Once in a Livetime
Some find this New York quintet pretentious, but those with a taste for intelligent, dramatic, over-the-top heavy rock appreciate the band's musical finesse and forgive the songs that are less than stellar. What makes Dream Theater a concert attraction is their impressive extended solos and jams. Intros and passages carry over, serving as a splice from one track to the next. Unexpected riffs, such as themes fromStar Wars,Close Encounters, and "Flight of the Bumblebee" (a metal staple), surface here and there, as does "Enter Sandman," in theMetallica-esque "Peruvian Skies." Admittedly,Livetimecan be exhausting; numerous tracks run between 6 and 14 minutes, and interaction between frontman James LaBrie and the audience is minimal. Still, this 155-minute, two-CD concert release is a worthy testament to Dream Theater's endurance and passion.--Bryan Reesman