Dream Theater

Concert reputation

Throughout their career, Dream Theater's live shows have gradually become bigger, longer, more diverse, and less restrictive. The most obvious example of this is their rotational setlist policy. That is, every single night of every tour has its setlist devised by Portnoy using a meticulous process that ensures it is completely unique. Factors such as setlists from previous cities are taken into account to ensure that people who see Dream Theater multiple times within the same area will not see the same songs performed twice, and even the setlist from the last time the band were in a particular city is taken into account for the benefit of fans who see the band on successive tours{{ref|setlists}}.

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For this to be possible, the band must prepare themselves to play the majority of their catalogue at any stage depending on what Portnoy decides to play for that night. This also requires the employment of a very complex lighting system that loads pre-set light movements based on the setlist, which is actually entered into the system.

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Length is another unique element of Dream Theater concerts. Their full world tours, since Six Degree of Inner Turbulence, have predominantly been so-called "Evening with..." tours, in which the band performs for at least three hours with an intermission and no opening act. The show that was recorded for Live Scenes From New York was nearly four hours in length (LaBrie ironically apologised to the audience for the "short set" after the show), and resulted in Portnoy almost being hospitalized{{ref|hospital}}.

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There is also a significant amount of humor, casualness, and improvisation attached to a Dream Theater concert. It is not unheard of, for example, for a member of the audience to be picked out at random to perform on stage (an example of which can be seen during Portnoy's drum solo on the Live at Budokan DVD). There have also been impromptu renditions of "Happy Birthday" when a member of the band or crew have a birthday corresponding to a tour date. This normally results in a birthday cake being thrown over the person. Another such example is the improvised "Mary Had a Little Lamb" played by Rudess in Clarkston, MI during Gigantour.

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During Derek Sherinian's time with the band, at selected shows, the band members all swapped instruments and performed an encore as the fictional "Nightmare Cinema" (the approximate opposite of "Dream Theater"). They usually performed a cover of Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers", and, on one occasion, Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution".

Related Topics:
Deep Purple - Ozzy Osbourne

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Similarly, at very few shows, Sherinian, Petrucci and Portnoy would take the stage together under the name "Nicky Lemons and the Migraine Brothers". Sherinian, wearing a feather boa and novelty sunglasses, would perform a song called "I Don't Like You" with Petrucci and Portnoy backing.

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