LIVE REVIEW: Mike Portnoy's Shattered Fortress - Perth, November 20th 2017

When news rolled out that Mike Portnoy had performed the entire 12 Step Suite from Dream Theater’s back catalogue earlier this year during Yes’s Cruise To The Edge as part of his 50th birthday, little did we know that months down the track we would be seeing that same performance ourselves here in the western remote city of Perth of all places. As a huge fan of both Dream Theater and of Mike Portnoy’s unique drumming style, to see the concept of The Shattered Fortress come to life before our very eyes and ears, especially since Portnoy is no longer in Dream Theater, is a prog dream come true.The tour rolled into Perth on Monday night to a small but dedicated crowd that were clearly there to see the drum god himself.

The 12 Step Suite is a massive concept spawned over 5 albums in a 7 year period, a period which to me is considered to be some of Dream Theater‘s best releases and the fact these coveted songs are on them is no coincidence. Mike’s drumming ability is matched only by his brilliant mind in coming up with idea’s for songs that contain both complex parts and strong hooks and melody and it shows in the songs he had a large part in. The 12 Step Suite – The Glass Prison, This Dying Soul, The Root Of All Evil, Repentance, and The Shattered Fortress – were the main feature of the night, songs that Mike had never had the opportunity to perform live with Dream Theater before his departure back in 2010. So to see these songs being performed live both for the first and last time ever in the order that they were conceived and originally planned out in it’s concept will be a highlight to remember for many years to come.

For those that don’t know the back story, the idea was inspired by Portnoy’s rehabilitation for alcohol abuse which he seeked treatment for and which became the basis for these songs known as the 12 Step Suite. Being deeply personal both lyrically and musically, they are some of Dream Theater’s most iconic tracks and also some of their most heaviest and more technical, balanced out with some awe-inspiring melodies and atmospheric moments. From the hard hitting epic “The Glass Prison” to the finale that is the so called title track of the concept, these are a beastly set of tracks which were done justice at tonight’s show.

Mike Portnoy's Shattered Fortress - Perth Australia 2017 | Photo Credit: Linda Dunjey Photography

Before these set of songs were performed however, we got to witness a few older Dream Theater numbers in the likes of such tracks as “Regression“, “Overture 1928” and “Strange Deja Vu” all off the “Scenes From A Memory” album which was sort of the theme of the night, keeping in line with the concept idea. The now vintage “The Mirror” branched off that theme for a moment before the 12 Step Suite kicked in as the band warmed the crowd up before the main feature for the night.

Backing Mike Portnoy was UK prog band Haken who were just in Australia on their own tour last month, a band who clearly have been influenced by Dream Theater as their own style of music is along the same lines as the prog giants themselves. With main guitar duties being handled by Neal Morse Band guitarist Eric Gillette taking on the mighty John Petrucci‘s guitar parts, the band were the perfect fit to compliment Portnoy’s drum beat and stay fairly true to the original songs and they did just that down to a tea. Despite the rhythm section sitting a little low in the mix, sonically it was a pretty pleasing affair as they ripped through each and every track as if it were their own. Even Portnoy seemed comfortable getting back to tracks that haven’t been in his live sets for a number of years now (hard to believe it’s been 7 years since Dream Theater now) but given the story behind these songs, it made sense that he was pretty much on point as if they were still regulars to his live shows.

Once the 12 Step Suite was completed, the band took the encore stage of the show to return to “Scenes From A Memory” and bust out some of the better cuts from that legendary release including the groove based “Home“, the dazzling instrumental “Dance Of Eternity” which was a big highlight of the night and the show closer “Finally Free“. Despite the show going for a solid 2 hours, it seemed to whizz by super quick as the fans were screaming for more by the time the band walked off the stage but after that epic performance, we easily got our money’s worth and without a doubt, it will be one for the ages as it’s probably something we won’t ever get to see again.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos by Linda Dunjey Photography