70000tons of Metal 2025 Artist Spotlight: Dirkschneider

Countdown to 2026: 153 Days

SOOOOOOON, a word 70000tons of Metal cruisers know all too well, love it or hate it. 70000tons of Metal, The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, returns for its 2026 edition from January 29 – February 2, 2026, setting sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, The Bahamas aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas. For booking and full details are available on the official website. Read our essential packing guide here. Check out the testimonials from several 2025 artists at this location.

70000tons 2025 Round 13: ARTIST 11 of 61 Dirkschneider

Stats

2025 Voyage:

Dates: January 30 – February 3, 2025
Destination: Miami to Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Ship: Independence of the Seas

Artist Spotlight

Band: Dirkschneider
Number of 70000tons Appearances: 1 (2025)
Set 1: January 31, 2025 – Pool Deck – 6:00 pm
Set 2: February 2, 2025 – Royal Theater – 6:45 pm
Attended: Set 1 – Yes, Set 2 – Yes
Country: Germany
Genre: Heavy Metal
Latest Album: Babylon via Dirkschneider & The Old Gang moniker releases on October 3 via Reigning Phoenix Music // Touchdown – 2023 via U.D.O. moniker.
Standout Moment(s):

Regardless of the moniker (Dirkschneider, U.D.O., or Dirkschneider & The Old Gang), it was German heavy metal legend Udo who commanded the stage for the first time at 70000tons. Both sets featured a mix of his solo work and classics from his days with Accept, energizing a crowd that spanned longtime fans to newcomers. From the Pool Deck in the early evening, where fans packed in, some even rocking out from the hot tubs, to the Royal Theater filled with raised fists during “Balls to the Wall,” the shows captured the pure joy of letting go and celebrating classic heavy metal.

Dirkschneider – Set 1

Dirkschneider – Set 2

Latest Dirkschneider News

With a new album on the way and a packed festival schedule, Dirkschneider shows no signs of slowing down. Dirkschneider & The Old Gang will release their upcoming record Babylon on October 3rd via Reigning Phoenix Music, with more live shows expected well into 2026. All upcoming tour and festival dates can be found here.

What is the Artist Spotlight?

Well, it’s more than a review of their performance; as 70000tons goes, each band is a headliner, and we treat each one as such, giving them their own spread, discussing who they are and what they’ve been up to since the cruise. Each spotlight coincides with any updates from 70000tons organizers (if any), leading to days before setting sail. An extensive coverage like no other.

70000tons 2026 Lineup 45 out of 60:

Amorphis
Anthrax
Beast in Black
Bloodred Hourglass
Darkane
Dark Tranquillity
Dødheimsgard
Dragonland
Dust Bolt
Eluveitie
Ereb Altor
Firewind
Gama Bomb
Groza
Haggard
Harakiri For The Sky
Heathen
Hiraes
Hirax
Hour of Penance
Illdisposed
Illumishade
In Mourning
Insomnium
Izegrim
Kamelot
Kanonenfieber
Orden Ogan
Persefone
Rhapsody of Fire
Satan
Saturnus
Seven Spires
Skeletal Remains
Skyclad
Soen
Soilwork
Suidakra
Tribulation
Tyr
Vader
Vio-lence
Wind Rose
Wolf
Xandria