Review by Stephen Pedicino
In 2008, fans of progressive music were treated to one of the most saturated packages to ever grace the Americas. Progressive Nation, an idea schemed between Dream Theater and Opeth for some time, was finally put into effect this past May. I hate to be biased, but they truly have been my two favorite bands since high school. So I couldn’t really ever wish of a better tour to come around if I tried……But, with that aside, I tried to judge their performances objectively.J The other two supporting acts chosen were Between the Buried and Me and Three. Obviously, both have progressive roots and are apparently talented enough to play alongside two of the most revolutionary bands in metal history. (and no, I’m not talking about Limp Bizkit and Korn!)
I strutted into the Time Warner Amphitheater as Three were already in motion. Probably about the fourth song or so. I’ll admit, I know absolutely nothing about the band aside from them having more than 3 members. (Perhaps the founding member has a third nipple?) It sounded quite experimental and proggy with an upbeat, almost poppy tinge intermixed. I was quite impressed actually. Their last song had some awesome acoustic finger-tapping and rushed into a Mariachi-fueled melody. They had this bald guy on secondary drums who looked like he was rejected from Blue Man Group. He stood his ground boldly and tapped away at his kit as the other members maximized the potential of their instruments. It was a good performance for the brief portion I caught, leaving me upset that I arrived a bit late. (Damn the incompetence of the Twinsburg McDonald’s!!!)
Between the Buried and Me followed. This is also a band I know little about despite their commercial success. Dressed in very casual attire, they took the stage and launched themselves into their first song. Or should I say odyssey? It seemed to last about fifteen minutes, most of which was enjoyable. I couldn’t seem to gauge when the song was ending or when the next one was beginning. The entire set seemed to flow as one! But, being a PROGRESSIVE tour, no one should have any complaints at this. Its obvious they are extremely talented and that their vocalist puts in a lot of effort into singing and playing the keyboards on stage. I honestly didn’t know that BtBaM had such quality arrangements! The only flaw I could detect was the over abundance of breaks in each song. Sometimes it felt like their music should just be a little more tranquilized and less jumpy. But with that aside, I was so impressed that afterwards I decided to offer my respect and support by going home and downloading their discography! (I’m sure bands love that, right?) So far, a great beginning to the night.
The immaculate prog deathstars were up next to bat. Hailing from the cold lands of Sweden……….OPETH!!! I haven’t had the chance to see them since the 06’ Gigantour, so my craving for a live performance had almost gotten dangerously high. I’d heard rumors that the tour setlist would be considerably heavy and showcase the “tougher” side of Opeth. When they kicked into “Master’s Apprentice” to start things off, I knew the conjecture was probably valid. It has a very death metal sound for the good portion and is one of the most straightforward Opeth tracks in my opinion. Unfortunately, also one of my least favorite, LoL. The sound was right on though, as every note seemed to be audibly clear. The only real problems were with Akerfelt’s microphone. I could HEAR his voice, but his mic didn’t nearly do his roars justice. He has one of the greatest voices in the death metal style and deserved slightly more amplification than what Cleveland offered. “Baying of the Hounds” proceeded followed by “To Rid the Disease.” Albeit a heavier set, they still decided to throw a track from the “Damnation” record into the mix. Next was the super heavy “Wreath” and a track off their new album, “Watershed.” It’s called “Heir Apparent,” and reassures that Opeth have stuck to the same formula they’ve mastered for years. Oddly timed, complex yet catchy riffs, ingeniously placed acoustic passages, ambient keys, and that unmistakable emotional captivity of their music. It was fantastic. I’d say my favorite of the set. They closed with “The Drapery Falls” off of the “Blackwater Park” album. It was an hour that seemed to pass in minutes, but a performance that I’ll surely never forget. Opeth can be mellow at times but the band’s behavior and motions on stage were downright cool to watch. Not to mention Akerfeldt’s dialogue in between songs. I know of no other front man who is so relaxed and self-deprecating. Some people may find it strange, but I’ve always found it to provide a more intimate experience. Although, it might have been a BIT out of place when Akerfeldt asked the crowd, “Can you see my nipples?” after commenting on the chilly temperature on stage. But, Opeth are just a charismatic band in general which is why they’ve been in my top five for years.
They could have chosen some better songs in my humblest opinion, but the performance was nonetheless incredible. The only thing that could have made it better was if a band like Dream Theater followed………
OH SHIT!! That’s right!!!
By this point, this band needs no introduction. They have achieved and produced more than any other progressive band to date, and have amassed a fanbase loyal to the bone. Last I had seen them was in August of 2007, not that long ago for most. I still remember the show like it was yesterday. Oh the memories…….. I’ll spare you the flashback.
I was lingering back in the standing room only section with my friend Paul announced that he’d be leaving with his brother. He got in for free because he works with the Roadrunner street team, so really he could come and go like a whore on a street corner. Luckily for me, he’s not the biggest Dream Theater disciple out there. And being the generous man he is, Paul offered me his seated tickets – about 10 rows back from the stage – dead fucking center. I was stoked. I thanked him all I could, hugged his round and squishy body, and proceeded to rush to our seats as the intro kicked in.
The intro was EPIC. Almost pompous if I can say. It started off with this montage of clips picked chronologically from their career. Starting from 1986, ending with the cover of their latest release, “Systematic Chaos.” Some trippy animation followed, and then Petrucci, Rudess, Myung, and Portnoy emerged on stage like angels sent from heaven.
This euphoric journey began with “In the Presence of Enemies Pt.1.” Even though its not exactly my fav, it is as an excellent choice to start the show off because its one of those songs that loosens up the audience and gives you a clear impression of who Dream Theater are. Unexpectedly, “Beyond This Life,” followed. An amazing song all around but oddly I’ve never seen it performed live. I sang along with every word admittedly like an over-enthusiastic fag and “felt” each of the notes as they were hit. I orgasmed…..(MUCH too early)
Next was the very dramatic “Misunderstood,” with “Forsaken” afterwards. “Forsaken,” one of the more commercially balladesque songs in Dream Theater’s weaponry, was played with the video for the song on the center screen behind the drums. Again, the visual aspect of DT’s shows proved to enhance the experience to the fullest. They played a couple of songs from their 94’ record, “Awake.” Excellently chosen were “Erotomania,”(instrumental) and “Voices.” “Awake” is somewhat of an overlooked record which is why I was happy to see the inclusion of these songs in the set.
The very metallic, “As I Am” elevated the raw energy back to where it needed to be and made sure that no superficial fans dozed off amidst the rather proggy precession. Things got mellow again with “Ministry of Lost Souls” but it turned out to be as engrossing live as it is on the record. Shortly thereafter, they thanked the audience and left the stage to catch a breather before the encore.
What followed was no encore. It wasn’t even a double encore. The best I could reasonably describe it would be as one of the juiciest encores in history sandwiched between two other monumental encores!!!
It started with the most legendary piece of music from Dream Theater, ‘Metropolis.” I just about had an aneurism. The beginning to the song is so mystically gripping that I felt as if my body had been possessed by these progressive metal gods. Labrie sang into the first verse and then got a good 10 minutes to rest. The maestros took over from there. They played half of the instrumental section flawlessly and jumped into the instrumental part of “Learning to Live.” By this point, I knew I was in for one of those patented Dream Theater Medleys. In between, Rudess abandons his keyboard and then grabs this oddly shaped monstrosity that had been sitting on stage for the entire night. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but when I saw him walking toward center stage I knew………the Keytar had arisen!!!!!!
He and Petrucci dueled in god-like fashion for about 4 minutes. It was truly phenomenal. Typically, concert duels get old beyond the first minute. But with the unparalleled talent of both, I could have watched them go back and forth for another twenty. Everyone then got in their respective solos, including the enigmatic John Myung on bass. Its amazing to watch their fingers close up on the side screens when they’re shredding away. You’d think the projection was accelerated! They closed with the latter half of “A Change of Seasons.” Labrie hit the final high notes right on key as the crescendo to the medley came to an end.
It felt so short because there were support bands this time around and also because of each DT song clocking in at around minutes! After about 4 they were halfway through with their set!!! But seeing Dream Theater perform for any amount of time is a treat nonetheless. Every note played was indistinguishable from the album version, and Labrie’s vocal chords were extremely fine-tuned. I hope every aspiring musician there picked a little something up from watching these guys.
The lighting and visual effects were utterly amazing. Probably the best I’ve ever seen. Everything was so synched and choreographed that someone could enjoy the show even if they hated the music itself. In recent years, an integral part of Dream Theater shows has been video animation. It gets the crowd more emotionally involved and serves a purpose in conveying the meaning of the music. It definitely adds an extra level of entertainment, especially when you match a montage of Super Mario Bros. with one of your (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfAz35yhn7U) Easily one of the highlights of the show
I’m sure that Dream Theater will take a much deserved break from their extensive touring cycle and focus on inspiration for the next record quite soon. They are a band that gets larger with every release, leaving only the sky as the limit(excuse the cliché). Like em’ or not, they are indisputably one of the if not THE most talented band to grace this earth and have proven themselves with the utmost dignity and professionalism.
A fantastic night. What else can I say? This tour was a prog fan’s dream that unfolded into an unbelievable reality for everyone there to behold it. God Bless this Progressive Nation!!!