Dream Theater - Metropolis 2000: Scenes From New York (2001)

More than a live show, a feature length Music Video.

This DVD kicks. The band plays a very strong show here. The show is an editing masterpiece and stands to me as a classic of cinema. This DVD tells a story. An exciting one.

James, as per usual on official live releases doesn't really seem up to snuff. About 1/5. He's better actually, on every other Metropolis 2000 and Scenes from a Memory 1999 tour show I've heard. Every one. Whatever the case, if it bothers you, just sing along, and if it doesn't, sing along anyways. I watched it, knowing how he otherwise sings the material and played it loud. I'd blow up my speakers for the awesomeness of this.

The band is about a 4/5. Great show, but not cutting into the time signatures like they do in some of their really spectacular shows. Every song is great to hear, except maybe 'A Change of Seasons'. It's probably the weakest take they've ever done of that song. Shame.

The bonus documentary is about thirty minutes, includes the rest of the songs not found elsewhere on the DVD from the show, and give a nice inside look at the band and what's involved.

Overall, 5/5 for this one. I'll watch it again, and rock out. The sound quality as a recording is excellent as usual. The editing is what really makes this shine. Though it is not the bands best show, that doesn't matter at all. This is a motion picture classic. December 29, 2008

Missing Songs

I have this concert and it is really great, but i wonder why some important songs were not included in the DVD, for example, Acid Rain, New Millenium, Jordan Rudess Keyboard Solo, Learning to live, etc. Does anybody knows if this part of the concert was released on a different DVD edition? Becasuse it would be amazing to see Jordan Rudess playing the old DT songs with a new style. May 22, 2008

Reviews from Calgary on SCENES FROM NEW YORK

Not a bad DVD. I think I may have hyped myself up to expect more than what it actually was, or something a little different than what it is, but even though it wasn't what I anticipated, it's still good - it's still Dream Theater.

I think I expected more of a straight-forward live coverage of a concert video (like the way LIVE AT BUDOKAN was shot), rather than so much multi-angle inset shots with all kinds of video effects to give it different feels of psychedelica and what have you.

I did like the film noir portions that helped illustrate the story, and this is what I expected more of, since the METROPOLIS tour/concert was a complete performance of the enitre epic concept album from start to finish. However, I really expected more theatrical content, be it actors and props on-stage (all there was of that, was one actor reading the spoken parts of the Therapist), or more video footage on a bigscreen backdrop (more "film noir" and less "psychedlica").

I was only going to give this video 3 stars, but I decided to give it 4, cos I am sure once I watch it a few more times, I will come to enjoy it more, despite it not meeting my expectations. I may even wish I had given it a full 5?


WTW May 7, 2008

Pure progressive rock performance.

Really liked this dvd a lot, specially watching my favorite Dream Theater album being played live. Sound quality is good, image quality is good, I already knew the plot of the album so it bothered me having to watch those alternating scenes from the movie instead of the band, but I recognize that it really complements the show for those who don't know what the album's about.
The end of Finally Free, where Mike Portnoy almost pops his heart out... I hated not having a decent camera focusing on that.
Anyway, completely satisfied with it. January 3, 2007

Great band, great concert, TERRIBLE DVD

First, I have to sayI love Dream Theater, but this DVD is a wreck. Want some explanations? Here they are:
- The visual effects are so cheesy and annoying that I don't wanna watch the DVD at all. Who ever the video editor is, he needs to be slapped for doing such a bad job for a big band. All the flashing images, scrolling lyrics, b&w low res background video, color whirling, screen-splitting make me feel like I'm watching some videos made by some idiotic noob on youtube. Once again, whoever the video editor is, he needs to be fired.
- Where is 5.1 sound? Where is DTS? o_O Come on people, this is Dream Theater, not the Beatles in the '70, give the audience some good sound. Whoever the sound editor is, this idiot should be slapped and fired with the video editor.
- Fullscreen video. What? Full screen video?? You gotta be kidding me, it's fullscreen! Grrrr...

All right, that's quite enough for the bad's, now here's the good's
- Hair! They all had long hair in this DVD, I love it!!
- The new guy Jordan Rudess is incredible!
- Great music, great skills from every member of the band.

That's it. I'm out.
December 5, 2006

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