Calculating Infinity was a gamechanging record. Reuniting for this occasion without Dimitri, now, that would've seemed disingenuous.
This was posted after Billy for some reason posted a festival line-up that he saw in a dream he had (which included TDEP) and Greg mentioning in response to fan questions about this that promoters have been offering him mountains of cash for a TDEP reunion.
Greg has never made it a secret that he considers his relationship with Ben toxic (admittedly much to his own fault) and Ben mentions anytime he's asked about Greg that them holding opposing values in many areas of life would make a reunion between the two very unlikely.
Someone on r/DillingerEscapePlan asked Greg about those reunions and that was his answer. Can't say it's true or not, but I'll paste here since it's a public comment anyway and seems on par to Greg kind of writing:
“I mean I don’t wanna do it, not for any negative reason just no real excitement/way too soon for me, and it’s not songs I wrote, so I have pretty much the same reaction I would have to news about anything else that happened when I was 19 that I had nothing to do with. Pretty much full indifference, but if anything, if it’s for good reasons, then I’m happy for Ben and Dimitri. It’s obviously not “way too soon” for Dimitri, there’s a big difference between last playing a show 23 years ago and last playing a show 6 years ago. Also, they were young friends who made a special album together, and who had an abrupt split, I’m sure it’s probably healing and good feeling for both of them to revisit that album from a celebratory place. It’s a great record! Anyhow. How you been mang what’s good? Long reply I know but I just copied and pasted the same thing to the other four random people(you make five dickhead) I hardly ever talk to who texted me the same thing. None of my reaction would be a surprise to anyone in my day to day.”
Ooof. DM's got about as much enthusiasm there as Omar during the 2012 ATDI reunion shows.
Yikes
That’s about as much enthusiasm as he’s ever shown on stage. If you’re expecting more, you’re going to the wrong show.
Really not sure why anyone would prefer that over Greg, to be honest. Both his vocals and stage presence are infinitely (pun intended) more interesting.
Hope the shows in New York sound better. He sounded fairly gassed here. He was fucking great when I saw him in New York back in 2017.
That was a lot of fun last night. Can’t wait to do it all again tonight and tomorrow!
Meh, I prefer to have DEP buried like they all agreed to do. This feels like one of those cash grab tours/reunions that some really cringe bands do after breaking up... which is the entire reason that DEP closed the book... to end it on their terms and to not become a parody of themselves.
Zero issues with Dimitri... but without Greg, there is no DEP for me. He put a ton of heart, soul, energy and performance into that band that made it what it was. Not saying the other guys aren't talented but... this whole thing is just odd to me.
Much like Van Hagar vs. Van Lee Roth... not for me.
Better Lovers is the band for me now to scratch the DEP itch.
That’s fine. You do you. I had a fucking blast this weekend though and would happily do it again.
Me too!! Great to meet you last night.
For me, this was my chance to see the earlier era of DEP. Having seen the Greg era for so long, I always wondered if I would catch Dimitri at one point. I’m glad I went, I don’t think I would have heard most of those tracks if Greg came back.
Overall I had fun.
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It's all good man. Even all through the Greg era there were people that said they only liked the Dimitri era of DEP. I definitely prefer Greg, but Dimitri is fun too. Everyone has an opinion about music and none of them are wrong. Probably. Maybe. Well probably a few opinions are wrong. Haha.
This never came across as a cash grab to me. It seemed to me that Ben and Dimitri felt there was unfinished business with this era of the band. They've remained friends, and for whatever reasons, this felt like the right time to play these shows. Now that the dust has settled, they kept these shows to the pre-Greg era, and that was appropriate. It wasn't for everyone clearly, but it does feel like it was FOR THEM, and plenty of people came along for the ride.