Mike Mangini is Dream Theater's New Drummer!

Watch Episodes I - III to get the full story on Mike Mangini's new job.After many auditions, Dream Theater has pickedMike Mangini as their new drummer. In the last episode of their ongoing web series, the band auditions the last two drummers, Aquiles Priester and Peter Wildoer.

With the choices narrowed down to Mangini and Marco Minnemann, the choice was made and vocalist James LaBrie placed a call to Mangini to say, "...we'd like to welcome you to the family."
Congratulations to Mike Mangini and we all look forward to the next release from Dream Theater.

Dream Theater- 2011 Summer Tour
7/4- Rome, Italy                    Ippodromo Delle Capannelle
7/5- Verona, Italy                   Castello Scaligero
7/6- Winterthur, Switzerland- Eishalle Deutweg
7/8- Metz, France                   Sonisphere
7/9- Loreley, Germany           Prog Festival
7/10- Weert, Netherlands      Bospop Festival
7/12- Moscow, Russia            Crocus City Hall
7/13- Kiev, Ukraine                 Sports Palace
7/17- Porto, Portugal              Coliseum of Porto
7/19- Israel, Tel Aviv              Exhibition Grounds             
7/22- Doncaster, UK               Doncaster Dome
7/23- Wolverhampton, UK     Wolverhampton Civic          
7/24- London, UK                   High Voltage Festival          
7/27- Vienna, Austria             Gasometer          
7/28- Katowice, Poland          Spode  
7/29- Czech Republic-             Benatska Noc Festival        
7/31- Lokeren, Belgium          Lokerse Festival   
8/2- Athens, Greece               Terra Vibe Park   
8/4- Hungary                          Fezen Festival

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(courtesy of DreamTheater.net)

New York, NY: A little more than a month after original drummer Mike Portnoy's sudden departure from Dream Theater, the band held three days of auditions in New York City. Over an amazing and productive three-day period, the band played, jammed and spoke candidly with seven of the world's greatest drummers, learning about them musically, personally and professionally, and assessing the fit of each drummer's incredible chops with the band's trademark prog-rock sound.

Dream Theater have been extremely sensitive to the fact that this is not only a monumental decision in their own lives, but also a critical moment in the lives of DT fans around the world. "The departure of our lifelong bandmate and friend was an unexpected and truly heartbreaking blow," says guitarist John Petrucci. "The fact that as a result of that event we'd be introduced to seven infinitely capable and uniquely talented drummers was heartening."

Dream Theater would like to share with its fans some of the intense process, along with the musical joy, that 

went into choosing a new drummer. Who is the best fit behind the kit?