Dregs open Dream of a rock show

Larry D. Curtis staff writer

DREAM THEATER in concert, Kingsbury Hall, Tuesday evening, Feb. 8, one performance only.

The thousands packed into the Delta Center will want to deny it, but the best country-rock show in town last night was at Kingsbury Hall where the all-instrumental Dixie Dregs scorched through a rock set born just this side of jazz, with country coursing through its veins. The “double d’s” boast one of the great guitarists living today (Steve Morse) and a violinist (Allen Sloan) who was fast and precise enough to literally shred his bow. That was just the opening act.

The “big name” on the ticket was Dream Theater, a progressive rock quintet that has musicianship oozing out of every pore. Playing a theater gig was appropriate, not because of the obvious name connection but because the group performed its new 76-minute murder-mystery rock opera.

Six video monitors showed select scenes from the tale while the band performed a crisp and vigorous rendition of the score. Vocalist James LaBrie carried the burden of actually telling the story through the words of various characters. Sometimes soft and mournful, sometimes powerful, tortured and angry, he displayed a fine range and a powerful voice.

The stars of the show were the virtuoso musicians who demonstrated a total command of their respective instruments. Guitarist John Petrucci -- while stylistically different from Morse -- held his own as the sharpest axman on the tour. John Myung stood shyly in the background and played his six-string bass like a raging monster. Mike Portnoy on drums could have been the love-child of the precise creativity of Neal Peart (Rush) and the power and speed of Lars Ulrich (Metallica); he dazzled at his kit but still kept the rest of the band’s lightning-quick solos and tempo changes together. The newest star was Juilliard-trained keyboardist Jordan Rudess, who, when not in perfect sync with Petrucci’s acrobatics, scaled his ivories at incredible speeds with passion and precision.

Upon completion of their epic they jammed a medley of songs from prior works, including “Peruvian Skies,” “Pull Me Under” and “Take the Time.” Despite quiet, introspective moments, all the solos and pounding choruses left listeners exhausted, as if they had survived a musical assault.

Utah audiences would be hard-pressed to find individual performers who can surpass the musicianship of any of the DT players, and it’s virtually impossible to match Tuesday’s complete lineup. Factor in the outstanding Dregs, and the obscure college-campus show was truly one for the ages.