Rating: 
Summary: Great Performance, Good Video, Good Audio, Bad video F/X
Review: Quick points about Dream Theater, the band - they are awesome musicians. The group is truly one of the best all time metal bands in my opinion. I don't care for the singing but everything else is absolutely superb. And ladies, for what its worth, my wife thinks the guitarist, John Petrucci, is cute, so you might dig 'em for that too - that's all right 'cause he stinking shreds!!! Anyway, the DVD quality is really good. I had to take away a star because the video f/x are pretty stupid looking (you don't really need "Dream Theater" flashing across the screen 30 minutes into the show - I think you'd have figured out who you are watching by then. Another reason for the star deduction is that I felt the sound quality, while very good, wasn't up to the level that I experienced live - particularly John's acoustic (simulated) guitar sound isn't as sweet on the DVD as when I saw the show live here in Houston. In summary, if you are a DT fan, you need this DVD. If you are not a fan, you need to be and therefore need this DVD. If you hate cool music played by technically skilled musicians, don't buy this CD.
Rating: 
Summary: Must own!
Review: I have to agree with other reviewers that 2.0 channel sound only is disapointing. But the sound is very clear, and definitely showcases the amazing musicians which are Dream Theater. Is it just me or are the sound levels low on the DVD? I had to put it about 30-40% higher to get the same levels as other CD's. The concert is amazing. You really get the feeling that you're watching something special, not just a standard concert. THe extra singers and the psychiatrist on the stage really add to the atmosphere. There's about 2 1/2 hours of live music here. As well, there's tons of extras, interviews with Kevin Shirley, many fans, a nice photo section, and a running commentary featuring the band. I haven't heard the commentary yet, and I've already invested about 3 1/2 hours on this DVD! If you're a Dream Theater fan, this one's a no-brainer.
Rating:
Summary: Yikes these guys are even better live...!
Review: This is quite possibly the best live dvd ive ever bought of any band. This dvd really beats there studio work, and really delivers the live dream theater experience. These guys are amazing musicians and this dvd shows it. They have no trouble reproducing there studio work live. Great dvd.
Rating:
Summary: Irritating production detracts from excellent music
Review: I've been a fan of Dream Theater since Pull me under was a hit back in the day. Actually, I wasn't even aware that they were still around until I heard "Big Medley" on a "guess-who-this-band-is" contest in May of '03. My guess was DT, but the lack of a phone number prevented me from winning the contest. Since then I've attained most of their live releases. It's very refreshing hearing intelligent lyrics backed up by outstanding musicianship. That is EXTREMELY rare in today's musical universe. This DVD was the first time I've actually seen DT in-the-flesh. The musicianship is outstanding, and the overall performance is amazing. The only thing that prevented a 5 star review was the annoying visual effects. The split screen/ upside-down screen/ reverse video/ lyric enactments / DT logo overlays are more appropriate in a late '60's music video. If I wanted to see that I'd tune VH1-CR on my cable box. I would highly recommend this DVD to DT fans. I would recommend this to non DT fans as well, but I'd ask that they not let the cheesy effects cloud their appreciation of the music.
Rating:
Summary: These Guys are UN-FRIGGIN'BELIEVABLE - Off the HOOK!
Review: I've been on this planet for over 44 years and I'm a HUGE rock music fan who also plays the drums. I was turned on to these guys by another drummer in 2002 (thanks Mike D.!) and have collected all of their work in both Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment. I have NEVER seen a band with so much individual talent...I mean NEVER.
The story and music on this DVD will send you on an emotional roller coaster and will leave you breathless and wanting more. Mike Portnoy is THE best drummer I've ever seen (best Prog Rock drummer 8 years running)- and I've seen a ton. I'm blown away by his ability to incorporate odd time signatures in his music. If you're not sure about buying this product, just read the bios of the band members - Mike Portnoy (drums), John Petrucci (guitar), Jordan Rudess (keyboard), John Myung (6 string bass)and James LaBrie (vocals). If you're a true music fan (no matter what genre), you'll find this to be one of the best displays of individual talent available. Have you ever heard of a keyboard player in a progressive metal band who teaches classical music??? That's right, Jordan Rudess attended the Juilliard School of Music at the age of NINE for classical piano training.
Okay, so why only 4 out of 5 stars? This puppy needs to be re-mixed (Dolby Digital 2.0) to at least 5.1 and some of the visuals are a bit annoying. Nonetheless, this is still the most powerful, moving show I've ever seen on DVD. I saw Dream Theater live in 2002 (6th row center stage) and I ended up leaving the concert with my jaw dropped around my ankles - I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of talent these guys displayed. I recently purchased DT's "Train of Thought" (from Amazon) and Petrucci pulls off this 2 minute riff 8:36 into "In The Name of God" that will leave you wondering if this guy is really human or some sort of machine!
Most bands, DT included, perform tributes to other artists, but I guarantee you NOBODY can reproduce what these guys do. It simply can't be done. I'm looking forward to seeing them live in 2004.
Rating:
Summary: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Review: This is the very DVD that helped me become such a huge Dream Theater fan. This is a good way to start out if you want to get into Dream Theater, because this is not for die-hard fans only. When the concert starts out, your interested right away, and you really want to watch the rest of it. Songs like "Overture 1928", "Fatal Tragedy", and "Spirit Carries On" are great songs with intricate song structures, well put together, and if you really like guitar solos then watch the John and Teresa solo spot. Another great thing about this DVD is the deleted scenes, "Learning to Live" and "Change of Seasons" are amazing, don't forget to watch them and the others too. Once you have watched the whole thing you feel like buying the album SFAM or maybe some other one. This is a great start for getting into this incredible band. All the band members have talent, plain and simple, they are all extraordinary musicians and their music is completely different, much better than the other garbage that's out there these days. John Petrucci is one of the greatest guitarists ever in my opinion, he really has a unique style and plays stuff that is nearly impossible. John Myung is amazing, when i first saw that bass solo in "Dance of Eternity" I was completely shocked, I never knew anyone could do such a thing on a bass! Mike Portnoy is an amazing drummer with amazing control and great rhythm sense, the drum solo at the end of "Finally Free" never ceases to impress me. Jordan Rudess, who at the time was the newest addition to Dream Theater is a wizard on the keyboard, he really has fast fingers and his keyboard solos are absolutely stellar. The singer, James LaBrie, may not be the best singer in the world, but his voice is very appealing and the signature voice of the band. If your interested and looking to get into Dream Theater this what you must get before anything else, no albums, this is it. It's a great way to see what these guys are really made of because sometimes it's just not good enough to listen to an album. Witness their true talent through this DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Essential viewing for any Dream Theater fan
Review: I have always thought that Dream Theater were an incredible band and that Metropolis Part 2, while not being my personal favourite of theirs, was a very good album. But watching this they have impressed me even more. Simply looking at either John Petrucci's, John Myung's or Jordan Rudess' hands when they play is mind blowing, and I will admit now I've seen him play that I have never given bass player Myung the credit he deserves. The songs also come together very well live, putting out an incredible energy that was almost absent from the original studio recordings (therefore I recommend buying the studio album before this or the live album Live Scenes From New York so that it can be truly appreciated for what it is). LaBrie also comes across very well live, even if he does look kinda funny sometimes (he's not as thin as he used to be which makes those spunky leather trousers look all the more comical). And Mike Portnoy is simply fantastic. Those fills he does near the end of Finally Free are mindblowing. Not only do you get the entire Scenes From A Memory live, but you're also given live performances of A Mind Beside Itself (Erotomania, Voices and Silent Man) from Awake, Learning To Live from Images And Words the mighty 25 minute long Change Of Seasons. On top of that there is also commentry from the band which can run throughout the entire performance when turned on. This is especially interesting for 2 reasons - firstly it is excellent at telling the story (which is considerably more intricate than I realised) and secondly I discovered that Petrucci's name is pronounced Petruchee. Now isn't that interesting? ;-) Add to that a photo gallery with some very cool backing music (some of which resembles Caught In A Web from Awake and New Millenium from Falling Into Infinity but some of which I don't recognise) and a brief documentary on the band live. The only drawback is that the effects and patterns and some of the filmed storyline incorporated into the edit are a bit unprofessional. However, I'm still going to give this a full five because it is so good in every other respect that they are overlooked (at least the first few times of watching it) due to everything else being so incredible. This is an absolutely essential purchase for any Dream Theater fan with a DVD player.
Rating:
Summary: an example of musical virtuosity
Review: if you're reading this review, you're probably at least, a bit familiar with the band dream theater. if you're not, know that they are 4 (5 if you count the lead singer, james labrie) of the most talented musicians on the face of the planet. dream theater's "metropolis 2000- scenes from new york" proves this beyond a shadow of a doubt. what's great about this dvd is that it shows the complete performance of their album "metropolis part 2- scenes from a memory" in it's entirety. instead of getting a bunch of songs from a band's newest release, added to a bunch of old favorites, you get one of the greatest rock albums (this is no exaggeration- it's up there with pink floyd's "the wall," queensryche's "operation: mindcrime" and other albums of similar ilk) of all-time, performed live. not only that, but the extras, not included on the vhs version of this show, contain an additional hour of live material performed the same evening- three epic dream theater pieces: "a change of seasons" (which is 25 mins long, and the only official live release of this song), "learning to live," and the three-part song "a mind beside itself." this added bonus, itself, is more than worth the price of admission. the only bad thing i could say about this dvd is that, throughout the show, you're "treated" to some 80's style "special effects" that look more like a bad experience with acid than anything else. the good news is, that it's not overwhelming. still, if it weren't for the extra bonus footage, this might've caused me to rate the dvd a 4 instead of a 5. the most important thing to realize here, is that this band has more musical talent and ability in one member's toe than any other popular band today has in their entire band. and you get to see them live. john petrucci truly is a master of guitar. you hear him on a cd and think "that's not possible. there must be some over-dubs or other tricks involved." and then you see him live, and still can't believe it. mike portnoy on drums is the only drummer alive (w/ maybe the possible exception of carter beauford- highly underrated) who can be mentioned in the same breath as neil peart. (mike portnoy also directed this dvd, and did a fantastic job!) john myung is probably the most underrated bassist alive. probably because he's shy and isn't concerned with critical acclaim. but his bass riffs are more complicated than most band's guitar riffs. and jordan ruddess is amazing on keyboards. this guy does it all. james labrie, the lead singer, isn't anything to write home about, but he is good, and his voice and style fit almost perfectly with the music the band plays. conclusion- buy this dvd if you're a fan of dream theater. buy this dvd if you're a fan of great live performances. and most importantly, if you respect GOOD music, and you're not very familiar with dream theater, BUY THIS DVD. you will NOT be dissapointed. the musical talent these guys possess is just sick. every musician is a virtuoso (three of them met at the berkley school of music) and stand head-and-shoulders above their peers. besides, the music is just plain GOOD.
Rating:
Summary: If not....
Review: ...for the sound being a bit subpar and the video effects etc...a little immature I would be giving it a 5. But even with the sound the way it is I can still shake my house when it's cranked up and it sounds thunderous, but the master volume is too low. I get no high level output on my eq display, but it still sounds pretty nice. Both my kids like it...11/2yrs and 2mo.
Rating:
Summary: The Turning Point...
Review: I've been playng rock guitar for 15 years now. The bass player in my band always recommended that I give DT a listen---but just listening to one song "in passing" never really grabbed my interest. I could appreciate their musicianship, but the music sounded too busy and without a readily identifiable pattern. Finally, I sat down and watched this DVD----and it completely changed the way I write music. We have shifted from being an "alternative" rock band with alot of 80's feel---to being a "budding" progressive rock band----thanks to this DVD (the Queensryche Mindcrime DVD had something to do with it too). Each member in Dream Theater is a master at his instrument (including James' voice)-----and this DVD showcases just how much effort goes into the DT sound. By the way, this DVD compelled me to see DT in concert two times last summer (along with Queensryche and Fates Warning). SO, if you're ready to be influenced---this is the DVD to get.
|
