Originally published in HT City newspaper · September 2017
Dream Theater: Excited For India
InterviewJames LaBrie1 min read
The progressive metal band from US will perform in Mumbai on October 8 as part of its 25th anniversary tour
29 Sep 2017
Samarth Goyal
It’s not just the Indian fans who are excited about American progressive metal giant Dream Theater’s first ever concert in the country. The five-member act, too, are excited to take the stage in Mumbai on October 8.
In an email interview, the band’s frontman, James LaBrie, spoke to us about the band’s first-ever visit to India, live shows, and more. Excerpts:
How excited are you to perform in India?
Extremely excited! We’ve been talking of touring in India for many years. It being the first show will be special for us and the fans.
How has your experience of interacting with Indian fans been?
Over the years, I’ve done interviews and met Indian fans, and it has been a very positive experience. I’ve realised just how important and moving our music has been for them, and how it has become a part of their lives.
Will we ever see Dream Theatre come up with a single?
Singles are just not a format that would do us justice. When we record new music, it only feels right to include several songs to represent who we currently are. One song couldn’t possibly capture what motivates and inspires us, and say who we are, as a band, at that point in time.
How has the importance of live shows changed from a revenue model perspective, espec
Revenue from live concerts has become the sole source of income for most artists. Fortunately, we still do very well as most of our fans like our physical formats and feel obliged to respect our music through purchase. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like it was in the 90’s. But it still is, for the most part, fine for this age.