Edward Reekers

Fat adolescent Dik Trom enjoys growing up in a hedonistic town devoted to food and fun. When a restaurant chain offers his father the life-long-dreamed opportunity to run his own, the Trom family moves. Their new home town Dunhoven is however inhabited by health freaks who prefer only fitness to dietary sobriety.

Over four nights at Tilburg's 013 venue (scene of the Ayreon Universe series of live shows in 2017) Lucassen, his band and one of modern progressive music's most emphatic of casts celebrated the 20th anniversary of the third Ayreon album in front of thousands of adoring fans who had flown in from around the world. The entire album was performed live, featuring original album singers and musicians, such as Thijs Van Leer, Fish, Damian Wilson, Edward Reekers, Anneke van Giersbergen, and several special guests including Simone Simons (Epica) and Star Trek's John De Lancie as narrator. The 'Other Tales' are deep cuts from Arjen Lucassen's other projects, such as The Gentle Storm, Ambeon, Stream of Passion, Guilt Machine, Star One, his solo-album Arjen Anthony Lucassen and a very special Marillion cover.

Recorded at Schouwburg Orpheus, Apeldoorn, Holland on May 3, 2003 1. Close To The Fire 2. Two Wrongs 3. Periscope Life 4. Ruthless Queen 5. Mammoth 6. Wintertime 7. Starlight Dancer 8. Chance For A Lifetime 9. Full Circle Bonus track: Merlin

Ayreon Universe is Ayreon live in concert for the first time ever, organized and arranged by Arjen A. Lucassen and Joost van den Broek. This performance was filmed during the second show in Tilburg on Saturday September 16th 2017. Joining Arjen Lucassen for this concert were guest perfomers Floor Jansen (Nightwish/After Forever), Damian Wilson (Headspace), Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering/Vuur), Marco Hietala (Nightwish/Tarot) Jonas Renkse (Katatonia).