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July 10, 2003

Dream Theater / Queensryche / Fates Warning - Boston - 07/09/2003

I went to the Fleet Boston Pavilion last night to see what could have been th ebest concert line up I have ever seen. I was psyched for the show and knew I had good seats, so it was fixin to be a good time.

Fates Warning started right at 8 (after a false alarm from Bogie that they were on before 7). They played a very quick set, but they sounded real good from the back. The highlight was them playing OSI's Shutdown with Mike Portnoy assisting on drums.

Quuensryche came out about 20 mins after they finished and ripped it up. After an EXTREMELY disappointing show last time I saw QR, I was not expecting all that much. QR did an excellent job of proving me wrong. They played songs from all over their catalog. Highlights were the O:M set of songs which they played right in a row ( I Remember Now, Anarchy X, Revolution Calling, Speak, Eyes Of A Stranger > Anarchy X-tra) and the Best I Can closer was just EXCELLENT. That is one of my favorite QR tunes and they pulled it off flawlessly).

So, two sets in, I had already seen a pretty damn good show, and the band I came to see was still to come on. Dream Theater came on and started out RATHER disappointing playing Pull Me Under. Sure, I like this song, but after hearing it at almost every DT show I have been to (which is like 30 or so), I am sick of it, I don't want to hear it any more. After that, they played a good variety of stuff off all their albums (set list below). They did miss WDADU (and I was hoping for maybe a Your Majesty, since the French folks were in the house), but otherwise a pretty good selection. I would also like to see Hollow Years replaced, just not a big fan of that song either. So, basically, play Raise the Knife instead of PMU and Speak to Me instead of Hollow Years and it really would have been a kick ass set. The band did sound good though, real tight. The best part of their set, was due to time constraints, they sped up Met Pt 1 by like 50% and FLEW through it. It almost sounded like it was ready for radio. They really showed off how good they really are when they can take a complex song and play it EVEN faster than they normally do. They slowed it back down for the verses, but the last section of singing, James got in sync and flew right through it with them. It was just sick.

After DT finished, BOTH DT and QR hit the stage TOGETHER and played The Who's Won't Get Fooled Again. This sounded SWEET. James and Geoff trading verses, all three guitar players and Jordan each getting a nice solo. Just a great way to finish off a show.

I did have after show passes (don't I always? ;) but was not feeling great and all I would have been saying is hi and how are you to the guys, so I bailed. Headed straight home (now that is a miracle) and went to bed.

All in all, a great evening, filled with great music. Got to see a buddy of mine who was involved in the Providence club fire a few months back and was happy to see him doing well. Saw a number of other folks I haven't seen in a while as well. So, fun fun. Glad I wasn't too sick to go.

Dream Theater's Set List:
Pull Me Under
Under a Glass Moon
The Great Debate
Home
Hollow Years
A Mind Beside Itself (Erotomania, Voices, The Silent Man)
Metropolis Pt 1 ("Radio Edit")

Won't Get Fooled Again (w/ Queensryche)

Posted by Skadz at July 10, 2003 11:27 AM

Comments

Posted by: wrath at July 11, 2003 5:23 PM

Posted by: blackjack at July 14, 2003 5:04 PM