Product Details

• Actors: Dream Theater
• Directors: Dream Theater
• Format: Blu-ray, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Eagle Vision
• DVD Release Date: October 18, 2011
• Run Time: 246 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B005JJSGBW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,747 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Filmed at Tokyo s famous Budokan Hall in April 2004, this Blu-ray captures Dream Theater on the tour in support of their 2003 album Train Of Thought . Most of the tracks from that album are included along with songs from right across their career. Dream Theater s musical virtuosity is renowned and their live performances are legendary and this show from Japan is undoubtedly one of their finest. Filmed in high definition and now released on Blu-ray for the first time this is undoubtedly Dream Theater at their very best. / Bonus Features: Riding The Train Of Thought Documentary / John Petrucci Guitar World / Jordan Rudess Keyboard World / Mike Portnoy Drum Solo / Dream Theater Chronicles 2004 Tour Opening Video / Instrumedley Multiangle Bonus / Line-up: James LaBrie (vocals, percussion); John Myung (bass, stick); John Petrucci (guitar, vocals); Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals); Jordan Rudess (keyboards) / TRACK LISTING: 1) As I Am 2) This Dying Soul 3) Beyond This Life 4) Hollow Years 5) War Inside My Head 6) The Test That Stumped Them All 7) Endless Sacrifice 8) Instrumedley 9) Trial Of Tears 10) New Millennium 11) Keyboard Solo 12) Only A Matter Of Time 13) Goodnight Kiss 14) Solitary Shell 15) Stream Of Consciousness 16) Disappear 17) Pull Me Under 18) In The Name Of God

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible work of remastering...two thumbs up!!! October 21, 2011

By Alberto F. Gomez

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

All the flaws that were present in the original DVD release (I had two copies) were completely removed in this BD version, worth every single penny the upgrade. If you are a DT fan, please do yourself the favor of getting this jewel, it may not be the best concert from them from the performance, or musicaly talking, some may argue about the James performance (after some incident with seafood while vacationing in Cuba, and his vocal cords condition) but it is with no doubts, the best concert they have ever filmed technically talking...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Theater is shock and awe! November 7, 2011

By xi

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had the DVD version of this concert. After I read the reviews from two previous reviewers, I decided to buy the blu-ray version. I have nothing to add. I would beg Dream Theater to upgrade all their previous DVDs to blu-ray. I will buy them all. I just went to their "A Dramatic Turn of Events" concert down here in Houston, TX. I hope they will issue a blu-ray disk for that tour too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest Dream Theater concert on Blu-ray July 28, 2012

By Ian Martin

Format:Blu-ray

Dream Theater 'Live at Budokan' is one of a handful of concert DVDs that continues to wow me completely. On 5 October, 2004 at the peak of their abilities, Dream Theater played at the Budokan, Japan. Although eight years ago and since then they have had other concert DVDs like the majestic 'Score', this is their landmark concert High Definition DVD. This review highlights why I repurchased 'Live at Budokan' on Blu-ray.

I love watching live music and have been fortunate enough to see Dream Theater play in Brisbane, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. This Blu-ray is possibly as good as it gets other than being at their concerts. Indeed some may say it's better. At least in the comfort of your home you can manage the volume to what suits you plus have close-up views that only binoculars could achieve. (I make this comment as the Auckland concert was excessively loud and at times there was possible distortion.)

Back to this Blu-ray which is most beautifully crafted and meets all my requirements for a perfect concert. i.e. great sound, crystal clear visuals, a massive selection from their discography plus additional long instrumental breaks with the camera following the person playing the solo. (It always frustrates me when the drummer plays a brilliant fill and the camera man zooms on the vocalist who is not even singing. This fortunately doesn't happen on this recording because Mike Portnoy, the drummer, and John Petrucci, the guitarist produce it.) Clearly Dream Theater projected their creative and hard-working ethic to the production values of this Blu-ray. The original recording had been carefully thought through, even to the placing of the cameras for excellent closeups for each member.

The original DVD was previously unsurpassed in sound and video quality. The Blu-ray version is crisper - yes, the colors more vivid and richer and what I particularly noticed was the shine and sparkle on items like the Sabian cymbals. You notice small details like the glint on wedding rings, the reflection off Petrucci's guitar. It's these details that take an already brilliant high definition DVD and makes the viewing experience even more impact full. I was taken aback as to how beautiful the primary color lighting looks on Blu-ray. This is an amazing quality recording.

Yet I did not repurchase this for a visual improvement as I had thought my existing DVD copy was great. I bought this for the DTS HD Master Audio and the sound improvement is significant. Referring to 'As I am' the opening track of the concert you immediately notice a significant improvement in the bass levels. The opening bass note of the first bar is strong and resounds with a power not experienced on the 5.1 sound.

Overall there is a greater richness on the Blu-ray as you hear the growl and tone of Myung's bass together with the warmth of Portnoy's toms. There seems far greater dynamic range with the bottom end of both the bass guitar and the bass pedal more forceful. My sub-woofer gets a real workout yet the high range notes of the keyboard still ring out. There is greater separation with no difficulty to hear all four instruments and vocals. The many rapid unison guitar and piano lines over Myung's bass is wondrous. In Petrucci's solos you can hear the subtleties of tapping plus string wrenches. If anything the sound detail also shows their flaws so LaBrie sometimes doesn't quite hit the note, but after a marathon two hour fourty-five minute concert, I am not surprised.

For those who have woken up a decade after he was already one of the world's greatest prog-rock drummers, this concert is a Mike Portnoy showcase. (Mike Portnoy is sadly no longer with DT.) Disc two has all the extras including the Portnoy solo and the Instrumedley - which allows you to focus just on Mike for a monstrous drumming display. That doesn't mean there is no solo drumming in the concert. Far from it! You're in for a surprise as the keyboard drum battle during 'Beyond this life' is like an added drum solo. I found this the highlight of the opening barrage of 3 songs - Rudess and Portnoy seem to have such fun and Portnoy gets to inventively show off what every little cowbell, percussion and timbale sounds like on his enormous double set of drums. He really shows how musical he is as he copies Rudess's keyboard lines on the kit.(Of course a few blizzards of bass drum bliss are effortlessly displayed throughout!)

The first twenty minutes of this concert are some of the heaviest moments of synchronised Dream Theater mayhem; the end of 'This Dying Soul' shows the most frighteningly fast unison lines of Petrucci and Rudess. Mesmerising! Portnoy is so solid as he segues from one time signature into the pounding grundge time midway through 'This Dying Soul' - makes you want to bounce with LaBrie as well. As LaBrie states 'We have one hell of a show coming at you, this evening'. At this stage of the concert you're only two songs in and sixteen still to come. As on any DT creation you'll see why Petrucci is arguably the most technically gifted rock guitarist in the world today. Combined with Myung, Rudess and their powerful vocalist, LaBrie, this is the benchmark of prog metal virtuosity. If you like intense, inventive heavy rock music that requires repeated listening, this is a wonderful value Blu-ray - brilliant!