DEVIN TOWNSEND takes “an indefinite break from touring”
29-04-2025
Canadian singer, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend has announced that his upcoming North American tour, which will launch May 2 in Nashville, Tennessee, will mark the “last time” fans will get a chance to see him perform “for quite some time”.
In a message released on Monday (April 28),Devin said: “For nearly 35 years, I’ve followed a creative path guided by instinct — each album, each tour, each project a new chapter in a story I’ve felt compelled to tell. My mind latches on to concepts, and I love chasing them down. That chase has made this journey wild, unpredictable, and deeply fulfilling.
“Over the years, I’ve heard it countless times: ‘Dev, take a break… please.’ But the flood of ideas, the excitement, and the support of incredible musicians and listeners have kept me going, kept me touring, and kept me grateful for a life on the road. That said, things have changed — especially since the pandemic. Booking tours now means planning up to two years in advance. With fewer venues, fewer crews, and a saturated touring circuit, it’s become more challenging than ever to line things up. And beyond the logistics, life has simply caught up with me: my parents need help, my dogs are on their last legs, the kids have moved out, ‘The Moth’ is nearly complete, and truthfully, I need some time to breathe and recalibrate.
“So I’ve made the decision to take a break from touring — an indefinite one. This upcoming North American run will be the last time you’ll see me on stage for the foreseeable future.
“That doesn’t mean I’m done playing live. Not by a long shot. I’ll be performing until my final breath. But right now, I need to be present for the people who need me, and to give myself the space to reflect on everything I’ve been through.
“In the meantime, I’m launching a long-overdue project: ‘The Ruby Quaker Show’ — a YouTube series where I’ll finally explore the dozens of creative ventures I’ve had on the back burner. Albums, worlds, inventions, and strange, wonderful ideas I’ve postponed for years — now I’m making the time to bring them to life, without that familiar pressure of knowing I’ll be gone again in a month.
“I will return to the stage. But first, I need to reset. Touring has been a beautiful, exhausting constant in my life, and for once, I’m listening to the voice that says: slow down. I want to create from a place of calm inspiration rather than frantic obligation. And until I can truly be there for the people who rely on me, my creativity won’t be at its best.
“So here’s the deal: this final North American tour is going to be something special. We’re digging deep into the catalog, pulling out some big ones, and making these shows a true celebration.
If you’ve ever wanted to step into this world I’ve built — maybe you caught ‘The Moth’, or a song found its way to you when you needed it — now’s the time. I know things are tough economically, and I don’t take that lightly, so I’m doing everything I can to make these shows as meaningful and unforgettable as possible. Let’s make this one count.”
Townsend added in a separate video message: ”In two weeks I start a tour in America. This video acts as me announcing that I’m going to stop touring for a while after this American tour coming up, starting next month.
“If you’re in America and you wanna have the opportunity to see me or meet me or participate in the work that I do in a live front, this upcoming tour will be the last time you get a chance to see me for quite some time. I’m going on a vacation. That being said, that vacation will incorporate about a dozen things that I’ve been waiting to do for all these years that have to be pushed aside because of the constant touring.
“So I say this again, this American tour coming up starting next month, if you want to have the opportunity to see me, this is your opportunity, my friends.
“It’s a pleasure to play for you. It’s a pleasure to be in your life, and thank you for being in mine.”
Devin Townsend performed his rock opera “The Moth” live on March 27 and March 28 together with the Noord Nederlands Orkest (North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra) symphony orchestra at De Oosterpoort in Groningen, Netherlands.
Devin Townsend has released the official music video for his new single, “Jainism” last year. The track is taken from his upcoming studio album, “PowerNerd”, which was released on October 25, 2024.
Watch “Jainism” below as well as the previously released “PowerNerd” below.
Townsend‘s career is one of many distinct eras. He’s been the leader of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, the lynchpin of the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and the co-architect of country duo CASUALTIES OF COOL, all while maintaining his prolific and lauded solo project. Now, the polymath’s newest era starts with “PowerNerd”.
“It was a conscious thing,” Devin says of his brand-new album, the music on which he wrote in just 11 days. “I thought, ‘I’ve spent so much time overthinking every aspect of my work — what would happen if I didn’t?’ Maybe I would have the opportunity to be a bit more direct with what it is that I’m trying to do. I really wanted to see if I could cut through some of the meandering.”
However, that aggression is far from the only thing to come from “PowerNerd”‘s 11 episodic tracks. “Dreams Of Light”, by comparison, is an evocative and dynamic four-minute ballad. “Younger Lover” calms down from an explosive opening to lush verses of synths and singing, whereas “Falling Apart” and “Jainism” add texture after texture on top of dulcet, acoustic introductions.
Where “PowerNerd”‘s music was written in less than a fortnight, its lyrics were refined over a far longer period of time into a narrative about strength and healing. On “Falling Apart”, Devin commands himself to “keep the tension under control.” “You’ve got to believe that things will only get better,” subsequent song “Gratitude” powerfully declares. These uplifting messages even play into the record’s title.
Devin offers as a definition: “I would say that a powernerd would be somebody that has a tendency that society has deemed weak or not valuable, whether that’s empathy or being an insular person or an introvert, and turns that into a type of personal power. It’s like, ‘Okay, yeah, I’m sensitive to this, that and the other thing, but man, I am going to pull through! I am going to do things with that sensitivity that are rooted in strength.'”
POWERNERD – noun
1. A person of any gender who has, through tenacity and perseverance, turned what society may deem as a ‘weakness’ into a superpower.
2. A total fucking badass.
3. You.
“PowerNerd” will be available on several different formats, including a limited 2CD+Blu-ray artbook (featuring the album, bonus tracks and Devin‘s first-ever Dolby Atmos mix),limited 2CD digipak in O-card, standard CD, gatefold 2LP and digital album.
The full track listing for “PowerNerd” is as follows:
- PowerNerd
02. Falling Apart
03. Knuckledragger
04. Gratitude
05. Dreams Of Light
06. Ubelia
07. Jainism
08. Younger Lover
09. Glacier
10. Goodbye
11. Ruby Quaker
The album’s artwork was created by longtime collaborator Travis Smith.
As well as express strength through adversity, “PowerNerd” will open the door to Devin‘s immediate future. Its positivity and succinctness will soon be contrasted by follow-up “The Moth” — described by Devin as “orchestral, over-the-top, dark and uncomfortable” — and the “alien weirdness” of finale “Axolotl”. Both efforts have already been written, and together the trilogy will express the mind-boggling range of this man’s musical talent.
“PowerNerd” recording lineup:
Devin Townsend – Vocals, Guitars, Synths, Bass and Computer
Darby Todd – Drums
Diego Tejeida – Keyboards, Synths
Mike Keneally – Additional Keyboards
Jean Savoie – Additional Bass
Aman Khosla – Additional Vocals
Tanya Ghosh – Additional Vocals
Jamey Jasta – Additional Vocals
The album’s artwork was created by longtime collaborator Travis Smith, and can be seen below:
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