19.05.2025 Dream Theater

Graspop Metal Meeting

Dessel (Belgium)

The contrast could hardly have been greater: just moments before, the fun-loving pirates of Alestorm were rocking the North Stage, and right afterward, next door on the South Stage, came the finest progressive metal from the veterans of Dream Theater. Forty years of band history squeezed into a 75‑minute set. Those were the conditions for this performance.
Even though they released a new album, “Parasomnia,” earlier this year, they didn’t play much of it. With the opener “Night Terror” and “Midnight Messiah,” only two songs from the record made it into the setlist. Many fans had eagerly awaited this show, and just by looking at the stage it was obvious who would be sitting behind that massive drum kit. Only one man plays with three bass drums, and that’s Mike Portnoy. He has been back in the band since 2023 and once again shapes their sound. Although the other members certainly don’t fall behind. John Petrucci commanded the guitar with masterful precision, while John Myung impressively plucked, slapped, and caressed his basses (including a 7‑string!). Jordan Rudess played on a playful, rotating keyboard setup that could move in every direction and angle (now I know where Coen Janssen from Epica got the idea for his keyboard rig). And last but not least, the band’s voice, James LaBrie, must not go unmentioned.
As already mentioned: the five guys from New York City, and their music, are special, and not necessarily the typical festival fare. That’s why you mostly see them at their own concerts. The atmosphere was reverent. Many seemed almost bewildered by the incredible musicianship unfolding on stage. It was truly a stark contrast to the usual festival chaos. No moshing, no circle pits, no crowd surfing. Just the alternation between LaBrie’s brilliant vocals, who at least occasionally encouraged the crowd to join in, and the breathtaking solos of the other gifted musicians.
Anyone expecting a big stage show might have been somewhat disappointed. The videos on the LED walls were cinematic, but at times felt a bit detached from the music and the performers in front of them. The band members themselves were rather static, more focused on executing the complex compositions flawlessly. Only LaBrie and occasionally Rudess used more than a square meter of the stage, and even Mike Portnoy only appeared from behind his drum fortress every now and then.
I was absolutely thrilled by this performance, but the audience seemed more divided. Yes, this was metal as technical and intricate as it gets. But damn, what an incredible set! A true demonstration of musical mastery. Progressive metal isn’t accessible to everyone, and placing such a band on the main stage in the afternoon at a major festival is a bit of a gamble. As a result, much of the crowd remained rather reserved. That there were still plenty of fans present only became clear during the final song, “Pull Me Under” from the 1992 album “Images And Words,” when a noticeably larger group suddenly sang along loudly. Fair enough. I was completely satisfied.
As I said: the music is a bit demanding and not always easy to get into, but still — just give it a listen. Because that’s exactly what defines progressive metal bands: listening comes before watching. This would later become even more apparent with Opeth’s performance at the festival. Even though their frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, compared to all the Dream Theater musicians, is a true showman and chatterbox.

Setlist:

Prelude (Bernard Herrmann Song)
Night Terror
Act I: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu
Act I: Scene Three: II. Fatal Tragedy (With Brief “Through My Words” Instrumental Prelude)
Panic Attack
The Enemy Inside
Midnight Messiah
Peruvian Skies (With “Wish You Were Here” And “Wherever I May Roam” Excerpts)
As I Am
Pull Me Under
Singin’ In The Rain (Nacio Herb Brown And Arthur Freed Song)

Weblinks:

	Dream Theater Homepage of the US American band Dream Theater.
	Graspop Metal Meeting Homepage of the Graspop Metal Meeting Festival at Dessel (Belgium).