DREAM THEATER Announces South American Tour Dates Announced

Progressive metal giants DREAM THEATER will embark on a tour of South America in March. Confirmed dates are as follows:

March 11 - Santiago, Chile - Movistar Arena
March 13 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Luna Park
March 16 - Porto Alegre, Brazil - Pepsi On Stage
March 18 - Curitiba, Brazil - Master Hall
March 19 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Credicard Hall
March 20 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Citibank Hall
March 22 - Lima, Peru - Jockey Club
March 24 - Caracas, Venezuela - Poliedro

DREAM THEATER's new documentary road video for their new single "Wither" from their tenth studio release, "Black Clouds & Silver Linings" (Roadrunner) can be viewed below.

"Of the 10 videos we've done through the years, I felt we have never been truly captured 'in our element...which of course is on tour, playing to our fans, with our lighting and video show. So I thought it was time to do a video that showed us in our 'real world' (unlike the 'fake worlds' that are usually created when shooting a promo video)," said DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy.

Directed by Ramon Boutviseth, who did the same honors for the first clip for the album's first single "A Rite Of Passage", the "Wither" video was shot on location in the U.K. (London, Manchester), France (Paris, Lille) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands) as part of DREAM THEATER's September/October 2009 headlining "Progressive Nation" tour reaching 15 countries.

2009 continues to be a watermark year for DREAM THEATER — James LaBrie (vocals), John Myung (bass), John Petrucci (guitar, vocals), Mike Portnoy (drums, percussion, vocals) and Jordan Rudess (keyboards, Continuum) — as a recording act and touring powerhouse. They achieved a #1 debut on the Billboard European chart and 12 Top Ten album chart debuts around the world including the U.S. with "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", a highlight of their 25-year career. They were also honored with the "Spirit Of Prog" achievement award at the 2009 Classic Rock Awards in London (November 2).
http://dreamtheater.net

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Announcing Mellodrama, the Mellotron Movie coming to DVD

MELLODRAMA: THE MELLOTRON MOVIE Coming to DVD January 2010

THE STORY OF THE FIRST “SAMPLING” INSTRUMENTS, THE CHAMBERLIN AND THE MELLOTRON, FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS OF THE MOODY BLUES, THE BEACH BOYS, GENESIS, KING CRIMSON, CHEAP TRICK, BLACK SABBATH, THE ZOMBIES, LATIN PLAYBOYS, YES, MAROON 5, OPETH AND MANY MORE

“Surprisingly fascinating.” –Philadelphia Weekly

“A study in the unpredictability of innovation.” – Rhizome

“An insider’s view on the history of the Chamberlin and the Mellotron, which isn’t always pretty.” – Echoes

“The Mellotron stays cool.” – Brian Wilson

“This is where sampling started.” – Jon Brion

Bazillion Points Publishing is delighted to announce the long-awaited DVD release of the acclaimed and unusual music documentary,
Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie, by Dianna Dilworth, coming January 2010 in NTSC Region 0 format packed with bonus features in a deluxe Digipak.

Mellodrama explores the five-decades-long rise and fall of the Chamberlin and its better-known successor the Mellotron—the first musical keyboards to play the prerecorded sounds of other instruments. Essentially the first sampler, its haunting sound has changed the production and texture of popular music, from the Beatles’ “Strawberry Fields Forever” and the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin,” to Radiohead’s OK Computer and Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.”

Featuring Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues, Ian McDonald of King Crimson, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, famed L.A. producer Jon Brion, Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, singer-songwriter Michael Penn, author Brian Kehew, (Recording the Beatles), as well as members of Opeth, Bigelf, Maroon 5, and former employees of the Mellotron and Chamberlin companies. While the musicians tell their tales, the engineers and experts deliver the gear porn by taking you inside the captivating contraption.

Mellodrama screened at over a dozen festivals throughout the world in 2009, including the CMJ Film Festival in New York, Buenos Aires Film Festival, Documenta Madrid, Portobello Film Festival in London, Atlantic Film Festival in Canada, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Indie Memphis, Tucson Film and Music Festival, and was specially programmed by Stephen O’Malley of Sunn O))) at the Lausanne Underground Film Festival in Switzerland.

“While everybody knows the sound of the instruments, most people have never heard of the Mellotron or the Chamberlin,” says director Dianna Dilworth. “I hope Mellodrama will change that.”

Mellodrama: The Mellotron Movie DVD includes the 80 minute film, 30 minutes of DVD extras, and an 8-page booklet containing an essay by Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues and several illustrated machine timelines. Preorders are now available at this location: http://www.mellodramadvd.com

http://www.bazillionpoints.com

TRANSATLANTIC 'Whirld Tour 2010' Dates Announced

TRANSATLANTIC — the progressive rock supergroup featuring DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy, MARILLION's Pete Trewavas, THE FLOWER KINGS' Roine Stolt and Neal Morse (ex-SPOCK'S BEARD) — will play its first shows in almost a decade in April/May 2010.

"An Evening With Transatlantic Whirld Tour 2010" dates:

Apr. 17 - Downey, CA - The Downey Theater
Apr. 18 - San Francisco, CA - The Palace Of Fine Arts
Apr. 20 - Chicago, IL - Park West
Apr. 21 - Montreal, QUE - Metropolis
Apr. 23 - New York City - The Blender Theater at Gramercy
Apr. 24 - Philadelphia, PA - Theater Of The Living Arts
May 04 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
May 05 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
May 06 - Poznan, Poland - Hala Arena
May 07 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Club
May 08 - Cologne, Germany - Live Music Hall
May 09 - Stuttgart, Germany - Longhorn
May 10 - Esch/Alzette, Luxembourg - Rockhal
May 13 - Madrid, Spain - Macumba
May 14 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
May 17 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
May 18 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
May 19 - Paris, France - Elysee Montmartre
May 20 - Tilburg, Holland - 013
May 21 - London, England - Shepherd's Bush Empire
May 22 - Manchester, England - Academy

TRANSATLANTIC release its long-awaited third album in October.

"The Whirlwind" is described in a press release as "a 77-minute piece of music that is sure to satisfy the band's legions of fans that have patiently waited almost the entire decade for the reunion of these four musicians."

"The Whirlwind" is available in two formats:

* A regular-edition single CD of the entire 77-minute epic as well as a 2-CD special edition containing a bonus disc with eight newly recorded studio tracks (four new TRANSATLANTIC compositions and four cover songs)

The track listing for the special edition is as follows:

Disc One:

The Whirlwind

Disc Two:

01. Spinning
02. Lenny Johnson
03. For Such A Time
04. Lending A Hand
05. The Return Of The Giant Hogweed (GENESIS)
06. A Salty Dog (PROCOL HARUM)
07. I Need You (AMERICA / THE BEATLES)
08. Soul Sacrifice (SANTANA)

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