Ayreon's The Theater Equation DVD/Blu-Ray Package Announced

In September 2015, over the course of four sold-out shows, Ayreon's legendary progressive rock concept album The Human Equation was brought to life as a full-blown musical production at the Nieuwe Luxor theater in Rotterdam.

This limited run of performances was witnessed by die-hard fans from across the world, but now Arjen Lucassen's story can be witnessed by all, as a recording of the final night of those special evenings is being released as both a DVD & Blu-Ray package on June 17th, 2016. The Theater Equation is subtitled in nine different languages and includes nearly one-and-a-half hours of bonus content.
Arjen comments:

"Even today as I write this, I am amazed and touched by how hard everyone worked and how much love and care they generously gave to make it all happen. Sometimes the dream becomes reality!"

The stage show stars Dream Theater frontman James LaBrie in his original roll as "Me" and features nearly the entire cast of vocalists from the original 2004 album. The main cast is supported by a specially put-together 19-strong Epic Rock Choir. This is a unique document of an undertaking that was surely once in a lifetime.

Cast:
James LaBrie as 'Me'
Devon Graves as 'Agony'
Heather Findlay as 'Love'
Eric Clayton as 'Reason'
Magnus Ekwall as 'Pride',
Marcela Bovio as 'Wife'
Irene Jansen as 'Passion'
Anneke van Giersbergen as 'Fear',
Jermain van der Bogt (Wudstik) as 'Best Friend'
Mike Mills as 'Rage/Father'
Nienke Verboom as 'Nurse'
Peter Moltmaker as 'Doctor'
Anita van der Hoeven as 'Mom'

Band:
Ed Warby: Drums
Jeroen Goossens: Flutes and woodwinds
Johan van Stratum: Bass
Maaike Peterse: Cello
Ben Mathot: Violin
Marcel Coenen: Guitars
Freek Gielen: Guitars
Erik van Ittersum: Keyboards/synths
Ruben Wijga: Keyboards/synths
Epic Rock Choir

The Theater Equation will be available as a special edition 2CD+DVD Digipak, standalone Blu-ray, & audio-only Digital Download.

THE HUMAN EQUATION STORY

After a mysterious single-car accident, the victim - a man in his late 30s - lies comatose in the hospital. Before the accident he was a powerful businessman, wildly successful by any measure but also known for his cutthroat business tactics. Now he finds himself trapped in a prison that took him a lifetime to build: the prison of his own mind.

Guarding the prison are his emotions, which have taken on vivid personas inside his mind. Some are friends, some are foes, and they all have their own agendas. Some aim to trick him or dominate him, others to comfort or inspire him. But the one objective they all share is to force him to face up to the demons of his past and the deep truths about who he is and how he's lived his life, all of which he's conveniently ignored until now. Fear, Rage, Agony, Love, Passion, Reason and Pride take turns engaging the man in this emotional warfare.

Two people hold vigil at the man's bedside: his wife and his best friend. They are desperate to understand how the accident happened and to see even the tiniest sign that the man will regain consciousness. But the man's recovery is not their only concern: is it possible that he somehow found out their secret, and that the "accident" wasn't really an accident at all? Would he ever be able to forgive them?

Will the man have the strength to face the truth about himself and the ones he loves? The story unfolds over his twenty-day emotional struggle with Fear, Rage, Agony, Love, Passion, Reason and Pride, in which each day of coma is represented by a song.

Arjen Lucassen Online
www.arjenlucassen.com
www.facebook.com/ArjenLucassenOfficial
www.twitter.com/arjenlucassen

Ayreon's Human Equation Becomes Theater Experience

Nearly 6000 Ayreon fans from 49 different countries will flock to Rotterdam (NL) this September to witness the once-in-a-lifetime theater production The Theater Equation based on Ayreon's The Human Equation. The album's original vocalists James LaBrie, Devon Graves, Heather Findlay, Eric Clayton, Marcela Bovio, Magnus Ekwall and Irene Jansen will reprise their roles on 18th, 19th and 20th of September in the nieuwe Luxor theater. Rounding out the cast are Ayreon veterans Wudstik, Anneke van Giersbergen and Mike Mills.
 
For years fans of Arjen Anthony Lucassen's rock operas have begged for a live performance. The creative team of Shadow Freaks, a theater production company lead by Lucassen's former manager Yvette Boertje, now answers that call by staging a fan favorite; The Human Equation.
 
The Human Equation tells the story of comatose man who battles his emotions that have come to life in a frightening and bizarre world: his own mind. After a 20-day emotional rollercoaster ride filled with good and bad memories, shocking revelations and hope-filled desires, the man has to make a decision: wake up or die?
 
The band features some of Lucassen's finest guest musicians: Ed Warby, Johan van Stratum, Jeroen Goossens, Ben Mathot and Maaike Peterse. Joost van den Broek is music director and arranger for the band that also features Marcel Coenen, Freek Gielen, Erik van Ittersum and Ruben Wijga. The Epic Rock Choir, assembled especially for this show, will bring an extra dimension to this production as a finishing touch.
 
The Theater Equation's spectacular cast, band, stage design and costumes promise to turn this production into the prog event of 2015! The first three shows sold out so fast, that a fourth (and final) show was added later. Tickets for this show are available now via www.thetheaterequation.com
 
 
SHOW DATES:
18 September (SOLD OUT)
Showtime: 20.00hrs
 
19 September (TICKETS AVAILABLE)
Showtime: 15.00hrs
 
19 September (SOLD OUT)
Showtime: 20.00hrs
 
20 September (SOLD OUT)
Showtime: 15.00hrs
 
 
CAST:
James LaBrie as 'Me'
Devon Graves as 'Agony'
Heather Findlay as 'Love'
Eric Clayton as 'Reason'
Magnus Ekwall as 'Pride',
Marcela Bovio as 'Wife'
Irene Jansen as 'Passion'
Anneke van Giersbergen as 'Fear',
Jermain van der Bogt (Wudstik) as 'Best Friend'
Mike Mills as 'Rage/Father'
Nienke Verboom as 'Nurse'
Peter Moltmaker as 'Doctor'
Anita van der Hoeven as 'Mom'
 
BAND:
Ed Warby: Drums
Jeroen Goossens: Flutes and woodwinds
Johan van Stratum: Bass
Maaike Peterse: Cello
Ben Mathot: Violin
Marcel Coenen: Guitars
Freek Gielen: Guitars
Erik van Ittersum: Keyboards/synths
Ruben Wijga: Keyboards/synths
Epic Rock Choir

More information can be found at:
Website: http://www.thetheaterequation.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetheaterequation

Arjen Lucassen Online
www.arjenlucassen.com
www.facebook.com/ArjenLucassenOfficial
www.twitter.com/arjenlucassen

The Gentle Storm Reveal Album Art and Name

Arjen Lucassen (Ayreon, Star One, Guilt Machine) & Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Devin Townsend Project) have joined forces for new band The Gentle Storm, and they have now revealed the cover artwork for their debut album The Diary, which is due out early next year.

Arjen had this to say:

"I loved the front cover of the last Stream of Passion album, so I tracked down the cover artist, Alexandra V. Bach. I sent her some samples of the The Gentle Storm music, and explained the album concept. She made a moodboard that captured the feel of the story and the music. We then gave her the go-ahead to design the cover. She did an amazing job that exceeded our expectations: Alexandra's cover art represents The Gentle Storm perfectly!"

Having originally worked together back in 1998 on Ayreon's album Into The Electric Castle, and reconvening again for the seventh Ayreon album 01011001, The Gentle Storm sees the duo collaborate for a full double-album that will see the light of day next year. Anneke will also take the music on the road in 2015, backed by a band of Dutch musicians; however Arjen himself will not take part.
 
Arjen Lucassen recently picked up the Virtuoso award at this year's Progressive Music Awards, in front of an audience that included Peter Gabriel & Rick Wakeman amongst other progressive rock legends. Last year saw the release of the latest album from his Ayreon project entitled The Theory Of Everything which featured guest appearances from the aforementioned Wakeman as well as Steve Hackett and Keith Emerson. 

Anneke Van Giersbergen has also had an extremely busy 12 months following the release of her latest solo album Drive, playing live across the world with her solo band, Devin Townsend Project, and with Daniel Cavanagh of Anathema. She will also be playing a special anniversary show with former band The Gathering in November as well has having taken part in Devin Townsend's new album Z².

The Gentle Storm online:
www.facebook.com/TheGentleStorm/
www.twitter.com/gentlestormband

The Listeners Have Chosen, Part 2

The follow-up to last week's post, continuing the Listeners' Countdown of Top 20 CDs of 2013. Here are numbers 10 to 1. Any surprises? If so, please comment!

10		The Greatest Show on Earth Airbag (Norway)
9		Le Sacre du Travail The Tangent(United Kingdom)
8		Himjlabacken, Volume 1 Moon Safari (Sweden)
7 (Tie)		Dimentionaut Sound of Contact (United Kingdom)
7 (Tie)		English Electric Full Power Big Big Train (United Kingdom)
6		Lifesigns Lifesigns (United Kingdom)
5		The Mountain Haken (United Kingdom)
4		Shrine of New Generation Slaves Riverside (Poland)
3		Brief Nocturnes and Dreamless Sleep Spock's Beard (United States)
2		The Theory of Everything Ayreon (Netherlands)
1		The Raven That Refused to Sing (And Other Stories) Steven Wilson (United Kingdom)