A decade ago, Ian Anderson wanted to retire the Jethro Tull name, calling it a “legacy” whose weight belonged to the 1970s and 80s. Fast-forward to 2026, and the prog-rock pioneer is leading a 45-date European tour that reads like a victory lap across two continents. Sometimes the best comebacks happen when you stop trying to make them.
Continental Conquest
The Curiosity Tour spans 11 countries with theatrical precision.
Anderson has mapped out an ambitious routing across Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Finland, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Turkey. Nearly 20 shows hit England, Wales, and Scotland alone, suggesting the home crowd hasn’t forgotten those flute solos. Ticket sales launched through official channels, with the heaviest concentration landing in April and May 2026.
Chart Renaissance Fuels Tour Logic
Three consecutive UK Top 30 albums prove prog’s commercial viability.
The tour supports Curious Ruminant, which hit No. 25 on UK charts in 2025—part of an unexpected late-career hot streak. The Zealot Gene and RökFlöte both cracked the UK Top 30 and Billboard Top 40, numbers that would make many younger acts jealous. These chart positions represent genuine commercial momentum that justifies the ambitious routing.
Venue Strategy Tells the Story
From London Palladium to Finnish castles, each stop serves the music.
The venue choices reveal Anderson’s understanding of Tull’s audience. London’s Palladium anchors the UK leg, while Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and Edinburgh’s Usher Hall acknowledge Scotland’s prog loyalty. Germany gets multiple theatre dates, Finland offers the historic Olavinlinna castle, and the tour stretches from Lisbon to Istanbul. These aren’t arena-sized ambitions—they’re carefully curated spaces where flute melodies and complex arrangements can breathe.
Proven Demand from Recent Tours
The 2023 Seven Decades tour validated Anderson’s live drawing power.
Last year’s American tour proved Anderson could still command attention across the Atlantic, mixing career-spanning sets that balanced deep cuts with crowd-pleasers. Fan reviews praised the band’s instrumental tightness while acknowledging Anderson’s adapted vocal approach. The success of those dates clearly influenced the scale of this European commitment, suggesting audiences are hungry for prog craftsmanship regardless of the frontman’s age.
The resurrection of the Jethro Tull touring machine reflects classic rock’s surprising resilience in streaming-era live music. Anderson’s about-face from name retirement to continental conquest shows that sometimes the best career moves happen when you stop overthinking legacy and start making music again.
