System Of A Down Explain Why They Play So Few Shows, And Why That Makes Their Australian Return Even Bigger
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If you’ve ever wondered why System Of A Down seem to disappear for years before suddenly announcing a handful of massive shows, drummer John Dolmayan has finally given fans the answer.
For Australian fans counting down to System Of A Down‘s newly announced 2027 stadium tour with Faith No More, it’s exactly why these shows feel like such a huge event.
Speaking during the band’s recent European stadium run, Dolmayan admitted the scarcity isn’t because the demand isn’t there, it’s because that’s exactly how the band wants it (per Blabbermouth):
“Every show we play is always special for us, cause there’s so few of them. It’s by design though. We like to tour very limited. We like to be home most of the time.”
That philosophy has transformed every System Of A Down announcement into a global event, while most legacy bands spend months on the road each year, System have built a reputation for only playing select runs, making every performance feel like a genuine occasion.
The demand continues to grow, reflecting on the band’s latest European dates, Dolmayan said even he has been surprised by how quickly the shows have scaled up:
“When we tour, what’s interesting is how big the venues have become, especially on this last tour in Europe. Like last time we came [to Poland], it was probably — I don’t know, 15 [thousand], 20 thousand people — and now it’s… What does that stadium [in Warsaw] hold? 50 [thousand]? [And we are playing] two shows.”
High Demand
He also revealed fans are increasingly travelling across borders just to catch the band live:
“The fans are amazing here. And what I’ve noticed on this tour is so many people travel… other people are coming from different countries to the Poland show. Which is interesting. I hadn’t seen that much of that in the past. But people are doing it. And we’re ready to play.”
Those comments land just as System Of A Down confirmed their first Australian headline tour in more than a decade, bringing Faith No More along for one of the biggest rock double bills Australia has seen in years.
The announcement ends almost 15 years of waiting since the band’s last Australian appearance at Soundwave in 2012, and if Dolmayan’s comments are anything to go by, there’s no guarantee fans will get another opportunity anytime soon.
Despite remaining one of heavy music’s biggest draws, System Of A Down have released just two new songs since 2005 and continue to keep touring to a minimum, that rarity has only fuelled demand with recent stadium runs across Europe and South America selling hundreds of thousands of tickets.
That makes next years Australian run feel even more significant, these aren’t simply another set of tour dates, they’re one of the few chances anywhere in the world to see System Of A Down on stage.
System Of A Down Australian Tour 2027
With special guests Faith No More
Friday, January 22nd – Sydney, Accor Stadium
Wednesday, January 27th – Melbourne, Marvel Stadium
Monday, February 1st – Brisbane, Suncorp Stadium
General public tickets go on sale this Friday, July 31st, with artist and PayPal presales beginning earlier in the week.
