MusicRadar

A drum set getting applause? That's got to be a first. But that's just what happened last night (16 October), minutes before Dream Theater took the stage at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Openers Periphery had just walked off and their logo-bearing banner was rolled up, revealing Mike Mangini's awe-inspiring, massive Pearl Reference Pure kit. The crowd roared at the sight, erasing all doubts that the imminent presence of "the new guy" would be met by jeers and boos. (Quite the contrary would be true, in fact.)

After a delightful and extremely well-done animation intro, the much-pedigreed and chops-a-plenty-packing quintet powered into their opening number, Bridges In The Sky, bringing the super-charged, adoring crowd to its feet, where they stayed during the entire 15-song set.

The hero's welcome surely warmed the hearts of the band, who during the past year had braved the very public departure of founding member Mike Portnoy. But with Mangini swinging hard, the group rewarded the faithful with a dizzying musical adventure along with the kind of aggressive, rock-show fervor typical of outfits 20 years their junior.

The energy and overall spirit of merriment built steadily during the next few songs, These Walls, Build Me Up, Break Me Down and Endless Sacrifice, with singer James LaBrie (whose voice was in robust form) literally swaying to guitarist John Petrucci's fleet-fingered, piercing solos and the galvanizing, highly inventive interplay between bassist John Myung and keyboardist Jordan Rudess.

"Ladies and gentlemen…Mike Mangini!" LaBrie yelled, sounding more like a fan than a bandmate, and with that, Dream Theater's man in the hot seat proved why he got the job that some of the world's best drummers coveted.

An infectious, let-me-entertain-you smile on his face, Mangini built theme upon theme in his solo, walking a tightrope between wild improvisation and dedicated structure. His overall approach was that of plate-spinner – and that's not to belittle his artistry. Pulling off the impossible, limbs working independently but towards a musically cohesive whole, requires a caution-to-the-wind soul, and Mangini showed he's full up in that department.

The YTSE Jam was a stupefying, rifftastic gonzo affair, a collective mild-mend. And then it was time for a change-up, a brief acoustic set for The Silent Man and Beneath The Surface, during which Petrucci supplied effective backing vocals and supple, tasteful chordal work. On the latter tune, Rudess played a moody, prog-rock solo that harkened back to the glory days of Wakeman and Emerson.

Outcry, another standout track from the band's new album, A Dramatic Turn Of Events, shook the walls with volcanic force. Complex unison lines and intricate counterpoint runs – the guys crunched right through them. But this was no clinic, it was more like a party-hearty pile-on – pushing, pulling and giving as good as you get and then some.

The waves grew deeper and gnarlier with Forsaken, Through My Words and Fatal Tragedy – epic, swirling resolves and constant mood shifts – but it was during Breaking All Illusions that Dream Theater set the bar for all future shows. A 12-minute classic rock meets prog tour de force, Messrs Myung, Rudess and Mangini handled its many varied turnarounds with supreme aplomb. John Petrucci's bluesy solo summoned ghosts, and by the time he and Myung locked horns the visions were real.

For an encore came a spellbinding Under A Glass Moon. Though it might have been something of a victory lap (LaBrie's voice indicated he had another few hours left in him), it was reason to believe that the next dramatic turn for the band may be a return to their "evening with" shows. Sprinting through a marathon should be no sweat for them.

Next page: an interview with John Petrucci

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