Dream Theater

Hammersmith Apollo, London

Prog metal behemoths bedazzle the capital

Rating: 8 out of 10

Dream Theater don’t need an overblown production. The complexity of their sound more than makes up for the absence of pyro or a full-on light show, and as they begin the first half of their set – a combination of post-millennium tracks like ‘The Dark Eternal Night’, ‘The Bigger Picture’ and ‘The Gift Of Music’ – the competing motifs from John Petrucci’s virtuoso riffs and Jordan Rudess’s keyboard noodling hold the audience enraptured. James LaBrie’s voice struggles at times to reach the highest notes, but the effortlessness with which the band switch time signatures and keys means the focus is on how remarkably well they work together, rather than where any individuals fall down. In Act Two they power through Images And Words’ journey of emotion, from ‘Pull Me Under’s aggression to ‘Wait For Sleep’s melancholy ruminations. James’s voice soars to triumphantly hit the notes that had eluded him previously, and despite the instrumental interludes that nearly every song descends into, Dream Theater are impressive and accessible to watch by virtue of the stirring melodies they pack into every song. An encore of ‘A Change Of Seasons’ in full ensures this is no ordinary rock show, but a three-act opus that rides the highs of their most memorable material.

—Thea De Gallier