It was no ordinary Friday night at The Met Philadelphia. The famed Metropolitan Opera House was sold out and the intoxicating atmosphere was more than positive – it was celebratory with many of those in attendance greeting others like close friends and family members, and with good reason: many ticket-holders had traveled from across the country for this very special occasion. This was the opening night of Dream Theater’s 40th anniversary tour. That, however, was just one reason for crowd’s mood. It was also the band’s first U.S. show following the return of drummer, founding member and fan favorite, Mike Portnoy, and it was also the day the band’s highly anticipated new album, Parasomnia, was released.
The energy was immediately felt throughout the venue as the curtain dropped and the band launched into “The Miracle and the Sleeper” from Images and Words (their first album with vocalist James LaBrie). The entire band thanked the audience for the positive vibes, with the singer half-joking that they fed off that energy and that the older they got, “the more they needed that.” Though, with the entire performance clocking in at over three hours, Dream Theater’s stamina was impressive at any age.
The nine compositions that filled out the first set pulled from throughout the band’s impressive discography, keeping the sold-out audience enthralled and on their feet. Still, this was no mere rock concert – it was an experience. Behind the band and covering the drum riser were an array of screens displaying state-of-the-art videos. With most of the images synched to the music, fans propelled through space on what felt like a technically advanced amusement park ride, entranced by colorful psychedelic spirals, mesmerized by MC Escher-inspired graphics come to life, and humored by whimsical cartoons featuring band members.
After completing the first half of the evening with the rarely aired “The Dark Eternal Night,” the band took a well-deserved 15 minute break before returning with a pair of new songs: “Night Terror” and the live debut of “Midnight Messiah.” Another four epics followed, concluding with “Octavarium.” After a few brief minutes it was time for the encore and the band returned for three more thrilling songs, “Home,” the audience sing-a-long, “The Spirit Carries On,” and Dream Theater’s hit, “Pull Me Under.”
As with Forrest Gump‘s proverbial box of chocolates, you always know what you’re going to get at a Dream Theater show: your money’s worth. After the three-hour experience ended, the capacity crowd was left satisfied like stuffed family members after a huge Thanksgiving feast. It was time to undo their pants’ buttons because of the overindulgences and wonder aloud how long they would have to wait before experiencing it again.
Setlist
Act I
- Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper
- Act I: Scene Two: I. Overture 1928
- Act I: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu
- The Mirror
- Panic Attack
- Barstool Warrior
- Hollow Years
- Under A Glass Moon
- The Dark Eternal Night
Act II
- Night Terror
- Midnight Messiah
- This Is The Life
- Vacant
- Stream Of Consciousness
- Octavarium
Encore
- Act II: Scene Six: Home
- Act II: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On
- Pull Me Under
The 30-city tour crosses the states and heads into Canada before concluding on March 22nd at New York City prestigious Radio City Music Hall.
