The road stretched out before us, winding through the quiet countryside as we made our way from Niagara Falls to Rochester on Monday, March 17 for Dream Theater.
Route 104 had that eerie stillness of a late spring evening, the kind that lets your thoughts wander freely. I should have felt excited as this was my ninth time seeing Dream Theater. My all-time favorite band but my anxiety was gnawing at me. We should’ve left earlier. My friend insisted we’d be fine, but as we neared the Kodak Theater and saw the packed parking lots, my stomach clenched.
By the time we found a spot and started the long trek to the entrance, I was practically speed-walking, heart pounding with frustration. I could hear the muffled sounds of the venue from outside, and as we finally burst through the doors, I barely had a moment to catch my breath before the lights dimmed. The intro to “Psycho” was wrapping up, and then—darkness. Perfect timing.
Sixth row, dead center. Close enough to see the whites of their eyes. For the first time in four years, I wasn’t here as a photographer. No pressure, no lenses between me and the band—just me, the music, and the raw experience of being a fan. And what a setlist to soak in.
The opening notes of “Metropolis” hit like a bolt of lightning. The energy surged through the crowd as they launched into a rapid-fire run of classics: “Overture 1928,” “Strange Déjà Vu,” “The Mirror,” “Rite of Passage,” “Hollow Years,” “Constant Motion,” and “As I Am.” It was relentless, a pure adrenaline rush. The band felt locked in, tight as ever, with Portnoy back on the throne, driving the set with an intensity I hadn’t felt in years. He is one of the reason why I started playing drums (along with Lars from Metallica, until I reached the age of reason).
The second set began with a beautifully arranged montage video, passages of their entire discography reimagined with orchestral instruments. It set the perfect mood for what was to come. They eased into two tracks off their latest album Parasomnia, “Night Terror” and “Midnight Messiah” which sounded massive live. Then came a transition straight into “Vacant,” followed by the instrumental masterpiece “Stream of Consciousness.” And then, the crown jewel: “Octavarium.” That song alone is a journey, and hearing it live again reminded me why this band had held my heart for so many years.
The encore was a one-two punch of emotion and nostalgia. “The Spirit Carries On” had the whole theater singing, voices blending into something almost ethereal. And then, the unmistakable opening of “Pull Me Under.” The place erupted. It felt like a full-circle moment—a reminder of how far this band had come, how many people they had touched, and how they still had the power to captivate a sold-out crowd.
One of the most touching moments came early in the show when James and Mike noticed an ASL interpreter at the corner of the stage. They both paused to acknowledge her presence, remarking that they’d never seen one at any of their shows before, “it was like a human teleprompter”. It was a moment of genuine appreciation, a nod to how music transcends sound itself.
Not everything that night was perfect, though. Someone had brought two service dogs with what appeared no hearing protection, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease seeing the poor animal subjected to the overwhelming noise. It felt cruel, inhumane. They also left the dogs hanging out in the aisle and I saw them almost get stepped on many times.
But that aside, this show will forever sit in my top three Dream Theater concerts. The sound was immaculate, the energy electric, and the band after all these years still at the peak of their craft. As we made the long drive home through the quiet darkness, my ears still ringing and my heart still racing. I felt it again: that indescribable, unmatched joy of experiencing music that truly means something to you. And for a few hours that night, nothing else mattered.
Setlist: Prelude – tape (Bernard Herrmann song), Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper, Act 1: Scene Two: 1. Overture 1928, Act 1: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu, The Mirror – with Lie solo outro, Barstool Warrior, A Rite of Passage, Hollow Years – 1996 demo version; preceded by guitar and keyboard solo, Constant Motion, As I Am
Act II, Orchestral Overture – tape – containing excerpts from every Dream Theater album, Night Terror, Midnight Messiah, This Is the Life, Vacant, Stream of Consciousness, Octavarium
Encore: Scene Six: Home, Act II: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On, Pull Me Under
Dream Theater ends their tour this month in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on March 22nd 2025. They will return in the fall to play their new album Parasomnia in full.
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