Initially, Jordan Rudess played one concert with them on September 9, 1994, but he was not yet considered a full-time member due to commitments to another band, the Dixie Dregs, and his job at Kurzweil Music Systems.

While Dream Theater had to promote that album with Sherinian, their drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci had a side project named Liquid Tension Experiment, which also included bassist Tony Levin and returning session keyboardist Jordan Rudess.

Portnoy and Petrucci then convinced bassist John Myung and singer James LaBrie to have Jordan Rudess join, and Derek Sherinian was fired from Dream Theater via conference call.

2: Scenes from a Memory, Dream Theater performed it live in its entirety alongside material from their fourteenth studio album, Distance over Time.

("Through My Words") He recalls that Victoria distanced herself from her lover, Julian Baynes (his last name is given in the 2019 tour video and is also in the CD insert), due to his drinking and gambling addictions.

Nicholas assumes that Julian, out of jealousy, murdered her and then killed himself, a story supported by a newspaper article covering the events, which cites a witness's testimony.

However, Nicholas begins to doubt this version of events and converses with an older man who was more familiar with the case (an animated video shown during "Fatal Tragedy" on the 2019 tour strongly suggests he is a reincarnated Julian).

("Fatal Tragedy"; "Beyond This Life"; "Through Her Eyes") The second act opens by describing Julian's addictions to cocaine and gambling, which drives Victoria away from him.

Edward feels guilty about deceiving his brother but decides that his love for Victoria is stronger than his guilt, and he seduces her when she is vulnerable following her breakup.

As Victoria begins to reconcile with Julian, Edward confronts the two of them, murders them, then stages the scene and assumes the role of the witness for the newspaper column.

The flashback includes Edward telling Victoria to "open [her] eyes" before killing her, echoing the same words the hypnotherapist used to wake Nicholas from his hypnotic trance.

The band confirmed on the Metropolis 2000 live DVD that the hypnotherapist is Edward's reincarnation and has killed Nicholas to complete the cycle once again.

2 are the following concept albums: The Who's Tommy (1969), Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974), Roger Waters' Amused to Death (1992), Radiohead's OK Computer (1997), Queensrÿche's Operation: Mindcrime (1988), The Beatles' Sgt.

Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), Marillion's Misplaced Childhood (1985), and Pink Floyd's The Wall (1979) and The Final Cut (1983).