Dream Theater Brings Celebration to Majestic Fox Theatre
By Adam Briggs
Prog giants Dream Theater made their highly anticipated stop at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on September 21 for a special evening marking several important milestones in the bands career.
The band, which began their career under the name Majesty, lived up to that former moniker on their latest tour. Their current tour pulls double duty, acting as both support for their 16th studio album, Parasomnia, and a celebration of the band’s forty-year career. The evening was made even more special as it was the first time the band performed in Detroit since drummer Mike Portnoy’s return to the band in 2023. He was joined by vocalist James LaBrie, guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, and keyboardist Jordan Rudess.
To mark these major milestones in their career, the band cooked up a special evening. To kick off the event, the band performed their new album in it’s entirety. The album’s theme, a concept album about sleep disorders, made for a perfect backdrop for the band’s performance. Their set design transported attendees into a dark, ominous bedroom scene. Video boards situated around the stage displayed thematic graphics visually representing each song’s story. During Act I’s finale, “The Shadow Man Incident,” a 15-foot tall sleep paralysis demon in the form of a shadow man loomed over the stage, red eyes peering out across the auditorium.
While the first act celebrated the band’s present, the second act celebrated the band’s long and storied career. While the crowd was loud during the first act, the second act brought those in attendance to another level. The set opened up with the heavy-hitting “As I Am” from 2003’s Train of Thought. For the next 45 minutes, the band weaved through songs from their breakout album Images and Words, Awake, and the band’s magnum opus concept album, Metropolis Part 2: Scenes from a Memory. As a final treat for the crowd, the band ended the evening with a performance of the 20+ minute epic, “A Change of Seasons,” in honor of it’s 30th anniversary. This was particularly special as the band hadn’t performed the song in it’s entirety in decades prior to this leg of the tour.
Dream Theater proved without a shadow of a doubt that they are still on top of their game, even after four decades. Petrucci, Myung, Rudess, and Portnoy sounded as tight as ever for three hours. LaBrie’s vocals shined all night, performing with the same vocal prowess that has defined his career. While some melodic changes were made to accommodate his voice, LaBrie showed off the vocal mastery that has made him such a defining part of Dream Theater’s sound and legacy.
You can see Dream Theater on their current run of shows in the U.S. throughout the end of 2025, and an international tour in the new year. To find more about the band, you can find them on the web at www.dreamtheater.net and on socials @dreamtheateroffical.
Setlist:
Act I:
In the Arms of Morpheus
Night Terror
A Broken Man
Dead Asleep
Midnight Messiah
Are We Dreaming?
Bend the Clock
The Shadow Man Incident
(Intermission)
Act II:
9. As I Am
10. The Enemy Inside
11. Panic Attack
12. Through Her Eyes
13. Fatal Tragedy
14. Peruvian Skies (extended intro and “Wish You Were Here” (Pink Floyd) stinger)
15. Take the Time (extended outro)
Encore:
16. A Change of Seasons (I. The Crimson Sunrise, II. Innocence, III. Carpe Diem, IV. The Darkest of Winters), V. Another World, VI. The Inevitable Summer, VII. The Crimson Sunset)
