''Live at Budokan'' is the fourth live album by American
progressive metal
Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...
band
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 in Boston, Massachusetts. The band comprises John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Portnoy (drums), James LaBrie (vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards).
Dream Theat ...
, released on October 5, 2004, available on either 3 CDs, 2
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
s, or 1
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of ...
. It was recorded at the
Nippon Budokan Hall
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wres ...
in
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
on April 26, 2004.
Due to time constraints, the songs "The Great Debate", " Under a Glass Moon" and "Caught in a Web", which was set to include an extended drum solo, were removed from the setlist at the last minute, although it can be seen recorded in Osaka as part of the extra features of the DVD and Blu-ray versions. Additionally, during the credits, an instrumental version of the song "Vacant" is played in the background.
According to the Commentary Track on their "When Dream And Day Reunite" Official Bootleg Live DVD,
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess (born Jordan Charles Rudes; November 4, 1956) is an American keyboardist, composer, and software developer, best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.
Early lif ...
had an equipment malfunction during the first few minutes of the live concert that played either the incorrect sound, no sound at all, or random notes a half step upward in pitch. Nevertheless, Rudess mimed playing the correct parts as he realized they would have to be re-recorded during post-production. This technical error may be the reason for the additional 8-minute improvised jam section during the evening's performance of "Beyond this Life". Rudess played his Kurzweil K2600 as a master keyboard in live shows up to this point, but he began using a Korg OASYS for subsequent Dream Theater album cycles from Octavarium until Black Clouds & Silver Linings. Ironically, he would encounter the same problem with a
Roland
Roland (; ; or ''Rotholandus''; or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was mil ...
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with Mike Portnoy before Portnoy's absence from the band 2010-2023 ...
,
John Myung
John Ro Myung ( ; born January 24, 1967) is an American bassist and a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater.
Background and personal life
Born in Chicago to South Korean parents, Myung grew up with John Petrucci on Lon ...
,
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess (born Jordan Charles Rudes; November 4, 1956) is an American keyboardist, composer, and software developer, best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.
Early lif ...
,
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American musician who is primarily known as the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater.
In September 2010, Portnoy announced his departure fro ...
Stream of Consciousness
In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode or method that attempts "to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind" of a narrator. It is usually in the form of an interior monologue which ...
" – 10:55
# "Disappear" – 5:55
# " Pull Me Under" – 9:00
# "In the Name of God" – 17:36
# Credits – 3:11
Disc two
Documentary and Extra Features:
* "Riding The Train Of Thought": Japanese Tour Documentary – 29:46
* John Petrucci "Guitar World" – 6:27
* Jordan Rudess "Keyboard World" – 6:43
* Mike Portnoy Drum Solo – 12:08
* "The Dream Theater Chronicles": 2004 Tour Opening Video – 5:43
* "Instrumedley" Multiangle Bonus – 12:03
;Blu-ray
Contains all content from the DVD set on one Blu-ray Disc, with the concert being presented in 1080p and remastered audio and the extra features largely in 480p.
Personnel
*
James LaBrie
Kevin James LaBrie (born May 5, 1963) is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead singer of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, which he has been fronting since 1991.
Early life
Kevin James LaBrie was born in Penetanguishene, ...
–
Lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...
*
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with Mike Portnoy before Portnoy's absence from the band 2010-2023 ...
–
Guitar
The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
,
backing vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
*
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess (born Jordan Charles Rudes; November 4, 1956) is an American keyboardist, composer, and software developer, best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.
Early lif ...
John Myung
John Ro Myung ( ; born January 24, 1967) is an American bassist and a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater.
Background and personal life
Born in Chicago to South Korean parents, Myung grew up with John Petrucci on Lon ...
–
Bass guitar
The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American musician who is primarily known as the drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater.
In September 2010, Portnoy announced his departure fro ...
–
Drums
The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...
,
backing vocals
A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
Production
*Produced By John Petrucci & Mike Portnoy
*Recorded & Engineered By Nigel Paul
*Assistant Engineer: Jon Belec
*Mixed By Kevin Shirley
*Digital Editing: Patrick Woodward
*Mastered By Howie Weinberg
Charts
RIAA Certifications
These statistics were compiled from the
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) operates an awards program based on the certified number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. They only apply to the DVD.
*''Gold'' - January 26, 2005
*''Platinum'' - January 26, 2005