Devin Townsend has announced European tour dates in support of his forthcoming solo album Empath. Townsend will release the new album through InsideOut Music on March 29, and has announced tour dates for November and December.
“After a year of intensive recording, mixing, and reflection, I have decided where I want to take the next level of my career as a live performer," Townsend tells Prog. "I have had success and great memories from both the Devin Townsend Project as well as Strapping Young Lad, but now I am fortunate enough to be able to follow the muse where it currently leads. I am proud to announce that for the first 'band' tour of the Empath cycle, I am going to stretch my wings in ways I have not had the opportunity to do before and tour with a 'backing band' that can shift and morph as the music dictates instead of adhering to a click track. 'Empath Europe Volume 1' will be the first example of this, and the first tour will be in Europe (other territories to follow).
"I have spent considerable effort think about the things I wanted to do for these shows, and one thing I came out of DTP with was the awareness that I wanted to incorporate a more improvisational element to what I do. With the best players I can find, my plan is to interpret my back catalogue, as well as the Empath material, in ways that may change nightly. less computers, and less of a rigid structure. I want to use Volume 1 as a way to bring my music to people in a potentially new way. People playing music...
"I hope you will consider joining me at these concerts. As a performer, it’s important to be able to be willing to react, and my hope is that each of these shows will be a unique experience. Thank you for allowing me to do what I do. See you there?"
Full dates are:
FRA Paris Salle Pleyel - November 15
BEL Antwerp Trix - 16
NED Tilbug 013 - 17
GER Hamburg Gruenspan - 18
FIN Turku Logomo - 20
FIN Helsinki Cirkus - 21
SWE Stockholm Münchenbryggeriet - 23
NOR Oslo Sentrum Scene - 24
DEN Copenhagen Amager Bio - 25
GER Berlin Astra - 27
CZE Prague Roxy - 28
POL Wraclaw A2 - 29
HUN Budapest Barba Negra - 30
AUS Vienna Simm City - December 2
SWI Zurich X Tra - 3
IRE Dublin Academy - 6
UK Belfast Limelight - 7
UK Glasgow Barba Negra - 8
UK Manchester Albert Hall - 10
UK London Roundhouse - 12
UK Nottingham Rock City - 13
