2002 tour program essay

For the last decade Dream Theater has been playing with fire. While some bands seek out a cool safe spot to avoid being burned by risky undertakings, this quintet travels headlong into the blaze, fusing such diverse genres as metal, jazz, and classical. Not many groups could stand that close to the flame and come away unscathed, but Dream Theater has proven it time after time while continuing to ignite a world-wide fan base hungry for the band’s next musical challenge. In 2002, the progressive metal group doesn’t disappoint, as it becomes a squadron of well-trained daredevils set to walk across red-hot coals. With the release of their adventurous double CD Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, Dream Theater has quite possibly created their boldest, most fiery statement to date. In the style of classic prog rock masterpieces such as Rush’s 2112 and Yes’ Close To The Edge, Dream Theater’s sixth studio record is packed with jaw-dropping technical proficiency (a band signature), hypnotic hooks, and majestic, otherworldly interludes. The multi-faceted title track, which spans the entire length of the second CD, earns them a place alongside those legendary bands. “This record is very ambitious and I think it is something we wanted, and had, to do,” says drummer extraordinaire Mike Portnoy. “Besides getting better on our own individual instruments one of our main goals was to become better songwriters,” insists guitarist John Petrucci. “We are conscious about giving the listener a complex thematic piece that is rife with melodic elements.” As they did for their last studio record, 1999’s Scenes From A Memory, Portnoy and Petrucci took the reins as producers and called on long-time associates Doug Oberkircher to handle the engineering duties and Kevin Shirley to mix. Having creative control over the writing/recording process led the band to explore countless possibilities.