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Dream Theater

Images And Words Live In Tokyo/5 Years In A Live Time DVD Set

Review by Greg Olma

This DVD set is a no frills set that basically took the two videos and put them on DVD.  I’m not complaining.  Most of the time, the bonus features are only worth a single viewing and that is about it.  There is good and bad with this set.  I’ll start off with the good, since there is more of that anyway.  With both discs, you get live performances from Tokyo and Europe.  For the Images and Words Live in Tokyo, it is naturally recorded in Tokyo but it is great to see the band very early on in their career.  I did not get into the band until Awake so it was a real treat for me to see this footage.  They also included videos for “Pull Me Under,” “Take The Time” and “Another Day.”  If you have the video tape version, you will want to upgrade to the nice pristine DVD version.

For 5 Years In A Live Time, the tracks are from different shows which gives you a sampling of different venues and stage set-ups.  There is also some great studio footage of Bruce Dickinson singing Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers.” That is not the only star collaboration on offer here.  You also get video of that rare Ronnie Scott’s show where Steve Howe (Yes), Steve Hogarth and Steve Rothery (Marillion) join the band for some cover tunes.  They also tacked on 3 videos (remember them) from the Falling Into Infinity album.

Now, for the bad part.  Maybe it’s me but I tend to like my live DVDs to flow like the concert.  I like to feel like I was at the show.  Both of these releases take video, interviews, and behind-the-scene footage and put them between the live songs.  This really takes away from the live feel.  Also, since the 5 Years In A Live Time DVD has many venues, it break the momentum that the song tries to build.  Don’t get me wrong, I really like these DVDs but they could have made them flow a little better.  That being said, I still feel that this is a “must buy” for any fan.  If you are not familiar with the band, this is a good set to get you started.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.

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