18th of June of 2009 is a date to remember in my musical calendar. Of course, in a few years, I will have probably forgot the date itself, but the event will linger on in the memory.

18th of June was the day Dream Theater came to Portugal, Lisboa (thank goodness and finally!), to Coliseu dos Recreios, in a tour “ preceding ” their new album Black Clouds and Silver Lininigs. And I was there.

Pendragon

The opening of the concert, that started a bit late on schedule, nothing out of the ordinary, was made by the band Pendragon. A band with a name of its own, although not very popular around here, have a sound that reminds, more times than not, Marillion. Their contact with the audience was short lived, as they played only 40 minutes (after all, they were the opening band). The song Master of Illusion was one of my favourites but, as someone that came with me said, the problem of these progressive rock bands that no-one knows or few know, is that we don’t know the musics. Sometimes I felt bored instead of enjoying their sound. Yet, their sympathy won my respect, and that drummer couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. A good concert, in a overall.

The down part of that concert was the back-vocals being turned off.

Ladies and Gents, Dream Theater

My first contact, in the end of the night, with DT live was, I’ve to say, a bit disappointing. (oh my gods, I didn’t wrote that down, did I?! Yes, yes I did!) Now this is the moment I should start running before the blind-fans come to knock me down, but give me a chance to explain. (and I do like to start from the bad to the good, weird thing me) I don’t watch dvd´s or even videos of a band. Usually I just grab the cd, put in my mp3 player, and listen on. That means I never know how a band act on stage.

Dream Theater played, as I have been told after, like they always played. With “little” contact with the public.

Mind you, they are very nice! In the few moments they actually contact with the audience, they are contacting with us. There is not a single doubt about that. But I would have preferred more… and you know why? Because it was an AWESOME concert! If it wasn’t for the horrible heat inside the building, it would have been one of the best concerts I’ve assisted in my life, so far (I intent to go to many more). And I like to feel the band is also with us, instead of being with one another most of the time. (bad habits of other great bands I had the pleasure to see live).

A part of that little, tiny detail (really little for me, too), the concert was breathtaking, and not only because of the heat. Jordan Rudess, John Myung, John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy and James LaBrie ruled the night with a very secure hand and great music.

The voice of LaBrie was amazing live. That man can sing! I don’t fancy all that must his voice sometimes, but live, that man is a show man. *laughs* Simply amazing, running everywhere, with this impeccable way of singing, coming in and out of the stage, he was, and I don’t like to use this word, but ok, perfect. LaBrie was the showman of the night.

What to say about John Myung? Ever you ever listen carefully want he plays? Petrucci may play a “billion notes per second” but Myung rules the bass. Very concentrated in what he is doing, quietly he moves around, in a zen world only he and the rest of the DT can see. Myung was the zen master of the night

John Petrucci plays, boys and girls, the man can play! From speed to slow, from high to low, a strong presence, an excellent gentlemen on the guitar (loved loved loved the “ Pink Floyd” moments! Thank you Petrucci!!!). Not a dull moment when Petrucci is around, that is for sure. The duel between Petrucci and Rudess will remain in my mind. Petrucci was the perfect gentleman of the night.

Portnoy is the face of the band. The smile behind the drums. The constant energy. Seeing him play drums it comes impossible not to laugh at some point. All that energy goes to the drums and comes out. The “lama” is the centre and heart of the night, giving a show that only can be experienced live, fully experienced. Portnoy was the heart of the night.

Finally, but certainly not the less important, my favourite of them all, the grand Mage of Keyboards, Jordan Rudess. The mary-go-round of the band, always walking in circles, playing like a madman, I was totally in heaven in the moments he and Petrucci were “solo” playing, in many of the "intros" and instrumental parts. A thousand rich sounds coming out of that keyboard, a presence that is impossible to go unnoticed, he captured most of my attention. But then, I prefer keyboards in top of many instruments. Rudess was the mage of the night.

(and I’m a total fan-girl of Rudess! *laughs*)

The concert started with Psycho… and the set list was the following:

1. In The Presence Of Enemies
2. Beyond This Life
3. Panic Attack
4. A Rite Of Passage
5. Hollow Years
6. Constant Motion
7. Erotomania
8. Voices
9. Solitary Shell
10. The Spirit Carries On
11. As I Am

Encore:
Metropolis Pt. / including Learning to Live & A Change of Seasons

And I had thousand things I could say about the concert, but I gave an overall, of each one of the members.

It is not a concert for everyone that is for sure. And more than being a fan, you need to keep your cool and open mind when going to a Dream Theater concert. They surprise. As their album do.

(note: "As I am" was a very nice surprise for me and the encore was great!)

Dream Theater next concert?
I will be there! For sure.

Hopefully this time in with a cooler room.

In one word: Awesome.

5 stars and all that!


_{Side-note-to-the-mega-fans-and-eternal-critics: this is my opinion. Mine mine mine. So don’t shoot me on sight. We all have different ways of seeing things.}


For my night companions, thank you. You were the best company a DT fan can have on the first concert.

Cya soon Dream Theater.
And cya soon people that survived reading all my babbling!






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