Students at McNally Smith cover DT's "Octavarium"

I just wanted to pass this along for among others, fans of Dream Theater and progressive rock, especially in Minnesota. I'm not certain if all of the players covering this Dream Theater piece are students at McNally Smith, but at least Joel Thielman is given the way the video is labeled.

Good cover. Not that there aren't plenty of other well made, even more original interpretations of this piece on Youtube, Vimeo, Soundcloud, etc out there, as I'm sure there are. But I guess other than the fact the performance is quite good, and I'm sure it required a good deal of time and practicing together.

But the fact it is a group of MINNESOTA MUSICIANS COVERING DREAM THEATER, should say something about PROG ROCK BEING AN INTEREST IN MINNESOTA. Not only to fans, but upcoming, aspiring musicians.

It would be nice if the savants over at 89.3 or even KSJN or Radio K might be aware of this. Even the other obvious local hipster resources like Citypages and The Electric Fetus. Now the Fetus have carried some Dream Theater in the past, but featured them? I doubt much. Like would they even consider trying to have the guys do an in-store for the show in April? somehow I doubt they are on the top of their in-store request list.

I even know someone who works at both the Fetus and McNally Smith actually. I wonder what their thought of a group of students covering a 23-minute progressive rock piece for their recital?

But those issues aside, this is another example of some musicians from my hometown who dig progressive rock and Dream Theater, and may hold hope for more of this kind of (original) music being played, and hopefully written and recorded down the road. I seem to recall the Media Addicts (RIP) members attended and graduated? from McNally Smith as well.