Dream Theater "Once In A Livetime"

Dream Theater "Once In A Livetime"

album cover

Dream Theater
Once In A Livetime
The Story
"Once In A Livetime" captures the progressive metal group Dream Theater live in Paris, France on a summer evening in 1998. The live format allows the quintet to stretch out even more than on their studio releases, and most cuts clock in between six and fourteen minutes. Thankfully, singer James LaBrie's audience interaction is kept to a minimum ("Put your hands in the air everybody!"), so most of the 155 minutes of audio content is brilliantly executed prog, with improvised solos by guitarist John Petrucci, drummer Mike Portnoy and keyboardist Derek Sherinian. "Once In A Livetime" also captures a favorite ploy of Dream Theater -- quoting other band's material in solos, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird", Metallica's "Enter Sandman", themes from "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" and "Flight Of The Bumblebee". Dream Theater does it again.
The Music
=== DISC 1 === Vocal
03:56 A Change Of Seasons I: The Crimson... Vocal
03:05 A Change Of Seasons II: Innocence Vocal
01:24 Puppies On Acid Vocal
05:53 Just Let Me Breathe Vocal
10:34 Voices Vocal
12:20 Take the Time Vocal
01:54 Derek Sherinian Piano Solo Vocal
13:13 Lines In The Sand Vocal
09:27 Scarred Vocal
03:17 A Change Of Seasons IV: The Darkest Of.. Vocal
04:09 YTSE Jam Vocal
06:59 Mike Portnoy Drum Solo Vocal
=== DISC 2 === Vocal
14:11 Trial Of Tears Vocal
07:01 Hollow Years Vocal
06:16 Take Away My Pain Vocal
05:16 Caught In A Web Vocal
06:45 Lie Vocal
07:50 Peruvian Skies Vocal
08:06 John Petrucci Guitar Solo Vocal
08:15 Pull Me Under Vocal
06:16 Metropolis Vocal
04:13 Learning To Live Vocal
03:49 A Change of Seasons VII: The Crimson... Vocal
The Artists
John Petrucci Guitars, Vocals
Mike Portnoy Drums, Percussion, Vocals
Derek Sherinian Keyboards
James LaBrie Vocals, Percussion
Jay Beckenstein Alto Sax on "Take Away My Pain"
John Myung Bass
Kevin Shirley Engineering, Production
Alex Goodison Engineering Assistance
Ian Dyckoff Engineering Assistance
Rich Alvy Engineering Assistance
Leon Zervos Mastering
Storm Thorgerson Cover Design
Sam Brooks Cover Design
Peter Curzon Graphics, Illustrations
Rupert Truman Photography
Jason Reddy Computer
Janet Balmer Live Photography
George Chin Live Photography
Recorded at Le Bataclan, Paris, France on June 25th, 1998 with Manor Mobiles.

Mastered at Absolute Audio, NYC.