Dream Theater
Support: Eden’s Curse
Friday 22nd July
02 Academy: Leeds
I had been looking forward to witnessing the progressive metal quintet for quite some time now. With my ticket at the ready, I stood outside the 02 Academy Leeds waiting for the doors to burst open. I was a bit apprehensive to begin with to be honest, after being told from a friend that Dream Theater might send me to sleep because of their long proggy, instrumental in many parts, 2 1/2 hour sets! I had just had a slap up meal at a carvery near by, and was full to the brim. Maybe I should have brought that camping chair!
The openng support band was Eden’s Curse. This band formed in 2007 from Philadelphia USA, opening the night with some power metal. Less progressive than I was expecting. 6 Piece, almost AOR in parts. But the quality was there non the less. Lead guitarist Thorsten Koehne, playing left handed with his guitar strings upside down, had an almost Yngwie Malmsteen flamboyance about him. Singer Michael Eden blasting out his forceful voice making sure the audience embrace the evening. Backed up by the fantastic vocals of Alessandro Del Vecchio also on keyboards. And until recently just researched this, Drummer and powerhouse behind the band Pete Newdeck, is ex Grim Reaper & Paul Dianno. I was not familiar with Eden’s Curse material, but was very impressed with what they had to offer, singer mentioning that Dream Theater’s vocalist James Labrie is featured on their latest album.
Now it was time for the main event, Dream Theater. Still being bloated from my meal and having standing stalls tickets, I was stood quite far back, thinking my legs and back will tire quite very soon, But instead I was pulled under and left in awe as soon as they first started and for the whole duration of the set. They Opened up with the Images & Words Classic ‘Under a Glass Moon’, I knew we were in for a treat this evening. New Mangini never seemed under pressure at any point. Flying straight into their Octavarium album track, ‘These Walls’ then a brief hello from vocalist James Labrie, and then it was on with the show, no messing. ‘Systematic Chaos’ time with ‘Forsaken’, the lightning show and back screen with film edits and camera angles of the band, that make a progressive metal band more energetic and exciting than the generic norm. Dream Theater have never fallen into the category of boredom.
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| Dream Theater 02 Academy Leeds |
Taking a darker turn with Train of Thought’s ‘Endless Sacrifice’ was a particular high point for me in the set and then this was the chance for new drummer Mike Mangini, to make his debut with a drum solo. And my god! ‘wow’. The nearby fans I overheard saying, “What was the last drummer called again?” Then a blast from the past from the first album instrumental ‘The Ytse Jam’, and another surprise from the much underrated ‘Falling into Infinity’ album, ‘Peruvian Skies’. Another pinnacle moment for me personally was ‘The Great Debate’ the 13 minute epic from the 6 Degrees of Inner Turbulence album, which was the era I first got into Dream Theater. The special ‘On the Backs of Angels’, which is their single, and debut recording of Mike Mangini. This showed promise of the future of Dream Theater. Back to the ‘Awake’ album with ‘Caught In a Web’.
Toning down with ‘Through my Words’, straight into ‘Fatal Tragedy’ from one of their finest concept albums ‘Metropolis Pt.2 Scenes from a Memory’. Just before announcing the end of the evening the band brought an absolutely beautiful song ‘The Count of Tuscany’ from ‘Black Clouds & Silver Lining’ that brought us to near tears. And their encore was ‘Metrpolis Pt1’ from ‘Images & Words’. A perfect way to finish the evening.
Words can't describe how overwhelmed and blown away I was by Dream Theater!
John Petrucci, James Labrie & Jordan Ruddess have re-intrucoduced their beards to their image, which is sometimes hard to keep up with, but none the less softly entertaining. And John Myung with his monstrously long hair! How he doesn’t get it tangled in his bass we will never know!
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| Mike Mangini drum solo |
'What a night of progressive metal, Dream Theater’s members seemed as strong as ever, couldn’t fault any of them, individually they all have the genius virtuosity, as a unit they show this but also show they can write and perform truly classic songs' Chris Appleton from FURY UK
Metal Saloon Rating : 9.5/10
Aine Brewer
