Dream Theater’s debut album, When Dream and Day Unite, was released in 1989, but the band first got together as Majesty in 1985, making this the 40th anniversary of the core of Dream Theater forming. To celebrate, the band reunited with founding drummer Mike Portnoy, released a fantastic new record called Parasomnia, and is on an expansive 40th Anniversary tour. As that tour begins to wind down, Dream Theater made a stop at the Toyota Oakdale Theater, the sight of many triumphant gigs in the band’s history, including a legendary August 2000 show featuring both Scenes From A Memory and A Change Of Seasons in their entireties. This show added to the list of amazing shows the band has played in this venue. Please scroll for my Dream Theater live review and photos.
The setlist for the Dream Theater anniversary tour was expansive and covered the band’s entire career. Dream Theater has 16 studio records in their catalogue, all but 5 were featured in the set. The night began with “Metropolis Pt. 1 – The Miracle and the Sleeper”, a song that is really a foundation of the band. That led into “Overture 1928” and “Strange Deja Vu” from Metropolis Pt 2: Scenes From A Memory. The return of Mike Portnoy was immediately felt in the opening trio. The presence he brings to the band involves more than just talent, there is a chemistry between these five men that can’t be matched with any other combination of members.
Early in the set, the band played “Barstool Warrior” from 2019’s Distance Over Time. This was one of two songs, “This is the Life” being other, played that the band recorded with Mike Mangini replacing Mike Portnoy on drums. I was glad to hear these tracks as the band made some really good music in the 13 years that Portnoy was out of Dream Theater. It was good to see the band embrace those records. It was also good to hear vocalist James Labrie is such great voice for the night.
The 9-song First Act was highlighted by an extraordinary version of the 1996 track “Hollow Years”. Rather than sticking to the familiar version from the Falling Into Infinity record, the band played the original demo version which really turns what was a beautiful song into an emotional highlight with a great solo by guitarist John Petrucci.
The Second Act began with two singles from the band’s newest record. “Night Terror” and “Midnight Messiah” both fit perfectly with the classic material and whet the appetite for a proper tour supporting Parasomnia. The six-song Second Act featured the true centerpiece of the night, the entire 24-minute creative masterpiece that is “Octavarium”. Watching this song unfold live was an incredible experience (I recommend reading the Wikipedia on this song to truly appreciate it), keyboardist Jordan Rudess shines throughout the song, as does bassist John Myung. The crowd was on its feet in appreciation as the song ended the main set.
The encore was familiar, but spectacular. The heavy “Home” led into its album-mate “The Spirit Carries On”. For me, “Spirit” is one of the great live songs played by any band, right there with Springsteen’s “Born To Run”. I saw the band a few times with Mike Mangini on drums, and enjoyed each one of them, however, having Mike Portnoy back on a song like “Spirit” returns it to the powerful song it truly is. With the crowd at fever pitch, Dream Theater’s biggest hit “Pull Me Under” completed the night. If there was a downside to the night it’s that the stage was really dark and backlit, keeping the members in silhouette most of the night, with a smoky haze surrounding them.
Dream Theater has long held a special place in my life. On the magical 10-year, 5-album run from 1992-2002 I poured through every lyric and note as if they held some mythical secret to life, and in a way they did. Dream Theater is more than a rock band, every record has a theme and hidden secrets throughout. Watching them go through 40 years of their career felt like I was remembering the last 40 years of my life, so many memories are tied to this band. Dream Theater is Portnoy, Petrucci, Myung, Labrie, and Rudess, seeing them back together was an amazing thing and makes me excited for what this legendary band still has in store for us.
