2000 tour program messages

(James LaBrie)

Hi Everyone,

It’s hilarious looking back at these pictures. It also rekindles my appreciation and admiration for my parents. They provided me with such a strong foundation and introduced me at such a young age to music, which I have remained so incredibly passionate of and still am today.

A special thanks to all the fans for the many years of support. You have made the dreams of a child from a small town become reality.

Hope you all enjoy the show.

(John Myung)

The making of this record was both musically challenging and rewarding. The writing session reminded me a bit of the early days where we would develop songs in a live and spontaneous setting. One of the writing advantages this time was being able to record songs in the studio as we finished them, while they were still fresh in our minds, a different approach which added excitement and fire to the process, overall a very memorable experience.

I would like to thank our fans around the world for being there for us from album to album as we continue to grow, see, listen and learn.

Thanks once again!

(John Petrucci)

Creativity and Performance. Two separate planes to be explored by the musicians in order to achieve ultimate expression. Two very different processes which coexist in the artist’s world and embody the essence of a musical composition. To me they are both equally enjoyable, challenging and satisfying experiences.

1999 was a magical year for DT. We gained the immense talents of Jordan Rudess at the start of the year who helped to form the necessary environment in which to craft our first concept album. The creative process during the writing and recording of M2 was unique and rewarding for all involved.

The year 2000 brings us to the next stage in the life of “Scenes From A Memory”. I look forward to recreating the energy and textures captured in the studio and I’m anxious to bring the story to life under new and exciting circumstances. It will be a thrill for me to perform for all of you Metropolis Pt 2 in its entirety.

I sincerely thank you for the way in which you have embraced this album and anticipated its release. It is very special to us and I look forward to seeing many new, as well as familiar faces on the M2000 world tour!

(Mike Portnoy)

Hello there friendz!

It is with great pleasure that we stand before you this evening ready to take on our biggest musical challenge yet...Metropolis Pt. 2!!

Getting to this point in our career has taken quite some time and dedication on both our part and yours as well...We’ve been through many changes through the years (as illustrated in the beautiful tour program you just bought or stole), and you...the great, dedicated DT fan have stuck by us the whole way...It is for this that we are eternally grateful and will reward you with as few musical clams as possible on this wonderful evening...

Let me reflect on Dream Theater’s history leading up to this monumental turn of the Millennium if I may: The Beatles called it “a long and winding road”, The Dead called it “a long, strange trip”...I like to call it “15 years of pain, suffering, compromise, disappointments, arguments, obstacles, bad food, line-up changes, poor record sales, dirty showers in our stinking hotels in Leipzig Germany...what else? Oh yeah...night upon night on the tour bus with Vinnie Kowalski snoring at decibel levels that Pete Townshend wouldn’t approve of, stupid lava lamps, bickering, spit fights, battered drum techs (may I take this moment to apologize to Ho & Magee? I love you guys!!), battered guitar techs (sorry about London Mark!!), management changes, lawyer changes, label changes, booking agent changes, underwear changes...ARRRGHHH...GET ME OUT OF HERE...I’M TRAPPED!!!! Hey...what are you doing with that straight jacket? Get away from me...Enjoy the show dammit!

Oh, by the way...The Hypnotherapist is really

(Jordan Rudess)

Hey Everybody,

Welcome to Dream Theater 2000. It’s an amazing time for all of us and it’s really cool to have each and every one of you with us for the musical journey into the next millennium. Sometimes along the course of life a person can feel when everything clicks perfectly in place. For me, joining Dream Theater felt like the most logical progression of events – as well as being the final piece in a fantastic puzzle that’s been coming together for a number of years now.

Close your eyes and begin to relax, take a deep breath – the show is about to begin!