Nightmare Cinema

Nightmare Cinema was a spoof rock band whose lineup comprised members of Dream Theater playing instruments other than their usual instrument of choice. During concert encores, starting on April 19, 1997 at the Biskuithalle in Bonn, Germany, Nightmare Cinema began their tradition of jamming on one song, with James LaBrie remaining the vocalist. The song they would usually play was Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers". However, on one occasion they played Ozzy Osbourne's "Suicide Solution".

When keyboardist Derek Sherinian was replaced by Jordan Rudess, it spelled the end of Nightmare Cinema, despite the fact that Rudess is also a capable guitarist.

Derek Sherinian named one of the songs on his solo album Black Utopia "Nightmare Cinema" after this band.

A similar "joke" band, fronted by Derek Sherinian, was "Nicky Lemons and the Migraines", who performed a punk-style song called "I Don't Like You". Dressed in a feather boa, Nicky Lemons (Sherinian) was described by Mike Portnoy as a cross between Elton John and David Lee Roth.