The Neal Morse Band is back on the road traveling under the guise of The Road Called Home Tour. The group will journey through the States, ride and play at Cruise to the Edge before traveling to Europe. On Thursday, February 2, 2017 The Neal Morse Band will present in its entirety The Similitude Of A Dream album at the Highline Ballroom (431 W 16th Street) in New York City. Clocking in at over 100 minutes, this progressive pageantry runs the range from melodic to moody to mind blowing.
Morse explains that the album was inspired by John Bunyan's book "Pilgrim's Progress" telling the story of a man's spiritual journey from the City of Destruction to the Land of Deliverance. Morse along with drummer Mike Portnoy, bassist Randy George, keyboardist Bill Hubauer and guitarist Eric Gillett brings to life this complex concept album with songs that move from reflective to riveting. Portnoy (The Winery Dogs, Twisted Sister, ex-Dream Theater) states "I honestly think this is THE album of my career. Neal and I have now made 18 studio albums together, and I consider The Similitude Of A Dream the absolute creative pinnacle of our collaborations together."
"We weren't sure we had enough music to make a double CD, and yet it seemed as though the concept and the music wanted to go there," bassist Randy George continues. "Ultimately, we created so much great music in the sessions that it just had to be a double album! To cap that off, we worked with a pre-imminent classic album cover artist to create painted illustrations of our concept which will grace the booklet!"
The show has already been presented in a number of cities including Nashville. Long time New Jersey residents Rich and Laura Lynch of SoundPress.net fame now in Music City observed that the Nashville fans were just as enthusiastic about the new material as the band and following is their report from the first night of the The Road Called Home Tour that took place January 14, 2017 in Middle Tennessee.
Classical music was piped in prior to Neal appearing in the shadows draped in dark colors and a hood lamenting "Long Days" that flowed into the opulent "Overture" and "The Dream". Morse utilized a wireless mic so that he could at times act out the tale he was telling. As is Neal's custom he switched from keyboards to acoustic/electric guitars throughout the night. Visuals were also used to full effect to support the story and enhance the already electrifying music.
The dynamic "City of Destruction" launched the next stage of the voyage as Neal the narrator realizes that "We Have Got to Go" as things currently "Makes No Sense" and one has to "Draw the Line". This series of music ran the gamut from wistful to warp speed. The spiritual turbulence persisted with a potent "So Far Gone" before Morse appeared in a white hood as he sang hopefully of casting out all fear in the first set's closer "Breath of Angels". After a short intermission the clash of darkness and light continued into the expansive "Slave to Your Mind" connecting to "Shortcut to Salvation" that showcased multi-part singing by this talented crew.
"Good evening, welcome" greeted Neal who also declared that "we are so happy to be playing this album for you." He warned that the next tune was a heavy one. "The Man in the Iron Cage" certainly was heavy but also heavenly. The team lightened things up later with some humor as bassist Randy George played his instrument with a stuffed animal hanging from its neck during "Sloth". Drummer Mike Portnoy said a few words before taking his place at the front of the stage to shake a tambourine for the faith based "Freedom Song" the "acoustic" moment of the set. Yet the mission of salvation was still not complete as The Neal Morse Band still had to orbit "I'm Running", "The Mask", "The Confrontation" into a bold and fiery "The Battle" with a dragon before coming full circle for "Broken Sky/Long Day (Reprise)". With the album complete the quintet returned for a three song encore that included "Momentum", "Agenda", and "The Call".
The Similitude Of A Dream was an inspiring and intense experience with theatrical moments. The Neal Morse Band is well respected as top level artists apt at playing this type of compelling and complicated music which had the Rocketown faithful on their feet the whole night. The quintet tours worldwide (North America, Central America, Europe, Israel, Mexico and India) almost annually consistently growing in popularity. Their shows are packed with excited and extremely loyal fans, some which have regularly traveled very long distances to see them. The Neal Morse Band has an extensive catalog of live shows on Blu-Ray and DVD as well.
Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.
Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.
With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.
A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.
Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].
