Instrumedley
Encyclopedia
"Instrumedley" sometimes referred to as The Dance of Instrumentals, is an instrumental musical piece performed only during live shows by the progressive metal
band Dream Theater
.
This instrumental was first performed on Aug 10, 2002 in Los Angeles
, CA
during the second leg of their North American tour World Turbulence. The instrumental itself is actually a medley of several Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment
classics. Using "The Dance of Eternity" from the Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
album as a skeleton, "Instrumedley" is played by inserting popular riffs and segments of other instrumentals and songs throughout "The Dance of Eternity." These segments are usually recognizable by avid Dream Theater fans, even when hearing "Instrumedley" for the first time, making the instrumental one of Dream Theater's most interesting musical pieces.
The instrumental was made popular when it was featured on the live 3-CD or 2-DVD release Live at Budokan
.
It's also the only Dream Theater track that features songwriting credit from all three keyboard players (Moore, Sherinian, and Rudess).
Additional songwriting credits:
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
.
This instrumental was first performed on Aug 10, 2002 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CA
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
during the second leg of their North American tour World Turbulence. The instrumental itself is actually a medley of several Dream Theater and Liquid Tension Experiment
Liquid Tension Experiment
Liquid Tension Experiment is an instrumental progressive rock/metal supergroup, founded by Dream Theater's former drummer Mike Portnoy in 1997. The band has released two albums through Magna Carta Records...
classics. Using "The Dance of Eternity" from the Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page...
album as a skeleton, "Instrumedley" is played by inserting popular riffs and segments of other instrumentals and songs throughout "The Dance of Eternity." These segments are usually recognizable by avid Dream Theater fans, even when hearing "Instrumedley" for the first time, making the instrumental one of Dream Theater's most interesting musical pieces.
The instrumental was made popular when it was featured on the live 3-CD or 2-DVD release Live at Budokan
Live at Budokan (Dream Theater album)
Live at Budokan is a live recording released by progressive metal band Dream Theater on October 5, 2004, available on either 3 CDs, 2 DVDs, or 1 Blu-ray Disc...
.
It's also the only Dream Theater track that features songwriting credit from all three keyboard players (Moore, Sherinian, and Rudess).
Analysis
The following is a list of the instrumentals and songs that are sampled in "Instrumedley," as well as their locations within "Instrumedley" according to the time stamps based on the 12:10 version from Live at Budokan:| Time | Song |
|---|---|
| 0:00 | "The Dance of Eternity" (Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory is the fifth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released in 1999. It is a concept album that deals with the story of a man named Nicholas and the discovery of his past life, which involves love, murder, and infidelity as Victoria Page... ) |
| 1:42 | "Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper" (Images and Words Images and Words Images and Words is currently ranked #2 on Digital Dream Door's list of the top 100 progressive metal albums of all time. Music critic Piero Scaruffi includes the album at number 8, just after Fear Factory's Demanufacture and before Sepultura's Roots, in his classification of the best metal albums... ) |
| 2:09 | "Erotomania" (Awake Awake (Dream Theater album) Awake is the third studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater, released on October 4, 1994 by East West Records. It was the last Dream Theater album to feature keyboardist Kevin Moore, who announced his decision to leave the band during the recording of the album.Much of the... ) |
| 3:29 | "The Dance of Eternity" |
| 4:20 | "Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper" |
| 5:16 | "A Change of Seasons IV: The Darkest of Winters" (A Change of Seasons A Change of Seasons -Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart... ) |
| 5:48 | "When the Water Breaks" (Liquid Tension Experiment 2) |
| 5:56 | "A Change of Seasons IV: The Darkest of Winters" (A Change of Seasons A Change of Seasons -Credits:* James LaBrie – Vocals* John Myung – bass* John Petrucci – guitars* Mike Portnoy – drums* Derek Sherinian – keyboards-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* A Change of Seasons – #58UK Albums Chart... ) |
| 6:03 | "Ytse Jam" (When Dream and Day Unite When Dream and Day Unite -The Killing Hand:The lyrics of the song describe a man who wakes up unaware of where he is. He looks around to see walls covered in names of people who have died. He wants to find out why, and travels back in time to find out... ) |
| 7:45 | "The Dance of Eternity" |
| 8:30 | "Paradigm Shift" (Liquid Tension Experiment Liquid Tension Experiment (album) Liquid Tension Experiment was released in 1998 by Liquid Tension Experiment through Magna Carta. The group is formed by John Petrucci , Mike Portnoy , Tony Levin , and Jordan Rudess . The album was written and recorded within one week of studio sessions.-Track listing:-References:... ) |
| 9:29 | "Universal Mind" (Liquid Tension Experiment Liquid Tension Experiment (album) Liquid Tension Experiment was released in 1998 by Liquid Tension Experiment through Magna Carta. The group is formed by John Petrucci , Mike Portnoy , Tony Levin , and Jordan Rudess . The album was written and recorded within one week of studio sessions.-Track listing:-References:... ) |
| 10:18 | "The Dance of Eternity" |
| 11:00 | "Hell's Kitchen" (Falling into Infinity Falling into Infinity -Personnel:* James LaBrie – vocals* John Myung – bass, Chapman Stick* John Petrucci – guitars, backing vocals* Mike Portnoy – drums, backing vocals* Derek Sherinian – keyboards, backing vocals-Chart performance:Billboard 200:* Falling Into Infinity - #52... ) |
Personnel
Performed and written by:- John PetrucciJohn PetrucciJohn Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - John MyungJohn MyungJohn Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Jordan RudessJordan RudessJordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Mike PortnoyMike PortnoyMichael 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, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional songwriting credits:
- Kevin MooreKevin MooreFor the blues singer, see Keb' Mo'.Kevin Moore is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer and founder of the Chroma Key music project. He is also a former member of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, co-founder of the progressive rock supergroup O.S.I. and has composed film soundtracks...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
in "Metropolis p.I", "Erotomania" and "Ytse Jam" sections - Derek SherinianDerek SherinianDerek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
in "A Change of Seasons" and "Hell's Kitchen" sections - Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in "When the Water Breaks", "Paradigm Shift" and "Universal Mind" sections