Amongst the likes of The Who and Pink Floyd sit the more progressive rock and metal pioneers Dream Theater on the list of top fifteen concept albums by Classic Rock Magazine. That’s right, Dream Theater’s Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory is considered one of the greatest concept albums alongside legendary records like The Who’s Tommy and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. But would you believe us if we said that Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory is also celebrating its 20th anniversary? That’s right, Dream Theater’s fifth full studio album is now over two decades old and the band and their fans are ready to celebrate.
In honor of the album, Dream Theater has taken to the road for a live tour around the world. However, with an entirely new album released back in February, it only made sense for them to also tour in support of their new music as well.
Deemed the Distance Over Time Tour after the name of their 2019 album, the metal rockers embarked on their first full tour in over a year. Kicking off the original leg this past March, the guys made their way around North America for a nearly thirty-date trek before heading to Europe for most of the summer. But the fun wouldn’t end there.
Following high ticket demand, Dream Theater announced a second North American run of the Distance Over Time Tour which kicked off on September 26 in Louisville, Kentucky. Set to make their way back around the United States and Canada through November, Dream Theater will take a brief break before heading straight to South America in December and back to Europe at the start of 2020. Talk about a busy year.
With a bit of a complicated tour promotion, it might be hard to decipher what fans should expect to see from the Grammy-Nominated metal legends this time around. Fortunately, we are here to ease some of that stress as we dish out all of our tour spoilers for Dream Theater’s 2019 Distance Over Time Tour. Check them out!
What type of venues is Dream Theater playing at?
Throughout both of the North American runs, the guys have mainly played at larger theaters and amphitheaters. However, with such high demand, they’ve had to book multiple nights in certain cities.
Considering the tour is promoting both, are they putting more emphasis on Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory or Distance Over Time?
There’s not necessarily a firm answer. While the band does play Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory in its entirety, they open and close the show with a bunch hits off of Distance Over Time. So expect a fairly good combination of both!
What does the setlist look like?
The setlist has been split into two parts or acts every night. The first set consists of songs from Distance Over Time such as “Untethered Angel,” “Paralyzed,” “Barstool Warrior” and “Pale Blue Dot.” Then, as mentioned earlier, the entire second act features Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory as Dream Theater performs the album from start to finish with minimal breaks in between each song. It’s definitely a set to remember.
Do they play anything else?
While most of the setlist consists of Distance Over Time and Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory tracks, you should expect to hear a few other hits every night. So far, they’ve played “A Nightmare to Remember” off of their 2009 album Black Clouds & Silver Linings and “In the Presence of Enemies, Part I” from their 2007 album Systematic Chaos. And while their setlist hasn’t changed from night-to-night just yet on this leg of the tour, we wouldn’t put it past them to add a surprise or two before tour’s end.
How about an encore?
Yes. Expect a pretty epic ending to every show featuring the song that absolutely shreds off of Distance Over Time — “At Wit’s End.” Starting with an unreal guitar solo (not atypical for Dream Theater), the track is the perfect way to end the show every night. And if you thought the recorded version was nuts, just wait until you hear it live.
Can we see a full setlist?
Look no further…
What about production?
The production of this tour is actually quite interesting. While it’s somewhat simple overall, for a metal rock band, they utilize what they have quite efficiently. For starters, the stage has a multi-level setup, allowing for every member to stand out at their respective stage positions, especially drummer Mike Mangini who sits front and center alongside his massive cymbal setup. Of course, the colorful and strobing light effects perfectly compliment the intense performance of such a hard rock band while the large monitor backdrop serves as its own art piece, displaying different works to match every performance.
Any surprises?
There haven’t been any special guests on this tour just yet, however fans should expect extended versions of already masterful songs and they're epic. Get ready for some jaw-dropping guitar solos and frequent riffs, but that’s probably not much of a surprise given their talent and acclaim.
Where are they playing next?
Check out all of the remaining North American dates on Dream Theater’s 2019 Distance Over Time Tour below and don’t forget to grab tickets at LiveNation!
2019 Distance Over Time North American Tour Dates:
10/01 – Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center
10/02 – St. Louis, MO @ Stifel Theatre
10/04 – Baltimore, MD @ Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center
10/05 – Raleigh, NC @ Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
10/06 – Richmond, VA @ Dominion Energy Center
10/08 – Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Performing Arts Center
10/09 – Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
10/11 – New Brunswick, NJ @ State Theatre New Jersey
10/12 – Albany, NY @ Palace Theatre – Albany
10/15 – Brookville, NY @ Tilles Center for the Performing Arts at LIU Post
10/17 – Chattanooga, TN @ Tivoli Theatre
10/18 – Memphis, TN @ Graceland Soundstage at Elvis Presley’s Memphis
10/19 – Biloxi, MS @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi
10/22 – San Antonio, TX @ Majestic Theatre – San Antonio
10/23 – El Paso, TX @ Abraham Chavez Theatre
10/24 – Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center – Ikeda Theatre
10/26 – Tucson, AZ @ Tucson Music Hall
10/27 – El Cajon, CA @ Magnolia Performing Arts Center
10/28 – Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center
10/30 – San Jose, CA @ San Jose Civic
11/01 – Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort
11/04 – Omaha, NE @ Orpheum Theater – Omaha
11/05 – Madison, WI @ Capitol Theater – Madison
11/06 – Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
11/09 – Syracuse, NY @ Crouse Hinds Theater
11/11 – Kitchener, ON @ Centre In the Square
