For fans of Dream Theater this exquisite Blu ray Disc / DVD package with a glorious picture book / liner notes insert entitled STAGE: A Dramatic Tour of Events 2012 is everything a fan of the niche group could want. The music sounds like Geddy Lee of Rush at a slower speed with John Petrucci’s elegant (when not in sledgehammer mode) guitar lines as performed on the 19 and 20 of August, 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina at Luna Park. The Berklee College musicians (now with Mike Mangini of Medford / Malden group Extreme on drums replacing drummer Mike Portnoy) are solid as a rock and have a devoted fan base in a world where the new corporate rock doesn’t have as much room for legendary progressive metal groups. Current singer Kevin James LaBrie could slide easily into Iron Maiden or even a new Quiet Riot, if he so desired. Archetypal dark world vocals provide a distinct contrast to some of Petrucci’s angelic guitar noodlings.
The camera work is what we expect from the efficient professionals at Eagle Rock Entertainment – breathtaking shots that give the viewer every angle of the stage show possible. The terrific lighting and the devoted South American fan base staying out of the way of the music being generated makes this DVD a must have for those who have followed the group since its inception. Impressive.
Here’s some additional info from the press release:
The Live At Luna Park band line-up for this show is James LaBrie (vocals); John Petrucci (guitar); Jordan Rudess (keyboards); John Myung (bass); and Mike Mangini (drums) – this was Dream Theater’s first tour and album with their new drummer and all the tracks from that album, A Dramatic Turn Of Events, are included in either the main show or the bonus performances.
The bonus features offer live versions of six great tracks: “These Walls”; “Build Me Up, Break Me Down”; “Caught In A Web”; “Wait For Sleep”; “Far From Heaven”; and “Pull Me Under”. Also on Live At Luna Park is a documentary, the trailer for the cinema release of the film, a “Behind The Scenes” feature and the cartoon intro that ran on big screens prior to the band taking to the stage in Buenos Aires. The Blu-ray additionally features 6 multi angle options on “Outcry.”
TRACK LISTING 1) Bridges In The Sky 2) 6:00 3) The Dark Eternal Night 4) This Is The Life 5) The Root Of All Evil 6) Lost Not Forgotten 7) Drum Solo 8) A Fortune In Lies 9) The Silent Man 10) Beneath The Surface 11) Outcry 12) Piano Solo 13) Surrounded 14) On The Backs Of Angels 15) War Inside My Head 16) The Test That Stumped Them All 17) Guitar Solo 18) The Spirit Carries On 19) Breaking All Illusions 20) Metropolis Pt. 1
Dream Theater Live At Luna Park
Joe Viglione is the Chief Film Critic at TMRZoo.com. He has written thousands of reviews and biographies for AllMovie.com, Allmusic.com, Gatehouse Media, Al Aronowitz’s The Blacklisted Journal, and a variety of other media outlets. Joe also produces and hosts Visual Radio, a seventeen year old variety show on cable TV which has interviewed Jodie Foster, director/screenwriter David Koepp, Michael Moore, John Cena, comics/actors Margaret Cho, Gilbert Gottfried, Gallagher, musicians Mark Farner and Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad, Ian Hunter of Mott The Hoople, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals, political commentator Bill Press and hundreds of other personalities.
