The Iconic Drumming Behind "The Dance Of Eternity" | Dream Theater Song Breakdown

[@DrumeoOfficial]

You can play along with this and many other Dream Theater songs inside Drumeo - Click on the link to get started: www.drumeo.com/trial.

[@coldreading89]

Yeah, sure I can play along! lol. Loved this video!

[@caarriav]

MIKE PLAY ALIEN SON FOR FIRST TIME

[@cristhianmarquez827]

No. No you can not.

[@GuitarooMan93]

No I cannot

[@logiman]

Who are you speaking to?

[@MikePortnoyDT1]

The one you’ve been asking for… 😉 Fun fact: You’re not gonna believe this, but this track was NOT on the list of discussed songs/content before I arrived at Drumeo to shoot. Brandon Toews asked me on the spot if I’d be willing to do it, and I said I was willing to give it a try but that I hadn’t played it in YEARS (since the Shattered Fortress tour in 2017). We decided to give it a whirl without me even listening to the track to review it…hit record and this is what came out! “Like riding a bicycle! Well, more like a unicycle…” 😝😎🥁🚴

[@familiarsting4108]

@Drumeo pin this

[@Tommy_D1021]

No ‘ole faithful for the ride cymbal on this setup. Strange to hear such a washy ride with DT’s music.

[@gialleg]

Great Mike! Do you think you'll continue playing live without a metronome, even though Dream Theater now uses more backing tracks than in the old times?

[@emmanuelgranatello1896]

❤

[@duder6666]

I can't remember where I left my car keys let alone any parts of this song. You're an absolute machine.

[@drummerjosh1989]

The reason it’s called Dance Of Eternity is because it takes an eternity to figure out how to dance to it

[@DerekWhite-yx2ce]

Makes me think of Bob's Burgers

[@navneetsinha1759]

7:30 onwards you can actually catch a glimpse of the dance

[@manzanitadigital6014]

COPYPASTE?

[@CarGuy1807]

I still can't believe we have MIKE FREAKING PORTNOY on Drumeo!

[@ianbergia5013]

He has appeared a lot of times on Drummeo already

[@CarGuy1807]

@@ianbergia5013 I know, that doesn't make it any less insane!

[@horhe0423]

I know right, one of the icons

[@jomo167]

HAHAHAHA I KNOW !!!!!

[@jkorkea]

like 3, and they're part of the same visit.@@ianbergia5013

[@TheDemolishore]

Now waiting patiently for Danny Careys cover

[@Aarghon]

I will be a reckless Portnoy fanboy... But I think we might never see it. I mean, Carey really struggled with YYZ, and this is at leaaaaaast as complex as it is ...

[@michlo3393]

@@Aarghon DC struggled on purposes to pay respect to the late, and great Professor.

[@MetaFootballTV]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂​@@Aarghon

[@inspectrgajit]

Danny will get foo fighters

[@ronkerjake1]

@@Aarghon I mean, Danny would have no issue learning it, it's just a complex arrangement that would take weeks of practice to get down, same as a Tool song.

[@tomlammerse2186]

The fact that Mike Portnoy is still so humble about his performances and sometimes a little insecure, makes me like and respect him even more and speaks volumes to his character

[@GODHATESADOPTION]

Hes sober for yeara now😅

[@jahmanborneo1343]

Met him twice. He's the guy next door. A chill as penguin.

[@AndreDiofanu]

We have Mike Portnoy on Drumeo and Jordan Rudess on Pianote at the same time. What a Time to Be Alive! 🙌

[@zabventure]

John Petrucci on Guitar Tune

[@Amirrudin_ISM]

Do you think we're also getting James LaBrie on vocals? 😃

[@celulari]

@@Amirrudin_ISMNo, please... No

[@xRamZx]

🤣🤣​@@celulari

[@DrumBrother]

HELL YEA

[@romz1]

- How many time signature changes shall we have in this song? - Yes

[@MatthewGoss562]

What is time? 😅

[@beaudereck3122]

Is this your original joke ?! Really funny

[@drookor]

@@beaudereck3122 Maybe original for the context, but the structure of that "joke" has been reused so many times.

[@beaudereck3122]

@@drookori know, it’s getting so old now it’s actually anti-funny

[@doniarianto5112]

​@@beaudereck3122 take some rest dude. You need that.

[@5ringsbarbell51]

As a non drummer who just appreciates intelligence and creativity I watch every video of dance of eternity. Cheers Mike on your masterpiece

[@holaamigo5753]

Im not even a drummer, I started playing the guitar because of John, but I'm more of a fan of Portnoy than Petrucci!

[@robertnettleship5467]

As a gardener who appreciates horticulture I really was impressed

[@fabjtown1]

The guitar and keyboard part are dramatically harder than the drums on this song. There is a reason 16 year old drummers cover this on KZbin and the other instruments aren’t covered.

[@5ringsbarbell51]

@fabjtown1 sorry for liking it I guess?

[@caioaugustosantos]

same here, i have no clue about technical therms about music but it's always great to watch people who are masters talking about what they do!

[@Goo_kazoo]

Scenes changed my life in high school. I want to thank Mike, John, John, Jordan, and James for showing where music can go.

[@gabrielresound]

Time for Danny Carey to learn this!

[@TheDarkhorse82]

on Danny's kit too, so it's got some of his cool drumpad sounds

[@80Wyllyam]

Eh, but he’s got the tutorial! 🤣😂

[@gabrielresound]

@@80Wyllyam then we have higher expectations of him. Hehehe

[@fishhead7704]

Yes!

[@davidsoupprayen6163]

I agree with that

[@levig384]

This song humbled me as a drummer for sure

[@paulhookey9074]

Dude that song would humble any drummer from beginning to God. Lol Mike even said he has a hard time at parts and it's his friggin song lol.

[@anders7996]

Humbled every drummer dude, every one of them 😂

[@portnovi]

Ma no dai..... si può fare

[@snared_]

@@anders7996 Nah, it doesn't even scratch the surface on a lot of technical concepts that many drummers have been performing for decades. It's a huge challenge, don't get me wrong, but it isn't the universal humbler as you put it originally

[@robbledot7290]

@@snared_🤓

[@waltermora8520]

First song I ever actually sat down, broke down, studied and memorized. It's a masterpiece and an anthem, and one that will live on for decades more, I'm sure.

[@sickofyou4408]

Same, it was refreshing as a drummer to finally hear music I couldn't learn after 2 listens 😂

[@zach.hanford]

That's something I miss from when I was a teenager. I used to throw on headphones and play this whole album. Just go in, full zen, and come out 77 minutes later. I have an electronic drum kit now, but it's just not the same as the huge kit I had when I was younger. And I'm not willing to subject my neighbors to that now.

[@BassLux]

@@zach.hanfordyou should get a real one. It doesn’t need to be something fancy. Cut the price by buying used stuff and invest in some noise blocking stuff instead. Your neighbors will be thankful and you get to feel the drums again. I did all that last year and feel complete again ever since my first session.

[@davidseres3030]

The "bad": I don' t enjoy the black sticks... The good: My dislike of black sticks may pale in comparison to the complexity of this song's arrangement and to Mike's ability to remember that complexity(!) - extreme kudos to Mike and to all DT musicians... The inbetween (good and bad): Having listened to only a limited number of DT songs, although I highly admire their musicianship and compositional skills, I tend to prefer melodic range over complexity (for example, "About to Crash" from their "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" album)...

[@umutonuralppolat9352]

I still memorized it with just listening. It might have took around 1000 listens but still

[@linnstr8609]

As a standalone song, it is already insane. However, once you put it into the proper context of the Scenes of a Memory concept album, it is even more of a masterpiece. It's not just a bunch of random musical bits that they put together. In true prog fashion, a lot of the song's contents are based on recurring themes, time signatures, chord progressions, melodies, etc from the album as well as Metropolis part 1. They managed to be creative and package all of that into this monster.

[@ErebosGR]

And conveys perfectly how (recurrent) dreams shift and jump from place to place, while certain elements or themes appear time and time again, sometimes distorted or transformed.

[@linnstr8609]

@@ErebosGR I've never thought of this analogy before, and I've been listening to this album for 20 years. Thanks for giving me a new perspective on this one!

[@Agropio]

​@@ErebosGRAbsolutely! That's why, to me, this track more than any other on the album embodies the concept of actual "scenes from a memory".

[@lopa-u9f]

one of the greatest songs ever

[@utithough7445]

His drumming is so perfect that it makes the song sounds easy to play... what a magic. I won't forget to respect Mangini, but I'm really happy that he is back to Dream Theater. I can't explain clearly, but his play does add something to the band that cannot be replaced by someone else.

[@markz8028]

Vitality and creativity

[@markusbiewer2756]

Mangini is great, but he's missing the Portnoy magic.

[@Centerstrain01]

It's the Human Element..Mangini is a God of course but his timing is too Strict..It misses sometimes the "feel" Mike P Has the "feel"

[@mixmixture7049]

Yeah because most of it he created it. And it blows around the world.

[@scorpiusbalthazar4327]

While Mangini is more gifted, Portnoy just creates better music. I say this despite thinking The Astonishing is their best album ever. I just rather listen to Portnoy's drumming with Dream Theater over Mangini in DT.

[@Paradiddlelydoo]

The talent, the production quality, the SOUND, everything about this was TOP NOTCH! Such a legend we are blessed to be alive at the same time as!

[@thechosenone82517]

in 1994 a friend came to me with the images and words cd in his hand. he only said "u have to hear metropolis part 1" that changed everything in my musical universe. the next 5 or 6 month i never had listen to another album. no mtv, no radio! only images and words. thank you! and im extreme happy that you are back!

[@wardseyssens7474]

I hope you kept that friend close 👏

[@markusbiewer2756]

Same here. I was heavily into Metallica at this time, and my brother gave the IAW CD to me with the words 'listen to that, you will never think that Metallica is the best band again'. And he was so right! Together, we have seen Dream Theater live more than 20 times. We're so happy that Mike is finally back! Looking forward to the next album and tour.

[@TheZxcv12]

This makes me very emotional. Seeing Mike Portinoy playing one of my favorites songs and seeing that he still got it and is back to Dream Theater. Thanks Drumeo for inviting him!

[@tor-erikeidissen9921]

Totally agree! This is my all time drum hero. I've been a fan since mid 90'es. I just love the guy.

[@Trueno-cb8fi]

saw him last year with the winery dogs, I can tell you he never lost it haha.

[@nickentros]

The way Mike's parts build in layers is always his best and most defining characteristic to me, like the 2-3-4-4-3-2 part he explained. Classic Portnoy

[@bidibum]

I spotted something very similar in Learning to live. What a song

[@SICKYPOPP]

its soooo beautiful. love this song@@bidibum

[@ZrinkoF1]

Fatal tragedy shrink-grow to!!!

[@katerindacateringsurabaya7366]

don't forget those legendary morse code. 😂

[@milosjc]

Only the fans are the ones who try to make something out of random, as if trying to comfort themselves and those who are not fans with statements like: "it sounds random but it's not, listen to another 3.5 hours of music from the album "whatever" and you'll understand progressive metal " (but actually all they do is packing and selling jazz as metal - the most ordinary clowns, extremely good musicians who have gone astray). It's obvious I am not the fan...

[@watdeneuk]

Oh man this takes me back. Back when i CONSTANLY listened to DT. Mike was really a fundamental element of DT, what I've been longing for, for years.

[@dstr3ss]

This song cant have a more accurate name, its been decades listening to this song and i cant get bored... Truly one of many masterpieces from Dream theater... And get to see Mike performing it is a treat, thanks guys

[@TTVDefend]

I've always wanted a clean drum track of Portnoy playing this and the day has finally come! Thank you drumeo

[@tiyenin]

The great Mike Porno [0:01 with captions]

[@Blahaj385]

@@tiyenin lol

[@eymardfreire9223]

@@Blahaj385 the cleanest I believe

[@sittingduck4602]

Mike is killing it on Drumeo while Jordan is doing the same on Pianote. Incredible. All we need now are YT channels for the guitar and bass.

[@JBjopa8]

Agreed, especially for bass

[@gregshmkr]

It’s 2024 and you really think there aren’t already channels for that? Lol. The thing is guitar and bass aren’t as entertaining to watch. I believe due to it being a lot harder to understand what’s happening in front of you unless you actually play the instrument.

[@kodychesire]

Might be misremembering but didn't Drumeo at one point start a guitar channel or atleast try to? Guitareo? I recall Rob Scallon being advertised as their first guest.

[@BassCovers90]

There is Scott’s bass Lessons for bass which is pretty similar to this!

[@JBjopa8]

@@BassCovers90 yes I have watched his videos they are really good!!

[@notrightned100]

I'll never get bored of listening to this song.

[@THELASTUYGHUR]

James left the chat 😂😂😂

[@gafflord2684]

I'm a life long guitar player and always loved Petrucci and Dream theatre, but lately the algorithm has decided I like watching drummers, and it's god damn right, watching Mike here makes it make sense why Dream Theatre rule, that was hypnotic to watch dude, rock on \m/

[@svogender]

Same here man... And i love it..!! 🤘

[@Nadi_Games]

I'm a pianist, my beloved boyfriend is a guitarist too, and well ... I'm here too heh 😂 I love Dream Theater's members btw, all of them. Mike Portnoy's personnality seems so endearing. He looks like a really cool & humble guy, really. And funny too 😉

[@DrumRobson]

The instrumedley is what got me into Dream Theater in the first place! Great to hear him discuss it and that there will even be a video of it on Drumeo!

[@tonepoet]

Not a drummer at all, but I've always loved Mike's projects. True musician and capable note crammer. He has some finesse to his playing and his fills are purposeful and never detract anything from the music. Glad he's back in Dream Theater.

[@user-tu9ze2tl7d]

That’s something I think people misunderstand about Mike, he’s not just blazing around the kit at random. All of his parts and patterns have purpose and serve the music. A true master musician and arranger that many “chops” drummers could learn a thing or 2 from.

[@tonepoet]

@@user-tu9ze2tl7d Good points. You can tell that he grew up with musical influences as opposed to a bunch of technical mishmash. He's just able to apply a good bit of technical expertise in tasteful thought into pulling off some tricky stuff.

[@nihilisthetic]

I love how Mike is using one of the in house Tama kits. I'm sure he's played every single kit the company has ever made numerous times, but it's nice to see amazing drummers like him absolutely rip on a kit that's been featured in countless Drumeo vids.

[@JayCord00]

Could listen Mike speaking about songs writing for hours, is passion and energy is really great.

[@Datsem]

Then I hope you've seen his videos on his personal channel where he goes through his LP records

[@simona2695-z6o]

Finally the king is back on his throne. Welcome back Mike!

[@TheSkooterbords]

Growing in the local band scene in our area where battle of the bands are a common thing and where cover bands are almost always present during events, Dream Theater was always the pinnacle of musicianship. Groups who frequently attend the battle of the bands always quote Dance of Eternity, Metropolis Pt. 1, Erotomania, or Overture 1928. And the foundation of my drumming/production ideas has always been Mr. Portnoy himself. There were times when we were young that we would just play the Score DVD all night, obsessing about the ideas we can borrow or transform, but would fail to deliver. Nonetheless, it was a fun, inspiring, and engaging memories that we cherish. We hope and pray that you would play here in the Philippines and it would not postponed again. Thanks Drumeo and Mr. Portnoy.

[@XViTNg]

I think what makes him so impressive in songs like this is the composition. He focuses way more on musicality and composition rather than being overly flashy. I struggled with this a lot - adding too much on top of already complicated riffs my band would write. Watching stuff like this is inspiring. Just cause I CAN add more notes doesn’t necessarily mean I should.

[@rich7290]

The song that change my life! Really, this song was the beginning of all for me. Today I'm a drummer because this song.. Thank you so much Mike Portnoy for ALL.. and thanks a lot to Drumeo for make this happen!!! ❤

[@Lazomusic-77]

No soy baterista, y aún así Mike Portnoy está entre mis mayores influencias a la hora de componer. Su creatividad y orden es espectacular.

[@Centerstrain01]

This man is The Definition of Talent...As drummers WE ARE NOT METRONOMES We are Human! Live performances bring that out even more with excitement playing and I am so glad to hear him say that..plus it might of been a slight dig at Mike M cause that dude is a literal Machine when it comes to time! But the Human Element of Tempo Flux makes theses songs feel Alive! Love his words on that.. 10:18

[@TizianoGiammichele]

The end, with all the "human element" perception and adrenaline' speech about live performance and how to play music it's something "physical"...Totally love it!

[@stuartpatton771]

Oh man, had the privilege of seeing this live on the Scenes From a Memory tour in 2000 at Shepherds Bush Empire. Love the Breaking the Fourth Wall version of this when John Myung is side by side with John Petrucci and playing the same line as lead on bass, and their left hands are synchronised. Just mind blowing.

[@frenziedfortressdrums]

Probably the best sounding kit I've ever heard Mike play on. Super articulate and clear.

[@NikoCastagnetto]

I agree, except for that horrible-sounded china on the right, makes me wanna puke

[@ESNERTO2010]

OK. DT has been one of the few bands that left me speechless and introduced me to different bands, styles and musical eras. As an amateur musician and music lover, this wonderful piece of music means a lot to me. Thank you Mike for coming home again and all the fans around the world are looking forward to what's next in DT's discography with you on drums. There are no words to describe how this album (and this song) influenced me even beyond the musical aspect. Long live to DT!!!

[@LorenzoGalluzzo]

Mike Portnoy is absolutely my favourite drummer.

[@leandrooliveira3321]

It's hard enough to play this song. So imagine composing something like this? Mike is a true genius!

[@seanmenard4012]

Try remembering how to play it too...

[@esovae]

Under the "getting humbled" post earlier, someone said this song doesn't even scratch the surface of drumming difficulty?? ..... Someone's been drinking some weird Kool-Aid lmao🤘🥁🫶 🤷🤦🤣 And very good point, thank you 🙏

[@leandrooliveira3321]

@@esovae 🤣🤣🤣

[@timeddy5549]

I think that all the time about DT. Playing is one thing but damn what the hell goes on in their heads that leads to creating this music

[@leandrooliveira3321]

Same here! ​@@timeddy5549

[@elcidcampeador9629]

Despite all the time changes, this song has incredible musicality and flow that makes it easy to locate and remember each phrase.

[@Agropio]

That's a huge part of why the writing on that whole album is so beautiful and effective. It's musical first and flashy second.

[@CristianoGimenesGoulartFilho]

This is SOOOOO good! He still got it, not only playing the entire song beautifly, but with his feeling and creativity! Just amazing

[@melodic777]

Every musician plays with feeling. Stop using a vague word to characterize what you can’t articulate.

[@CristianoGimenesGoulartFilho]

@@melodic777 hahahaha I was literally complementing the guy without harm anyone else Feel bothered? Just skip the comment you don’t like, fela! Peace ✌🏻

[@felipeleao7562]

@@CristianoGimenesGoulartFilho welcome to the internet hell my friend! People just can't live without pretend to be smart. Btw I completely agree with your comment: Mike still got it!!!! o/o/o/

[@felipeleao7562]

@@melodic777 c'mon bro, you're better than that! Just let the man "articulate" whatever he wants to, the way he wants. I agree wit him, Mike is a special drummer. Mike Mangini, for instance - who btw is a musician that I respect A LOT - doesn't seem to play with the same "felling" than Portnoy does. Of course, be free to disagree, but that is my vision.

[@assemcrghannam5920]

Man i watched this 4 times why i keep watching it is beyond me

[@ganassi988]

This is beyond amazing! Remember when i got the Liquid Drum Theater DVD in 2003 and this song was one of the songs Mike played there just like now on drumeo in 2024!! It was something spectacular back then as an young drummer to see how Mike played these songs... It's still spectacular after 20 years to see him doing the same stuff again and nailing it!!

[@tunnabellthapa]

It's not my first time here, watching again & again! PORTNEY BABY!

[@RoqueSerantes]

The really amazing thing is how well this instrumental works as a central point for the whole album, both thematically and musically. 10 out of 10, this album changed me in so many ways.

[@albertosuella4205]

The bloopers are even better than the whole breakdown of a legendary piece of music. Thanx Mike

[@TheKneezee]

This is incredible. Don’t stop posting videos from Mike Portnoy lol

[@paulie0706]

Holy shit. I had no idea they released the demos for '96-97. I had always wondered what the SFAM would've sounded like with Derek in the band.

[@earthrot666]

watching their stuff live it always just struck me how loose he was and how much fun and natural it seemed to be to him. stellar stellar stuff, so stoked he's back in the band!

[@rhythmindset6996]

I’ll never forget back in the late 90’s when scenes came out Mike was doing a signing at guitar center. Got his autograph then I went and jammed on this song on a kit in the back. Had my eyes closed while jamming then BOOM Mike was standing right in front of me watching. Such an awesome day. Love you Mike!!!!!

[@johnnyagisilaoudrums]

With Mike back in Dream Theater i feel there’s balance in the force again

[@HamiltonPike]

I remember listening to Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory on the bus after a friend (who was a drummer) told me about it. It felt like a whole world was written - like a book. I was also into MtG at that time and it fit really well with some of those books. Really cool album

[@mohammedeus]

6:37 ESSA parte é muito show.. a união de todos os instrumentos casa muito bem

[@mannywillis]

Mike Portnoy is my favorite drumer since John Bonham has passed away, it's such a pleasure that he is back with Dream Theater! I haven't seen any new drummers with so much technical stuff and so much TASTE. Drumeo hasn't selected him in any category and that's just insane.

[@levifig]

One of my favorite songs of my favorite DT album! Love that we got a high quality video recording of this! Thank you for your service to the musical arts, Drumeo!

[@arthurtan2938]

i've listened & studied this song so many times & i still am really fascinated how Portnoy came up making this song. huge respect & admiration for you Mike!

[@daddarioandco]

This whole series is so fantastic. Well done, Mike!

[@emilybalcerak7861]

whoa it's daddario

[@carlospetruccicp]

Had the chance to see DT playing this live (Dec 13th 2005, I remember that day as it was yesterday!), there is no words to describe the level of musicianship of those monsters! Truly Amazing!

[@beerzerker8359]

As a guitar player, this song already makes my head spin rhythmically. Watching Mike just play the drums alone just further solidifies my opinion that these guys are insane for having written something like this. If you really want to understand the most complex aspects of rhythm in music, this song, and Zappa's The Black Page, are the only guide you'll ever need to mastering time changes, in my opinion.

[@mOnStErMACEO]

The man behind the kit playing these gems we love so much!!!! Long live Portnoy!!!!!

[@progmetalkd]

As a keyboard player and drummer to old now to belong to a band, I submitted to you that Dance of Eternity is the graduation song for every drummer... And every keyboardist... And every guitarist... Dang it, it should be taught on every music school !!

[@thephilosophersrant1552]

I got Liquid Drum Theater when it came out on VHS. Publication date says 2001, but that seems a little late. I cannot tell you how many times I watched him play Dance. I had that song memorized. I had all of Scenes From a Memory memorized. Mike just played it almost note for note. I only noticed maybe one or two slight changes. Amazing.

[@UNHchabo]

The Dream Theater portion of Liquid Drum Theater was recorded after they finished Scenes from a Memory, but before they started preparing for the tour. On the DVD commentary track I remember Mike saying that he recorded that footage before *he* had fully memorized how the songs are put together, so they had to put in a few splices. :D I'm almost certain the VHS was released before the DVD, so it's very possible that 2001 was the DVD release date, with the VHS coming out in 2000. But it's hard to find definitive information on that.

[@thephilosophersrant1552]

@@UNHchabo Yeah, I think that's what happened. The VHS came out a year or so before the DVD. That's how things worked back then. And I do remember him saying something on the original video that they didn't have a lot of time in the studio so things could be slightly different. But I had Scenes on CD and it sounded dead on. There were two to three notes which were different even between that version and the Drumeo performance he just did.

[@UNHchabo]

@@thephilosophersrant1552 One in particular that I remember from the commentary is a little halfway through the song: after the bass solo, in between the snare pattern and the hi-hat accents he said that he wished he'd just done 16ths on the double bass instead of the pattern he did on the album and on LDT, he's played 16ths ever since, including in this Drumeo video. :)

[@tuan777]

Anda drummer terbaik dan terhebat dunia karena setiap pukulan anda membuat sangat berarti di setiap komponen drum dan itu sangat bagus. Siapapun mungkin bisa meniru permainan anda tetapi tidak seorangpun bisa sama dengan karakter bermusik anda yang sangat hebat ini. Dan banyak orang bahkan mungkin seluruh dunia dapat menikmati permainan ini. Anda benar benar terbaik ... Salam hormat dan kagum dg anda.

[@BluemanDrummer]

I love you guys❤

[@JulianFernandez]

Mike influenced a whole generation of drummers. thanks for the inspiration!

[@comosar51]

Been waiting for this for so long!

[@josemojicaperez4436]

"Dance... " Blows aways my mind when i listen for first time in 2000... Still a anthem to me. He's the only DT drummer...

[@thedude4672]

I agree with all your sentiments except that Portnoy's the only DT drummer. I thought Mangini did a phenomenal job and embraced him as the drummer for DT while he was with them.

[@horicherniavsky]

Mike Portnoy is a living legend. One of the best drummers to ever walk this earth

[@mssphotography]

I just love that section from 7:40 till 8:12 just amazing

[@markotto9855]

New subscriber. I'm a life long 55 year old Neil Peart fan. Still am. Now..... Just recently fell down the rabbit hole (much the same as Rush) through Dream Theater's incredible keyboard maestro.... Mike Portnoy is my new percussion obsession. It's all about doing algebraic formulas while running a marathon. I'm really impressed with Mike's humor intelligence not to mention he's such a bad ass Mer Fer with a kit. Great showman!

[@dzaino1986]

Stick with Rush, you'll be much better served with musical orchestration and talent..r.i.p N.E.P. Nicest guy I ever had the pleasure of meeting in 2002 backstage. Humble.

[@nicholasvinen]

They're both great. My two favourite rock bands. Third is possibly Avenged Sevenfold.

[@dehoedergia]

@@nicholasvinen Guess I then saw a killer combo. Back when Rev passed away, I saw A7X live with Portnoy behind the kit. Was pretty damn good.

[@davelospinoso9022]

Can't wait to see Mike live with Dream Theater... Haven't been to one of their shows in over 15 years. Thanks drumeo for posting this amazing content, please don't stop lol

[@driftless7134]

Last show I saw was on the Systematic Chaos tour. I'd love to see them again!

[@marcuskastner3756]

It's a technical masterpiece, but it also grooves like hell - and I think that's an even bigger achievement 🙂

100% this. Many can do one of these two things to the extreme - not many are able to combine both!

[@cheeneedejesus6004]

So glad that Mike is back with DT and also i love that Mike is wearing a U.K. shirt. Great band!

[@RepeatedFails]

It's truly freaking fascinating watching any of them play this, but just watching him is mind blowing

[@AustinBlairDrums]

8 am and a new Drumeo Mike Portnoy video? Made my day already!

[@weefek]

This entire album is an absolute masterpiece. Best album ever made. I wish Mike could have been on the 20th anniversary tour. Maybe 30th anniversary?

[@ThyArtIsMetal]

I do believe it’s the 25th anniversary this year!

[@weefek]

@@ThyArtIsMetal you are indeed correct. Hard to believe that was 5 yrs ago that I saw them, and 25 years ago that this came out. Man do I feel old.

[@sergiosala]

We need Metropolis Pt.3 for the next album! Love to see Mike playing this song again

[@miragesnworlds]

Everyone who listens to them (me included) would go fkkn nuts

[@tompramanaaccount8892]

yea they kinda left Metropolis pt 2 to be open ended so Metropolis pt 3 wouldn't be so bad that would be sick tbh.

[@primusdude87]

@@tompramanaaccount8892I wouldn’t say it’s open ended. The therapist is clearly Julian reincarnated, and he for sure kills Nicholas at the end of the album.

[@tompramanaaccount8892]

@@primusdude87 true, that's why i said "kinda" because they can still continue from the ending of pt 2. Even in Dying Soul there's a reference to it from the similar lyrics "Hello mirror so glad to see you my friend it's been a while" even tho it has nothing to do with the story at all.

[@marcoamotta]

​@@tompramanaaccount8892I believe that mirror line was a callback to The Mirror, which was Mike's first endeavour at talking about alcoholism before the AA Suite

[@Thaddeus49]

This song is still one of my favorites to this day. I love this band so much.

[@vikashloitongbam2811]

I love how the drum parts itself has it's own melodies and character and can definitely be a standalone piece by itself and more than just the rhythm foundation.

[@Yngwie.Malmsteen]

*I watched and listened famous part at **7:38** million times but i always shocked that insane snare sound control between hi-hat hits. Just amazing.*

[@jodyovsiew3671]

Same here! That part is just mind blowing!

[@Agropio]

That part blew my mind the first time I heard it, it took me about a whole second to process what I was hearing. The hat and snare hits interlock so tightly that it feels like something else entirely.

[@tonedeaf310]

Did anyone else catch the closed captions at 0:01?

[@Nettacki]

Yeah 😂

[@tonymontana5651]

Mike Porno lol

[@leddygee1896]

Props to you Mike for Wearing the UK shirt! One of the GREATEST Prog albums ever Recorded!! RIP Mr. Holdsworth and Mr. Wetton…

[@andynaz5631]

That UK album has got to be one of the best rock albums ever.

[@CoscarelliFan]

Kids today don't know how lucky they are to have KZbin and generous artists like MP that share the goods.....This is spectacular. A tour de force.

[@alfonso4740]

"I've always been a fan of the human element" this statement sums up what makes Portnoy such a special drummer, in contrast to those who are incredibly technical but lack a bit of the human creativity part.

[@lironbh]

Mike is on a different league. He makes other professional drummers look amateur. amazing content as always!

[@viking_nor]

El Estepario disagrees

[@RianRodrigues-py8dl]

What makes Portnoy so different is that he's not just a drummer above the rest, he's one of the greatest musicians to ever walk in this world. I think his songwriting is something that no other drummer has been or is capable of. And he's shown that by being versatile outside of DT as well. He's amazing

[@davelospinoso9022]

​​@@viking_nor who gets more respect, the person that first drew the Mona Lisa... Or the person that can paint a replica using only 1 hand...

[@alanalanis2257]

​@@viking_norEstepario is an amazing drummer but he hasn't composed a memorable masterpiece like Dance Of Eternity. That's what makes Portnoy so great.

[@Aisse]

@@alanalanis2257yeah! The guy is comparing MPwith a tiktok drummer. He have firstly to go on the road, make music and history.. after that we can compare.

[@japanegao6818]

Espero que o mestre Mike continue fazendo material e conteúdo com essa qualidade de vídeo, com o DT ou solo ...e postando na internet. Vida longa a Mike Portnoy!!! #devoltaaolar🐏

[@jakebob5101]

30 plus years of listening to Dream Theater and I still never grow tired if them. They are similar to a modern day Pink Floyd. Every album has a different sound.

[@123612100]

Pink Floyd doesn't shred.

[@jakebob5101]

​@@123612100of course not but they had a big influence on a lot of bands.

[@RobertBoston-n4d]

In 1992 i was a 15 year old jamming to NWA, 2 live crew and Metallica with a bit of Peal Jam. I had no idea this existed. Even back then i was into drums. This would have blown my wormhole into another stratosphere. You are the man Mike.

[@xyyz4341]

I love how he perfectly nailed the tempo at 3:21 & 3:24

[@michael4591]

Mike is the drummer that drums stuff exactly like I would do it if I was a drummer lol. So I totally agree with every beat he hits!

[@parkercreative_au]

You wish

[@weefek]

You just know Mike still knows this song from heart and muscle memory after all these years without even practicing once.

[@arcuz7862]

So you actually believe that BS story that he hasn't played this song not even once since 2017?

[@stonerdemon]

It's easy to see Neil Peart's huge influence on Portnoy's playing through this awesome instrumental.

[@nicholasvinen]

Rush and Dream Theater, two of the greatest prog rock bands ever with two of the greatest drummers!

[@Lucmercurius]

Mike is like a fusion between Neil Peart and John Bonham clearly. You can't go wrong with that.

[@poindextertunes]

100% and to think RUSH made huge sounding music with only 3 members 🔥

[@poindextertunes]

@@LucmercuriusI gotta be honest I don’t hear the Bonham influence unless you’re talking about heavy handedness, in which case, every metal/rock/prog drummer has been influenced by Bonzo. I hear Peart’s influence in his choice of kit, his tom fills and especially the patterns he plays on the ride cymbal

[@stonerdemon]

@@poindextertunes I honestly can't think of a trio with more chemistry than Rush. They clearly don't play live with a clicktrack, they just perfectly understand each other. It's a joy to watch them play because they follow each other so well (I write in present tense because Neil will never die, he's a freaking legend).

[@nunomartins1977]

I can´t thank you enough Mike Portnoy for being one of the very few musicians most responsible for resurrecting and bringing back Progressive music in a time when this genre was like in somekind of a hiatos, a very hard times for this genre, I risk to say "almost dead", that he almost give up fighting for Prog music and career. Mike did grab and carry the wand left by Peart and other great old time drummers and toke it to another amazing level... an inspiration to the generation that came later, even today... ;)

[@dunston666]

That little fill at 5.32 - 5.35 is really nice. Simple, but really stands out as a result.

[@MiUnited]

Imagine how many drummers did drumcovers to this song. Some drummers nailed it perfectly, some played it theiry way. But noone sounds like MP. This song is a drumming masterpiece of so many great parts in it. Coming up with a part like that with hi-hat and snare accents is what only MP could do

[@seanmenard4012]

No one should cover this song, like no one should sing Whitney Houston at karaoke

[@guihermeborracha7412]

9:45 that's extremely similar to something from Rush.

[@tiago.8977]

The transition between dance and one last time is one of my favorite musical moments ever. The 3 power chords followed bt that sublime piano intro. Damn, when I saw DT play the whole scenes live in 2005 I even cried in that part.

[@jobloggs-sr5sk]

Agree. Its one of the musical highlights of DT's sound catalogue with the way they can present such emotion through change.

[@wardseyssens7474]

Yeah I wish I could go back in time and see them on that tour a couple of times again

[@robbiemercer8576]

Same here gets me every time!

[@paulhutt9621]

So hooked into Mike's drumming the guy is my age, how? just how? Brilliant performance and such a humble guy. Thank You from UK 😎

[@andy80sdrums]

And that is SO well written that you can learn it, sing it in your head and stood the test of time. TDOE is a masterpiece of what happens when technique serves the music.