Dream Theater Captivates Phoenix On Their Final Tour Date

Article By Megan Juarez-Fontana
Photos By Michael Olivas

Progressive rock is the name of the game for the night! The headlining band was none other than Dream Theater! An amazing band who can truly show you the magic that comes from intricate and technical metal that is taken to a whole new level.

Fans were eagerly entering the venue and finding their seats. The area that is usually use for standing general admission has been turned into a seating area with rows of chairs.

The first band to go on stage was Devin Townsend. Townsend is a vandalism musician/singer/songwriter who started his career when he founded his band Strapping Young Lad. Strapping Young Lad is an extreme metal band. Townsend also has a solid career which is what he is currently on tour for. His current touring like up is made up by Devin Townsend – guitars/lead vocals, Mike Keneally- guitars/keyboard/vocals, James Leach – bass and Darby Todd – drums. Townsend opened up the night with “Lightworker”. The audience clapped as they came onto the stage and began to perform. Townsend had one of the best performances of the night. He moved all over the stage with high energy that captivated the audience. On top of that he also interacted with the audience.

The second band to go onstage was Animals As Leaders. This band is an all instrumental only progressive band from Los Angeles, California. Many people enjoyed listening to their set. Their songs meld into each other alarmist creating a continuous song that tells a story. The band does not move around on the stage nor do they really interact with the audience. They come onto the stage and play their hearts out.

The final artist to come onto the stage was progressive metal band Dream Theater. This band is made up by John Petrucci– guitars/backing vocals, John Myung-bass, James LaBrie-lead vocals, Jordan Rudess-keyboards and Mike Mangini-drums. The band opened up with “The Alien” from their 2021 album A View From The Top of the World. The fans screamed and clapped as the band began to perform. Everyone was excited to watch the legendary Petricci perform. His guitar skills were one of the best. This band creates songs that are technically sound and amazing to heads. The band poses a skill to create complex songs that truly capture your attention. This band transcended generational trends and people of all ages are captivated by this band. Their set was lively, energetic and full of fun. Not one person left bored instead everyone wanted more by the time their set had ended.