Ayreon as just released a live video for ‘The Day The World Breaks Down’, taken from the forthcoming 01011001 – Live Beneath The Waves mega-release – It which features an enormous singing cast of Damian Wilson, Daniel Gildenlow, Jan Willem Ketelaers, Simone Simons, Maggy Luyten, Jaycee, Hansi Kürsch, Mike Mills, Tom Englund, Anneke van Giersbergen, Marcela Bovio and Irene Jansen.
Talking about the song, Arjen Lucassen said, “Here is the second video clip from the Ayreon Live Beneath The Waves DVD/BluRay! I picked the song ‘The Day That The World Breaks Down’ because firstly it’s one of my favourites and secondly it features many of the talented singers. We never thought we could pull this complicated song off in a live setting, but seems like we did it! Let me know if you agree… Enjoy.”
You can watch the video here at RAMzine.
An Ayreon live event is not just any concert. It’s a monumental occasion where the highest-calibre musicians and an enormous production come together to forge a bombastic spectacle. The rarity of these shows only adds to their uniqueness.
In September 2023, Arjen Lucassen’s 01011001 – Live Beneath The Waves sold out five performances at Poppodium 013 in Tilburg, The Netherlands, and on 17th May that Ayreon live event will become available on 3 LPs, a 2CD+DVD combination, Blu-ray, Earbook, and in digital formats through Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group.
This live production, based on the critically acclaimed 2008 concept album 01011001, was performed in its entirety, followed by a number of encore songs. The stage came alive with an imposing backdrop, LED screens showcasing fantastic visuals, lasers, pyrotechnics, special effects, and a unique live surround sound experience – a setup that would be at home on Broadway or London’s West End.
Reflecting on the show, Lucassen said: “When I wrote the 01011001 album back in 2007, it was never meant to be played live. So, I could make it as complicated as I wanted with countless instrumentalists and no less than 17 singers! When we considered playing this album live, I really didn’t think we could do it and find the right musicians to bring this album to life. But… it appears we did, the crowd seemed to really enjoy themselves! I’m so proud of everyone involved. ‘More is More’ was the credo of these shows. I think we kept our word!”
Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen, alongside keyboardist Joost van den Broek, assembled a remarkable line-up, featuring many original cast members from the 01011001 album and various special guests such as Simone Simons (Epica), Damian Wilson (Threshold), Anneke van Giersbergen, Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Tom Englund (Evergrey), Daniel Gildenlow (Pain Of Salvation), Marcela Bovio (Mayan), Brittney Slayes (Unleash The Archers), Hansi Kürsch (Blind Guardian), John Jaycee Cuijpers (Praying Mantis), Maggy Luyten (Beautiful Sin), Michael Mills (Toehider) and Wudstik, among other noted musicians.
The band featured top instrumentalists including Ed Warby (Drums), Johan van Stratum (Bass), Timo Somers (Guitar), Marcel Coenen (Guitar) and Joost Van Den Broek (Keyboards). The enigmatic Lucassen himself made an appearance, marking this as the largest cast in Ayreon‘s live show history, which is no mean feat. Live Beneath the Waves vividly brings to life the water planet Y, immersing audiences in this technological underwater world.
“01011001 is one of my favourite Ayreon albums, and putting this show together was really exciting and rewarding,” said Lucassen. “When I first approached the cast and crew via email, messaging, etc., within minutes I got back the most heartwarming and enthusiastic reactions. Everyone was excited about helping me bring the album to life.” Head producer Joost van den Broek added, “This live production raised the bar even higher for us in all aspects and made the most impressive and epic show yet. The album 01011001 has a very specific sound and feeling that we had to translate to the stage as well as possible and as grandiose as possible.”
The opening song ‘The Age Of Shadows’ showcases eight incredible singers, perfectly introducing the show and setting the tone for the musical journey to come with a full track list that features the following: ‘March Of The Machines’, ‘Age Of Shadows’, ‘Comatose’, ‘Liquid Eternity’, ‘Connect The Dots’, ‘Beneath The Waves’, ‘Newborn Race’, ‘Ride The Comet’, ‘Web Of Lies’, ‘The Fifth Extinction’, ‘Waking Dreams’, ‘The Truth Is In Here’, ‘Unnatural Selection’, ‘River Of Time’, ‘E = MC2’, ‘The Sixth Extinction’, ‘Speech’, ‘This Human Equation’, ‘Fate Of Man’ and ‘The Day That The World Breaks Down’.
You can order 01011001 – Live Beneath The Waves here. Ahead of its arrival, alongside ‘The Day The World Breaks Down’, you can check out the previous live video ‘The Sixth Extinction’.
