LIVE AT THE MARQUEE

Dream Theater have always been known for their strong live performances, and Live at Marquee is definitely not an exception to that common sense. Here, however, we see a much fresher and more spontaneous performance than in their later live albums, where technicality and perfection took over. Don't get me wrong, i love most of Dream Theater's live albums and technicality is a great thing, but spontaneity is also a great thing and here we see plenty of it.

Also, amazingly enough, this is probably LaBrie's best live performance ever recorded: this is possibly the only live album where he sings all songs in tune and is able to hit all notes, despite of some screams where he should hit clean notes. This album is the lonely proof of why he was chosen as the band's singer: he was a pretty good live singer, at least before all went downhill due to the food poisoning incident in Cuba.

About the songs, musicianship and other features, there are somethings i would like to state:

Most songs of Live at Marquee are better versions of the studio songs. From the opening track, the unforgettable classic Metropolis, to the closing track, their best hit song Pull me Under, the performance is just great and every song have a new thing, a subtle improvisation. The songs where that can be more easily seen are the versions of the songs A Fortune in Lies and Another Hand-The Killing Hand for LaBrie to sing, which where great. Besides those subtle improvisations, the song Bombay Vindaloo clearly is an improvised jam, another sign of spontaneity in live performances that they have seemly lost to achieve tecnical perfection.

Also, the song selection / tracklist is very good, though not being the best tracklist possible. I feel that they could have played also at least one of the following: Ytse Jam, Only a Matter of Time, Under a Glass Moon, Take the Time or Learning to Live.

Grade and Final Thoughts

So, great songs (check), great performance (check), best LaBrie's live performance ever recorded (check). Hmm, am I forgetting something? Oh yes, the grade! It will be 5 stars then.

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