Mike Portnoy - Dream Theater

As I drive past Labatt's Hammersmith Apollo, it's 4:50 pm on Saturday 17th January and a throng of Dream Theater fans patiently wait for doors to open (2 hours+).

After hooking up with Jose (Mike's drum tech), I make my way on stage where the whole band have combined soundcheck and rehearsal.

Mike Portnoy behind his drum kit housing 3 bass drums with John Petrucci (Guitar), Jordan Rudess (Keyboards), John Myung (Bass) and Dave LaBrie (Vocals), all masters of their instruments refine intricate passages and tighten up their stage sound.

Flying through tracks from the new album 'Train of Thought' like 'As I Am' and 'Honor My Father', I couldn't help but be impressed with Mike Portnoy as I now witness him as the musician at work. He conducted this intense rehearsal with great precision as the band polished the tracks ready for performance.

Standing behind the drum riser during the rehearsal, his large array of SABIAN cymbals made an impression especially the splashes and his own Signature stax cymbals - these did add rhythmic colour with their own unmistakable statement.

Dream Theater's still attracts a massive following of fans and the appeal for the band's brand of modern day prog rock is still very, very strong.

The band whisk themselves around the world with their present 'Train of Thought' tour which begins in the U.K. and presently ends in Singapore - check out their website www.dreamtheater.net and catch them in concert.


Mike's present cymbal set-up:

• 14" AAX Stage Hats
• 10" Bell Disc
• 8" Cymbal Disc
• 6" Cymbal Disc
• 18" AA Chinese
• 19" Signature Jojo Mayer Fierce Crash
• 16" AA Medium Crash
• 12" AAX Splash
• 18" AA Medium Thin Crash
• 8" AAX Splash
• 10" AAX Splash
• 18" AA Medium Crash
• 22" Hand Hammered Rock Ride
• 17" Hand Hammered Medium Thin Crash
• 13" AA Rock Hats
• Signature Mike Portnoy Max Stax Low
• 20" Hand Hammered Thin Chinese
• Set of High Octave Crotales
• Signature Mike Portnoy Max Stax High
  
  
  
  

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