Live at Budokan (Dream Theater album)

Live at Budokan
Live album by
ReleasedOctober 5, 2004
RecordedApril 26, 2004
VenueNippon Budokan, Tokyo
Genre
Length169:29
LabelAtlantic
ProducerJohn Petrucci & Mike Portnoy
Dream Theater chronology
Train of Thought
(2003)
Live at Budokan
(2004)
Octavarium
(2005)
Live at Budokan
Video by
ReleasedOctober 5, 2004
RecordedApril 26, 2004
VenueNippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo
Genre
Length172:34 (Disc 1)
72:50 (Disc 2)
LabelAtlantic
Dream Theater chronology
Metropolis 2000: Scenes from New York
(2001)
Live at Budokan
(2004)
Score
(2006)

Live at Budokan is the fourth live album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 5, 2004, available on either 3 CDs, 2 DVDs, or 1 Blu-ray Disc. It was recorded at the Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan 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 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 keyboard during a Liquid Tension Experiment concert at Park West in Chicago in 2008, as documented on When the Keyboard Breaks: Live in Chicago.

The live DVD was re-released on Blu-ray, on October 18, 2011.