01-08-2016, 01:00 AM
As someone that has seen every tour except 2011, (I couldn't bring myself to go that year, as my Wife passed away and TSO was one of our traditions) this is a very interesting topic for me. It used to really bother me when I wasn't hearing the same people that I heard on the very first tour. To me, it was like Sammy Clichegar singing David Lee Roth era Van Halen songs. Once they split into two touring groups, I realized it was something I was going to have to live with, and I was just going to have to accept the fact that I might not hear the person sing the song that sang it on the first tour. In fact, I might not even hear the same guy that sang it the previous year. I realize my Clichegar/Roth comparison is extreme, as Clichegar never sounded anything like Roth, and Paul does a very good job of bringing in performers that sound very similar to the "original".
I have bootlegs of the earlier tours, but I really wish Paul would have captured the very first tour, on video. I would love an official DVD of one of those shows. I'd pay good money for a box set of earlier shows, as well as newer shows featuring both touring groups. I have yet to see the "West" group, since they split it into East and West. Every year I threaten to go to an East and a West show, but never get around to it.
I have bootlegs of the earlier tours, but I really wish Paul would have captured the very first tour, on video. I would love an official DVD of one of those shows. I'd pay good money for a box set of earlier shows, as well as newer shows featuring both touring groups. I have yet to see the "West" group, since they split it into East and West. Every year I threaten to go to an East and a West show, but never get around to it.