Recorded live at the Downey Theatre in Downey, LA on June 27, 2008 during Liquid Tension Experiment's 10th Anniversary Reunion Tour. This is from the Blu-ray that was only available in the Liquid Tension Experiment Live 2008 - Limited Edition Boxset, which is now out of print and extremely difficult to find.
Liquid Tension Experiment (LTE) was an instrumental progressive metal band founded by Mike Portnoy, then Dream Theater's drummer, in 1997. The band has released two albums , Liquid Tension Experiment (1998) and Liquid Tension Experiment 2 (1999) on Magna Carta Records.
Portnoy first invited keyboardist Jordan Rudess and progressive rock icon Tony Levin (bass, Chapman Stick) of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel's band to join him. In his instructional video "Liquid Drum Theater", Portnoy said that his first choice for the guitar was Dimebag Darrell, but he was unable to join because of conflicting schedules. Two other primary choices, Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Kansas, Deep Purple) and Jim Matheos (Fates Warning) were also unavailable. Portnoy then turned to fellow Dream Theater member John Petrucci to fill the position (despite initially wanting to keep the project completely separate from Dream Theater). The combo was formed as a side project to Dream Theater in 1997. Both Mike and John confirmed on the 5 Years in a Livetime DVD commentary, that Rudess was asked to join Dream Theater largely because of the success of Liquid Tension Experiment, and the chemistry of the three working together. Rudess had previously declined to join Dream Theater in 1994 and instead became a member of the Dixie Dregs, known for complex, "Southern fusion" instrumental music. After the LTE collaboration, in 1999 Rudess was again asked to join Dream Theater.
"Universal Mind" is the eighth song from Liquid Tension Experiment's self-titled first studio album, released on March 10, 1998 through Magna Carta Records.
Tony Levin - Chapman Stick, Bass
John Petrucci - Guitar
Mike Portnoy - Drums, Percussion
Jordan Rudess - Keyboards
#MysticRhythmsLive
