Stars: Dream Theater

Summary: Live concert filmed at Roseland Ballroom in New York City on August 30th, 2000, plus interview footage.

Dream Theater are an influential "prog-rock" band who have made their interpretation of the genre unique by adding a twist of thrash metal to it. Remarkably popular without having to resorting to Mtv propaganda, the Theater display their passion and flair for performance on METROPOLIS 2000. Directed by the band's drummer, Mike Portnoy, this video features the band's landmark August 2000 concert appearance at New York City's Roseland Ballroom, during which they played their entire acclaimed album, SCENES FROM A MEMORY.

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Amid the lo-fi wasteland of the 1990s, Dream Theater were an unashamedly unhip throwback to the glory days of progressive rock; and in their 1999 album Scenes from a Memorythey even dared to exhume that once-extinct species, the concept album. In 2000 the band took Sceneson the road, and the resulting concert footage is a testament both to their musical creativity and the fanatical loyalty of their audiences.

Filmed on a sweltering August evening in New York, this was the last time the band played the album right through, using an on-stage narrator and even bringing on a Gospel choir for the grand finale. But the heat of the night is nothing to that generated by the blistering performances from a group of unrepentant musos who like nothing better than to play in complex time signatures and thrash out lengthy riffs at dizzying speed.

Those not already converted will doubtless be puzzled by the sight of five hairy blokes earnestly expounding a quasi-operatic story of dying and "learning to live", while drummer/director Mike Portnoy's decision to intercut film snippets of the album's story with the concert footage seems redundant. But fans of this band, and anyone who yearn for the classic days of Rush, Genesis and Yes, will have nothing to complain about here: don't believe the music press, prog-rock is alive and well.

On the DVD:here's a disc that's going to make this band's audience very happy indeed. Aside from the main concert itself there are five additional tracks--and this being Dream Theater, they are all pretty substantial, climaxing with the epic "A Change of Seasons". Then there's a fun 25-minute behind-the-scenes documentary with crew and fans waxing enthusiastic about the band, and even more additional concert footage. The whole band gather to provide a concert commentary, which ordinarily might seem an odd thing to do, but this is prog-rock after all. A picture gallery of tour photos rounds out the extras. Sound is unfussy Dolby stereo.--Mark Walker

Aspect Ratio:	4:3 Full Frame
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Audio Commentary By Band Members, Behind The Scenes Documentary, Photo Gallery
Year:	2000
Release Date:	December 10, 2001
Runtime:	240 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	8536 40226 2
Label:	Elektra
Keywords:	Music, Dream, New, Rock, York, Pop, Metropolis, Scenes, From, Performing, Theater, Arts, Popular
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts