Review by Jordan West
Photos by Matthew Belter
Celebrating 40 years as a band, as well as a new album, Dream Theater made a tour stop in Los Angeles and gave their fans an evening of the best of progressive metal from the leaders of the genre. The return of drummer and co-founder Mike Portnoy to the fold after a 14-year absence playing with other musicians was also a reason to celebrate as well. Watching Portnoy display his skills behind his giant drum kit is always a treat for long-time fans and newcomers as well, and tonight the sold out YouTube Theater had that and much more.
A brief overture featuring Bernard Herrmann’s “prelude” brought a roar from the crowd as the members of Dream Theater arrived onstage and immediately tore into the nearly 10-minute opus “Metropolis – Pt.1: The Miracle And The Sleeper” from 1992’s Images And Words album. As guitarist John Petrucci ripped blazing guitar riffs, the crowd was on their feet with fists pumping. Portnoy, smiled from behind his giant “Dream Monster” kit and all was well for an exciting and eventful evening.
Singer James LaBrie made his way centerstage and seemed to have some vocal issues early in the beginning of the song. I had been aware of him being sick recently and the group having to cancel a show and hoped that he wasn’t still feeling the effects. By the latter half of the second or third act of “Metropolis – Pt.1” he seemed to have things in control, and his magnificent voice became stronger as the show progressed.
“The Mirror” from 1994’s Awake release spotlighted the extraordinary talents of keyboardist Jordan Rudess. He appeared centerstage and soloed on his portable “keytar” before heading back to his rotating, multi-effects keyboard bank that even had an L.E.D. display on the front of it. La Brie addressed the crowd, announcing: “I almost forgot. Look who’s back in the fuckin’ band!” Portnoy arose from behind his kit and acknowledged the crowd’s roar, before going back to business.
Through a beacon of lasers, ace bassist John Myung’s intro led into a splendid version of “Panic Attack” that put a bit of a dark spin on the general mood with its lyrics and LaBrie’s snarling delivery. Myung was in total focus with his instrument throughout Dream Theater’ set. Rarely interacting with the audience, he is the true “glue” that keeps this band of five virtuosos playing as one. There are so many times during a Dream Theater set where each individual shines during an extended musical section. Each one is bonded together by Myung and his adaptability as well as his extreme talent.
LaBrie dedicated “Barstool Warrior,” a song from 2019’s Distance Over Time to “those that have suffered” from physical, mental or substance abuse. The song featured a beautiful piano and guitar breakdown that led into a soaring John Petrucci guitar solo reminiscent of the best of late 1970’s Neal Schon from Journey and his legendary tones.
Bathed in a stunning, pyramid of light, Petrucci continued his instrumental prowess with a very clean tone that perfectly matches James La Brie’s lovely vocals on the soothing “Hollow Years.” The song brought many in the audience to light up their cell phones and illuminate the YouTube Theater, a practice that has become very popular in the last number of years, no matter who is performing.
The band reached back to the Images And Words release for the progressive classic “Under a Glass Moon” that brought out the parameters of Mike Portnoy’s incredible drumming skills. His stops and starts of the tempo throughout the song are breathtaking in their complexities, and LaBrie’s smooth vocal lines keep the song grounded and on course. Petrucci goes into “shred mode” on this number and again, the crowed leapt to their feet at songs end and roared their approval.
Petrucci then dipped into his “guitar sounds toolbox” and cranked out the grungy tones of “The Dark Eternal Light” from the bands 2007 Systematic Chaos album. While a psychedelic and cartoon video kept your eyes fixated, Portnoy and Petrucci’s abrasive background vocals showed a different side of Dream Theater, one of a more industrial, distorted sound. Jordan Rudess added to the flavor with some incredible variations on piano. This interjection combined with the crushing rhythm section is yet another part of the Dream Theater musical mix of styles that make this number a true musical gumbo. It is truly remarkable to see and hear this musical machine at their best.
At the song’s conclusion, the band left the stage, leading to a brief intermission. The video screen featured an old cartoon that used to be played at drive-in movies featuring dancing snacks singing, “Let’s all go to the lobby.” And as the astonished audience members did just that, you could see the looks on their faces that they were truly blown away by such a stunning performance. I have seen this band many times over the years and I am always amazed.
The band took about a 20-minute break, during which “Orchestral Overture” was played over the PA system. It is a composed mix of orchestral themes covering all 16 of Dream Theater’s albums with an accompanying video that reimagines the band’s album covers. I thought it was genius. The video ended with their newly released Parasomnia and fittingly, the band started their second set with their excellent first single from the album, “Night Terror.” This nearly 10-minute track has quickly become a favorite of mine, and it is a future Dream Theater classic.
James LaBrie proudly announced that Parasomnia had recently hit #1 on the Billboard charts, and the band then lit into the second single, “Midnight Messiah,” a masterpiece that continues with the progressive rock brilliance that has driven this band to the top of their genre and keeps their fan base growing. The dreamy “This Is the Life” was followed by the introspective ballad “Vacant” from their 2004 Train Of Thought album. Both songs spotlight the lovely tones that James LaBrie can emit from his soulful tenor voice. Any doubt about him having vocal issues has by now been completely erased.
“Stream Of Consciousness,” also from Train Of Thought, is an instrumental wunderkind, and hadn’t been performed on tour in over 20 years. John Petrucci’s variety of styles as well as Jordan Rudess bringing new levels of brilliance to his keys during this number, kept the audience gasping by the song’s end.
Dream Theater then ended their set in their own unique way: The title track to 2005’s Octavarium album. The nearly 25-minute opus starts with Jordan Rudess playing synthesized orchestral parts that morph into a piano melody, which LaBrie turns into a beautiful pop song. It then takes a turn to spotlight Rudess and his keyboard wizardry. Again, his keyboard setup is incredible. Its frontal display, at times, recreated the chords and notes he was playing. It’s a wonderful visual to add to the joyful realization that you are watching a master of his craft. The fact that this piece was also performed in its entirety for the first time in many years thrilled their long-time fans. When it eventually concluded, the entire YouTube Theater rose and saluted their heroes with an extended standing ovation, as the band again left the stage. Briefly…
A video from The Wizard Of Oz in which Dorothy chants, “There’s no place like home,” was the perfect intro to the fan-favorite combination of “Home” and “The Spirt Carries On” portion of 1999’s epic Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory album. The band members smiled and enjoyed listening to their legion of fans singing along to the chorus of “The Spirit Carries On” as LaBrie coaxed them by pointing his microphone toward the happy crowd. It is a moment that EVERY band enjoys. Having your fans singing your lyrics back to you is a sign of success and a job well done. These are two things that Dream Theater has more than accomplished in 40 years as a band.
To close out the evening, Dream Theater treated the crowd to what has been arguably their most popular number, “Pull Me Under,” a minor hit during the end of the MTV era, culled from their Images And Words release, when myself and many others first became aware of this band.
The gleeful audience of long-time fans and newcomers sang along, as Petrucci’s crunchy guitar and Myung and Portnoy’s bottom end drove the song’s foundation. The keyboard delights of Rudess were in sync with LaBrie’s soaring vocals once again, and it was the perfect cap on an above-and-beyond musical experience.
As long as brilliant bands like Dream Theater keep investing in their musical future, like they have for over 40 years, looking ahead can be pretty exciting. And for three hours, the “doom and gloom” of everyday life was forgotten, as the power of seeing master musicians perform their craft, in front of an adoring and faithful audience, along with extraordinary sound and lights in a state-of-the-art theater, made this evening one of my favorite memories of 2025 so far. Long live Dream Theater!
