Dream Theater

Kentish Town Forum, London

Tuesday, June 23

Rating: 1 out of 5

Civilisations rise and crumble during Dream Theater songs. Their recent album, Falling Into Infinity, is gold in America. Here, they also enjoy a staunch following – tonight is their second Forum show in two months. This time, however, the upstairs section is closed, and you’d swear the quintet take it to heart. “We’re very excited to be here,” drones singer James LaBrie, with all the excitement of, well... someone watching Dream Theater.

The band sleepwalk through a patience-testing set, slinging in too many dodgy covers (Elton John’s ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Freebird’... nurse, the screens) and three solos (keyboard, drums, guitar) which all sound like the kind of shit companies pipe down phones when they put you on hold.

LaBrie seems distracted throughout – even insulting the crowd by announcing, “We’ve been recording a live album...”, before merely adding that they recorded one show in Paris recently. So, you’re not recording tonight, lads? Great. Cheers for bringing it up.

There’s no arguing with DT’s technical excellence. Drummer Mike Portnoy, for instance, could well be one of the world’s best players. It’s just that he’d sooner take a cheese-grater to his bell-end than play a straight beat. DT are style over substance, and tonight they can’t even deliver that style with enthusiasm.

Feeling a bit down right now? Take heart: chances are, you weren’t here.

—Jason Arnopp