Header image: Dream Theater 40th Anniversary Tour at London's O2 Arena lit by Steve Baird and Martin MAC Aura PXLs Photo Credit: Joseph Okpako
The tour, billed as ‘An Evening With Dream Theater,’ reunites the band’s iconic lineup -James LaBrie, John Myung, John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy, and Jordan Rudess - performing together for the first time in fourteen years. The European leg launched at London’s O2 Arena on 20th October, 2024, spanning 23 cities across 17 countries before concluding in Amsterdam on 20th November.
Photo above: Dream Theater 40th Anniversary Tour at London's O2 Arena lit by Steve Baird and Martin MAC Aura PXLs Photo Credit: Joseph Okpako
At the heart of Baird’s ambitious lighting design were an array of Martin Professional fixtures, including 28 Martin MAC Aura PXLs, 8 Martin MAC Aura XBs, and 10 Martin MAC Encore Performances. The design centered around three large LED screens forming the stage’s visual backdrop, with lighting chosen to add shape and depth.
“The tour production design consisted of three large LED screens as a backdrop, so I wanted to design a lighting system that added shape and layers,” Baird explains. “I wanted to create big and bold looks.”
Photo above: Dream Theater 40th Anniversary Tour at London's O2 Arena lit by Steve Baird and Martin MAC Aura PXLs Photo Credit: Joseph Okpako
To further enhance the visual design, Baird positioned additional MAC Aura PXL fixtures upstage to help frame the LED screens. Meanwhile, MAC Aura XBs lined the downstage edge, providing up-lighting effects, “especially in the mellow breakdown parts of the show.”
For key lighting, Baird relied on ten Martin MAC Encore Performance fixtures. “We don’t use follow spots. Encores have great output even when the fixture zoom is in wide. I was able to fill a 60’ x 40’ stage, allowing the band to go anywhere and not be in the dark.” he confirms.
Photo above: Dream Theater 40th Anniversary Tour at London's O2 Arena lit by Steve Baird and Martin MAC Aura PXLs Photo Credit: Joseph Okpako
The entire lighting show was run live, without timecode synchronisation, allowing for real-time adjustments and ensuring a dynamic visual experience tailored to each performance.
Finally, Baird commends the flawless performance of the fixtures throughout the tour. “The gear worked great, night in, night out.” he says. He is also quick to praise the work of lighting supplier Entec Live for their role on the production: “Entec did a great job making sure we had everything we needed to make the tour a success.”
With the European leg complete, Dream Theater’s 40th Anniversary Tour continued into 2025 with a US and Canada run, and will culminate at New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall on 22nd March.
