--- product_id: 119412063 title: "Ayreon Universe" brand: "music theories" price: "₨24078" currency: LKR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.lk/products/119412063-ayreon-universe store_origin: LK region: Sri Lanka --- # Ayreon Universe **Brand:** music theories **Price:** ₨24078 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Ayreon Universe by music theories - **How much does it cost?** ₨24078 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.lk](https://www.desertcart.lk/products/119412063-ayreon-universe) ## Best For - music theories enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted music theories brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description ARJEN LUCASSEN TO RELEASE AYREON UNIVERSE March 30th 2018. Ayreon Universe is the best of Ayreon Live - A unique performance featuring 16 singers, 28 songs, 2+ hour performance, 9000+ fans and a special appearance by Arjen Lucassen. All of this captured by 30 cameras! It’s proof that you should never say ‘never’. After creating rock operas in the studio for more than 20 years, prog mastermind Arjen Lucassen, aka Ayreon, finally took his Universe to the stage in September 2017. Three shows sold out within hours after announcing. 9000+ Fans from all corners of the world flocked to the 013 venue in Tilburg, the Netherlands to see this long-awaited show live. This unique performance features 16 singers, 28 songs, an 8 piece band and a special appearance by Arjen. The duration of the show was more than 2 hours. It was filmed with 30 cameras and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray with 5.1 surround audio, with an extensive list of extras, including a behind-the-scenes documentary with interviews with every singer and musician, and a compilation of the try-out show performed a few weeks earlier. Two years in the making, Ayreon Universe is a full on rock extravaganza, featuring songs from all Ayreon albums, including 2017’s ‘The Source’, plus a few fan favorites from Star One. An amazing array of singers appeared on stage to bring the Ayreon Universe to life: Floor Jansen (Nightwish), Damian Wilson (Threshold), Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian), Tommy Karevik (Kamelot), Anneke van Giersbergen (The Gentle Storm), Marco Hietala (Nightwish), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Mike Mills (Toehider), Marcela Bovio (Stream of Passion), Irene Jansen, Robert Soeterboek (Star One), John Jaycee Cuijpers (Praying Mantis), Edward Reekers (Kayak), Jay van Feggelen, Maggy Luyten (Nightmare) and Lisette van den Berg (Scarlet Stories). This is the show every Ayreon fan has wanted to see and hear! ## Images ![Ayreon Universe - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81WIZUPMeTL.jpg) ![Ayreon Universe - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/813kZnSU7IL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Real Live Ayreon Rock Show! *by J***K on Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2018* Wow! I don’t even know where to begin. I always find it a challenge to adequately review a release of this magnitude. Very seldom, though, do I struggle to know where to begin. Universe ultimately encompasses everything Ayreon, back to 1995’s The Final Experiment and including 2017’s The Source (along with Star One for that matter). This is, essentially, what it says it is – a “best of Ayreon” live rock show, replete with all the special effects, scintillating lighting, multi-camera angles and intense performances. There is no concept this time around (imagine that) other than the concept of Ayreon itself – a multi-vocalist, multi-instrumentalist collaboration breathing live life into the studio phenomenon that has been engineered by Arjen Lucassen for more than two decades. But while this performance has its roots deeply planted in the Ayreon universe, it was actually the 2015 live performance of The Human Equation (The Theater Equation) (and subsequent 2016 release of the same) which spawned this current show into reality. Not only did the fan support for that performance surprise the band, but it also inspired Arjen and company to feed that “itch” to make it happen again – only on a larger scale! I will not regurgitate the cast of players here since the pre-release press has that covered. Suffice it to say, the singers represent all eras of the band history, and the songs are mostly well-distributed across the back catalog. Note, there are, however, only two songs from The Source, so this is not a live album in support of the newest release. Likewise, there are only two songs from The Human Equation here, most likely because those songs were featured on The Theater Equation.But with 8 full-length studio albums in tow, how do you even begin to pick a set list … let alone select musicians from the plethora of participants over the past 2 decades who are to participate in such a massive performance? And then when those lists have been narrowed down, you have to find the singers who could actually perform on the 3 nights in questions. Fortunately, Arjen and his musical production manager Joost van den Broek started two years in advance, both in preparing the musicians and the production. The result is an absolutely fantastic “debut” live recording that not only sounds phenomenal, but surpasses The Theater Equation in terms of visual quality and musical execution. This has been released in 2CD audio, 3LP vinyl, 2DVD and Blu-ray video formats. The deluxe version earbook contains the 2 audio CDs, the 2DVDs and the Blu-ray, plus bios of all of the participants (written by Arjen himself) and lots of extra photos.The PerformanceIt is nothing short of phenomenal. First off, Ayreon is really now a band, fully capable of a highly cohesive and engaging live performance. This was established with The Theater Equation, and most of those musicians have returned here (minus the Epic Rock Choir) to solidify, and expand upon, that foundation. Warby anchors with the drums, but is now augmented by percussionist Rob Snijders (Gentle Storm/Ayreon - The Dream Sequencer), and Johan van Stratum rounds out the rhythm section on bass. The dual guitars of Coenen and Duijsens have a much more crushing presence as they rip through these 28 songs. Van den Broek is actually performing on keyboards this time around because Arjen wanted the best, and his wall of keyboard diversity is a center point of the Ayreon sound. The trio of Mathot (violin), Peterse (cello) and Goesens (winds) returns to enliven the music and add their dynamic virtuosity to the mix. Marcela Bovio, Irene Jansen and newbie Lisette van den Burg provide back-up vocals - essentially 3 "lead-quality" vocalists. Integrate this group with these fantastic "guest" vocalists and you have one of the most striking collections of musical performers ever assembled on one stage.Forget debating the song selection. Fans could argue on what truly represents the “best of” Ayreon for as long as the Forever exist. The set list represents what Arjen and Joost felt would be the songs with the biggest dynamic impact on stage, and in that regard I think they selected well. They chose songs with a wide dynamic range, since that is what this band is all about. So you have these intimate moments, “Valley of the Queens,” “Comatose” and “And The Druids Turned To Stone,” juxtaposed with epic songs like “The Theory Of Everything,” “Star of Sirrah” (amazing guitar solo by Coenen) and “The Castle Hall.” And everything in between with the folksier songs like “River Of Time” and “Loser.” While some songs retain the original singers, many songs have been rearranged slightly to accommodate different singers. For instance, it is cool to hear Floor Jansen (Nightwish) sing “Merlin’s Will” … or to hear Tommy Karevik (Kamelot) sing Dickenson’s song “Into The Black Hole.” Mike Mills functions as the narrator (some humorous moments here) in addition to singing some of his material (“Loser” and “Everybody Dies”). The result of all of this is a nicely refreshing, yet familiar, vibe and sound to these tunes. Even Ed Warby gets a vocal part on “Love,” so that is a nice nugget to discover. The biggest vocal surprise to me is Maggy Luyten (who enjoyed a relatively minor role on 0101). She plays a much greater role on this performance, even going up against the unflappable Damian Wilson on Star One’s “Intergalactic Space Crusaders.” Her Janis Joplin-soaked voice provides nice contrast to the other more operatic lady singers in the ensemble. And speaking of Star One, bassist Peter Vink makes his presence known once again on the same track.It is great to have the lesser-known (but equally talented) Ed Reekers, Robert Soeterboek and Jonas Renkse intertwined alongside giants (and Ayreon staples) like Hansi Kursch, Marco Hietala, Tommy Karevik and Damian Wilson. Of the newer to Ayreon singers, the powerful John Jaycee Cuijpers is spectacular - he sounds like a Dutch version of Ronnie James Dio! Anneke and Floor return with vital performances as well, perhaps their trio version (with Marcela) of "Valley Of The Queens" tops them all. Overall, though, there are just too many remarkable moments to encapsulate in one review.The Blu-ray/DVDsAs much as Ayreon has always been about the aural experience, I would have to say that this time around the videos steal the show. The Blu-ray contains the entire performance (pick from 2.0 PCM stereo or DTS-MA 5.1 surround), plus the near 90 minute documentary and the auditions. The DVDs split things up with the performance on DVD1 (DD 5.1 or 2.0) and the bonus features on DVD2 (DD 2.0). One of the criticisms/critiques of The Theater Equation was the video quality. The performances were fantastic, but there was a lack of clarity to the video, with some complaining about poorly focused shots and limited camera angles. It was obvious that Arjen had some budget constraints with that release – still testing the “live” waters, so to speak. Apparently the budget was unfettered for Universe – the video quality is spectacular and the images more steady, less evasive and more expansive. For instance, we have a much better perspective on drummer Ed Warby this time around. I also notice there is no audio/video lag this time. The lighting and effects are also much more impressive. It is obvious that a lot of time and prep went into the artistic images and videos – displayed on a huge 3-story screen – which accompany the music. I love how the singers names are introduced on the screen when they first appear, and how the original album covers are featured throughout as well.The sound quality in surround is really, really good and may even surpass the vinyl recording. During “The Two Gates” (on the video only) Irene Jansen introduces the band, which is totally cool. And, not only does Arjen make a cameo appearance on guitar this time, he gives a “speech” and discusses inspirations and thoughts on the performance and what went on behind the scenes to make it all come to fruition. Again his speech is only on the video portion and not the audio discs. There is less emphasis on the uniforms and costumes – each player/singer given their own choice on what to wear – so the whole thing has more of a laid-back rock show feel rather than a theatrical vibe (The Theater Equation).I have always loved the Arjen documentaries which have accompanied his releases throughout the years because I love hearing about the “why” and “how.” This one is no exception. Hosted by Arjen and Joost, this nearly 90 minute feature sequences the events that led up to the final performances. The biggest takeaway from my viewpoint: every artist involved was absolutely thrilled to be a part of this experience and in every way put forth their best performance. You might be surprised to know that the “band” practiced well over a year in advance. There is plenty of great humor as always in these segments.The CDs/VinylThe 3 LPs are pressed in gold (limited to 500) and black (180gm), and they come housed in a beautiful (gold-embossed cover) triple-gatefold layout with 6 sides of music. The narrations (Mills) have been included, but Irene Jansen’s band intro during “The Two Gates” and Arjen’s “speech” have been excluded from the audio recordings (both CDs and vinyl) due to obvious space restraints. The vinyl has a nice warm sound, not nearly as brilliant as the 5.1 BD mix, but the sound surface is very clean and the volume can be boosted to high levels without much distortion. Likewise, these discs sound good at low volume. I have very little surface noise with my set (gold). Only one out of the 3 of my inner sleeves was lined with anti-scratch/anti-static, but this is minor indeed. I do like that the vinyl packaging differs from the earbook in that there are mostly pictures of the band members on the inside of the jackets and limited credits. I don’t think the CDs sound overly compressed, but they are for me the least favorite of the different media formats in terms of sound. The CD booklet contains the same pictures/credits as the vinyl but in slightly different layout. Finally, there are no lyrics included with any of the formats, including the earbook (see below).The EarbookMany bands are releasing this kind of product these days, but Arjen and Steven Wilson have been doing it the longest and doing it the best (in my opinion) within the prog arena. This one is a 48-page hardbound book with a beautiful cover, but the gold lettering here is flat in contrast to the embossed/raised gold lettering on the vinyl cover. Also, the vinyl cover texture is glossy while the book is somewhat matte. There are 10 double-page, full width stage shots from different songs, and then the “in-between” pages feature every artist with smaller photos and commentary by Arjen. I like how this is presented in chronological order in synchrony with the set list, so the book is a great companion to watching the show (or just listening to the audio discs). In addition to the credits, there are 6 pages included with all the “back-stage” shots of the performers. My only complaint about the book is the disc storage compartments, which are the slip-in style which over time can tear more easily and which present some puckering of the linings on the insides of the covers. It’s a minor criticism, but I prefer the thicker covers with circle “cut-outs” with a center mount to hold the disc in place like Inside Out and other labels use. I believe the earbook is only available from the EU and is limited to 1500 copies.Overall, Universe is a once in a lifetime experience for Ayreon fans. Whether or not you experienced the original live show, this recording should be a “must have” item in any format. I must say, though, that I am left with the impression from all of the participants involved that Ayreon live, rather than a mere phenomenon, is now an entity likely to spawn further live performances. Fans can only hope, especially here in North America, that Ayreon live will grow and metastasize. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Riveting Entertainment! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ *by M***N on Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021* Every Ayreon dvd I have seen is a remarkable work of making theatrical storytelling infused with an excellent sound track. To call it a rock opera is just too simplistic for the creativity involved to make it truly unique. I also have Electric Castle Live and with both of these, they are excellent. Universe is more of a best of Ayreon that cover some new and old works. The musicians and singers are phenomenal and have traveled across the globe to perform with Arjen Lucassen. The style of the performance is remarkable and is always spot on to what the lyrics are portraying. Pick it up and watch it! You won’t regret this. I promise! 🤘 ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you're on the fence, take the chance! *by R***D on Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2018* I've never been a big Ayreon fan: despite featuring performers I love, the tone always seemed a bit too serious for the amount of on-the-nose lyrics. Live, it's a lot easier to take that all in stride considering how much unadulterated fun everyone is having; it's a joy, and I urge you to check this out even if it hasn't been your jam in the past.My only criticisms are that it takes the production people more songs than usual to get everyone's vocal levels completely dialed in (NINE songs, imo, instead of the usual 4-5), which hurts the introductory efforts of quite a few of the roster and doesn't do anyone any favors, especially audiences unfamiliar with the material. The set list is long enough that 2/3rds is unaffected though! Secondly, that there's no pop-up menu on the Blu-Ray, but the top-menu can get you to the track-list.The 5.1 soundtrack is competent as far as these things go, although nothing special, but running either of the soundtracks through Atmos or DTSX can give you more control over the vocals for the beginning of the concert. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.lk/products/119412063-ayreon-universe](https://www.desertcart.lk/products/119412063-ayreon-universe) --- *Product available on Desertcart Sri Lanka* *Store origin: LK* *Last updated: 2026-05-02*