German heavy metal act, U.D.O., just completed a European run in support of their current hit album Touchdown (released on August 25, 2023), which was greatly crowded in many places and even saw the band perform at a number of sold out venues. While enjoying the well deserved laurels, the group are now preparing for this year's festival season as well as the North American leg of their current world tour. Two of the aforementioned summer dates will actually revive the name, Dirkschneider.
Dirkschneider is a name that stands for far more than a simple second incarnation of U.D.O., the band with Udo Dirkschneider. In this form, the quintet pay tribute to the musical history of their legendary singer. As songwriter and even founder in the '70s, Udo was one of the main characters of the Accept success story. Bass player Peter Baltes, the newest member of the U.D.O. / Dirkschneider family, also contributed a lot to Accept's scene defining works, and during their common time in Udo's band, a certain album titled Balls To The Wall came to be.
Balls To The Wall would be a fitting description for the stage presence of the band, which is completed by the drumming 'clockwork' of Sven Dirkschneider and a talented guitar duo built of Andrey Smirnov and Fabian "Dee" Dammers, too. What luck that the 40th anniversary of the mentioned studio album, which was originally released in late 1983 and which is the most sold and best known by Accept, recently fell into the current U.D.O. / Dirkschneider heyday. Of course the band don't want to leave this jubilee unnoticed: that's why Dirkschneider are pleased to not only announce a full Balls To The Wall live performance but an entire tour in belated celebration of the iconic album for spring 2025!
Udo looks forward to these prestigious dates: "I really can't wait to revisit the ultimate success album of my band Accept. Topped by sharing the stage with Peter Baltes, performing Balls To The Wall in full for all of you out there will be one of my biggest career highlights for sure!"
As if 45 minutes of Balls To The Wall - delivering cult tracks such as its title track, "London Leatherboys", "Love Child", or album closing ballad "Winterdreams" - aren't enough to celebrate, Dirkschneider will also add additional musical surprises to the set list and even return with a fresh stage production. Everything is set to commemorate the 40th anniversary of this undeniable Accept milestone and to ensure that these nights will be unforgettable celebrations for every metalhead.
Tickets for the German shows are exclusively available at eventim now; the general pre-sale for all 25 dates is set to be launched on Wednesday, May 15 at 12 PM, CEST. More info here.
Balls To The Wall 40th Anniversary Tour:
February
26 - Vienna, Austria - SiMM City
27 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
28 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
March
1 - Prague, Czech Republic - SaSaZu
2 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
4 - Bucharest, Romania - Quantic Club
6 - Kraków, Poland - Klub Studio
7 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
8 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Kablys
10 - Helsinki, Finland - Kulttuuritalo
11 - Tampere, Finland - Tavara-asema
13 - Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller
14 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Trädgår'n
16 - Berlin, Germany - Huxleys Neue Welt
17 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
18 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
19 - Paris, France - Le Trabendo
21 - Pamplona, Spain - Sala Totem
22 - Murcia, Spain - SaLa Gamma
23 - Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 2
25 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Konzertfabrik Z7
26 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
27 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
28 - Hamburg, Germany - Große Freiheit 36
29 - Geiselwind, Germany - Eventhalle
