Five sold-out shows. Tickets were gone in five minutes, fans from over 71 countries, a new record for Ayreon.
After 16 hours of travel, we arrived in Eindhoven and made our way to Tilburg, affectionately known to fans as Ayreon City. Traveling with a fellow Ayreonaut of over 20 years, this was my second pilgrimage, having first experienced the magic in 2019 with Electric Castle Live and Other Tales.
Even on the way to the train station, we saw other fans proudly wearing Ayreon shirts, turning the streets into a sea of logos and symbols. It felt less like a queue for a concert and more like an international gathering of kindred spirits. By 10 am, the line outside 013 was already wrapped around the block.
Tilburg itself embraces these weekends, with special screenings and side concerts by musicians, as well as a printed city guide for fans. For a few days, Ayreon transforms this Dutch city into the beating heart of progressive metal.
Along the way, we reconnected with a friend from Poland we’d met at the last show in 2019. It’s these kinds of connections that define the Ayreon community, friendships that transcend nationality, gender, or background, forged entirely through the shared love of Arjen Lucassen’s music.
When the doors opened at 12:30, anticipation turned to electricity. By 2:00 pm, the venue was packed. Mike Mills set the tone, greeting the crowd and asking everyone to keep their phones in their pockets, to truly experience the show without distractions. To the crowd’s credit, most followed, and the result was an atmosphere fully alive and engaged.
The first act began with an avatar of Irene Jansen as a cyborg guide, welcoming us to this “amazing flight through time.” From there, the show wove together rarely played material with brand-new arrangements, thrilling long-time fans who had lived and breathed Ayreon’s music for decades.
Act I opened with “My House on Mars” and “Sail Away to Avalon”, quickly moving through a mix of Ayreon tracks, Guilt Machine and Star One covers, and a breathtaking rendition of “The Lighthouse” with Damian Wilson and Tommy Karevik. Highlights included “Dragon on the Sea” and “The Argument 2”, the latter pairing Anneke van Giersbergen with Tommy Karevik to emotional effect.
Act II shifted gears into pure Ayreon classics. The crowd erupted as the opening notes of The Theory of Everything rang out, followed by thunderous renditions of “Into the Black Hole,” “Dawn of a Million Souls,” and “Valley of the Queens,” featuring Anneke alongside Heather Findlay and Maggy Luyten. “Everybody Dies” closed the act with energy to spare.
The encore tied the evening together, beginning with “Set Your Controls” (Star One) before moving into “Day One: Vigil” and “Day Two: Isolation.” In classic Ayreon fashion, the final moments brought all singers and musicians back on stage together, creating a wall of sound and spectacle.
Arjen Lucassen himself appeared to deliver a heartfelt speech, thanking the fans, the creative mastermind Joost van den Broek, and his partner Lori Linstruth, who handled the stunning visuals. He also took a moment to remember Edward Reekers, Ayreon’s long-standing voice, who is terminally ill. It was a sobering but deeply moving reminder of the legacy behind the music.
The cast and band were as strong as ever.
- Timo Somers stood out with a fiery, note-perfect guitar performance.
- Heather Findlay and Dino Jelusick delivered powerhouse vocal highlights.
- Every singer brought their character to life with precision and emotion, making the stage feel more like a living space opera than just a concert.
Thirty years into this journey, Ayreon continues to redefine what a live show can be. An Amazing Flight Through Time lived up to its name: ambitious, emotional, and unforgettable. For progressive metal fans, this weekend in Tilburg wasn’t just another gig; it was a pilgrimage, a rite of passage, and a memory that will last forever. I can’t wait to relive it when the recording is released and hopefully experience a new Ayreon show in the future.
