While the release of Parasomnia officially marked the return of drummer Mike Portnoy to Dream Theater, in my opinion, the true reunion took place on stage during the first leg of their tour, where the band could genuinely experience playing together again.
This tour kicked off in October 2024, several months prior to the release of Parasomnia, which is why they initially only performed the lead single, Night Terror. Instead of focusing on new songs, the band ran through their historical back catalog during these shows, commemorating their 40-year career as one of the world’s premier exponents of progressive metal.
The new live album, Quarantième: Live à Paris (Quarantième means “fortieth” in French) was recorded during a performance in Paris in November of that same year. It features songs representing the band’s career from their earliest records up to the present day. The cover even nods to the art of past Dream Theater albums.
However, the emphasis is heavily placed on the albums the band created with Mike Portnoy, featuring only two songs from the era when Mike Mangini filled in on drums (2010-2023). It makes sense that, with Portnoy back, the band would want to prioritize the songs they created together, though personally, I would like to hear Dream Theater revisit more material from the Mangini era in future performances.
Even so, the material on Quarantième: Live à Paris is incredibly strong, and I have no doubt it will leave every fan satisfied to hear recent interpretations of so many of Dream Theater’s best songs performed by the band’s classic lineup. In this sense, it is a great record.
From the very beginning, the set keeps the listener intrigued as to how Dream Theater sounds today. After all, not only was Mike Portnoy out of the band for over a decade, but the members aren’t exactly young anymore, with most around 60 years old and keyboardist Jordan Rudess pushing 70.
Make no mistake, Dream Theater sounds phenomenal. The execution of the songs is robust, rejuvenated by the presence of Portnoy, who seems like he wants to give it his all and doesn’t miss a single beat. I imagine he must feel extremely fortunate to be playing with his band again after all those years away, and it shows.
It is also a pleasure to hear Mike Portnoy stepping back into the role of backing vocalist. In fact, I think this is where his excitement about being back behind the kit with the band is most evident.
The drummer sounds great, as do his bandmates, save for moments from lead singer James LaBrie, who, as is well known, has experienced a noticeable decline in vocal ability over the years. Gone are the days when LaBrie could hit extremely high notes without apparent difficulty.
Nowadays, LaBrie focuses more on a mid-range, with occasional attempts to climb the register that yield inconsistent results. Fans accustomed to his studio recordings might feel a bit disappointed by his live performance. However, James LaBrie compensates for his vocal limitations with great emotion and commitment to the performance.
Here are some of my favorite moments from this nearly three-hour performance:
The set opens with Metropolis Pt. 1, one of the band’s most celebrated tracks. The execution is majestic.
And of course, the classic Overture 1928 and Strange Déjà Vu are essential.
They play The Mirror, one of my favorites from Awake. A big surprise was an emotional performance of Hollow Years from Falling Into Infinity. Night Terror, the aforementioned sole track from Parasomnia, sounds very good, and it’s a treat to hear the band playing new material live.
The end of the set is incredibly strong. Dream Theater perfectly executes the sublime instrumental Stream of Consciousness, followed by the 24-minute epic, Octavarium. They round it off with a pair of tracks from Metropolis Pt. 2: Home and The Spirit Carries On, followed by a very appropriate finale to close the night in the form of their most classic track of all, Pull Me Under.
A setlist for the history books.
I must add the live album has also been release in Blu Ray video, and has the novelty of a Dolby Atmos version for those who enjoy that format, in addition to the stereo version.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Quarantième: Live à Paris. It is a monument to Dream Theater’s musicianship and to so many excellent songs spanning 40 years and the band’s various eras. A concert that no fan should overlook.
