DREAM THEATER vocalist James LaBrie recently spoke with Utah State University's Hard News Cafe. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

HNC: You guys were kind of the next evolutionary step in progressive metal…

LaBrie: "Yeah. The first thing that I would do if I was into those types of bands is I would also be on the Internet. You could research anything — just type in progressive bands of today. It still amazes me that it is still an educational process of letting people know who we are and what we are all about musically. It’s interesting, and it’s great. A prime example — here’s your son. He’s a fan. We’re seeing a LOT of that. We’re the seeing demographics from 15-17-year-olds right up to 60-year-olds. It’s quite encouraging, and it’s a bit of inspiration to see that we’re covering so many generations."

HNC: How are things working out with new drummer Mike Mangini, and how has the fan response been?

LaBrie: "We did a festival run over in Europe during July and the first week in August. We were over there almost six weeks, and the fan response over there was almost overwhelming. Each and every night, he got a standing ovation. People were up clapping and were quite ecstatic with his involvement. He’s infectious. First and foremost, he’s a phenomenal drummer. Secondly, he’s somebody that exudes such a great and positive energy. He draws you into his vibe, and he has such a great aura and is very charismatic on stage.

I think everyone is naturally drawn to him. Each and every day he goes out there and he pulls it off, does what we knew that he would do. I think the beautiful thing about Mike is that he’s been doing this just as long as any one of us has been doing it. He knows what to do, he knows how to prepare, and he knows it’s not just about playing, it’s putting on a good show. He is all of that.

We’ve done shows in North America, and the fans have responded exactly the same way. They’ve welcomed him with open arms, and it’s quite encouraging to see this — for him especially. It’s very gratifying to see that."

Click here for the complete interview.

Dream Theater's North American tour dates include:

October

10 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre *
11 - Morristown, NJ - Mayo Performing Arts Center *
12 - New York, NY - Beacon Theatre *
15 - Albany, NY - The Palace Theatre (with Periphery)
16 - Philadelphia, PA - Merriam Theatre (with Periphery)
17 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
21 - Pompano Beach, FL - Pompano Beach Amphitheater
22 - Cleawater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
23 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
25 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater *
26 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall *
27 - Dallas, TX - Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

Shows marked as * feature special guests TRIVIUM