The acclaimed rock collaboration between Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith and The Winery Dogs frontman Richie Kotzen is set to embark on a comprehensive European tour in February and March 2026. Performing as SMITH/KOTZEN, the duo will bring their material to audiences across the continent, driven by the strong reception of their recent album, Black Light / White Noise.
Released in April this year, Black Light / White Noise, the second full-length effort from the pair, swiftly climbed to the No. 1 spot on the Official UK Rock & Metal chart. This success, coupled with critical praise, generated significant demand from fans for live performances. Reflecting the album’s achievements, Smith and Kotzen were recently presented with awards acknowledging their UK chart milestone.
Their partnership began with the 2021 self-titled debut album, which also saw considerable success, charting in the UK Top 20 and gaining a strong foothold across Europe and the Americas. The duo subsequently earned rave reviews for their live shows on both sides of the Atlantic before reconvening in 2024 to record their latest offering.
Both musicians have expressed enthusiasm about returning to the stage. Adrian Smith shared his excitement: “We’ve been blown away by the reaction to Black Light / White Noise. We’re extremely proud of it, and to know that it’s been received so enthusiastically by fans old and new has been amazing. We can’t wait to hit the road next year with Julia [Lage, bass] and Bruno [Valverde, drums] of course, and start playing some of these songs live.”
Richie Kotzen echoed these sentiments, highlighting the creative synergy within the project. “From the moment we finished the record, we knew we had something special on our hands,” Kotzen added. “It’s been a joy for us both to play together in the studio and on stage, and to write some of the most exciting music we’ve ever done. Bringing it to bigger stages and even more people in the U.K. and Europe next year is going to be great. We’ll see you all down the front!”
The “Black Light/White Noise” 2026 tour itinerary is as follows:
February 2026
- Feb. 03 – La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
- Feb. 04 – Apolo, Barcelona, Spain
- Feb. 06 – Le Trianon, Paris, France
- Feb. 07 – Zik-Zak, Ittre, Belgium
- Feb. 09 – Rockhal Club, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Feb. 10 – Philharmonie, Haarlem, Netherlands
- Feb. 12 – Rock City, Nottingham, UK
- Feb. 13 – O2 Ritz, Manchester, UK
- Feb. 15 – SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow, UK
- Feb. 17 – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton, UK
- Feb. 18 – 1865, Southampton, UK
- Feb. 20 – O2 Academy, Bristol, UK
- Feb. 21 – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK
- Feb. 23 – Carlswerk Victoria, Köln, Germany
- Feb. 24 – Volkhaus, Zurich, Switzerland
- Feb. 26 – Live Club, Milan, Italy
- Feb. 27 – Backstage Werk, Munich, Germany
March 2026
- Mar. 01 – Lucerna Music Bar, Prague, Czech Republic
- Mar. 02 – Progresja, Warsaw, Poland
- Mar. 04 – Columbia Theater, Berlin, Germany
- Mar. 05 – Gruenspan, Hamburg, Germany
- Mar. 07 – Berns, Stockholm, Sweden
- Mar. 08 – Pustervik, Gothenburg, Sweden
