Dream Theater’s upcoming Paris concert will be a major milestone on their 40th-anniversary tour, as the progressive metal giants plan to record the show for a Blu-ray and live album release. Mike Portnoy, the band’s founding drummer who rejoined the group in 2023 after a 14-year hiatus, recently shared the news during an interview on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation.” Although their opening night at London’s O2 was filmed for archival purposes, the November 23 Paris show will be officially documented for fans, capturing the band’s anniversary celebration on a grand scale.
Portnoy elaborated on the tour’s two-part structure, explaining that the current shows focus on celebrating Dream Theater’s 40-year journey. This phase of the tour will run for the first six to eight months, featuring fan-favorite songs and iconic moments. In mid-2025, however, the band will shift gears to support their upcoming album Parasomnia, slated for release in February 2025. The Paris live album will likely be one of two planned releases, as the band aims to document performances from both phases of this extensive tour.
Reflecting on his emotional return to the stage with Dream Theater, Portnoy described their first performance at London’s O2 as surreal. Standing in front of a packed arena of dedicated fans who traveled from around the globe, he felt the significance of the reunion and the band’s shared history. The venue itself added to the weight of the event, as it holds iconic memories, such as Led Zeppelin’s reunion and Genesis’s farewell performance. Portnoy admitted that the energy and anticipation made it one of the most nerve-wracking yet unforgettable nights of his life, marking both a career and personal high point.
Dream Theater’s journey spans nearly four decades, with Portnoy founding the band alongside guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung in 1985. Over two decades, he helped craft ten albums, including early classics and fan favorites, before leaving in 2010. After his departure, Mike Mangini took over drumming duties for five studio albums and numerous tours. Now, Portnoy’s return brings a renewed sense of unity and momentum as the band celebrates their legacy with the fans.
Looking ahead, Dream Theater’s new album Parasomnia, produced by Petrucci and mixed by Andy Sneap, is set to release on February 7, 2025. With Hugh Syme contributing his artistic vision to the album cover, and the first single Night Terror already available with a powerful music video, fans can expect this latest project to deliver the band’s signature complexity and creativity. The upcoming live recording in Paris will not only celebrate the band’s past but also capture the excitement surrounding their future, offering fans a piece of Dream Theater history.
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