Mike Portnoy
Biography
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Known for his drumming prowess and technical skill, Portnoy has won 23 awards from the Modern Drummer magazine. He has co-produced the last six Dream Theater albums with guitarist John Petrucci, starting from Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory. From A Change of Seasons onwards, Portnoy had been writing a substantial amount of Dream Theater's lyrics. He is the second youngest person (after Neil Peart) to be inducted into the Modern Drummer's Hall of Fame (at 37 years of age). On September 8, 2010, it was announced that Portnoy had left Dream Theater. Portnoy cited conflicting interests as the reason behind his departure. On February 3, 2011, Portnoy announced that he has started a new project with Symphony X singer Russell Allen and guitarist Mike Orlando. Also he is involved in various projects with Neal Morse.
Known For
That Metal Show
2008
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
2010
0Morsefest 2019
2021
Transatlantic: KaLIVEoscope
2014
0Yellow Matter Custard: One Night in New York City
2003
Dream Theater - Quarantième: Live à Paris
2025
0Dream Theater: Chaos in Progress: The Making of Systematic Chaos
2007
Flying Colors : Third Stage - Live in London
2020
0Neal Morse: Question Mark and Sola Scriptura Live
2017
0Transatlantic: Morsefest 2022 - The Absolute Whirlwind
2024
0Quarantième: Live à Paris
2025
Dream Theater: Score - 20th Anniversary World Tour
2006
Filmography
That Metal Show
as Self - Guest · 2008
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
as Self · 2010
Morsefest 2019
as Self · 2021
Transatlantic: KaLIVEoscope
as Self - Drums · 2014
Yellow Matter Custard: One Night in New York City
as Self - Drums · 2003
Dream Theater - Quarantième: Live à Paris
as Drums and Vocals · 2025
Dream Theater: Chaos in Progress: The Making of Systematic Chaos
as Drums / Vocals · 2007
Flying Colors : Third Stage - Live in London
as Self · 2020
Neal Morse: Question Mark and Sola Scriptura Live
as Self - Drums, Vocals · 2017
Transatlantic: Morsefest 2022 - The Absolute Whirlwind
as Self · 2024
Quarantième: Live à Paris
as Drums · 2025
Dream Theater: Score - 20th Anniversary World Tour
as Himself - Drums · 2006
Phil Collins: Drummer First
as Self · 2024
Modern Drummer Festival Weekend 2003
as Self · 2003
Dream Theater: [2002] Rotterdamned
· 2002
Neal Morse - Cruise to the Edge: Awakening - The Movie
as Self · 2024
Flying Colors : Second Flight - Live at The Z7
as Self · 2015
Transatlantic: The Final Flight: Live At L'Olympia
as Self · 2023
Metal Meltdown - Featuring Twisted Sister Live at the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas
as Himself - Drums · 2016
Hammer of the Gods: Two Nights in North America
as Himself - Drums · 2006
Yellow Matter Custard: One More Night in New York City
as Self - Drums · 2011
G3 - Live in Tokyo
as Drums · 2005
The Making of the Absolute Universe by Transatlantic
as Self · 2021
Transatlantic - The Absolute Universe
as Self · 2021
Dream Theater: The Score So Far...
as Himself · 2006
Neal Morse: Morsefest - Testimony & One feat. Mike Portnoy Live
as Self · 2014
Flying Colors: Second Nature Video Anthology
as Self · 2014
Amazing Journey: One Night in New York City
as Himself - Drums · 2006
The Neal Morse Band/The Flower Kings: 19 Days in Europe
as Self · 2013
Neal Morse: Testimony Two - Live in Los Angeles
as Self · 2011
Dream Theater - Santiago, Chile 12/6/05
as Himself · 2009
The Making of Flying Colors
as Self · 2012
Flying Colors: Live in Europe
as Self - Drums · 2013
Dream Theater – Live At Tokyo Sun Plaza
Dream Theater: 5 Years in a Livetime
as Himself · 1998
Dream Theater: Metropolis 2000 - Scenes From New York
as Himself - Drums · 2001
The Neal Morse Band: Alive Again
as Self · 2016
The Neal Morse Band - Live In India
as Self · 2014
Transatlantic: The Official Bootleg DVD
as Self · 2011
The Neal Morse Band: A U.S. Tour Of Innocence And Danger
as Self · 2022
The Neal Morse Band : The Similitude of A Dream - Live in Tilburg 2017
as Self · 2018
Dream Theater: Dark Side of the Moon
as Drums and Vcoals · 2005
Morse, Portnoy, Gillette, Hubauer & Friends: Live in Cancun 2022
· 2022
Transatlantic: The Making of the Whirlwind
as Self · 2009
Dream Theater: Images And Words - Live In Tokyo
as Himself - Drums · 1993
Transatlantic - Live in Europe
as Self - Drums, Backing Vocals · 2003
Neal Morse: Testimony 2...For You.
· 2011
Transatlantic: Live At Sweden Rock 2014
as Self · 2020
Neal Morse: The Making of Sola Gratia
as Self · 2020
The Neal Morse Band: The Making of The Grand Experiment
as Self · 2015
Dream Theater: Chaos in Motion
as Himself - Drums · 2008
Neal Morse: Live at 3RP
as Self · 2008
Morsefest 2023: Testimony feat. NMB
as Self · 2024
Transatlantic: More Never Is Enough
as Self · 2011
Liquid Tension Experiment: Live In LA
as Himself - Drums · 2009
Dream Theater: A Walk Beside the Band
as Himself - Drums · 2005
Neal Morse: The Making of Testimony Two
as Self · 2011
Neal Morse: The Making of Momentum
as Self · 2012
Dream Theater: The Rudess Experiment
as Himself - Drums · 1994
Liquid Tension Experiment 3
· 2021
Transatlantic: The Making of Kaleidoscope
as Self · 2014
Dream Theater: Bucharest, Romania
as Himself · 2007
The Neal Morse Band: The Great Adventure Commentary
as Self · 2019
The Winery Dogs : Dog Years - Live in Santiago and Beyond 2013-2016
as Himself - Drums · 2017
Liquid Tension Experiment: Live In NYC
· 2009
Neal Morse: The Sola Scriptura Sessions
as Self · 2015
Neal Morse: Live Momentum
as Self · 2013
Cygnus and the Sea Monsters: One Night in Chicago
as Himself - Drums · 2005
Neal Morse: One Under Construction
as Self · 2012
The Winery Dogs - Unleashed in Japan
as Himself - Drums · 2014
The Neal Morse Band: The Adventure Begins (The Making Of The Great Adventure)
as Self · 2019
Dream Theater: Live at Budokan
as Himself - Drums · 2004
Morsefest 2017 - Testimony of a Dream
as Self · 2018
Transatlantic: The Making of SMPTe
as Self · 2000
PSMS Portnoy, Sheehan, MacAlpine & Sherinian: InstruMENTAL Inspirations
· 2012
Morsefest 2015: Question Mark
as Self · 2017
The Neal Morse Band: Cruise to the Edge
as Self · 2016
The Neal Morse Band – Live In Limbourg
as Self · 2019
Transatlantic - Building the Bridge / Live in America
as Self · 2006
Neal Morse: Testimony Live
as Self · 2004
Morsefest 2015: Sola Scriptura
as Self · 2017
Haken - L-1VE
· 2018
Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian: Live in Tokyo
as Self - Drums · 2013
Dream Theater: Panem et Circensis
as Drums and backing vocals · 2011
Neal Morse: The Making of ?
as Self · 2015
Dream Theater - Parasomnia
· 2025
Transatlantic: Whirld Tour 2010: Live from Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
as Self · 2010
The Neal Morse Band: The Making of Innocence & Danger
as Self · 2021
Morse Portnoy George: The Making of Cover 2 Cover
as Self · 2012
The Neal Morse Band: The Making of a Dream
as Self · 2016
Stone Sour: Rock In Rio 2011
as Himself - Drums · 2011
Morsefest 2020: Sola Gratia
as Self · 2023
Dream Theater: The Spirit Carries On
as Himself · 2011
Neal Morse: The Making of Lifeline
as Self · 2021
The Neal Morse Band: Morsefest 2021
as Self · 2022
The Neal Morse Band: Live in Athens
as Self · 2015
Liquid Tension Experiment - LTE Live 2008
· 2008
Mike Portnoy - LTE3
as Himself - Drums · 2021
Morsefest 2014: One
as Self · 2015
Morsefest 2020: Cover2Cover
as Self · 2023
Dream Theater: Riding the Train of Thought
as Self · 2004
Haken - Live at ProgPower USA 2016
as Gong (Guest Appearance) · 2018
Neal Morse: The Making of Testimony
as Self · 2007
Mike Portnoy on the “Art Of Drumming” with Terry Bozzio
· 2010
Dream Theater: Romavarium
as Self - Drums · 2006
The Winery Dogs: [2014] Sonisphere Festival
as Himself - Drums · 2014
Morsefest 2014: Testimony
as Self · 2015
Dream Theater: When Dream and Day Reunite
as Drums · 2004
Building the Beast: The Making of Metal Allegiance
as Self · 2015
The Neal Morse Band : The Great Adventour - Live in BRNO 2019
as Self · 2020
Mike Portnoy - Drumavarium
· 2005
Mike Portnoy : MPMMXX Drum Cam
· 2020
Mike Portnoy - Liquid Drum Theater
as Himself - Drums · 2001
Sons of Apollo - Live with the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony - Documentary
as Self · 2019
Mike Portnoy - Drums of Thought
as Himself · 2004
Mike Portnoy - sysDRUMatic Chaos
as Himself · 2007
Mike Portnoy - Drums Across Forever
as Himself · 2002
Mike Portnoy - Live at Budokan
as Himself · 2005
Mike Portnoy - In Constant Motion
as Himself - Drums · 2007
Mike Portnoy: Third Degree
· 2019
Mike Portnoy: The Similitude of a Dream Live
· 2018
Mike Portnoy: The Great Adventure
· 2019
Mike Portnoy: Progressive Drum Concepts
· 2004
Mike Portnoy - Whirlwind Drumming
as Himself · 2010
Sons Of Apollo: Live With The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony
as Self · 2019
Mike Portnoy - Drumming Colors
as Himself · 2012
Mike Portnoy: Metal Drumming
· 2015
Mike Portnoy - Ten Degrees of Turbulent Drumming
as Himself · 2002
Mike Portnoy - Black Clouds and Silver Drumming
as Himself · 2009
Mike Portnoy: Hot Drums
· 2015
Mike Portnoy: Live Momentum
· 2013
Mike Portnoy: Drumming Nature
· 2014
Mike Portnoy: Kaleidodrums
· 2014
Mike Portnoy: The Drumming Dog
· 2013
Mike Portnoy - Drumerta
as Himself · 2012
Mike Portnoy: Testimony 2: Live in Los Angeles
as Himself · 2012
Mike Portnoy: The Absolute Universe
· 2021
Mike Portnoy - Score
· 2008