On 8th October, one of Mumbai’s biggest outdoor venues – MMRDA Grounds – will host one of the world’s most adored progressive metal bands, and if sheer popularity and influence is considered, this would arguably be the biggest rock/metal gig 2017 in the Indian subcontinent. The band kicked off its 25 years anniversary tour ‘Images, Words and Beyond’, and added India to its tour plans only towards the second week of August. To those unaware, the concept of the 2017 tour puts the band’s second studio album ‘Images and Words’ sandwiched between two sets that would feature the classics from other albums.
Let’s waste no time and jump into the ‘Dream’ set-list that the progressive rock legends would enthrall its Indian fan-base with –
Pull Me Under
Possibly the song that saved Dream Theater’s career. With a stellar original line-up like that featured Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, John Myung, Kevin Moore, one would wonder the band had a fairy tale beginning since its inception. Strangely, that was not the case. The second album ‘Images and Words’, as some fans believe, rescued the band and its musicians’ careers. After the release of the first album ‘When Dream and Day United’, Dream Theater lost their original vocalist and lost the deal with its record label, raising concerns over its path. However, this album proved to be the game-changer. Not only did it resurrect Dream Theater’s ‘progressive’ aspirations, it led to gold-certification. And further, helped the band remain the torch-bearers of Progressive Metal/Rock throughout the 90s. The band, too, agrees the chart-breaking eight minute long single led to 25 and more years at the top.
Another Day
Guitarist Petrucci penned the lyrics to the song during his father’s struggle with cancer around 1992. The band extended the sentiments involved in the song through the video that depicted a beautiful relationship between a son and his father. Although Petrucci wrote the words for the song, the maestro guitarist didn’t take backing vocal responsibilities until the release of 1997 album ‘Falling Into Infinity’. This song fits perfectly into a concert setting. Although the band is known for its tracks that progress into high-tempos, for most fans it’s the musicians’ meticulous approach that adds an extra edge to their counterparts in the genre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWru5RgVu4
The Dark Eternal Night
Drifting beyond all time
Out of the churning sky
Drawn to the beckoning light
Of the dark eternal night
Another fan favorite, the song reappeared in the band’s set-list for the first time since 1992 – thanks to the anniversary tour. MMRDA Grounds would witness thousands of screaming fans singing along the lyrics to this yet another lyrical beauty, yet again penned by Petrucci. The Dark Eternal Night’s live performance is accompanied by an on-screen animation, which later inspired into a graphic tee-shirt. The Grammy Winning band offers a similar visual setting for another hit ‘Octavarium’.
Metropolis Part 1
From its gold certified album ‘Images and Words’, the Grammy winning band performs the number with regular variations, and the same approach has extended to 2017. For a band that constantly improvises at its live performances, adding variations may not come as a surprise, however Metropolis Part 1 ends up surprising the fans, even by Dream Theater standards.
Hell’s Kitchen
Not a regular entrant in the Dream Theater set-list, the band has performed the only instrumental track off the fourth album ‘Falling Into Infinity’ at several ‘Images, Words and Beyond’ venues this year. Released towards the end of its successful run in the 1990s, the album failed to sell records, when compared to earlier releases, but it’s continued to be celebrated among the Dream Theater community for the vocal-less four minutes of sheer instrumental at its best.
Other songs that would appear in this already impressive set-list:
The Bigger Picture
The Gift of Music
Our New World
Breaking All Illusions
Our New World
Under A Glass Moon
As I Am
Two things would be guaranteed from Dream Theater’s debut gig in India – a sea of metalheads opening their jaws in sheer awe every now and then, and a two hour long power packed set that would create a ripple of utter jubilation from the DT fans of the old and the new. Certainly, thousands of these fans cannot wait for the weekend.
Book your tickets now: http://bit.ly/2xKmnlm
