Re: Dream Theater's new drummer
What we know:
Mangini, Derek Roddy, Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Thomas Lang, Aquiles Priester and Peter Wildoer auditioned.
Derek and Peter comments imply they are not in. So that leaves 5 people in the running.
Dream theater posted January 4th they were in the studio recording with the new drummer, although we know they took a break for NAMM
John Petrucci posted updates in Feb 1st, and March 2nd, and April 6th about writing and recording the new album.
Dream Theater has posted their European tour starts in June.
Per Virgil Donati's FB, he was on tour in Feburary, including dates in Moscow. He also posted a gig in Los Angeles on March 3rd, and additional shows in April.
Hard to be in the studio writing and recording on the East Coast when you're doing gigs in LA and touring in Moscow.
I'd say he's out.
Thomas Lang:
Posted on January 29th he was in the studio with Dan Monti. Also has posted he is hosting boot camps in Mid March, and through out April.
Not entirely out, but he's keeping busy.
Marco Minnemann
Posted European tour dates on his website for February, and a Los Angeles show on March 11. His facebook hasn't been updates in a while.
Looking like he is out.
Aquiles Priester
His website shows he had clinics and/or tour dates booked from mid-January all the way through May, in mostly international locations. Now way he could be in the studio with DT and touring his his own band at the same time.
He's out.
Mike Mangini
Who has not updated his website or facebook since the auditions, and we know stepped down from his job at Berklee right around the time Portnoy left Dream Theater.
So we can not rule him out.
Which leaves the conclusion the it is most likely Mangini, with a small chance of Lang.
Although should be noted that no one has posted they are booked during the time period as the Dream Theater tour, so no one is truly 100% out.