Photos by Andy Argyrakis

It’s been three long years since Dream Theater graced the Chicago Theatre stage, but the band was back in the Windy City on Sunday shaking off the pandemic rust, all while bringing some much needed progressive metal back to the live music scene. 

The guys are working as hard as ever on the “Top Of The World” Tour to promote their new album, “A View From The Top Of The World,” with a set list consisting of ten songs that amounted to about a two-hour show.

Dream Theater mixed four new tunes into the fold, opening the show with a nine-minute stomper, “The Alien.” Other songs performed from the new album included “Awaken The Master,” “Invisible Monster” and the 20-minute title track.

While new material inspires Dream Theater and fans also seemed to appreciate these pieces, nothing trumps nostalgia for the most loyal listeners, who keep coming back show after show since the early 1990s.

Two songs really sent the crowd into a frenzy: “6:00” from the 1994 album, “Awake,” and “Endless Sacrifice,” from 2003’s “Train Of Thought.” These jams represented some of the best licks of the night from guitarist John Petrucci, who still plays one mean axe and remains among the most talented musicians breathing air.

The energy of singer James LaBrie was shining through on these tracks, as were the talents of keyboardist Jordan Rudess, bassist John Myung and world-renowned drummer Mike Mangini. 

A Dream Theater show is a treat to the eyes, but also a laborious task. Between looking at the top-notch visuals on the screen behind the band and absorbing all the jamming, there was an array of mind-melting visuals if one was truly in tune with the performance. It’s certainly a good problem to have. 

Other noteworthy moments included “Bridges In The Sky,” “About To Crash,” “The Ministry Of Lost Souls” and an epic encore of the 20-minute “The Count Of Tuscany,” which was half hard-rock before diving into soothing melodies and David Gilmour-esque guitar tones. 

Seeing Dream Theater amounts to seeing the Bach’s, Beethoven’s, and Mozart’s of this epoch – classically trained musicians with an amplified bite, alongside synthesizers instead of harpsichords. They’re men who balance philosophical themes, ranging from theology to the astrophysics of Carl Sagan. A Dream Theater experience is always one to appreciate and commend. 

Just like a boxer or professional athlete, repetition is key and everyone is just getting their sea legs back. While they aren’t young any longer, it would be no surprise to see these gentlemen continue to flourish now that they’re back to doing what they love, performing for appreciative audiences with their feet on the gas.

For additional information on DreamTheater, visit DreamTheater.net.

Upcoming concert highlights at the Chicago Theatre include Louis Tomlinson (Feb. 23); Little Feat (Mar. 10); Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros (Mar. 18); Jeezy and K. Michelle (Mar. 19); Darius Rucker (Mar. 24); Bright Eyes (Mar. 26); Il Volo (Mar. 30) and The Avett Brothers (Mar. 31-Apr. 2). For additional details, visit TheChicagoTheatre.com.

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