System Of A Down ignited the European tour trailblazer on Monday, June 29, at Stockholm's Strawberry Arena, and boy did they leave a scorching impression! The Californian rock titans kicked off their highly anticipated 2026 UK and European stadium tour with a thunderous performance that set the bar high for the remainder of the series. With a monumental 29-song setlist under their belt, fans in Sweden were treated to a sonic feast that had them singing along to every track.
The show got off to an electrifying start with a blistering trio of 'B.Y.O.B.', 'Suite-Pee', and 'Prison Song', immediately injecting an unbridled energy into the proceedings. The momentum continued unabated as the band tore through fan favourite after fan favourite, including 'Needles', 'Deer Dance', 'Radio/Video', 'Chop Suey!', and 'Lost In Hollywood'. But what truly raised eyebrows was the inclusion of some rare gems, like 'Forest', 'Streamline', and the 1999 demo track 'DAM', giving die-hard fans something to really get excited about.
With no encore in sight – a bold move that allowed them to deliver all 29 songs consecutively – System Of A Down treated their Swedish audience to an unforgettable night of music. The tour, which will take the band across France, Italy, and Germany before arriving in the UK for two eagerly anticipated London concerts at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, marks a significant milestone for fans who have waited over a decade for live performances from these legends.
The buzz surrounding System Of A Down's return has been palpable, with one X user describing the Swedish show as "Fantastic performance" and another raving, "What a show. I love these guys!" For their UK audience, the upcoming shows will be nothing short of euphoric, especially given the band's 10-year hiatus from live performances in London.
Ahead of the tour, System Of A Down announced pop-up shops offering exclusive merchandise and limited edition pressings of 'Toxicity', marking its 25th anniversary. Frontman Serj Tankian has been quoted as saying they're having "the best time of [their] lives" following their extensive North American engagements. Although two new singles, 'Protect The Land' and 'Genocidal Humanoidz', were released in 2020 – the band's first new music in 15 years – a full-length follow-up to their 2005 albums remains unconfirmed.
Source: NME