By Monk

I have to admit that, when this gig was announced my immediate thought was “are they feckin’ serious? There’s no way they’re gonna fill the Odyssey” (to give the venue the name by which most of us still call it). My second thought was that the booking was down to either a matter of American ego – “we have to play an arena” – or the size of the stage show they would be bringing for their first return to the Über Kingdom since just before the first Covid lockdown. And then a third thought occurred: they are a band with a fanatical following and this is one of only three shows in this corner of the Überverse, so you never know…

Dream Theater, SSE Arena, Belfast, 20 April 2022

Unfortunately, while my lattermost thought proved partially true, with fans having travelled from as far away as Norway for this first part of their UK triptych of gigs, the foremost proved most prophetic, as the first thing that greeted me when I walked into this vast arena was the sheer amount of empty space, from the vast chasm of darkness behind the sound desk to the banks of unfilled seating… Despite hundreds of tickets having been given away to NHS and other front line care workers, it was obvious that the show (even with the hugely impressive backdrop) could quite easily have been staged at the city’s Ulster Hall, which also would have provided a highly suitable setting for the evening’s highly orchestrated show. The fact that the show was also completely seated, and the “pit” in front of the stage was marked by a very polite series of red ropes rather than the usually imposing steel barrier, added to the sense of weirdness which washed over to me as I was ushered to my designated place on the mat covered ice…

By the time I took my seat, TesseracT were already on the stage, and it didn’t take frontman Dan Tompkins long to pick up on the slightly unusual atmosphere and setting: “normally you’re up the front going mad… but let’s do this!” And do it they did, as by their second song their deep, throbbing sound actually served to make this sound more like an intimate club show than one in an almost empty, cavernous ice hockey stadium…

Which leads me to my second impression of this evening’s proceedings, and that is how impressive the sound, well, sounds. For an extremely pleasant change for a venue of this ilk, it draws out not only every nuance of Tompkins’ vocals but also the intricacies of Alec Kahney’s lead guitar work, as well as his periodic interplay with James Monteith, while the heavy bottom end perfectly balances and complements everything in a mix which normally could be lost in a banal and lacklustre sonic environment such as a sports arena… but, thankfully, not tonight \m/

The result is a mesmerizing performance which, despite the odds in terms of the overall disinterest of the audience, nevertheless is delivered with professional aplomb and unmistakable enthusiasm.

Dream Theater, SSE Arena, Belfast, 20 April 2022

The audience numbers have swollen slightly, helped by all the VIP package holders drifting in from the venue’s refurbished downstairs bars, with the result that our headliners take to the stage to the sort of rapturous applause that makes the arena sound much fuller than it really is.

Once again, the sound is as huge as it is clear and precise, which gives us a chance to address an elephant who had managed to bluff his way past security and sneak his way into the dark shadows at the back of the auditorium. And that is persistent allegations that had plagued DT’s recent ÜS tour dates: that they were, at best, using backing tapes and, at worst, actually lip-synching. Well, to be honest, of course they use backing tracks: have you heard their songs? They’re incredibly complex and cannot be easily reproduced in the live environment.

Dream Theater @ SSE Arena, Belfast, 20 April 2022

Like 99.99 per cent of guitarists on the planet, of course John Petrucci uses effects and technology to bolster and enhance his onstage sound: the studio albums have multiple guitar lines layered one over the other, and unless you recruit a division of musicians you’re never going to replicate that live. Similarly, what sort of tricks and fiendish programmes does Jordan Rudess have loaded into those computers of his? So, why shouldn’t James LaBrie similarly use a few bits of technical jiggery-pokery to maximize his own performance potential. OK, there’s a bit of false echo here, a bit of shadow there, and some of the choral-style vocals are obviously backing tracks… but, from where I was sitting, no more than 30 feet from the stage, there was no evidence of fakery or, heaven forbid, miming… so, Dumbo, hail a cab back to the zoo…

Despite the huge gaps in the audience, DT actually manage to make the show sound like it could be taking place in a venue better suited to the size of the crowd actually present, as they positively race through what turns out to be a packed two-hour set. LaBrie largely lets the music do the talking, constantly leaving the stage during the long instrumental passages which characterize the band’s style, putting the spotlight on the quality of the musicianship rather than him perhaps embarrassingly dad-dancing in front of the drum riser during Petrucci and Rudess’ multiple solos.

Dream Theater @ SSE Arena, Belfast, 20 April 2022

He does stop to talk to the audience on a couple of occasions, first to encourage us to “forget all the bullshit going on in the world outside” and “have a fucking good time”, and then to chat about the Titanic, ‘Game Of Thrones’, the human spirit and the power of music – and it is the latter that is definitely to the forefront, as the band deliver what can only be described as an enthralling display of virtuoso musicianship which not only has the audience hanging on every word but singing them back, which is no mean feat in itself!

The end result is a sublime performance of the sort you wish there had been a damn sight more people there to witness! I’m glad I was…

  • The tour continues at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne tonight (Thursday 21 June) and finishes at the SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday (23 June).
  • PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © Simon Graham. All rights remain with the photographer.
  • All written content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.