Review: Dream Theater – Quarantième: Live à Paris
Inside Out Music/Sony Music (November 28th 2025)
Reviewer – Chris O’Connor
For those – like myself – who have followed Dream Theater across the arc of their formidable career, the return of founding drummer Mike Portnoy felt nothing short of seismic. Though Mike Mangini proved himself a virtuoso successor, bringing his own precision and flair to the band’s sound, there remained a distinct sense that a vital piece of Dream Theater’s identity had been missing. When news broke that Portnoy was rejoining the fold, it arrived with a wave of relief and excitement – a feeling, for many long-time fans, that the universe had finally snapped back into alignment.
That renewed chemistry was immediately evident on ‘Parasomnia‘, an album that signalled a striking creative rejuvenation for the band. Their ensuing world tour- selling out venues across continents – showcased Dream Theater at their most electrifying. James LaBrie, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, John Myung and, of course, Mike Portnoy performed with a vigour that bordered on defiant, as though driven by a collective imperative to reassert their legacy. The energy on stage was palpable, mirrored by audiences who responded with unrestrained enthusiasm, creating a feedback loop of exhilaration that defined each night of the tour.
Filmed and recorded before a capacity crowd at Paris’s imposing Adidas Arena, ‘Quarantième: Live à Paris‘ captures Dream Theater in a moment of genuine renewal. The performance forms part of the band’s expansive 40th-anniversary world tour – a celebration not only of four decades as one of progressive music’s defining forces, but also of the long-anticipated return of Mike Portnoy. The sense of occasion reverberates through every moment of the release.
The setlist spans the breadth of Dream Theater’s career, weaving early classics, fan favourites and deep cuts with material from their most recent and widely acclaimed ‘Parasomnia‘. The result is both a retrospective and a bold statement of forward momentum. On stage, the band are flamboyant yet razor-tight, playing with the kind of chemistry that can only come from years of shared history – temporarily interrupted, but now fully reignited.
Visually and sonically, the release is crafted to immerse. The production showcases every intricate rhythmic turn, every soaring melody, every dynamic shift that has long defined Dream Theater’s live presence. The thunderous response from the Paris audience only heightens the sense that this concert marks a pivotal chapter: a band simultaneously honouring its legacy and embracing its future.
James LaBrie is in commanding form, leading with an evident sense of joy and sounding stronger than he has in recent years. John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess weave musical complexity with dazzling interplay, while John Myung and Mike Portnoy repeatedly prove why they remain one of the most formidable rhythm sections in progressive music – fluid, powerful and effortlessly precise.
‘Quarantième: Live à Paris‘ is more than a live document; it is a celebration of rebirth, artistry and endurance. For longtime fans, it is a thrilling affirmation. For newer listeners, it stands as a compelling introduction to Dream Theater at their renewed and resurgent best. From the opening chords of the timeless ‘Metropolis Pt. 1’ through the grandeur of ‘Hollow Years’ and the colossal emotional journey of ‘Octavarium’, the band perform with palpable inspiration—feeding off one another with seamless, infectious energy.
This is not merely a live album; it is a testament to friendship, fellowship and sublime musical partnership. Whether delivering the muscular punch of ‘As I Am’ the atmospheric unease of ‘Night Terror’, the technical fireworks of ‘Under a Glass Moon’, the sweeping musical journey of ‘Stream of Consciousness’ the brooding drama of ‘Home’ or the now-immortal ‘Pull Me Under’, the band present a glorious smorgasbord of everything great about progressive rock and progressive metal. Quite simply, it reaffirms why – after forty extraordinary years – Dream Theater remain all but peerless: majestic, dazzling and endlessly inspired.
Long may they reign.
Tracklisting:
Disc 1
- Metropolis Pt. 1 – Live a Paris 2024
- Overture 1928 – Live a Paris 2024
- Strange Deja Vu – Live a Paris 2024
- The Mirror – Live a Paris 2024
- Panic Attack – Live a Paris 2024
- Barstool Warrior – Live a Paris 2024
- Hollow Years – Live a Paris 2024
- Constant Motion – Live a Paris 2024
- As I Am – Live a Paris 2024
Disc 2
- Orchestral Overture – Live a Paris 2024
- Night Terror – Live a Paris 2024
- Under a Glass Moon – Live a Paris 2024
- This is the Life – Live a Paris 2024
- Vacant – Live a Paris 2024
- Stream of Consciousness – Live a Paris 2024
- Octavarium – Live a Paris 2024
Disc 3
- Home – Live a Paris 2024
- The Spirit Carries On – Live a Paris 2024
- Pull Me Under – Live a Paris 2024
Line-up:
James LaBrie – Vocals
John Petrucci – Guitar
John Myung – Bass
Jordan Rudess – Keyboards
Mike Portnoy – Drums