CHAOS IN MOTION 2007-2008

Whether we need yet another Dream Theater live DVD or not is open to debate but more than likely it will sell by the bucket load to the legions of die hard fans of the band who need to have everything they release. The cynical amongst you may just see this as a money making exercise, Dream Theater being well aware of the loyalty of their fans. To be fair though, this package does offer excellent value for money, consisting of 2 DVD's and also available as a 2 DVD/3 CD version which includes audio versions of the live material.

The first cd is the one that most fans will keep returning to, the live footage. Where this one differs to previous live DVD releases is that it's not one show but made up of recordings from half a dozen different shows around the world. The logistics to do this may have lead to shoddy results but in the main the picture and sound quality is very good and despite coming from different locations it all holds together pretty well. One minor annoyance is that at the end of some of the live sequences, it's broken by short pieces of chat by the band which is not needed as there's plenty of that on disc 2.

The total length of the live disc is 3 hours and the material is well chosen, in the main not re-treading ground covered by previously DVD's, in a large part down to the fact that it draws heavily from their most recent studio album, Systematic Chaos. The musicianship as expected is impeccable and the band put on dynamic performances throughout. Particularly pleasing is In The Presence Of Enemies which despite being split in 2 for the Systematic Chaos album is played as one piece here as it was originally intended.

Disc 2 is largely taken up with interview footage, as well as talking to band members the road crew and management also have an input and is full of facts and the logistics of keeping a band like Dream Theater on the road and running smoothly. There's also a stage and backstage tour from Mike Portnoy, going through each band members equipment and the set up backstage. Interesting, but not the stuff of repeated plays.

There's also Promo video's for Constant Motion, Forsaken and The Dark Eternal Night which are a welcome bonus and also a photo gallery, all in all offering a great and varied package.

If you haven't already been turned onto Dream Theater's brand of Prog Metal then this package is not going to change your mind but for any fans of the band, even if you already own all their previous DVD's, this one's well worth adding to your collection.

With the latest set from Dream Theater Chaos In Motion 2007-2008 (deluxe collector's edition) the band gives their fans the ultimate gift by putting two DVDs and three CDs together for the most comprehensive overview of their music to date in a live setting.

I grabbed this gem the day it came out and later discovered the concert date I attended in Boston in 2007 makes a few appearances on the set, which makes this experience all that more personal and special for this listener. I was able to attend another concert early in 2008 and bring along my young son, a Petrucci disciple, and he thought seeing DT live was the most amazing thing he has ever seen. Thanks to the graciousness of Jordan Rudess and making these dreams come true, I continue to enjoy watching the development and legacy of DT grow with each passing year.

Chaos In Motion 2007-2008 is a lot to digest and after you are finished watching all the live footage, interviews and bonuses, then heard all three CDs, you certainly have the feeling you were just given the grand tour and history of a band. DT is at the point where a presentation such as this will be more commonplace because of their hard earned and well-deserved success. I recently spoke to their former manager Jim Putulski, and as we were discussing Jim's latest new label Blistering Records, the mention of the work ethic of DT came up and he intimated that if more bands held that belief closer to their heart that success would be unavoidable.

At the beginning of the first DVD, there are some questionable videos in reference to quality however, that is something that is more of an anomaly. Once you get past those rare instances, this is superb and it covers much of the output from this band. As the back of the box set says, "1 year & 1 day, 115 shows, 105 cities, 35 countries, 5 continents, hundreds of thousands of fans.1 Band" puts this entire event into proper perspective. The enormity of presence that DT commands finds a time capsule to fit into within this one sentence.

The promo videos and live screen projection films are also a highlight and very enjoyable. With "Behind The Chaos On The Road" segments, Mike Portnoy's tour of the stage prior to a show is an entirely different look from the band's eyes that we rarely get to see. As I mentioned previously, this set is all encompassing and I do not think very much is missing. The total DT experience is available here, including life on the road and all the people that make things happen along the way from the bus driver to the cooks, people that seldom get the recognition they deserve. This band is proud of its legacy and is always willing to give credit where it is due and that is why I respect them so much. Success has not changed their outlook, just made all of them more grateful for the current position they hold in music today.

It is hard to imagine how a DVD/CD box set could get much better than this although I have a feeling what is in the future will be yet another notch higher than this. DT is always looking to improve and this is a great way to see how this band has grown in every way by watching the DVDs. If you want to compare, contrast, and see how just how far they have come over the years, check out the double feature DVD Images and Words Live in Tokyo/5 Years in a Livetime, proceed to check out Chaos In Motion 2007-2008, and then watch the amazing progression of a band in one sitting. Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

What do you do after reaching perfection...??? yes, a poor quality DVD...

After the incredibly high quality of the Score DVD, with a perfect presentation and arrangements, perfect rythum of shots and the best audio mix they have reached, as well as plenty worthy live material, Mike Portnoy decided to go the complete opposite wih this DVD... rather than a single and perfect presentation, he pick half dozen of sections of different footage in a way like a like documental with songs between interviews and backstage insides... the sound quality is low because is taken from the live mix, just as it sounds and not post-worked, as well as the footage, very improvised and with low quality... it's almost a raw version of presentations...

The quality of the music and the presentations are as good as they can be, the raw material is more old rock and it gives you a better idea of a real concert experience... the footage and interviews they decided to put in between songs it's very interesting and it gives you a lot more the idea of all they dynamics of their life in the road and it has a lot of funny passages... but if you enjoy with the good quality of the shots, ilumination and angles, this is not for you... it's for rockers who likes less make-up and more crude material... and it's a most have for DT fans... the song selection is quite great, plenty of the Systematic Chaos songs, I feel it more interesting than the studio versions, besides some oldies that they seem to forgot later, as Scarred and Surrounded (in a longer version) and other interesting stuff like Panic Attack and Lines in the Sand, the demo version... so there's a lot of rarities that brings a lot more material to the fans...

DVD #2 is great, the documental is long, over an hour of interviews and 50% of it is with the crew and not with DT... but is always interesting, especially for musicians and for the people who wonder how is the life in the road... there's musical videos included -good, but not essential- and the live projections they use on the road. The Cartoon used in The Dark Eternal Night is funny... really funny and entertaining... there's also a hidden material about a joke between the Drum tech and John Petrucci... I didn't get the joke, but it's funny... this DVD have a lot more material from behind the scenes than concerts footage... Some folks from Symphony X appear in some backstage material as well as Opeth and other bands...

Three stars for the good amount of inside jokes and life on the road, the plenty "new" material they included but the lack of quality is evident... Good, but not essential... well, for DT fans, if it exists, is essential... so I as a diehard fan, enjoy a lot this DVD... Hope they not bring a new DVD this time... really... I need to miss them a little while...

Dream Theater's 'Chaos in Motion' is yet another CD package featuring a detailed doco and a live performance, this time by the masters of prog metal themselves. But does it have anything new to offer?

Thankfully it delivers thanks to an incredibly detailed documentary that is one of the best I have seen. The thing that sets it apart is you feel as though you have a backstage pass of access all areas as you are taken into the holy of holies; behind the stage and in the dressing rooms as the band prepare their touring. Portnoy is the main voice and becomes our best friend as he graciously takes us into his own private world and reveals many secrets such as how his personal stage hand works with him during a concert, spraying his hands in between drumming and moving the mike stand for his vocals among other things.

We see Portnoy indulge in his cantankerous tempers, tho that's probably set up, but we hear from each member what they think of other band members and it's candid enough to be compelling on each viewing. We will see what problems occur and how these obstacles are overcome.

We hear from roadies and stage crew and find out what goes into putting on a huge stadium show. More than you might think. It was nice to see Portnoy meet a Make a Wish client who is terminally ill and he gets to drum with his hero, play Rudess trademark keyboard devices and scores a cymbal and some sticks and custom arm bands for his trouble, nice touch.

There is a meet and greet session and the band are quite honest about how they feel about their cult status. The special features are up to standard featuring the cool animations from the show and some music promo clips mainly from 'Systematic Chaos'.

The second DVD is a great concert of the tour and is even better after watching the band preparing in the documentary which really psyches you up to the concert, you feel as though you know what went into the making of the show and then you are treated to the show itself.

The set list is based on the latest album at the time plus some treasures such as 'Lines in the Sand' and a wonderful medley of DT classics. But you can rediscover 'Systematic Chaos' on this DVD and at times these versions are better than the studio versions. Dream Theater blends symphonic prog with heavy guitar effectively.

The concert footage is well edited with the fans enjoying the music and it spans many different venues of the tour. The sound is high quality as usual but there is no booklet with this DVD. Some of the songs have clips with an amusing animation to complement it, similar to 'Octavarium' from the 'Score' DVD.

One of the highlights is the incredible solo from Rudess' showcasing his trademark continuum keyboard gadget. He has as much fun as anyone, but I think the real star on this is LaBrie whose vocals are second to none and he looks great with his new facial hair. The light show is incidental to the actual music but it is sufficient as a background to the show. As a special feature the photos show the band bowing at many venues and its interesting to see where the band toured. Overall, this is an excellent package with a lot to offer on this awesome band, from conception of ideas for the tour to the actual show, this is a great DVD to indulge in.

Another live release, another average Dream Theater release.

*note* I'm reviewing the CD audio, I have not seen the full DVD movie. As I have said in previous reviews, Dream Theater are known for their live prowess, and also their prolific live releases. Here we see the live release for their tour for Systematic Chaos. A simple description of this album is simple: it's average. The performance of the band is fantastic, with all the music being played spot on and the production is good. However, LaBrie's performance, although I am usually never once to judge his amazing vocal capacity, it pretty awful. On some tracks he does fine, but the real killer for the album is Blind Faith's chorus. The vocal effort on this track is simply atrocious. It sounds he swallowed a sleeve of golf balls! Away from this rather major flaw in the band's performance, the experience is good, awarding the listener with a rather average live album. However, of what I've heard the DVD content is quite good, so I will elevate the rating to accommodate for such. 3+ stars.