gig review

Dream Theater/Periphery

An immense performance on all levels

The signs are not good. There’s a black curtain cordoning off about a quarter of the venue. And the upper balcony seats elsewhere are empty. But thankfully there’s no lack of spirit onstage or in the still decent crowd.

Periphery start things off in fiery form. The Maryland band mix Meshuggah style progressive metal with Suicidal Tendencies rhythms. it’s mightily impressive.

Having shown at last year’s High Voltage Festival that they’ve more than overcome the loss of drummer Mike Portnoy, Dream Theater have now moved on. The band are relaxed and clearly enjoying the occasion. They open with ‘Bridges In The Sky’ from current album A Dramatic Turn Of Events, and the momentum never falters.

Much of the new album is included in the set, sitting portentiously alongside more established material. Not only is the level of musicianship as high as one has come to demand from this band, but there’s a humanity and swagger here that maybe had been lost towards the end of the Portnoy era. And new drummer Mike Mangini proves during a charismatic solo that he has what it takes to make the position his own.

Playing for over two hours, Dream Theater are spellbinding. It all ends with ‘Pull Me Under’, leaving the crowd baying for more. The Dream has moved up a gear or two.

—Malcolm Dome