Mitsubishi Electric Hall, Düsseldorf, Germany 21st June 2026
A Perfect Circle - “European Tour 2026” - Special Guest: Jehnny Beth
After a seven-year break, A PERFECT CIRCLE were finally returning to Europe - and made a stop in Düsseldorf as part of their major headlining tour! On June 21, 2026, the band - founded by Maynard James Keenan (Tool) and Billy Howerdel - was scheduled to bring their unmistakable sound to the Mitsubishi Electric Hall, and lovers of Progressive Rock heeded the call-in droves.
With four critically acclaimed albums and songs like ‘Judith’ or ‘3 Libras,’ A PERFECT CIRCLE is regarded as one of the most influential Alternative Rock bands of the last few decades. Their live shows are known for atmospheric intensity, musical precision, and impressive visuals.
Jehnny Beth
Opening the evening was JEHNNY BETH, an artist whose musical style is a fierce, uncompromising blend of Post-Punk revival, Industrial Noise, and Avant-Garde Rock. Rising to prominence as the magnetic frontwoman of the British band SAVAGES, Beth has established a heritage rooted in raw emotional intensity and feminist defiance.
Her solo career represents a radical departure into electronic experimentation and visceral sonic assaults, a trajectory solidified by her critically acclaimed 2020 debut album ‘To Love Is To Live’. This record, along with collaborative projects like ‘Utopian Ashes’ with Bobby Gillespie, defines a discography that prioritizes confrontational poetry and jagged, industrial soundscapes over conventional Pop structures. http://www.jehnnybeth.com
Music & Performance
Live, JEHNNY BETH was pretty engaging right from the jump, stepping onto the stage like a kinetic wire waiting to snap. Her performance reached a fever pitch during a bruising cover of BJÖRK’s ‘Army of Me’, which she delivered with a menacing, industrial edge that perfectly suited the room. Looking out at the crowd, the singer shared a genuinely intimate moment, saying, “Thank you for coming early, thank you for being alive. I can See it in your eyes.”
While the music was mesmerizing, the atmosphere suffered from a strict ‘no phones’ policy enforced for all but the last two songs. Throughout her set, security constantly spotted violators and flashed tactical flashlights directly into the crowd to stop them, which grew incredibly distracting and annoying for everyone trying to lock into the performance.
A Perfect Circle
Formed at the turn of the millennium by guitar tech Billy Howerdel and TOOL frontman Maynard James Keenan, A PERFECT CIRCLE crafts a musical style that seamlessly bridges Progressive Rock, Alternative Metal, and Ambient Post-Grunge. Their heritage is that of a Dark Rock supergroup, historically drawing members from structures like NINE INCH NAILS and SMASHING PUMPKINS to create a melodic, cinematic counterpoint to the mathematical hostility of TOOL.
The band’s discography is anchored by their legendary 2000 debut ‘Mer de Noms’, which broke charts with sweeping masterpieces like ‘Judith’ and ‘3 Libras’. They expanded their atmospheric gravity with 2003’s ‘Thirteenth Step’, experimented with politically charged covers on 2004’s ‘eMOTIVe’, and returned after a long hiatus with the lush, piano-driven textures of 2018’s ‘Eat the Elephant’. https://www.aperfectcircle.com
Music & Performance
Promptly at 21:00, the house lights dropped as the first chords of ‘Paranoid’ by BLACK SABBATH blasted from the tape, instantly shifting the arena’s energy. The band appeared and kicked off their set with ‘The Package’ from the band’s groundbreaking 2003 album ‘Thirteenth Step’. The performance itself was anchored by a brilliant light show, utilizing shifting geometric beams and stark silhouettes that amplified the cinematic weight of Howerdel’s pristine guitar work.
Curiously, the band structured the set with a 10-minute intermission midway through, treating the venue to a weird concept choice of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ elevator music over the PA while the stage sat empty - a jarring detour from the dark intensity of the music, mimicking the break at classical or opera performances. The interaction with the crowd carried a distinct, anti-establishment weight. Singer Keenan took a moment to address the audience with a request to be in the moment and disconnect from the outer world, saying, “Don’t let the Corporate overlords take over your life.”
The crowd in Düsseldorf responded with religious reverence throughout the heavy, hypnotic set. Right before the last song, the explosive anthem ‘Judith’, Keenan granted the digital generation a brief reprieve from the evening’s strict device ban. “You may take out your phones and film this,” he announced with a dry grin. “It’s acceptable now. I know some of you are itching.”
In an instant, a sea of glowing screens lit up the Mitsubishi Electric Halle, capturing a ferocious finale that reminded us why A PERFECT CIRCLE remains unmatched in balancing heavy, distorted catharsis with theatrical genius.
Setlist
01. The Package
02. Disillusioned
03. The Doomed
04. Weak and Powerless
05. Rose
06. Orestes
07. Gravity
08. Imagine (John Lennon cover)
09. TalkTalk
10. 3 Libras (All Main Courses Mix)
11. The Outsider
---Intermission (10 min. break)---
12. Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums
13. Starless
14. Blue
15. Judith
All Pictures by André Wilms
