The secrets of Dream Theater, progressive metal pioneers who return to Argentina after winning a Grammy

Considered the pioneers of progressive metal, Dream Theater have amassed numerous accolades since their debut album in 1989. Today they have sold 12 million copies of their albums and have fans all over the world.

According to keyboardist Jordan Rudess, “We don’t go to Argentina that often, but I remember perfectly the atmosphere of the shows when we were playing there. I have very clear images and the fans are great. We played at Luna Park and recorded a DVD, so there it is. a truly unique relationship between Dream Theater and Argentina “.

The group will return to the country on Wednesday 7 September, as part of his Top of The World Tour, and will play at the Movistar Arena. Tickets are now available on www.movistararena.com

Currently, the American band has just won their first Grammy Award, in the Best Metal Performance category, for their song Alienfrom your job last year, A View From The Top Of The World.

Dream Theater members are James LaBrie (vocals), John Petrucci (guitar), John Myung (bass), Mike Mangini (drums) and Rudess, who performs in a Zoom chat from the comfort of their home.

-I thought you were going to be in the middle of the tour, in a hotel.

– I’m actually at a friend’s house. I have a few relaxed days. A week ago we were playing in Japan and before that I did some solo shows. What follows South America.

“It was nice to be back on tour”

-How is this tour going, with such a busy agenda after the pandemic year?

-It was nice to go out again. We did a series of shows in the US, then in Europe, and then there was a hiatus. We continue with the concerts in Asia and now in South America. It’s nice to do things again! It feels very good.

-Many artists claim that the public seems to be more euphoric, perhaps due to the months of imprisonment. Have you heard something similar?

-In many places, no doubt yes. I also felt it when I started my solo exhibitions. people were very energetic and demonstrative. It was clear that they really wanted to participate in live recitals. People were tired of not going to shows, even though there are places where people are still afraid of going to a concert.

-What will the playlist look like?

-It is not a mystery why many people are talking about it online. There are many factors we take into consideration when putting together the list, such as the length of the show, because a festival is shorter than a stand-alone show. We also have a lot of long songs, so let’s choose which ones to do, to make room for the other songs. And we like to mix things up a bit so that there are songs from the new album and old stuff too.

Another important thing is that we don’t want to play songs that someone in the band doesn’t like. If someone says “I don’t like doing that song”, it’s not over.

“We are not a band of the past”

-You may only tour your biggest hits, but still people receive new albums very well and even reward them with a Grammy.

-When it happens, it’s the best. That’s why I don’t see the group as just a successful rock band, but we are very serious songwriters and musicians. I like the fact that we’re not just a band with a glorious past, and I think that’s right. There are other bands that are like that, like King Crimson, who no matter how old they are, they are still very lively and cool music.

-When you make a new album, do you just make songs or do you start from a previous general concept?

-In general we found ideas and concepts for the album. Each record has a different dynamic. For this last job we practically entered the studio without musical preconceptions, but we all had a lot of energy due to the pandemic and not being able to be together. We made this album with a lot of passion and desire. I think the problem with Dream Theater is not that we run out of ideas, but that sometimes we have too many, so the challenge is to organize them.

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