Dream Theater

Hammerheadz, Elmont, New York

2.6.92

Verdict: Refreshingly original and talented.

Dream Theater needed no introduction for their first gig in two years, the tiny club being filled mainly with close friends (most of whom had paid to get in!) for the stage debut of new vocalist James LaBrie. The new boy showed no sign of nerves and as soon as he opened his mouth it was indeed evident that the band had found their perfect frontman.

Tonight’s set featured just five songs, yet for Dream Theater that’s a meaty 50 minutes and plenty of time to make an impact. Each tune is a showpiece with extended musical interludes that combine the Progressive elements of early Rush and Yes with the power of traditional Metal, some unconventional time changes and every other influence under the sun, somehow managing to avoid the expected indulgence of such claims.

Kicking off with the Metallic and accessible ‘Pull Me Under’ (from the new Images And Words LP) and following it with the Jazz Fusion-inspired ‘Under A Glass Moon’, while ‘Metropolis’ somehow jumped from a Hard Rock crunch to an uplifting melody. Thanks to an interesting arrangement the 12-minute epic ‘Learning To Live’ remains exciting, no doubt aided by the fact that each member of the band is a master of their instrument.

Bassist John Myung and drummer Mike Portnoy work with and against each other as they weave complex rhythm structures, keyboardist Kevin Moore adds texture without softening the edges and guitarist John Petrucci is simply a remarkable player who is able to handle all these styles with ease.

‘A Fortune In Lies’, the only track they included from their When Dream And Day Unite debut LP, best illustrated how the band’s songwriting skills have developed since 1989. The fact remains, however, that Dream Theater may still be too advanced for some. But here’s to a band that understand the meaning of integrity and originality. Dream Theater, I salute you!

—Gail Flug