CHAOS IN MOTION 2007-2008

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.