The Dream Theater drummer attempts to master one of Danny Carey’s most impossible drum parts
Mike Portnoy is one of the greatest drummers ever. Tool’s Danny Carey is also one of the greatest drummers ever. What happens when one legend attempts to tackle another legend’s masterpiece? Well, percussion instructor Brandon Toews found out on the latest episode of Drumeo. Toews hosted Dream Theater’s Mike Portnoy at his studio, where Portnoy set out to learn and perform one of Danny Carey’s most complex Tool songs – “Pneuma,” from 2019’s Fear Inoculum.
Check out the full video below.
This fall, Danny Carey will be paying his own tribute to progressive rock godfathers King Crimson. Along with longtime King Crimson members Tony Levin and Adrian Belew, Carey hitting the road in September with their new outfit, BEAT. Joining them will be guitar virtuoso Steve Vai. The lengthy trek kicks off on September 12 at the San Jose Civic Center in San Jose, California and wraps up on November 8 at the The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas Nevada.
The run will see the quartet stop at The Warner Theatre in Washington, DC, Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida, The Beacon Theatre in New York, New York, Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario, the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, and more. The performance will see the supergroup reimagine three of the band’s classic albums from the 1980s: Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair.
In a statement, guitarist Steve Vai also hinted that some other choice cuts from the band’s discography could make the setlist.
“The 1981 through 1984 King Crimson created a music all its own,” Belew says. “Timeless. Beautiful. Complex. Fierce. For the fans who lived through it then, and the ones who never got to witness it, our aim is to bring it to life again. A monumental task but we’re going for it! There are not enough exclamation points to express my excitement!”
Vai adds, “Being a part of this ensemble is an extraordinary privilege and opportunity to perform some of the most beloved, timeless, and monumental music of the ’80s (and beyond) with truly inspired musicians. This music resonates deeply with me. I can assure the fans of KC that we will be putting our best foot forward to respect this great music with the care and intensity it deserves.”
“I am very excited to share the stage with three of my favorite musicians on the planet,” Carey states. “Tony, Steve and Adrian have always been a source of inspiration for me since the beginning of my career, and now to be able to share a bit of my musical journey with them is a dream come true.”
BEAT have also garnered the approval of King Crimson founder, Robert Fripp.
“This is the project that Adrian Belew called me about last Autumn, a project which I support and fully encourage, and discussed with Steve Vai recently at McCabes in Santa Monica,” Fripp shared on his official Facebook. Even, I suggested the name.”
Last October, it was announced that Portnoy was back in Dream Theater. A founding member of the group, Portnoy left the band in 2010. Now, over a decade later, he has rejoined the storied progressive metal pioneers. He replaced Mike Mangini, who took over for Portnoy thirteen years ago.
“I am overwhelmed with joy to be returning home and reuniting with my brothers,” Portnoy said in a statement. “There is so much shared history between us all…so many memories, so much music…to think we’re coming up on 40 years since this journey began! The idea of creating new music together is so exciting and I absolutely cannot wait to hit the road and get to play live for a whole new generation of fans that weren’t ever able to see this lineup before…There’s no place like home!”
Dream Theater recently announced their 40th Anniversary Tour. The run – presented as An Evening With Dream Theater – is the first outing since drummer Mike Portnoy’s return to the lineup, joining vocalist James LaBrie, bassist John Myung, guitarist John Petrucci, and keyboardist Jordan Rudess. The European leg kicks off this fall, consists of stops in 23 cities and kicks off on October 20 and runs through November 24. Dream Theater will be performing classics and fan favorites from their catalog in what promises to be an unforgettable evening of music. The tour will extend into 2025.
“This tour is going to be incredibly special for all of us,” the band shared in a statement. “Each show will surely be filled with anticipation and a variety of emotions. We can’t wait to step on stage together once again and begin this historic celebration of 40 years with everyone this Fall. This is just the beginning, and we will have plenty of more exciting Dream Theater news to share in the coming months.”
Dream Theater has been in their DTHQ studio working on their 16th studio album and the first with Portnoy since 2009’s Black Clouds & Silver Linings. More information on the upcoming release will be unveiled in the future.