According to Shinya in SHOXX #69, he and Kyo (京) met for the first time when Kyo came to watch Shinya's session band (name unknown, Vo. Unknown / Gt. #4 / Gt. SHIGE / Ba. KISAKI / Dr. Shinya) in August 1995.
In the same magazine, Shinya mentions that he and Die met for the first time when Ruby and Ka・za・ri performed at the same live in September 1995.
Kyo (京) and Kaoru (薫) meet for the first time at Osaka-jo Hall while handing out flyers for their bands, either La:Sadie's or Haijin Kurobarazoku (廃人黒薔薇族) and CHARM, respectively.
Toshiya and the future members of Dir en grey meet for the first time when he comes to greet La:Sadie's after their live.
Dir en grey (ディル アン グレイ) officially forms.
The name is a combination of German "dir", French "en" and English "grey" and, according to an interview in Apres Guerre #19 (March 1997), was thought to mean "Grey Silver Coin" (灰色の銀貨 Haiiro no Ginka). It was supposed to convey a music and an image that wasn't caught by neither black or white, so they picked "grey".
The band took their name from a song on a demo tape released in 1995 by LAREINE. The song is called "Dir en gray" and opens with the line "灰色のあなたに dir en gray" (Haiiro no anata ni dir en gray), which both means "To you in gray" and would actually fit the intended meaning of the words, as opposed to "Grey Silver Coin". In the aforementioned interview, Kyo mentions that he knew the phrase before and during a live from Lareine's former vocalist Kamijo in 2015, Shinya explained that they took the band name from the song name and simply changed the letter "a" to "e". This was further corroborated by Kaoru in the WOWOW Special interview in 2020, where he explained that they took the name from the song of a band that was famous at that time. Why Dir En Grey thought that "dir" means "silver coin" remains unclear, but they would later become aware of their mistake.
In turn, Lareine got the name "Dir en gray" from a band called Dir & Gray, a visual-kei band that was active around 1991. The original meaning behind the name was "dill of grey colour" (dill is usually white) and was coined by guitarist SHOW. Interestingly, their name was written with the same Katakana as Dir En Grey, ディル・アン・グレイ, even though "and" would be written as アンド (ando) in Japanese.
According to an interview in Shellruby #1 (1998), the band had around 20 possible names and decided on "Dir En Grey" at a family restaurant. At first, Kyo and Toshiya didn't like it, they thought it sounded uncool and too similar to GLAY. According to Toshiya on the radio show Nack5 FM Triangle Super Audition, one of the other names the members had in mind was Kisaragi. It was taken from a high school band of Toshiya. According to Kyo in the aforementioned WOWOW Special interview, they narrowed it down to two names, with three people voting for "Dir En Grey" and Kyo and one other member voting for the other name.
V. Kyo (京) / G. Kaoru (薫) / G. Die / B. Toshiya / D. Shinya
Event tour 覇叉羅 presents JENOSIDE ZONE vol.5 starts. Dir en grey participates in secret.
Event tour 覇叉羅 presents JENOSIDE ZONE vol.5 ends.
Event CLUB CITTA' Kawasaki Shusai EVENT (クラブチッタ川崎主催イベント) takes place. Dir en grey participates in secret.
Event HYPER MIX takes place. Dir en grey participates in secret.
Kessei Kinen ONEMAN LIVE (結成記念ワンマンライブ) takes place as Dir en grey's first official live.
Event NEO Behind the Mask takes place. Dir en grey participates in secret.
Two-days ONEMAN LIVE (ワンマンライブ) takes place on June 14 and 27, 1997. Dir en grey gives out a special message tape at each show.
Event tour 8 BEAT GAG Sokan Kinen Ranbu LIVE SHOCK WAVE' 97 vol.2 (8ビート・ギャグ創刊記念ライブ SHOCK WAVE'97 vol.2) is supposed to start, but the live is postponed to September 1 due to a typhoon.
Two-venues ALBUM「MISSA」Hatsubai Kinen 2Days (アルバム「MISSA」発売記念2Days) takes place on August 2 and 3, 1997, to commemerate the release of Dir en grey's first mini-album MISSA.
Event Neo Behind the Mask takes place.
Event Behind the Mask takes place. This date is not listed in the band's timeline on their OHP, but Shinya mentions it in a free paper.
Four-days, three-venues live Dir en grey Presents MAZOHYST OF DECADENCE SHOW starts.
Event tour 8 BEAT GAG Sokan Kinen Ranbu LIVE SHOCK WAVE' 97 vol.2 (8ビート・ギャグ創刊記念ライブ SHOCK WAVE' 97 vol.2) ends.
Four-days, three-venues live Dir en grey Presents MAZOHYST OF DECADENCE SHOW ends.
Event EXPERIENCE EYES '97 takes place.
Two-days live CRUCIFY OF MARIA ・・・TO “MISSA” Anata no "Biteki・Hatsujou・Ka" o yobiokosu (CRUCIFY OF MARIA ・・・TO “MISSA” あなたの『美的・発情・香』を呼び起こす) takes place on October 28 and 30, 1997.
Dir en grey leaves FRONT MISSION and joins the newly-formed label sun-krad Co., Ltd..
Oneman 「楓」~if trans・・・~ Mechanism For Leave-sin- takes place.
Tour 「楓」~if trans・・・~ Mechanism For Leave-the scene of the tragedy- starts.
Tour 「楓」~if trans・・・~ Mechanism For Leave-the scene of the tragedy- ends.
Event tour SHOCK WAVE'98 vol.1 ~春の嵐~ starts.
Event tour SHOCK WAVE'98 vol.1 ~春の嵐~ ends.
「Kaede」~if trans・・・~ Mechanism For Leave-Unknown・・・Despair・・・a Lost- ~裁きの血舞台~ takes place.
GRADATION sponsored event 「A Birth Day」 takes place.
Two-days live ~in the secret cradle~Routokage to Garasubachi (~in the secret cradle~蝋蜥蜴と硝子蜂) takes place on August 3 and 4, 1998.
a knot Hossoku Kinen EVENT Dir en grey in OKINAWA (a knot発足記念イベント Dir en grey in OKINAWA) takes place over the course of three days, with a live on day two.
TOUR Deep [sink], Deep [gaze], Deep [agonize], Deep [-] starts.
TOUR Deep [sink], Deep [gaze], Deep [agonize], Deep [-] ends.
Tour final TOUR Deep [sink], Deep [gaze], Deep [agonize], Deep [-] Final More Deep [sympathy]~meet evil with evil~ takes place.
Dir en grey has their major label debut with the release of three singles.
-「a knot」only- live PSYCHONNECT~Arashi no Mae no Bousou~ (PSYCHONNECT~嵐の前の暴走~) takes place.
Tour PSYCHONNECT -mode of “GAUZE”?- starts.
Event SUPER LIVE'99 in TOKUSHIMA takes place.
Tour PSYCHONNECT -mode of “GAUZE”?- ends with a secret live.
-「a knot」only- event Dir en grey YELLOW SPECIAL EVENT takes place.
-「a knot」only- event Shiwasu no Yoru ni Ashiyon no Jigatame!? (師走の夜に足四の字固め!?) takes place.
Three-days event Dir en grey EXPRESS PREFESTIVAL TOUR 1999 takes place from December 16 to 18. No lives are held.
Tour final 本当にこれでいいんですね ハイ あなたは何人目ですか 一人目です 僕は数え切れない子供を殺しています あなたは許せますか ・・・・・ もう一度聞きます 本当にこれでいいんですね ハイ 用意はいいですか ハイ では始めましょう takes place.
TOUR 2000 The type of Deity starts.
TOUR 2000 The type of Deity ends.
Event Fujikyu Presents SOUND CONIFER 229 SHAKE the BLACK 2000 takes place.
TOUR 00⏩01 MACABRE brain gain(er) brain drain(er) starts. After the first live, Kyo suffers from sudden hearing loss and the rest of the tour is postponed to 2001.
TOUR 00⏩01 MACABRE Deep [-], Deep [-], Deep [-], Deep [er] starts.
After this live, Kyo suffers from an acute acoustic trauma in his left ear and the lives scheduled for December 18 and 21 are postponed to 2001.
TOUR 00⏩01 MACABRE Deep [-], Deep [-], Deep [-], Deep [er] ends with a secret live.
Replacement live for September 13, 2000.
TOUR 00⏩01 MACABRE brain gain(er) brain drain(er) restarts.
Replacement live for September 14, 2000.
Replacement live for September 19, 2000.
Replacement live for October 28, 2000.
Replacement live for October 29, 2000.
Replacement live for September 23, 2000.
Replacement live for September 26, 2000.
Replacement live for September 28, 2000.
Replacement live for November 2, 2000.
Replacement live for October 4, 2000.
Replacement live for October 2, 2000.
Replacement live for October 1, 2000.
-「a knot」only- event FAN CLUB「a knot」Gentei CLUB EVENT (ファンクラブ「a knot」限定 クラブイベント) takes place as a replacement live for December 21, 2000.
Replacement live for October 24, 2000.
Replacement live for October 25, 2000.
Replacement live for September 20, 2000.
-「a knot」only- event FAN CLUB「a knot」Gentei CLUB EVENT (ファンクラブ「a knot」限定 クラブイベント) takes place as a replacement live for December 18, 2000.
Replacement live for October 11, 2000.
Replacement live for October 10, 2000.
Replacement live for October 18, 2000.
Replacement live for October 15, 2000.
Replacement live for October 17, 2000.
Replacement live for October 13, 2000.
Replacement live for September 22, 2000.
Replacement live for September 16, 2000.
TOUR 00⏩01 MACABRE brain gain(er) brain drain(er) ends with a replacement live for September 17, 2000.
TOUR 00⏩01 MACABRE FINAL More Deep【quake】 takes place.
Three-days live Souten no Hekireki (蒼天の霹靂) takes place.
Fan-club event 「a knot」PRESENTS Dir en grey in 香港 takes place from August 27 to 31, 2001.
Dir en grey's first live outside of Japan takes place as a preparation for the band's Asia tour in 2002.
「FILTH」発売記念ミニライブ takes place.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 The Japanese Fucker Family starts.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 The Japanese Fucker Family ends.
Overseas tour 列島激震行脚 2002 -亜細亜- The Japanese Fxxker Family starts.
Overseas tour 列島激震行脚 2002 -亜細亜- The Japanese Fxxker Family ends.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 開化神眼 starts.
Due to Kyo suffering from acute tonsillitis, the lives scheduled for June 6, 8 and 9, 2002, are postponed.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 開化神眼 ends.
Replacement live for August 6, 2002.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 MASTER OF MONSTER starts.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 MASTER OF MONSTER ends.
Two-days overseas tour final 列島激震行脚 2002 -亜細亜- FINAL The Japanese Fxxker Family takes place on August 3 and 4, 2002.
The Dir en grey-灰色銀幣-PROMOTION TOUR IN TAIPEI begins. The band is has a radio interview on August 15 and a press conference on August 16. On August 17, they go sightseeing, shopping and visit the Dir en grey Visual-kei Feast.
The Dir en grey Visual-kei Feast takes place in Taipei, Taiwan, at the Ximending shopping district from August 16 to 25, 2002.
Tour final 列島激震行脚 2002 MASTER OF MONSTER 5 Ugly takes place.
Replacement live for August 8, 2002.
Replacement live for August 9, 2002.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 5 Ugly KINGDOM starts.
Tour 列島激震行脚 2002 5 Ugly KINGDOM ends.
Tour final 列島激震行脚 FINAL 2003 5 Ugly KINGDOM takes place.
Five-days event BLITZ 5DAYS starts.
Five-days event BLITZ 5DAYS ends.
TOUR03 OVER THE VULGAR SHUDDER starts.
TOUR03 OVER THE VULGAR SHUDDER ends.
Two-days TOUR03 OVER THE VULGAR SHUDDER FINAL takes place on December 30 and 31, 2003.
TOUR04 THE CODE OF VULGAR[ism] starts.
TOUR04 THE CODE OF VULGAR[ism] ends.
TOUR04 KEEN UNDER THE SUN starts.
-「a knot」LIMITED- live TOUR04 KEEN UNDER THE SUN -ANOTHER- takes place.
TOUR04 KEEN UNDER THE SUN ends.
Tour THE MANIPULATED LIFE starts.
Tour THE MANIPULATED LIFE ends.
TOUR05 It withers and withers starts.
TOUR05 It withers and withers pauses.
As part of the overseas leg of TOUR05 It withers and withers, Dir en grey's first live in Europe takes place at the Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany.
The second live of the overseas leg of TOUR05 It withers and withers takes place at the Olympia in Paris, France.
TOUR05 It withers and withers continues.
Taste Of Chaos Tour Japan 2005 takes place on November 1-3, 2005.
TOUR05 It withers and withers ends.
TOUR06 IT WITHERS AND WITHERS starts with two overseas lives.
In July 2006, Kyo is once more hospitalized due to tonsillitis, leading to the lives on July 22 and 23, 2006, being rescheduled.
TOUR06 IT WITHERS AND WITHERS ends in Japan.
TOUR05~06 IT WITHERS AND WITHERS FINAL takes place.
TOUR06 INWARD SCREAM starts.
TOUR06 IT WITHERS AND WITHERS replacement lives take place on October 9 and 10, 2006.
Replacement live for July 22, 2006.
Replacement live for July 23, 2006.
Event LOUD PARK 06 takes place.
TOUR06 INWARD SCREAM continues.
TOUR06 INWARD SCREAM ends.
After changing the notation of their band name to DIR EN GREY on Ryoujoku no Ame in July 2006, but then briefly reverting to Dir en grey on Agitated Screams of Maggots in November 2006, the band permanently changes it to allcaps with the release of THE MARROW OF A BONE in February 2007.
TOUR07 THE MARROW OF A BONE starts.
Two-days, two-venues TOUR07 THE MARROW OF A BONE -PREMIUM LIVE- takes place on April 21 and 28, 2007.
TOUR07 THE MARROW OF A BONE ends.
TOUR07 DOZING GREEN starts.
TOUR07 DOZING GREEN ends.
LINKIN PARK Japan Tour 2007 takes place. Dir en grey support them at two lives.
TOUR07 THE MARROW OF A BONE starts.
TOUR07 THE MARROW OF A BONE ends.
TOUR08 DEATH OVER BLINDNESS starts.
Event hide memorial summit takes place.
TOUR08 DEATH OVER BLINDNESS ends.
TOUR08 THE ROSE TRIMS AGAIN starts.
TOUR08 THE ROSE TRIMS AGAIN ends.
Four-days, two-venues live BAJRA takes place on December 24-26 and 31, 2008.
UROBOROS -breathing- takes place.
TOUR09 FEAST OF Ⅴ SENSES starts.
Secret live.
Due to Kyo suffering from chorditis vacalis and laryngeal edema, the lives scheduled for April 7, 8 and 10, 2009, are postponed.
Replacement live for April 10, 2009.
Replacement live for April 7, 2009.
TOUR09 FEAST OF Ⅴ SENSES ends with a replacement live for April 8, 2009.
TOUR09 ALL VISIBLE THINGS starts.
TOUR09 ALL VISIBLE THINGS ends.
Three-days, three-venues live DORJE takes place on December 26, 28 and 30, 2009.
Two-days live UROBOROS -with the proof in the name of living・・・- takes place on January 9 and 10, 2010.
THE UNWAVERING FACT OF TOMORROW TOUR2010 starts.
THE UNWAVERING FACT OF TOMORROW TOUR2010 pauses.
THE UNWAVERING FACT OF TOMORROW TOUR2010 continues.
Event LOUD PARK 10 takes place.
THE UNWAVERING FACT OF TOMORROW TOUR2010 ends.
THE UNWAVERING FACT OF TOMORROW TOUR2010-2011 starts.
THE UNWAVERING FACT OF TOMORROW TOUR2010-2011 ends.
「a knot」only TOUR2011 THE DECOMPOSITION OF THE MOON starts.
「a knot」only TOUR2011 THE DECOMPOSITION OF THE MOON ends.
TOUR2011 AGE QUOD AGIS Ratio ducat, non fortuna -Zombie- takes place.
TOUR2011 AGE QUOD AGIS starts.
TOUR2011 AGE QUOD AGIS ends.
TOUR2011 AGE QUOD AGIS Ratio ducat, non fortuna takes place.
Tour IN THE DYING MOMENTS starts.
UROBOROS -that's where the truth is- takes place.
Tour IN THE DYING MOMENTS ends.
Kyo is diagnosed with vocal chord nodules and voice impediment, forcing DIR EN GREY to take a hiatus.
TOUR2012 IN SITU starts.
TOUR2012 IN SITU ends.
Event LOUD PARK 12 takes place.
Event COUNTDOWN JAPAN 12/13 takes place.
TOUR2013 IN SITU -The Depiction of Reality- starts.
Event -STUDIO COAST 10th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL LIVE- takes place.
TOUR2013 IN SITU -The Depiction of Reality- ends.
TOUR2013 TABULA RASA starts.
Event Ozzfest Japan 2013 takes place.
TOUR2013 TABULA RASA ends. After the live, Kyo is once more hospitalized due to tonsillitis.
TOUR2013 TABULA RASA -揚羽ノ羽ノ夢ハ蛹- takes place, exclusive to those who bought THE UNRAVELING.
TOUR2013 GHOUL starts. The first two and last five lives have the addendum -mazy-, the rest -instinct-.
TOUR2013 GHOUL ends.
Tour FINEM LAUDA -「a knot」only- starts.
Tour FINEM LAUDA -「a knot」only- ends.
Two-days live DUM SPIRO SPERO takes place on March 8 and 9, 2014.
TOUR14 PSYCHONNECT -mode of “GAUZE”?- starts.
TOUR14 PSYCHONNECT -mode of “GAUZE”?- ends.
TOUR14-15 BY THE GRACE OF GOD starts.
Event ポルノ超特急2014 takes place.
Event rockin'on presents COUNTDOWN JAPAN 14/15 takes place.
TOUR14-15 BY THE GRACE OF GOD ends.
TOUR15 THE UNSTOPPABLE LIFE starts.
TOUR15 THE UNSTOPPABLE LIFE ends.
Event LUNATIC FEST. takes place.
TOUR15 NEVER FREE FROM THE AWAKENING starts.
TOUR15 NEVER FREE FROM THE AWAKENING ends.
TOUR16 FINEM LAUDA starts.
TOUR16 FINEM LAUDA ends.
Two-days live ARCHE takes place on February 5 and 6, 2016.
ARCHE -「a knot」LIMITED EXTRA- takes place.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of VULGAR] starts.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of VULGAR] ends.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of DUM SPIRO SPERO] starts.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of DUM SPIRO SPERO] ends.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of 鬼葬] starts.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of 鬼葬] ends.
Event ポルノ超特急2016 takes place.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of UROBOROS] starts.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of UROBOROS] ends.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of THE MARROW OF A BONE] starts.
Event THE GREAT ROCK'N'ROLL SEKIGAHARA 2017 takes place.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of THE MARROW OF A BONE] ends.
Two-days event ANDROGYNOS with PIERROT takes place on July 7 and 8, 2017.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of MACABRE] starts.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of MACABRE] ends.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of Withering to death.] starts.
TOUR16-17 FROM DEPRESSION TO ____ [mode of Withering to death.] ends.
TOUR18 真世界 starts.
Event LUNATIC FEST. 2018 takes place.
TOUR18 真世界 ends.
TOUR18 WEARING HUMAN SKIN starts.
TOUR18 WEARING HUMAN SKIN ends.
TOUR18 FOLLOWERS starts.
TOUR18 FOLLOWERS ends.
Event Free-Will SLUM takes place.
TOUR19 The Insulated World starts.
ALBUM Release Commemoration LIVE takes place to celebrate the release of The Insulated World.
TOUR19 The Insulated World ends.
TOUR19 This Way to Self-Destruction starts.
TOUR19 This Way to Self-Destruction ends.
TOUR20 疎外 was supposed to start on this day, but got canceled due to COVID-19.
No-audience event The World You Live In takes place and is livestreamed on the band's YouTube channel.
Two-days live The Insulated World -The Screams of Alienation- was supposed to take place on July 23 and 24, 2020, but got canceled due to COVID-19.
At some point in January, DIR EN GREY performs a no-audience live at Meguro Rockmaykan. This live was filmed for the 爆音上映会「目黒鹿鳴館GIG」 event tour which took place from February to May in various cities in Japan.
Oneman live 疎外 at Tokyo Garden Theater takes place.
TOUR21 DESPERATE begins.
In September 2021, Kyo is diagnosed with acute bronchitis, leading to the lives on September 10 and 12, 2021, being rescheduled.
Replacement live for September 10, 2021.
TOUR21 DESPERATE ends.
Replacement live for September 12, 2021.
Two-days live THE FINAL DAYS OF STUDIO COAST takes place on January 26 and 27, 2022.
