way less interesting when people sit there with boring looks on their faces. The band wants to know that you're into the music. Why go to show and not dance is some sort of way? Dancing the only reason I see for going to a live show. You might as well just stay home and listen to the CD, because there's absolutely no difference.

 

[InFlames235]

I'm sorry but you can dance EASILY without moshing. I was completely into the music last night and I was jumping up and down, headbanging, singing my ass off, screaming, and whatever else and was having the time of my life without trying to pick a fight or something like that. I'm not really for moshes cuz I really don't see the point. You can get extremely into the music AND show it (as did EVERYONE around me so i really don't know what you're talking about) without moshing.

 

[Detective Clarence Beauregard]

I don't know about you guys, but I go to a Symphony X show to WATCH THE BAND. I miss out on half of the awesome parts because I have to keep checking around me to avoid damage to my exoskeleton.

In my opinion, moshing is pointless and immature. Freud would probably blame the need to mosh on how your mother raised you. Seriously, guys, leave it at the Anthrax and Slayer shows.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

In my opinion, moshing is pointless and immature. Freud would probably blame the need to mosh on how your mother raised you. Seriously, guys, leave it at the Anthrax and Slayer shows.

... and every other form of metal except for prog metal, not just the better known genres. Personally, i'm fairly indifferent on the matter. I expect it at most shows because it DOES go along with the genre of metal whether you like it or not. I'm never going to get pissed off if i go see amon amarth or behemoth and i get up close and someone bumps into me. Y'know, that just tells me i'm too close and need to get the fuck back, not that i should bitch and moan because i'm in the area of folks who want to.

That said, if no one wants to mosh, just bang your head. I've been to plenty of shows where it's extreme metal, but no one is in a moshing mood so we just let hair fly up front, and that rules as well. That said, if you mosh, it is YOUR responsibility to watch out for people around you and to NOT involve those who chose not to be. At a metal show, you should expect to get bumped around a bit, especially if you are close to the stage, but you should NOT be getting blindsided by assholes who aren't paying attention.

/rant

 

[Meedleyx10]

... and every other form of metal except for prog metal, not just the better known genres. Personally, i'm fairly indifferent on the matter. I expect it at most shows because it DOES go along with the genre of metal whether you like it or not. I'm never going to get pissed off if i go see amon amarth or behemoth and i get up close and someone bumps into me. Y'know, that just tells me i'm too close and need to get the fuck back, not that i should bitch and moan because i'm in the area of folks who want to.

That said, if no one wants to mosh, just bang your head. I've been to plenty of shows where it's extreme metal, but no one is in a moshing mood so we just let hair fly up front, and that rules as well. That said, if you mosh, it is YOUR responsibility to watch out for people around you and to NOT involve those who chose not to be. At a metal show, you should expect to get bumped around a bit, especially if you are close to the stage, but you should NOT be getting blindsided by assholes who aren't paying attention.

/rant

this is closer to what I was getting at before, but failed at due to posting at 2am or something like that.

Like someone else said, it's easy to move around and bang your head and shit without moshing. Bumping into people a little bit is different than blindsiding someone with an elbow. Obviously there are certain shows where moshing is going to be the norm. I'm not, for example, going to go to a slayer show (hypothetical of course...I would never go to a Slayer show ), stand up front and cry when someone bumps shoulders with me. Obviously if it's a crowd where the majority is moshing then you better either a)get the fuck outta the way for your own good or b)deal with it/join in. However, going to a SX show and wondering why everyone is pissed at you when it's only you or maybe even a few people trying to mosh and ruin their experience is just as retarded as going to a slayer show and complaining because you are the only person not moshing.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Exactly. time and place. In the end it's about being respectful to the majority. If the majority are moshing, let them mosh and get out of the way. If the majority are just watching the show, just let it be.

 

[Jax]

As much as it pains me to say it, I think to an extent the band are doing it right in that they'll get far more exposure by touring with DT and will further increase their fan base (that's what touring is all about at the end of the day!)

Precisely. Also, by touring with DT, the cost of such an extensive tour is defrayed a bit, rather than footing the entire bill themselves; ya'll just have NO idea how freaking expensive a tour really is for a band.

 

[b-bert]

They should tour together but play 2 nights each city (one for each band).

Haha i realize this is unrealistic but it would be amazing.