On January 13, 2023, Ville Valo will finally be releasing his debut solo album, Neon Noir, via Heartagram Records and Universal Music. On the very same day, the goth rocker will be embarking on a long solo tour across the globe.
While in conversation with Loudwire, the musician revealed that the setlist will be comprised of both classic HIM songs and his own solo material.
“A lot of solo artists sort of burn their bridges — denounce your past,” Valo explains.
“We can not have a night without The Funeral Of Hearts, a night without Join Me In Death, a night without Buried Alive By Love, a night without (Rip Out) The Wings Of A Butterfly.’We’re doing When Love And Death Embrace, The Kiss of Dawn, Poison Girl, Right Here in My Arms …the live favorites. All that stuff will be included in the set.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Valo touches on the subject of tour etiquette, particularly in regards to his past behaviours of acting like a "rascal" after each show - AKA, indulging in rockstar excess.
"You think you should get wasted after every gig, you should behave like a rascal" he says. "It took me 20 years to realize that anybody can do drugs. You can be a plumber and do a bunch of cocaine — that’s not special. The special thing is to be a great plumber, because we all need one.”
“I had to make the decision whether to become a really really good drunk, or a reasonably okay musician, because I couldn’t do both. That’s when I called it a day, leaving my barfly days behind and concentrating solely on music.
"I think it was a good call, because bars are always there, the tap is ever-flowing. I saw the night side of rock and roll for quite a bit, for a good 10 years or so. I’m glad for the experience, but no thank you. Been there, done that.”
View Ville Valo solo tour dates below:
Jan 13: Helsinki Tavastia, Finland
Jan 14: Helsinki Tavastia, Finland
Jan 15: Helsinki Tavastia, Finland
Feb 14: Warsaw Proxima, Poland
Feb 15: Krakow Kwadrat, Poland
Feb 16: Prague Lucerna Music Bar, Czech Republic
Feb 17: Berlin Huxley's, Germany
Feb 18: Hamburg Fabrik, Germany
Feb 20: Amsterdam Paradiso, Netherlands
Feb 21: Frankfurt Batschkapp, Germany
Feb 22: Zurich Komplex, Switzerland
Feb 24: Barcelona Razzmatazz, Spain
Feb 25: Madrid La Riviera, Spain
Feb 26: Lisbon Cineteatro Capitolio, Portugal
Feb 27: Porto Hard Club, Portugal
Mar 02: Milan Alcatraz, Italy
Mar 03: Munich Backstage Werk, Germany
Mar 04: Budapest Barba Negra, Hungary
Mar 05: Vienna Arena, Austria
Mar 07: Esch-sur-Alzette Rockhal, Luxemburg
Mar 08: Cologne LMH, Germany
Mar 09: Paris Le Trabendo, France
Mar 10: Bristol O2 Academy, UK
Mar 11: Nottingham Rock City, UK
Mar 13: Glasgow Garage, UK
Mar 14: Manchester O2 Ritz, UK
Mar 15: London O2 Forum Kentish Town, UK
Mar 31: Philadelphia Theatre of the Living Arts, PA
Apr 01: Philadelphia Theatre of the Living Arts, PA
Apr 02: Boston Big Night Live, MA
Apr 04: Pittsburgh Roxian Theater, PA
Apr 05: Cleveland House of Blues, OH
Apr 06: Detroit St. Andrews Hall, MI
Apr 08: Cincinnati Bogarts, OH
Apr 09: Chicago House of Blues, IL
Apr 10: Chicago House of Blues, IL
Apr 11: Minneapolis Varsity Theater, MN
Apr 13: Denver Summit Music Hall, CO
Apr 14: Salt Lake City The Depot, UT
Apr 16: Sacramento Ace of Spades, CA
Apr 17: San Francisco The Fillmore, CA
Apr 18: Los Angeles Belasco, CA
Apr 19: Los Angeles Belasco, CA
Apr 21: Las Vegas House of Blues, NV
Apr 22: San Diego House of Blues, CA
Apr 23: Phoenix Van Buren, AZ
Apr 25: Dallas House of Blues, TX
Apr 26: San Antonio Aztec Theater, TX
Apr 27: Houston House of Blues, TX
Apr 28: New Orleans House of Blues, LA
Apr 30: Orlando House of Blues, FL
May 01: Ft. Lauderdale Revolution. FL
May 03: Atlanta Buckhead Theatre, GA
May 04: Nashville Brooklyn Bowl, TN
May 05: Charlotte Underground, NC
May 07: Silver Spring The Fillmore, MD
May 08: New York Irving Plaza, NY
