Once in a Livetime [Live]

Once in a Livetime [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Some find this New York quintet pretentious, but those with a taste for intelligent, dramatic, over-the-top heavy rock appreciate the band's musical finesse and forgive the songs that are less than stellar. What makes Dream Theater a concert attraction is their impressive extended solos and jams. Intros and passages carry over, serving as a splice from one track to the next. Unexpected riffs, such as themes from Star Wars, Close Encounters, and "Flight of the Bumblebee" (a metal staple), surface here and there, as does "Enter Sandman," in the Metallica-esque "Peruvian Skies." Admittedly, Livetime can be exhausting; numerous tracks run between 6 and 14 minutes, and interaction between frontman James LaBrie and the audience is minimal. Still, this 155-minute, two-CD concert release is a worthy testament to Dream Theater's endurance and passion. --Bryan Reesman

Tracks:

A Change Of Seasons I: The Crimson Sunrise
A Change Of Seasons II: Innocence
Puppies On Acid
Just Let Me Breathe
Voices
Take The Time
Derek Sherinian Piano Solo
Lines In The Sand
Scarred
A Change Of Seasons IV: The Darkest Of Winters
Ytse Jam
Mike Portnoy Drum Solo

Tracks:

Trial Of Tears
Hollow Years
Take Away My Pain
Caught In A Web
Lie
Peruvian Skies
John Petrucci Guitar Solo
Pull Me Under
Metropolis
Learning To Live
A Change Of Seasons VII: The Crimson Sunset

Amazon.com

Some find this New York quintet pretentious, but those with a taste for intelligent, dramatic, over-the-top heavy rock appreciate the band's musical finesse and forgive the songs that are less than stellar. What makes Dream Theater a concert attraction is their impressive extended solos and jams. Intros and passages carry over, serving as a splice from one track to the next. Unexpected riffs, such as themes from Star Wars, Close Encounters, and "Flight of the Bumblebee" (a metal staple), surface here and there, as does "Enter Sandman," in the Metallica-esque "Peruvian Skies." Admittedly, Livetime can be exhausting; numerous tracks run between 6 and 14 minutes, and interaction between frontman James LaBrie and the audience is minimal. Still, this 155-minute, two-CD concert release is a worthy testament to Dream Theater's endurance and passion. --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews:

had to write one due to the previous reviewer.......2007-05-05

because he is out of his mind in saying that James Labrie's vocals are terrible. I'll admit at times on other live releases, i.e. Score he isn't as consistent but on this he's pitch perfect so I don't get what the Labrie hating is for. As for the rest of the album, it is incredible. Great song selection and excellent musicianship and the Petrucci solo (HOLY COW!) is that amazing. All in all, if you like Dream Theater, get this album. You won't regret it.

Dream Theater LIve Album - Good But Not Their Best.......2007-02-01

"Livetime" is a 2 disc live album recorded on the "Falling To Infinity" tour at one show in France. This album covers a lot of ground with material from all of the band's previous studio efforts. I am not sure what it is, but for some reason I like this the least of the three live Dream Theater albums I own. The production is a bit on the muddy side sound wise. The performances are all good with the band proving that they can pull off their intricate music live. Each member of the band gets the opportunity to show off their chops in several solo spots on the album. James Labrie's vocals are at times a bit on the shrill side, almost like he is trying too hard at times. I think his vocal performance on the "Live Scenes From New York" album 3 years later blow this one away. One thing that is unique is how the band throws in snippets of cover songs throughout the performance. At the end of "Peruvian Skies" the band cuts into the instrumental break from Lynrd Skynrd's "Free Bird". John Pettruci plays the famous guitar solo at a breakneck pace in a melding of progressive and southern rock. In other spots on the album the band breaks into bits and pieces from Metallica, Rush, Pink Floyd and others into the mix. Overall this is a good live album, but if you are looking to purchase a live DT disc I would recommend "Scenes From New York City" over this one.

A fantastic live album...DT's first "proper" live album.......2006-11-22

Once in a Livetime, released in 1998, was Dream Theater's first live album, since Live at the Marquee, from 1994, was a mere EP. This is a 2CD set containing almost the entire show from Le Bataclan in Paris, and the only recording they released officially featuring Derek Sherinian on keyboards. Right off the bat, I will mention the one thing holding this from being a full 5-star album (I'd give it 4.5 if I could) are James LaBrie's vocals. His voice is in pretty rough shape on this set...it's certainly listenable and enjoyable, but he really struggles to hit the high notes. But enough...on to the actual music.

The set is bookended by A Change of Seasons, which is split into it's individual parts and spread throughout the set...different, interesting, and neat! What's great about this set are the relatively rare songs DT plays: Lines in the Sand (one of their finest moments), Scarred, which is a criminally underrated gem from the Awake album, Ytse Jam, Take Away My Pain, and Lie. Additionally, they have some fun with Peruvian Skies, throwing in bits of Have a Cigar and Enter Sandman...this version flat out rocks! Take the Time has the coda from Freebird tacked on, and Just Let Me Breathe has the Puppies on Acid intro tacked on to the front. Additionally we get a short Derek solo, a rather pedestrian Mike Portnoy drum solo, and a pretty awesome John Petrucci guitar solo that includes bits from the Liquid Tension Experiment album. One annoying this is that during Take the Time, Mike sings the first verse (they did this quite often live), which sounds a lot weaker than just having James do it. But a small quibble.

Is this the best DT live album? No...in fact, it's the weakest. But it's still damn good, especially when put up against any other band's live output. When judged against DT's stellar live output (especially Live Scenes From New York and Score), this falls short. However, how can you go wrong? This is 2 CDs of live DT playing material from Falling Into Infinity (which is unfairly slagged) and before.....a treat! Well worth the investment in time and money. Enjoy!

Not their best live album but has its moments.......2006-01-31

I've read a lot of good and bad reviews for this album. I do think the production value could have been better but its not as bad as people say. I love James Labrie but this isn't a very good performance by him. I don't think its all his fault, in voices it sounds like the microphone is cutting out when hes screaming. If they couldnt fix the vocals cutting out like that I think they should of just left it off the album. I like the set list a lot and the music is played very well. Some of the songs on here I like better than the originals like peruvian skies and the acoustic version of Take away my pain. Voices should have been left off, Take the time has bad vocals but the end makes up for it. Their are a few other songs were Labries voice goes out on some words but besides that the Cds good.

Another great live DT album, what d'ya expect?.......2005-12-15

I've already said Dream Theater is my favorite band many times, so i'll go right into the album.

This performance in France is SOLID! The musicians (Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, John Petrucci, John Myung) all do very well, even adding an improv. jam in "Take The Time." Why do people think James LaBrie sounds like s*** on this album? He sounds good, IMHO.

The actual show is great. Great Production. Let's go into it right...about...NOW:

The people enter the venue. Time passes. Suddenly, an intro tape for A CHANGE OF SEASONS is played. After the acoustic tape, the band finally kicks in and plays the great instrumental THE CRIMSON SUNSET portion of the 23 minute song then segueing into INNOCENCE. The guitar solo starts it off well, and James sounds great. When it is finished, the band doesn't segue into SEIZE THE DAY. They play PUPPIES ON ACID, the first 1:20 of THE MIRROR. Then they go into JUST LET ME BREATHE. It also sounds great here. This ends the seven-string guitar medley.

Next, the band plays a fan favorite, VOICES. It sounds great here as well. James sounds great here. Up next is what many fans dislike this particular version of the song TAKE THE TIME. The intro is great, and so is the keyboard solo. After the spoken vocal sample, Mike and Derek (I think it's the both of them.) sing the beginning. Then James starts "I think it's time for a chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaange," then lets out an annoying screech. This alone brought this live album criticism. Don't worry, to make up for it, they add a great improv. jam.

Next is a PIANO SOLO from Sherinian. It has a classic sound, then gets into the notes of the next song, then plays the actual synthesizer intro for LINES IN THE SAND. On disc 1, this is my favorite song. The version on Falling Into Infinity is great, but it's a million times better. Since Ty Tabor of King's X obviously wasn't there, Mike sang the backing vocals. Then they play the heavy epic SCARRED. They play the first 9 minutes before going into what I call the "OIAL INSTRUMEDLEY"...

THE DARKEST OF WINTERS portion of A CHANGE OF SEASONS, which sounds great. Then they play YTSE JAM. During YJ's drum solo, it segues into Mike's DRUM SOLO, which is great beats and even the intro from 6:00 is played. This ends disc 1, set 1.

Disc 2, set 2 begins with TRIAL OF TEARS, the epic ballad from FII. Also my favorite song from FII. Sounds great here, and James never sounded better on this album. The melody goes into HOLLOW YEARS which has the clean guitar solo at the beginning. This is then followed by TAKE AWAY MY PAIN, another ballad.

After the "melody medley" the seven-string guitar retunrs with CAUGHT IN A WEB. Admitingly, James doesn't sound that good here, but Mike really helps him. This is followed by the heaviest song here, LIE, another fan favorite. PEtrucci pulls off the solo incredibly.

Next is a favorite song of mine from FII, PERUVIAN SKIES. The guitar solo is well-played and the main riff from ENTER SANDMAN by Metallica is played.

This is followed by an AMAZING 9 minute long solo.

Then comes the band's biggest hit, PULL ME UNDER, whose opening riff is skipped, and goes right into the distorted riff.

The encore consists of a medley. It starts with METROPOLIS, which goes right into the instrumental segment after 2 minutes, then into a breif part of LEARNING TO LIVE, finished with THE CRIMSON SUNSET portion of A CHANGE OF SEASONS.

Overall, this is an exellent live album. A must for any and all DT fans!