Week long 30th anniversary celebrations for composer, rock musician and producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s Ayreon project were held at Tilburg in the Netherlands last September, with six live performances taking in a number of guest performances.
Tilburg lived and breathed Ayreon. The city centre became a playground of Ayreon beer and themed dinners, street flags, camping, karaoke, and legions of fans filling the city sporting t-shirts from every era of the band with 15,000 tickets having been snapped up within minutes of going on sale, and those fans travelling from an astonishing 71 countries around the world.
It has become an annual event with many traditions having been established, the main one of course being the live stage shows. Now, for those who couldn’t make it last year, 30th Anniversary: An Amazing Flight Through Time will be released on 22nd May via Music Theories Recordings/Artone.
Thus far, two live videos have been issued. First came ‘Loser’ that’s anything but. First appearing on 2004’s The Human Equation album, Lucassen commenting on the new release, saying:
“I’m extremely proud to share the first full live video from the upcoming Ayreon 30th Anniversary release! I chose ‘Loser’ because it’s not just a personal favourite of mine, but a massive highlight for the fans. The moment Jeroen Goossens plays those iconic opening notes on the didgeridoo, the energy in the room explodes. This performance truly captures the magic of the night: Mike Mills delivers an incredibly charismatic lead, Joost van den Broek tears through a wild Hammond solo, and Ed Warby provides his signature virtuoso drumming. My absolute favourite part, however, is when Mike lets the crowd take over the first verse. Hearing the audience roar ‘Loser!’ back at the stage is pure goosebumps.”
You can check out the video for ‘Loser’ and more recent video ‘Everybody Dies’ here at RAMzine. Originally released on 2017’s The Source album, Lucassen said of this live rendition:
“‘Everybody Dies’ was undoubtedly the highlight for both the crowd and the performers. The stage erupted into absolute mayhem with the most electric energy of the entire set. The interaction between the singers was nothing short of extraordinary, and the band executed the complex, high-octane track with unflappable ease. Not an easy song to play, but they pulled it off!”
Those singers he mentions were Mike Mills (Toehider), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Wudstik, Maggy Luyten, Marcela Bovio and Irene Jansen. While musicians present at the event and on the recordings included: Joost van den Broek (keyboards), Ed Warby (drums), Johan van Stratum (bass), Timo Somers (guitar), Ferry Duijsens (electric and acoustic guitar), Ben Mathot (violin), Jeroen Goossens (flute) and Jurriaan Westerveld (cello).
Overall, the massive, state-of-the-art production involved over 100 cast and crew members, featuring a one-of-a-kind stage design, stunning visuals, and spectacular special effects that elevated the show beyond a concert into a true theatrical happening.
“It was an epic, immersive journey across three decades of music, including deep cuts and tracks from side projects I never thought we’d play live. The grand production, the massive cast, the hard-hitting visuals… it was a truly unforgettable experience I’m incredibly proud of,” declared Lucassen.
Tracks featured across 30th Anniversary: An Amazing Flight Through Time are: ‘Dream Sequencer 1’, ‘My House On Mars’, ‘Sail Away To Avalon’, ‘Green And Cream’, ‘Days Of The Knights’, ‘Childhood’, ‘Dragon On The Sea’, ‘Sign’, ‘Sea Of Machines’, ‘The Year Of ’41’, ‘The First Man On Earth’, ‘The Lighthouse’, ‘The Argument 2’, ‘The Parting’, ‘Carried By The Wind’, ‘Dream Sequencer 2’, ‘The Theory of Everything’, ‘Actual Fantasy’, ‘Into The Black Hole’, ‘Dreamtime’, ‘Dawn Of A Million Souls’, ‘Valley Of The Queens’, ‘Loser’, ‘Band Introduction Mike’, ‘The Castle Hall’, ‘Amazing Flight In Space’, ‘Everybody Dies’, ‘Speech Arjen And Joost’, ‘Set Your Controls’, ‘Dream Sequencer 3’, and ‘Isolation’.
