LIVE AT BUDOKAN

The editing and production of this live concert DVD is just about better than any other, ever, anywhere. It is, quite simply, mind-blowing. For every solo, there are pristine camera shots on the player and his instrument. And, between all that, the shifts and the focuses are all done smoothly and truly unbelievably.

Of course, this is all not to mention the band and the playing itself. Just to let you all know, for every band I've ever heard, I have always preferred the studio stuff to the live stuff. That doesn't change for Dream Theater. Yet, it's pretty cool to see one of your favorite bands playing some of your favorite songs onstage (especially at the Budokan, I mean, come on), with all the energy you could imagine. And it just amazes me that they still play, for the most part, as tight as they do on the studio albums, with all the virtuosity.

And now, all of THIS is not to mention Disc Two. Now this is some cool stuff. The main attraction here is the Japanese Tour Documentary. Riding the Train of Though, as it's called, shows Dream Theater playing the 4 shows they performed in Japan, 2004, the last one being the one at the Budokan. Really, really, really cool. Seeing the members of the band acting like human beings is a pretty awesome experience, as opposed to their image of crazy instrumentalists.

There is also, on Disc Two, the Drum Solo from one of the Japan shows, a little tour of Petrucci's Guitar World, and the same for Rudess's Keyboard World, all three of which are truly enjoyable. Unique idea for a drum solo, too. The other two features are a alternate-angled view of the Instrumedley (also enjoyable, given the song) and a video documenting Dream Theater from their start in 1986 until then in 2004. Now that's an interesting view, seeing Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, and John Myung, 20 years younger.

The ONLY thing holding me back from giving this DVD 5 stars is some careful consideration: thinking about the albums I consider to be 5 stars, I just can't put it in the same league as albums like Wish You Were Here, Thick As A Brick, and this band's own Metropolis Part 2. But, my recommendation is, if you enjoy music, you buy this DVD. 4 (but kinda should be 5)/5 stars.

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