When Dream Theater Concert Tour?
Progressive metal giants, Dream Theater fans are waiting for the band to hit the road again with their latest album.
It is now more than two years since progressive metal band Dream Theater has embarked on a live tour across North America and Europe. The last big tour was the Distance Over Time Tour which concluded the promotion of their Grammy-nominated 2019 Distance Over Time album. During this period, the band performed more than one hundred concerts during the period of March-December, 2019, in North America and Europe’s clubs and festivals.
Since then, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become difficult for bands to go on tour frequently. Fortunately, Dream Theater was able to partake in a few regional tours in fall 2021 which included performances in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. However, those short runs are simply fueling the cravings of fans waiting to see the legendary group perform as they did on their A-game production level.
But when will that opportunity happen, and what could a ‘proper’ Dream Theater tour even look like after all of this? To date, there is no concrete plan for the band’s touring activities for 2023 and beyond but analyzing the current status of the band members and their latest activities could give a clue or two.
Currently, Dream Theater is in the process of working on new music.
First, the good news: Dream Theater is now in the process of recording their fifteenth studio album. This time they began recording in early 2022 at the studio, with well-known producer Eric Gillette. In the studio, guitarist John Petrucci was providing updates as a new note confirmed that the instrumental tracking was done in summer, 2022.
As with any other Dream Theater record, the recording sessions have been long and meticulous with numerous takes. The final mixing and mastering process is expected to be completed by late fall or early winter. It would help the record to see its release in the first half of 2023, possibly in spring.
Once the album is released, that presents the perfect opportunity to ramp up touring efforts. Not only will fans be itching to hear new compositions live for the first time but additionally, a new record also sees increased promotion to the media and more momentum heading into tour cycles.
As it is common knowledge, most bands make the most of the window that is around an album release to organize major tours. As for Dream Theater, logic would dictate that the band should plan a world tour for the spring and summer of 2023 in support of the latest creative work.
Now that the Band has issued its new material, it sounds ready and eager to get back out there.
During an interview in July 2022, John Myung the bassist was asked if the band was planning on going back to touring heavily, and he responded positively. He agreed that they were hesitant about whether or not the band possessed the capacity to provide a complete live show at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis. With protective measures, vaccines, and new coping strategies, he says they feel well prepared to organize a great run as they did after Distance Over Time.
Guitarist John Petrucci has also said several times in his recent interviews that he misses touring. As for the band dynamics, it appears that the long-term friendship and the amount of shows played over 150+ creates even more creativity and cohesiveness for Dream Theater. It is something that feeds the band.
Take into consideration the difficulties of rehearsing, constructing, and transporting a show like Dream Theater’s, and it takes a lot for a band to go back to that zone. However, after being off the road for more than two years, it seems the members are willing to work harder to get back on the road for marathon-style touring internationally.
Reading Between the Lines
Well, when will fans who are itching for a full Dream Theater world tour be informed? Based on the readings of hints from the group and the evaluation of the external environment, the probability for the current year is very high for 2023.
Once the process of mixing and mastering the upcoming album is complete, Dream Theater’s booking agency and management will begin arranging for tours around the world. Look for an announcement of a new album first – possibly as early as January 2023 – followed by the first regional US shows tied to the album’s release week.
If patterns hold like the Distance Over Time album cycle, a more extensive North American tour would take place in May/June with 30-40 shows in arenas and amphitheaters. Europe would come in the later part of the year, especially in summer, and possibly get back to North America in the fall.
It is also credible to suppose that South America, Asia, and Australia are also possible locations for performances as well as concerts at summer festivals in Europe. Not to mention the very likely homecoming concerts in the New York metro area at the Radio City Music Hall and/or The Beacon Theatre around the album street date.
As a speculation, the Dream Theater may be preparing for what could be a massive worldwide tour sometime between March and December 2023. Anticipate more announcements as the band prepares for a new album, which is expected to be released during the first quarter or early second quarter of 2023.
It can’t come soon enough for those faithful and long-suffering fans who want to feel that old jolt of the power and majesty of Dream Theater back on the concert trail. If the stars are aligned with new music coming out followed by touring, then 2023 could be the year that occurs.
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