Devin Townsend has released a new video announcing his new band line-up for his forthcoming Empath tour.
"This is a quantum leap for me, and it’s a situation that I have been very proactive in choosing a group of individuals and setlist for," Townsend tells Prog.
You can watch the whole video below. Haken's Diego Tajeda wil be on keyboards whilst Frank Zappa's Mike Keneally and Stick Men's Markus Reuter will feature on guitar, along with Kaipa drummer Morgen Agren, Empath bassist Nathan Navarro and Casualties Of Cool vocalist Che Aimee Dorval.
“There have been only a few times throughout my career that I can safely say I’ve taken a chance as big as I’m about to take with these new touring plans," adds Townsend. "But I believe that to not take a chance on something as important to me as this can only lead to creative stagnation.
"It is with profound gratitude that I can announce this next tour. To be joined by musicians of this calibre, as well as crew and sound design of such a level, is something I am truly humbled by. As one who has been working professionally my whole career to be able to be allowed to pull something like this off, I really can’t say ‘thank you’ enough to everyone involved.
"This will be without a net. No backing tracks, no clicks, a lot of room for improvisation, and every possible avenue through musicians and production of high calibre for new and interesting things to be possible each night.
"Though this is the first of my upcoming plans for touring, and I don’t want to be limited in the future, my gut feeling is that this will be a truly unique and fascinatingly colourful organisation that will yield wonderful things. I truly hope it can be received well enough to be brought to a lot of different territories."
Full dates below.
Devin Townsend & Haken 2019 European tour
Nov 15: Paris Salle Pleyel, France
Nov 16: Antwerp Trix, Belgium
Nov 17: Tilburg 013, Netherlands
Nov 18: Hamburg Grunspan, Germany
Nov 23: Stockholm Münchenbryggeriet, Sweden
Nov 24: Oslo Sentrum Scene, Norway
Nov 25: Copenhagen Amager Bio, Denmark
Nov 27: Berlin Astra, Germany
Nov 28: Prague Roxy, Czech Republic
Nov 29: Wroclaw A2, Poland
Nov 30: Budapest Barba Negra, Hungary
Dec 02: Vienna Simm City, Austria
Dec 03: Zurich X Tra, Switzerland
Dec 05: Cardiff Great Hall, UK
Dec 06: Dublin Academy, Ireland
Dec 07: Belfast Limelight, UK
Dec 09: Glasgow SWG3, UK
Dec 10: Manchester Albert Hall, UK
Dec 12: London Roundhouse, UK
Dec 13: Nottingham Rock City, UK
