Dream Theater "Metropolis pt. 1" REACTION & ANALYSIS by Vocal Coach / Opera Singer
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2021
- I ran a poll on my CZcams community page about what Dream Theater song I should start with, and overwhelmingly you all selected "Metropolis pt. 1". Little did I know I was in for an hour long analysis! This song was so deep, intricate and exciting in all facets, I think it has become one of my longest yet, and deepest. I WANT MORE!
Join professional opera singer Elizabeth Zharoff, as she listens to Dream Theater for the first time, performing "Metropolis pt. 1” live at Luna Park.
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Performed by Dream Theater - Words and Music by Dream Theater
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I definitely recommend watching the original video without interruptions. Here's the link: • Dream Theater - Metrop...
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Elizabeth Zharoff is an international opera singer and voice coach, with 3 degrees in voice, opera, and music production. She's performed in 18 languages throughout major venues in Europe, America, and Asia. Currently based somewhere between Los Angeles and Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth spends her days researching voice, singing, teaching, writing music, and recording TONS. She also plays Diablo and Dungeons & Dragons.
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swedish house mafia, dogs save the world...don't cry challenge
Go to check the same song in the live score in 2006. What a difference.
Please, spanish singer Camilo Sesto "Getsemani" (Jesus Christ Superstar)"
czcams.com/video/bY2eW9-mA1U/video.html
Thaks
Please react oum kalthoum - amal hayati
Next dream theater "take the time" or "illumination theory"
Legend has it that LaBrie goes for a walk around town during the band's instrumental solos.
Jajajajajajjaa
Truth!
True I was present in London 1993 (at the album) James left the stage for ca. 30 min.
He does taxes and saves a metropolis city from a million dragons as well
This makes me laugh! I’ve always make funny jokes about how long he’s off stage during instrumental parts. Lol
You know her metamorphosis to a metalhead is complete when she casually throws in Opeth as a reference point.
There's that! 👍
🤘
I watched Opeth open for DT once in Stockholm, so yeah, pretty good catch as well.
I like the part where she randomly says something early on to the effect of "that sounds almost a bit progressive" since Dream Theater is like peak prog metal :D
Random throw-away comment about Bruce D too
You really need to hear the studio version of this, the whole album "Images And Words" is unbelievable
Yeah my first reaction was OH NO she is watching a live old and fat Dream Theater lol
I thought "Damn, the version with James and Charlie would have been awesome!". Still my favourite live version, maybe because I'm a sucker for the first album :D
@@benscott9367 There's not much I hate more than 90's dt purists who think dream theater have nothing good to offer except for Images and Words and Awake. When in reality everything from Scenes From a Memory - A Dramatic Turn of Events is better imo.
@@feralkitty9378 yeah I didn't say any of that. If you want to argue with people, argue with what they are saying, not with what you are hearing.
@@feralkitty9378Sacrificed Sons is a masterpiece.
And here is Elizabeth's Complete Guide for Dream Theater appreciation:
00:02:21: "Why in the world would you need so many drums? Do you use all of these?"
00:04:49: Jordan Rudess' wizard beard.
00:13:17: Analysing and rationalizing the intricate bonds between the lyrics, singis style, instruments's key and general tone.
00:20:01: "There's just so much happening here."
00:22:01: Try figuring out the time signature.
00:24:03: Give up on try to figuring out the constant changes in time signature.
00:25:00: "Ok, I think that was a 7/4!"
00:25:20: "Ah, maybe not..."
00:27:22: Contemplating, in awe, that that solo was, in fact, a duet between guitar and keybord.
00:29:02: "Noted. He does seem to use them [all those drums] all."
00:35:36: Just vibing with that ostinato.
00:38:31: * mindblow *
00:38:45: Laughing and almost lost it because how ridiculous that solo is. (in a good way, c'mon)
00:41:52: "Oh yeah, we have a singer!"
00:44:24: "Who had thought that we go from weird metal Mario to Caribbean in this amouth of time." (this one doesnt apply so often, but it was too good to be left out)
00:50:55: "Ok, this can go on for hours still."
00:51:49: "That song is very long."
00:48:23 "Yeah, he's got good pitch"
why are only 40 likes on this comment? jesus christ, this took effort, people! 😵😜
@@ManuelMrn 😉
Dude, you could work for Readers' Digest! Awesome work! 👏👏👏
Isn't anybody gonna point out 00:44:40: "So much hair O.O" ?
"Do you need so many drums?"
Neal Peart: *nods from heaven*
Terry Bozzio: *chills down my spine*
Carl Palmer: duh.
Mike Portnoy: gimme more drums!
You know you're a drum god when you sit and your kit rotates around you.
@@LetsGoBrandon321 McBrain? Wtf!
Did your hear about Terry Bozzio, Bill Bruford, Gavin Harrison or Thomas Lang?
Her surprise and joy at hearing Dream Theater is priceless. All the elements that I, as a long-time fan, expect and gloss over she brings to life. What a joy to watch.
especially in the face of the people who judge this as musicological masturbation
🤝
It's great isn't it!? Given that she's aligned to an opera/classical influence, I'd love to see her analysis of 'Illumination Theory' live at the Boston Opera House.
Of all Dream Theater songs I can recall, that one appears to be right up her ally...I think.
I felt the same, man!! So awesome!!
Everyone hit the nail on the head. Glad to see there is another Dream Theater fan plus I learned a thing or two. 😎
JP: *plays a face-meltingly fast solo*
"That was nuts!"
Valid reaction.
Petrucci might as well be a divine being on the guitar. He's way too good.
I hate when John Petrucci is compared to Jesus. I mean he’s good and all, but he’s no John Petrucci.
@@jjshred
Lmfaoo
"He's from the south, he's got an accent!"
James LeBrie "laughs in Canadian" lol
I wonder if he did work with a vocal coach that came form the South.
hahaha was looking for this one
South of Canada lol
@@Zelgadis82 unless he’s an Inuit or something like that I believe every Canadian is from the south
@@starman6468 hahaha clever
“This is metal still I think..” is the perfect categorization of Dream Theater. Well done.
HAHAHA
It's actually "Prog".
@@ronaldsweet3484 Progressive Metal?
@@benjaminxm2011 Yeah. DT is the living embodiment of prog metal.
@@mrz80 I hear that! There’s no bigger name that comes to mind.
You should hear the album version. It’s like thirty years old so James sounded much cleaner back then.
I understand why she prefers to view live performance verses studio, but dammit studio versions deserve recognition too, they feature the best the band can do, verses what they can do live in one take.
Specially with James, his voice has not aged well sadly. If she wants to listen something live tho, she could listen to one of his performances in Japan, before his food poising incident.
100% agreed .. the only way to appreciate a band like this is to hear their studio versions...i can't imagine Geoff Tate doing Suite Sister Mary; at 60 years old
I just posted the almost something.
I've noticed King's X lets the audience sing Goldilox in live performance.. No idea, but I've wondered if it is to give Dug's now 71 year old vocal cords a rest... (other than it's cool to hear the audience sing).
Yes. It's nice to evaluate singers when still in their prime, and yet marvel at their ability when they age.
One of the great things about Jordan Rudess' Dream Theater era is how happy the guy is when playing. It's just a joy to see him play.
He's so freaking good, as well. All their key players have been good, but Jordan just feels like a perfect fit for DT, imo.
It sounds like James has really worked hard to get close to what his singing was 20, 30 years ago. I would say he's maybe at 80% of his prime years. Which with their style of music and being 30 years older, I think his damn good. Great job from the whole band.
It could've been a lot better if his voice doesn't fuked up by food poison that he got😢😢😢
he got poisoned ? I never knew@@silencer1993
80%? Thats a pretty far fetch
Let's not forget about LaBrie and the infamous 1994 food poisoning incident when he ruptured his vocal cords. He thought he'd never sing again and didn't feel vocally normal for about 10 years. That said, trying to maintain that level of ability for over 25 years is incredibly difficult, even in perfect vocal health. Some have done it, though...
He'd never sing again.
wdym doctors. He finished that tour.
Exactly! He had to adapt a lot. Mixing head and chest voice, which he used to do a lot, became hard for him, so he ended up using full chest in a lot of uncomfortable places, and having a weaker, breathier head voice. The fact he could reach the same notes, albeit not with the same technique and feel, is very impressive. Doctors were right when they said he couldn't do it with regular technique, but James managed to circumvent conventions by practicing a lot.
Don't you mean 1999?
@@pascalg16 Nothing happened in 1999 other than SFAM. the injury was during the awake tour
James never ever really recovered from that. And that's understandable since he was suggested to stop singing until full recovery while he embarked in a world tour.
His timber changed and was never really the same.
When a vocal coach talks about the instrumentalits most of the time, you know it's a Dream Theater review ^^
"Mike is the drummer." Regardless of the person actually drumming... yup.
@Matej Juhás he was the soul of DT. It's just not the same
@@tomdowney37215 Exactly! Mangini is great in his own way, but he is not Portnoy and no one will ever be able to feel his shoes.
@@bunglemania83 Well, at least we still get him on the liquid tension stuff.
Mangini is a phenomenal musician and I mean NO disrespect to him, but to me it's as if he's just playing the songs and does so very clinically. Kinda like a click track recording. Portnoy had feel. He injected passion into the music. There's a certain 'volatility' missing these days.
@@phoenix-qr3ln I actually got to meet Portnoy like a week after the DT breakup.
I was a bit star struck and didn't know what to say. So ... under anxiety, and knowing I shouldn't ask about DT (he was just fresh off the A7X album fill in). What came out?
'Hey Mike, when is the next Liquid Tension album?' :: facepalm ::
His face dropped, as did mine when I realized, and the rest of the encounter was super awkward haha :: sigh ::
"I wasn't ready for this to end"
She says it a the 50 min mark...
Guys, we Painkiller'ed her again! Could have introduced her to Dream Theatre with something soft and pretty like "Another Day" or "The Silent Man". Could have led off with something well known and catchy like "Pull Me Under", but nope, we give her a nine and a half minute musical labyrinth to navigate. And like a musical Theseus, she accepts the Labyrinth's challenge, except at the end, she doesn't kill the Minotaur, she sweetly and politely asks to stick a camera down it's throat. Then David Bowie shows up. I have GOT to lay off the caffeine!
Nah, the caffeine seems to be working...
@@luisnunes3863 Well, I can't sleep, so yes it is! LOL!
@@oglschmitt Well, that's not so fun. 😕 Take care of yourself, friend. 👍
Ah, but does she continue into the rest of the Labyrinth and listen to the entirety of Scenes From A Memory completing Metropolis' journey/loop?
I think Pull me under doesn’t showcase the range of his vocals: he can scream and he can croon. But yes, I would have chosen something else. It’s VERY hard to find older DT live video that’s good though, and LeBrie needs to be on-form for it, too.
"These guys all have really awesome long hair."
Jordan Rudess: Am I a joke to you?
Well... she didn't specified where the hair is growing from.
@@wasajin John has him beat in the beard department though.
Thumbs down for using a meme.
cant believe she didnt mention his wizards hat xD
Don't be rudess😂😂
Octavarium. The song... it's like 24 minutes and has every bit of insanity you can possibly imagine. Including some crazy vocals... but a lot of instrumental magic and coordinated keyboard/solo runs. (PS, 30:32 - that's why I'm subscribed. 😁)
Your ps is so on point, she's amazingly expressive in her appreciation. Also the uncontrolled eye fluttering around the guitar solo earlier.
And I can't recommend Octavarium enough. Both the song and the CD. Especially once you realize that Octavarium uses all seven themes of the previous seven songs on the disc, as well as finishes the four part meta album in cyclic infinity.
Yeah totally agree. EPIC tune.
Funny story. My brother lives in Michigan.. when he flies in he’ll text me and say “I’m 2 octavariums away” haha it’s a fun little inside thing we do.
Hi! Did you find a Dream Theater song that is too long for you? They are quite known to have long songs. Well, I haven't found any too long songs, actually, quite the opposite, some finnish to soon for me. They must be messing around with space-time continuum.
That would definitely be a good one for her to listen to.
Honestly. How to discribe Dream Theater with only one word? UNREAL It is almost unfair how much talent and creativity every member of DT has in one person alone.
I’ve been into them since Images And Words came out. Still had a cassette deck in my car. I don’t think I took that cassette out of the player for about a year. I had a ticket to see them in Wichita in June of 1992. I still have the UNUSED ticket. 🙄 It’s a long sad story. 😪 I always said that each of the members of the band were the very best at their instrument in the business. People would question me when I said that. I just told them that they could play any other bands music but any other band can’t play Dream Theater’s. 😂
I'll do you one better: MAJESTIC.
You should hear James sing this in the early 90s!
Absolutely! I saw them on their Images and Words tour in a pretty small venue and they were simply amazing!!
Scenes from Nrw York version is insane!
Or the Live at the Marquee!
This^
@@waitingfortherain4420 He said in 2013 that his voice was fully healed "by time and training". Perhaps he's just not that good live singer?
I can't say anything since I've only heard him in 2010's and he was .. not enjoyable and after the first live I lost my liking to DT's songs except the musical parts.
Luckily there are most of their production available in the CZcamss as "instrumental" versions. :D
@@EiriUesugiKun I've been at an Ayreon concert a couple of years ago, and he was amazing
"Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory" is a full album, that should listened to in its entirety, in order, as it "reads" like a novel. It's my favourite of all time, nothing comes even close. They take all of the seeds you hear in this song and expand on them. It's mind boggling. I recommend you give it a listen sometime. They made an anniversary celebration tour a couple of years ago where they played the album in its entirety. I cried, multiple times. That album feels almost telepathic to me. The highs and the lows, the roughs and the softs, I feel them all.
Also, LaBrie no longer sounds as good as he used to (not that I've even been a fan of his tone).
I saw them on that tour and fell in love with that album all over again. It was also amazing to hear and see In the Prescence of Enemies Pt.1 live. They played that just before they took a short break, I think it was because Petrucci’s guitar needed to be resuscitated after that.
FYI czcams.com/video/ZUplgIbGaWY/video.html Metropolis part 2
100%. Saw them on that tour as well and still my favorite album. Octavarium could be a close second. Doug Helvering did a listen through of Scenes From a Memory (czcams.com/video/0b1e12Mr8is/video.html). It was fun relive that one again along with him. He did Octavarium too (czcams.com/video/z8r6T6kGZ2g/video.html).
@@ckslim8671 I saw a show on that tour, I was actually so disappointed they didn't go into ITPOE part 2 😭
I really really want to see her react to the whole pt 2 album. Also my favorite album of all time across all genres I listen to.
I loved all your “mind=blown” moments. It’s funny, in 2021, fans still want people to flip out on Metropolis, a song that is over 30 years old.
They set the bar HIGH early on...
30 years old and still a masterpiece. Just like the rest of the album.
I've heard this song a million times. I know every note and moment inside and out.. Somehow your pure joy while hearing it for the first time makes it all new again.
YEEEES!!!
Same! How lucky to get that reaction on camera
I came to say the same thing
Dream Theater are a real gift to humanity, their skills in terms of musicianship and storytelling are just beyond belief. It was fun watching you react to them, thanks! :)
💩
Elizabeth: you shouldn't be surprised at Jordan Rudess' skill - he enrolled at Juillard at the age of 9! He is a superb improviser, especially in the ridiculous time signatures that Dream Theater use - you know simple stuff like 15/16 or 11/16 for just a bar or two.
You mean like Dance of Eternity? I've seen the number 108 for time signature changes, online, but I believe it's either 116 or 126. I have counted them in sheet music/guitar tab, that seemed to have all the time signature changes - I have no idea if it was accurate in naming time signatures, or even had the right notes(doubtful it's "perfect"), but it had all the "shifts" and I'm almost positive it ended in 6 and was definitely over 108!
@@Axe_Slinger Yup. There's a video of Mike Portnoy counting them - it's only 240p, but the count is frightening! czcams.com/video/vswDu3IlUbg/video.html
@@nightwishlover8913 That vid is mind boggling....lol
@@nightwishlover8913 To that, I simply must link this: czcams.com/video/EkFNdi8gIMY/video.html being the most interesting cover of Dance of Eternity. Specifically, it is a beatboxing cover, and he also visually shows what time signature it currently is. Terrifyingly good.
Plus Jordan plays the majority of the song like Kevin Moore did in the first recording. That's how great the band is.
What your listening to is the product of Juliard and Berklee school of music's most virtuoso students. The talent these guys have is monumental. They chart every song, every part. They have an understanding of scales and modes that only a few can comprehend.
"We're used to looking for 4/4 time."
That section you thought was 7/4 is alternating 6/8 for a bar then 7/8 for a bar. The original drummer who wrote this song lays it out here. czcams.com/video/no4luPP6t9c/video.html
That's what i actually guessed after counting. Thanks for the info!^^
Mike Portnoy is an AMAZING DRUMMER! One of my absolute favorites. Mangini is amazing in himself.. but I still feel Portnoy was better with DT. Lol
Just 13/8 by the phrasing
As a voice react channel, and going into prog metal, I'd recommend Symphony X. Russell Allen's voice is out of this world. Maybe "The Sacrifice" or "Paradise Lost" would be a smooth start or even "Inferno (Unleash the fire)".
Yes! Through The Looking Glass as well.
I personally prefer Allen's voice than James one
Any Russell Allen Symphony X yes! He’s one of the few performers that sings as well as the recorded versions live. Especially for the genre
YES!! So much yes for Symphony X. Plus, he was the voice of the "governor" in that song by that german artist she reviewed a few months ago (forget the name :-/). She was intrigued by his voice and i've been looking forward to her looking into Russell Allen's voice since!
@@danielsimard6506 it was the "president"... And Arjen is Dutch
John Myung plays a hell of a bass solo and she doesn't blink, neither of his sick bass line after that :D Singers....
Her eyebrows seemed to enjoy it.
It's pretty likely that she's listening as a musician as opposed to a metalhead, and the bass is pretty quiet in the mix.
I was with you on that. I was like, no love for the bass?
I noticed that too. I chalked it up to the sound tech had him buried too far back. Should have brought him forward and gave him more time to show
I really hoped she would at least acknowledge that sick tap solo...at least the rest of the band got some love, bassist are unfortunately used to neglect.😓
The best part about Dream Theater in general and in this song specifically is that they let each member of their group to shine. In the long musical interludes you can hear the focus shift from instrument to instrument, from 1 member to another, putting each 1 in the focus 1 after the other. Shows the great comradery Dream Theater has.
The studio version of this song was made before James' injury. He got food poisoning and during a bout of vomiting he injured his throat. The doctor told him to take a year off touring to let his voice recover and he didn't.
For fans that have been around pre injury many of us have come to his defense because it's been a long long road to recovery and people citing his poor live performances as to why he should be replaced.
James has come a long way, and this has been the best he's sounded doing this song live, and it's one of my favorite pre-injury songs of his.
Score was supposedly his comeback after full recovery. He’s been steadily going downhill since then due to a variety of factors.
Fun fact: James was the voice for the character "Me" in Ayreon's The Human Equation. You should hear the album! Lots of people you already know: James, Devin Townsend, Mikael Akerfeldt, Irene Jansen (Floor's sister), Marcela Bovio and more!
Human Equation is my favourite Ayreon album, I'd love to see her analyze Trauma from that album.
@@arkb0t379 Very good idea! This song has so much in it, vocally musically emotionally!
She has to react to Day 11: Love. I would love to hear the chorus of that song broken down
Theater Equation, the live DVD, would be good for her, but there aren't a lot of good videos of it on CZcams last I checked.
"I think we had at least four [time signatures] in the last 30 seconds..."
DT Fans: Really? Only four?
She needs to watch the video that Portnoy actually counts out the time signatures to just a section of song
@@faustofaria9270 yes, that's it!
“I think that was a 7/4” ahahahhaha lady don’t try to count Mike portnoy’s times signatures bc even he doesn’t lol
This was a wonderful reaction. Ive been a fan of DT for over 30 years and this analysis gave me a greater understanding of the musical genius of these musicians! I was able to meet these guys before a show and yes Jordan reads the sheet music while playing the show, and they are all short lol!
One of the greatest musical compositions in the history of modern music...Thank you for this!!!
Keyboards - at the age of 9 Jordan Rudess was told off at Juilliard's music school for improvising at classical piano training . Yeah he's kinda good
Hi
@@LurchyScott hey dude
@@LurchyScott O, hai. Is it a party now?
@@DrBonely ? Me and Andy know each other lol
@@LurchyScott Just messing around, ha ha. Cheers!
If you want to have more time signature analysis, I'm sure that the perfect one would be "The Dance of Eternity".
Followed up by Portnoy's video where he counts it all out. :D
@@russbowlus Spot on! :)
Don't kill the poor girl...
@@HuckHouston She can take it--I have faith. :D
ahah yes please!
Watching someone enjoy this song was more heartwarming than I could have imagined. This video was a joy to watch.
Awesome job with this video!!
We DT fans appreciate your input.
Thank you.
26:50 "Dude, your fingers are fast". Everyone thought the same the first time hearing John Petrucci
"Dude, your fingers are fast" and she hasn't seen half of what John Petrucci can do 🤣🤣🤣
I want so much more Dream Theater content from her just for the pure musicianship stan she'll end up becoming lol
Loved watching you geek out over my favorite band and appreciated the educated analysis!
Thank you Charismatic Voice, I can safely say that seeing your incredulous reactions and comments to one of my favorite songs will be the best part of my day. You manage to make me notice new things about a song I've been listening to for decades.
Someone finally made a reaction video to Dream Theater that was long enough to actually give a real reaction to their music. Thank you!
This is interesting: Elizabeth points out the interesting and vintage sounding sounds of the keys. However, back at the time the song was released (early 90s) these exact same sounds were modern. ...
For real? I always thought part of the appeal of the images and words album was its vintage feel, now granted the album is older than me so what do I know.
@@starman6468 granted Images has that vintage feel because it IS vintage... like 1992 so yeah, keys back then had that particular sound to them which actually makes the songs on this album so much better an unique sounding...
The synths in this live version are significantly different from what's on the album. I think they sound newer, and definitely more Rudess.
I just have to say that I literally had tears of joy rolling down my face just watching you enjoy this song so much. It's a song that is one of my very favorites by this band that I have absolutely loved since I first heard their "Images and Words" album in 1992. Dream Theater still is one of my favorite bands to listen to after all these years because they are so amazingly talented and creative. Every one of these guys is a virtuoso. It was a real joy to watch you give an analysis of this song because you made me see a new dimension of the song that I had never noticed. I have always been so focused on the music and the singing (mainly the notes), but not focused on the words and how they relate so well with the music through all the different parts of the song. Thanks so much for giving me this whole new outlook on this great song! It's so refreshing to see someone who really understands and appreciates all of the virtuosic playing that is going on in progressive metal music like this. You really have amazing focus and you catch all of the subtleties when listening to songs, and I totally admire that! You are the absolute best at doing reaction & analysis videos of songs. I continue to look forward to watching more and more of your enjoyable videos like this one! Thank you, Elizabeth! :)
Awesome reaction to one of my favorit bands. Enjoyed every second of it! Thanks for taking me with you on this amazing journey.
That keyboard player you were talking about, is just the best frikin' keyboardist on the entire world: Jordan "The Wizard" Rudess. Flawless technique, amazing performance, and his creativity, beyond any wildest dream you can think of.
I have to laugh when I see some young unexperienced person critiquing a band like dream theater.
let's remember that these keyboards were composed by Kevin Moore, another monster. I know Jordan has a "better" technique, but cmon, Moore is f**king memorable too😍
@@calil_souza agreed!!!
@@calil_souza absolutely Kevin deserves all the credit for the keyboard work on this. Kevin had a very missed style within the framework of DTs music even if Jordan has better overall chops.
Jordan I praise for getting the most out of any keyboard he plays. He is truly the person who will use every bell and whistle the instrument has.
I love his piano work although I am not a fan of his synth solos as a whole. You can be technical and flashy without going over the top with all the dive bombs and stuff left best to the guitarist. I think he tries to compete with Petrucci rather than clearly remaining a keyboard player. He does have chops to burn however. For me it is more a style thing. I love the keyboard work of Mark Robertson of Cairo much better. But who knows what he is doing these days.
@@calil_souza yea, Kevin deserves all the credit for those keyboard parts. This was the 1st DT song I heard and my mind was blown. It brought back so many memories of hearing that song for the first time.
Sooo excited to see you dive into Dream Theater. The Images and Words album was my gateway drug into Dream Theater, simply amazing band. Looking forward to your reaction!
I remember exactly the first time I listened to Images & Words with some friends, I as blown away by it. Couldnt believe what I was listening to and asked what it was and the showed me the CD. I thonght the cover qas weird AF. And forgot about the name. A few months after I was at a record store just going through cds, and suddenly there was Dream Theater - Awake, and I remembered the name. Bought it instantly and became a fan forever........ excpet the mangini era, not that Im a Portnoy loveer, Mangini hater. Actually both are increible buy DT lost something musically without Portnoy.
@@inkubuzz and @EgoShredder I encourage you both to give their latest album Distance Over Time a try. I didn't like the self-titled and ADTOE either, and I can't even listen to The Astonishing in it's entirety, but I think Distance Over Time is mostly pretty solid Dream Theater again.
The Images and Words album changed the way I listen to music. I bought that album after hearing "Pull Me Under" on MTV's Headbanger's Ball (chopped up version of the song, too..and yes, I am dating myself😳). It was the most different thing I had heard up to that point in my life. I still haven't heard an album since that affected me the way that did to this day. I've heard many I love since, but none have affected me that way.
Completely changed the way I look at music forever!
@@inkubuzz How come in EVERY SINGLE THREAD you find that starts a DT band discussion someone has to bring up the same ole Mike Portnoy crap, time and time again... This dead horse has been beat so much dude that it's not even a pile of dust anymore. Enjoy them for what they are. MP leaving the band was the best thing that ever happened to HIM as he went on to write the best music of his career with Neal Morse, and also the best thing I've ever heard too, with Similitude of a Dream, and The Great Adventure...which for me is even more enjoyable than DT in many respects.
what i love and respect about you is that it dose not matter what type of music it is you do not judge at all and you give a fair assessment on all thank you so much for this i know and understand that metal vocals can can have a distinct sound but you dont seem to care about how aggressive it may come across
Thank you for this. It put a desperately needed smile on my face getting to enjoy this with someone for the first time. Back in the 90s many of us would spend hours just trying to digest this and hanging on every note. Now I am older, and the material is like a comforting friend of 20+ years. Thank you.
DT: switches up the time signatures.
Charismatic Voice: visible confusion.
John Petrucci: guitar solo.
Charismatic Voice: super fast blinking.
Oh, the joy of seeing someone who can appreciate what Dream Theater is doing reacting to them for the first time!
Me too!!!!1
That's priceless, right?
I can totally appreciate what you are saying!
Even if singing is the weakest link
Always extremely joyed with Elizabeth's reactions, so full of genuine emotions..thank you!
I absolutely LOVE this channel!
Elizabeth, if you really want to hear James Labrie's voice at his best, listen to "Under a glass moon" live 1993 in Tokyo. It was incredible. I'll wait for your reaction and analysis..🍺🍺
And as a bonus having Kevin and Mike there.
If I may suggest: Octavarium (the song), Scenes from a Memory (full album), The Count of Tuscany, Breaking All Illusions, Illumination Theory, and I also like Barstool Warrior :-)
Illumination Theory (live from the Boston Opera House) has very good sound quality, and is an excellent performance (with some orchestra accompaniment).
I would love "the Best of Times" buy alas, they will never play that one live (understandably)
@@mpomerle That's exactly what I've been saying as well. Of all DT songs, it has to be the next one she does an analyses on because of the classical/orchestral elements in it. Especially since she comes from that side the spectrum so to speak.
The allien..
I've been listening to this for nearly 30 years, and it still hits me just the way it did the first time I heard it, which makes watching you experience it for the first time a joy.
Thank you for this! 💜🦋💜 It was wonderful seeing your true reaction from hearing this song. Having been a fan of Dream Theater for nearly 30 years, and seeing them live a dozen times, your first time reaction mirrors my own every time I listen to them. If you want 🎶 that can lift the soul and transcend the universe, this is the band for you. Again, thank you!
To hear James LaBrie at his best, turn to The Human Equation by Ayreon. Epic album, epic story, epic performance by everyone involved.
He is wonderful in the theater equation as well, the live rock opera version of the same album. The live version has anneke van giersbergen, the album version has devin townsend on one song (live it is sung by michael mills) . And Floor's sister irene also plays a prominent role :)
@@maanvis81 James did really well on the live version, yeah. Devin appears on three songs on the album--in the Theater Equation, Mills covers both Devin's and the late Mike Baker from Shadow Gallery's vocal parts.
I love the way Arjen writes for James. Really makes good use of his warm lower register, which is where his voice really shines (IMO).
i was expecting something from live in tokyo 1993 to be first dream theater song to react to, under a glass moon or take the time could be a perfect start, young labrie is awesome. anyway, my reaction when i see an announcement: "oh, at last!!"
Yeah. As far as newer recordings go this is definitely one of LaBrie's better performances. But he doesn't hold a candle to his younger self.
As a life long Dream Theater fan it brings a tear to my eyes just seeing your reaction. My heart on your face in wonderment of the sheer power and talent of this band. Such musical athletics and raw joy. As a now semi-retired 35 year touring musician, I just had to share. Please, do yourself a favor and listen to all of their music. You will not be sad that you did. They are modern day masters and we are so lucky to have them in our musical lives! Long Live DT!
Thank you for fully immersing in listening (and watching) and giving wholehearted reactions to the song. Some other reaction channels just give like short comments amounting to
The sheer joy on your face throughout most of this video actually brought tears to my eyes. Been a long time fan of DT, and watching someone discover them is magical.
"Purposely Evasive" is probably the best description of Dream Theater's music I've ever heard! 😂 Bravo! I've been a fan of this band for 30+ years and I never thought of that! I love how "kid at heart" you are while listening.. you bunch right up, lean your ear in and have a huge smile on your face while listening. It's great how you are discovering for the first time what I expect to hear in a DT record. 30 years ago I probably looked just like you while I was listening to them for the first time, too...lol
Glad you enjoyed that 😊
Edit: Might I suggest that you check out "Under a Glass Moon" from....I think it's '93....in Japan. It is the original members of the band performing, Kevin Moore on keys (though it could be Derek Sherinian on keys, but I'm pretty sure it is Moore) and Mike Portnoy on drums. One of my favorite live cuts from Dream Theater.
That is Kevin Moore on that performance. I love that show. 🤘😎
Yes. no matter if the 93 Japan concert included only their 2 first albums. That concert is absolute perfection with the "original" lineup (not counting Dominici). Specially if you are trying to analyze Labrie vocals at full potential. All the songs from Images and Words are fabulous, its an album without filler.
@@Secrecy30 For the most part I agree with you. I&W would be the first album I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn about Dream Theater. I think Surrounded is an amazing song. Would love to see a reaction to that one.
I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts on Geddy Lee's singing. I'm serious. Would be great if you could do a Rush Song. Even something like Red Barchetta from Moving Pictures, or one of the live versions. I'd also be interested to hear your commentary on Rush' music and themes. :)
I'm reasonably certain that over they years Rush transposed some of their material down to accommodate Lee's shifting vocal range. A lot of long time bands would do that.
They expanded on this story when they did Metropolis 2000, Scenes From a Memory. It’s a whole intriguing story that you could explore. It’s a wonderful ride to take. The story is a tragic one that you should not miss out on if you like this band. I highly recommend it.
Cheers, Tommy
If you ever get the chance, there's a video that interviewed the keyboardist from Dream Theater about his rig, and even not knowing a ton about keyboard stuff it was fascinating. His stage setup is INSANE and has a ton of custom stuff so he can move around and swivel and stuff. I think it's about 10-15 minutes long, and might just be something you'd find interesting (probably not a reaction thing though).
Rudess is literally a wizard!
@@ChewieEst He also seems like a super nice chill dude!
Thank you so much for the analysis of one of my fav songs! I intuively loved the song and it's facets but now I have a bit more music specific background for it 👍
I adore how much of a music nerd you are. It makes your channel even more awesome. Good stuff.
"Why do you have all those drums? Do you use all of them?"
Mike Mangini: "Yes.."
mike portnoy : hold my beer get her pregnant
*que Zappa and the Mothers……*
1 hour for Dream Theater? I'm in!!!
Please do Pain of Salvation next. You will love A Trace of Blood and Meaningless
Pain of Salvation. Almost any song, but A Trace if Blood is insanely intense.
I second this. For Pain of Salvation songs that fully show off Daniel Gildenlow’s range, I would recommend “Used,” “Beyond the Pale,” or “Iter Impius.”
Yes! That would be awesome.
@@Capitaomac1 lets upvote this comment! let make a campaign!!
Just discovered your video, really happy to see you react to this masterpiece. One of my favourite dream theater song. It's really fun watching you reacting to the music and interpreting the music theory and those time signatures. Dream theater is very famous for their significant time signatures change, the progressive metal, that's why they sound the way they are. Honestly, your video didnt feel like an hour to me hahahahah it was fun watching you breaking down all the elements in the song. Great video, love your reaction!
I love your enthusiasm! 💖
The only logical thing to do after this would be to do the metropolis pt 2 all the way through in one seating. It doesn't matter if it takes 6 hours. I will watch it with massive tub of popcorn.
About the drum size, imagine a full orchestra: not every part of the piece would use a harp or the tubular bells, but they are ready for the next piece/moment. :)
It is so facinating to watch your reaction. Your appreciation is priceless
It is so beautiful watching you discover all the things that I love about Dream Theater and being as enthusiastic about it! ❤ Most people look at me funny when I play Dream Theater for them lol
In my opinion, the best version of this is on When Dream And Day Reunite. It's performed as a duet with James LaBrie and their original vocalist Charlie Dominici. And features both Jordan Rudess and Derek Sherinian on keyboards.
"That was nuts!"
That was a very accurate description of Dream Theater's instrumental sessions.
'He could play a Rachmaninoff concerto, no problem'. In all fairness, he did go to study at Juliard's at age nine. :) It is also full improv, to make it even more impressive. Jordan truly is the Wizard, hence the hat. Also, I love the video and breakdown, it truly emphasises how impressive this band truly is.
Marvelous reaction and analysis.
I laughed a lot at your analogies with retro video games and Mario, haha! Cheers! 👍
What a priceless reaction, I love the laughs when you geek out to what they're doing, and appreciate how you explain the nuances and music theory behind their choices. I was expecting just a vocal reaction, but got a full music education and full appreciation of the song. Awesome!
"James 's got an accent!!" Yeah, he 's Canadian. :D
incredible! this song just on the bass with the harmonics is amazing too!!
As a longtime Dream Theater fan, I’m truly happy you’re doing this. As a small note - while the band stays incredibly accurate to the original songs during shows, James’s vocals can change quite a bit, which is understandable. These are anything but easy songs. Hope to see more DT analysis from you. Many thanks for your thorough work and detailed attention.
I'm on My third decade closely following Dream Theater and seen them live a bunch of times. They're simply incredible live band. What a joyful video this was to watch at a Time of sorrow in my life ❤️
"Dude, your fingers are fast!" Petrucci is a god.
I am starting to realize that.
@@TheCharismaticVoice Check out Sons of Apollo
@@TheCharismaticVoice John Petrucci: "This isn't even my final form."
Best hour of my life watching this reaction! You re live the very best parts of the song over and over again :)
That was really fun to see your first reaction to a song I’ve heard a billion times. It was the song that turned this band into my favorite band since 93 when it was released. Glad you loved it.
I LOVED that you stopped that much to analyze the instrumentals with so much curiosity! Their process in the beginning was jamming together as band and compose from there. There's even a jam for pt2, that later on became the entire "Scenes from a Memory" album (which is worth a listen for sure). Great analysis Elizabeth!
Regarding the drum kit: Mike actually doesn't have that many different drums in his set up, at least for a prog drummer. The reason it looks massive is that it is mirrored, so he's got the same drums left and right. That way he can use his arms more independently without ever having to cross them :)
Oh that's why they do that I always wondered. Makes sense because that would be tough with some of the speed they get to some times.
@@senditkevin there's a Video on the thomann channel, where Mike explains his kit in some detail if you're interested :)
Wait. Metropolis PT.1 with Mangini? 😢
@@NikkLiberos So sad, isn't it? After all those years It is still almost impossible ( at least for me) to accept Mangini walking on Portnoy's shoes.
His kit isn’t mirrored. It’s made up of musical notes kinda like a keyboard the drums are different on each side. It’s also to compliment his ambidextrous abilities
Like your enthusiasm. Amazing reaction
Wonderful analysis!!!! More dream theater please!!!
I love to discover new music with you... This song was incredibly fun and your joy made it even better! Thanks!
Btw, YES the guitars and keys at around 28m are indeed doubled: In my youth I was in a Dream Theater cover band and it took a LOTTTTTTT of practice to do and I feel like I never really got it down quite as tight as it could be (as the keyboardist) in that section.
It's tough man... It's one thing to play along with the album perfectly in your jam room but then get together with four other guys and try to make it all happen....it takes a LOT of work and I think something can also be said of them just being together for so long as a band, when you work with people that much, it just feels much easier and more natural. (They were getting together 5-6 nights a week for six hours each night for like three straight years back when they wrote this.)
A old band of mine did some covers but to do a full cover band is some serious dedication. 🤘😁
@@Easy_Skanking It is!! My band did an entire cover of the Operation Mindcrime album and we did three live shows of it. We spent a lot of time painstakingly making sure that we played everything correctly note for note....The rehearsals went well and were all pretty easy but the homework was many, many hours. I worked with the other guitar player tons and we would get together several times a week making sure things were sounding correct, etc. (One of the shows is on my channel if you're curious.) Cheers!
@@JustinOhio That same band of mine would spontaneously burst into that album during practice. Someone would say something or play a riff and the rest of us would pick it up from right there and finish the album. LOL We all loved that album and knew it by heart, so it just came together naturally. Both of us guitarists doubled on keys and we had all the samples of the album FX, too. The nurses, the overhead announcements and background sounds. We had so much fun with it.
You are the best most articulate descriptive reaction/vocal coach on the planet....please keep it up.
Hello! I discovered this channel last week, I am hooked! You remind me of my college music theory teacher, and I love watching how you react these songs, how you break them down musically. I’ve been listening to most these bands for 40+ years. Another reason I like watching is your perspective on on the music is played and put together. At one time I chased a music career for a few years. I still play, but not as much as I’d like to. Yes I’m a fan of “progressive” rock/metal, but I also love classical music to. Thank you for making these videos!