Dream Theater

I'm still hoping for a tour later in the year. Might be a very optimistic dream, but you have to dream...

I still reckon bands could benefit a lot from using something like kickstarter (http://www.kickstarter.com/) to sound out potential tour destinations. Kickstarter is this brilliant concept where you can put an idea up and people can elect to sponsor the idea at various levels for some sort of investment in whatever's up for grabs. So, in computer games sense, you can elect to sponsor a game for say $20 which gets you a copy of the game, $50 gets you a copy of the game plus your name in the closing credits (or something like that) up to $500 where you get a character in the game and you get a speaking part.

So, let's say DT put an Australian tour on kickstarter and give fans the opportunity to express an interest.

So, something like:

$250 guaranteed first pick of a ticket plus meet & greet
$100 might get you a guaranteed second pick of a ticket (after the $250 pick) and an "express line" entry to a signing somewhere
$50 might get you a guaranteed third pick of a ticket (after the $100 pick) and a poster
$20 might get you a guaranteed ticket

If the band doesn't tour, you get your money back and if the band does tour the amount you've sponsored comes off your ticket price. I think it would be a great way for a band (or promoters I guess) to gauge interest in certain countries that they're not sure of their popularity in. There's already a Music section in kickstarter but it's mainly used for bands to get funds for albums.

@callahan - you're a dropkick!

@Pearl65 - I think DT borrowed the world atlas from Rush - they don't know what "world" means either. Still, this discussion does give a fellow who is 53 but just discovered DT a few weeks ago hope that they will make it here at some point (don't ask what I've been listening to for the last 25 years - one clue above...)

As for where I'd like to see DT in Oz? Sydney - Acer would be good if they did it like Metallica did for the DM tour, or Brisbane Empty Container Centre, or Newcastle EC. Failing those I would buy plane tickets to anywhere in OZ to see this band!

Cheers Emjem

Laycock Street Theatre, Gosford, NSW
lol being down the road from where i live would be nice but ultimately anywhere in sydney would be unreal :)