Following the overwhelming success of their 2023 tour, Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks today announce the first 22 shows of the 2024 “YES Epics, Classics, and More” tour. The tour begins on May 30th at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ. Like the 2023 tour, the set list will contain numerous YES songs from all stages of the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career that feature Jon as their lead vocalist and songwriter. The tour also promises the introduction of new material created by Jon and The Band Geeks.
Jon and the Band Geeks are currently putting the finishing touches on a brand new nine track cd set for release in late summer with a first single and video targeted for release in late June.
Tour Dates :
5/30/24 Thursday – New Brunswick NJ @ State Theatre
6/1/2024 Saturday – Englewood NJ @ Bergen PAC
6/3/2024 Monday – Rochester NY @ Kodak Center Theatre
6/6/2024 Thursday – Albany NY @ Hart Theatre
6/8/2024 Saturday – Hammondsport NY @ Point of The Bluff Concert Pavilion
6/13/2024 Thursday – Chicago IL @ Copernicus
6/15/2024 Saturday – Maryland Heights MO
6/18/2024 Tuesday – Greensburg PA @ Palace Theater
6/20/2024 Thursday – Hershey PA @ Hershey Theatre
6/22/2024 Saturday – Concord NH @ Capitol Center for the Arts
We’re thrilled to announce that on March 22, 2024, our label will unleash Ruud Jolie’s For All We Know‘s latest masterpiece, ‘By Design Or By Disaster’. The album will be available on CD and on vinyl!
Since 2011, For All We Know has been the side project of Ruud Jolie, known from Within Temptation. The debut album was released in the same year, followed by the second album called ‘Take Me Home’ in 2017. In 2023, both albums were released on vinyl via prog rock/metal label Construction Records. The brand new third album, entitled ‘By Design Or By Disaster’, will also be released on CD and colored vinyl via Construction Records.
During the writing process, Jolie again worked closely with singer Wudstik, and the band consists of the same musicians who were featured on the first two albums: Léo Margarit (Pain of Salvation), Kristoffer Gildenlöw (ex Pain of Salvation), and Marco Kuypers (ex Cloud Machine). The 11 songs on the album were produced by Jolie himself and range from metal to calm melodies.
Compared to the previous two albums, ‘By Design Or By Disaster‘ takes the listener to even more extreme corners, ranging from beautiful atmospheric strings to powerful rhythms and heavy guitars. Despite this diversity, Jolie continues to search for unexpected melodies and harmonies, where he is not afraid to go off the beaten path. There are also some ‘Easter eggs’ hidden for the attentive listener; melodies from the previous albums that return in an innovative way on this new album, making the first two albums together with this album a kind of trinity, which also applies to the artwork. First single and video ‘The Future That Came Too Soon’ Second single and video ‘Lifeline’
They appear alongside a line up of great artists including That Joe Payne, The Paradox Twin, Amanda Lehmann, Storm Deva & more
Saturday 24th August to Monday 26th August 2024, Cantley Park, Wokingham
Wokingham Festival has announced its three day line up featuring a wide range of musical genres including a showcase of some of the best current progressive music artists.
Taking place on Saturday, Sunday & Monday of the August Bank Holiday weekend with over 40 artists appearing, the festival has announced that the Monday line up on August 26th, which focuses on the best of prog & rock, will feature one of the most influential bands to emerge from the 1980’s festival scene, Ozric Tentacles as headliners. The band are the creative vision of multi-instrumentalist, Ed Wynne and their uniquely trippy soundscapes connect fans of progressive rock, psychedelia and dance culture. Ozric Tentacles released their 17th studio album, ‘Lotus Unfolding’ in October 2023 to great acclaim in in their 40th anniversary year.
Photo : Ozric Tentacles. Credit : Artist Also appearing on the main stage on the day will be That Joe Payne, performing a full band set with his
incredible group of musicians, plus The Paradox Twin, Spriggan Mist, Hoopy Frood & Amanda Lehmann.
There is also a second stage with no cross over so that every minute of music on the day can be enjoyed by all. The stage features a great mix of prog, blues & indie from some excellent artists. Headliners are the fast rising band from the Netherlands, Sonic Whip and there will also be performances from Chloe Mogg, San Demas,
Jimmy the Dog & Storm Deva. Gates open at 11.00am, Music starts at 12.00 midday and finishes at 8pm on the Monday (10.30 on Sat &
Sun) so not a late night if working the next day.
The first two days of the festival on the Saturday & Sunday feature a wide range of musical style including tribute artists, cover artists as well as original artists. Original prog and rock will also be represented on those days with Flutatious headlining the second stage on the Sunday, The Room playing the main stage on the Saturday and The Cold Blooded Hearts playing the main stage on the Sunday. There will also be performances from a number of excellent young indie bands.
About Wokingham Festival :-
Wokingham Festival was set up over 16 years ago by founder Stan Hetherington, who also runs the renowned Wokingham Music Club and it has built a solid and growing reputation over the years as a quality family friendly festival run by the community for the community. As well as the music across its two stages there is a great range of food and drink stalls in addition to the well stocked bar and beer tent.
The festival was traditionally a two day festival but in 2019 Stan asked Chris Hillman of White Star Records, if he would help set up a new day 3 of the festival to focus on the best of prog and rock. Chris was happy to oblige and the day was so successful that it has continued with 2024 being the 6th year since that first event!
Stan Hetherington has decided to step down from the festival as part of his retirement and has handed over the reins to a new team that will be run by Dean Nelson, known in the prog scene and beyond as manager of Kyros and owner of Generation Studio. Dean and his new team will be assisted with ongoing advice from Stan & Chris.
Chris Hillman spoke about this year’s event :
‘It’s been wonderful to see the reputation of Wokingham Festival growing further since we added a day of prog and rock to the event. The crowd has grown each year so hopefully that means we are doing something right.The aim has been to bring established bands to the area and also to help support up and coming artists in a fun friendly music loving environment. We are really excited that Ozric Tentacles are able to join us this year, alongside a great line up of quality artists’
Photo : Wokingham Festival Day 3 Crowd. Credit Andrew Merritt
Early Bird Tickets for Wokingham Festival which offer great value have already gone on sale, and may be purchased via the web site at www.wokinghamfestival.co.uk
For more information and to stay updated on Wokingham Festival, follow their social media at www.facebook.com/wokinghamfestival www.instagram.com/wokinghamfestival www.twitter.com/wokinghamfest
Album features performances by Steve Morse, King Crimson violinist David Cross, GnR guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, and keyboard legend Patrick Moraz plus members of Weather Report, Utopia, Angel, Soft Machine, Gong, and more!
Los Angeles, CA – As longtime guitarist and co-writer for the powerhouse rock hitmaker Billy Idol, Steve Stevens is widely celebrated as a master of composing forceful, electrifying rock melodies that balance their intensity with an undeniable mainstream appeal. It’s that melodic sensibility matched with an impressive technical mastery that has made Stevens one of the most sought after collaborators in music today. Recently, Stevens accepted an invitation to contribute to the new album from The Prog Collective and the result is one of the purest expressions of Stevens’s creativity ever captured.
For the uninitiated, The Prog Collective, founded and helmed by producer/multi-instrumentalist and famed bassist for Yes Billy Sherwood, has united some of the finest musicians of rock, jazz, metal, pop and everything in between since its founding in 2012. The group’s newest studio effort, entitled Dark Encounters, takes a deliberate turn toward a more brooding and melancholic musical path, filled with haunting ambience and eerie melodic passages. All of this makes Stevens the perfect partner for an exploration into the darker side of prog rock. Check out the album’s first single and the album’s leadoff track, “Darkest Hour,” which is released today on all music platforms.
Dark Encounters is set for release on March 29 and includes contributions from a number of notable musicians and creative geniuses from the legendary Steve Morse, violinist David Cross, and guitar wizard Bumblefoot to keyboardist Patrick Moraz, Utopia’s Kasim Sulton, Gong’s Steve Hillage, and more!
Track List: 1. Darkest Hour with Steve Stevens 2. Ominous Signs with Steve Morse 3. At The Gates with David Cross 4. Dark Days with Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Patrick Moraz & Omar Hakim 5. Lonely Landscape with Kasim Sulton 6. The Long Night with Frank Dimino & Marco Minnemann 7. The Quasi Effect with Billy Sherwood 8. The 11th Hour with John Etheridge 9. Between Two Worlds with Steve Hillage & Gregg Bissonette 10. Distant Thunder with Todd Sucherman 11. Dark Money with Joe Bouchard 12. For All To See with Pat Mastelotto 13. Beyond Reason with Chad Wackerman BONUS TRACKS [CD ONLY] 14. I Saw the Light – Todd Rundgren with Rick Wakeman 15. I’m Not In Love – Nektar with Rick Wakeman
Following their recent acclaimed tour in the USA, progressive legends YES are set to return to UK stages in May and June.
22nd February 2024: Hot on the heels of their hugely successful Classic Tales Of Yes American Tour, Progressive Rock legends, YES, are poised to hit the road in the UK once more on a 9-date trek across the country starting on 23rd May at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and ending in London on 4th June at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, a fitting end for such a majestic band.
The Classic Tales Of Yes Tour will see YES mining their rich catalogue to deliver a career spanning set of classics, rarely played vintage cuts and new songs from 1970s Time and a Word right up to Mirror To The Sky, their 23rd album released last year, together with a special section celebrating the 50th anniversary of their momentous Tales From The Topographic Oceans opus.
Every show will feature a Roger Dean gallery in the venues foyer area. Deans masterful artwork of striking other-worldly landscapes has graced classic album covers and posters. He has sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide. His artwork appears on the cover of the current YES album Mirror To The Sky. Roger is planning to be at each show on the tour, to meet with fans.
Steve Howe, whose association with Yes began in 1970, along with Geoff Downes, a member of the 1980 Drama era line-up are joined by Jon Davison, lead vocalist in Yes for well over a decade now; Billy Sherwood on bass, hand-picked by original bassist Chris Squire and Jay Schellen, who worked closely with Alan White, on drums completing the line-up.
YES are very much looking forward to playing in Europe and the UK during April, May and June this year. It’s been a while since we toured here and we’ve really missed you all. says Steve Howe
Geoff Downes goes on to say: Were very much looking forward to bringing the Classic Tales of YES Tour to the UK and Europe. It promises to be one of our most interesting sets to date, scanning through much of YESs history and with some previously unheard pieces together with music from out latest album, Mirror To The Sky. As always, were committed to pushing new boundaries and are very excited to be performing another chapter in the rich legacy of the band.”
Jon D. here, My band mates and I are very pleased and excited to bring to the UK and parts of the EU our current set of classic Yes music which, covering the rich spectrum of Yestory, delighted US fans last fall. Well be performing many song favourites but also adding rarities, some of which havent been performed in decades! Lets all join together in May, band and audience alike, in celebrating whats best about Yes music. See you there!
Very much looking forward to playing all this wonderful YES music across Europe and the UK. Its an interesting set of music and one that spans the many decades of the bands unique and rich history continues Billy Sherwood
Jay Schellen says: Im very excited and looking forward to performing our 2024 Classic Tales Of YES tour in the UK. This collection of songs is unique in many ways. A classic YES show, thrilling and dynamic! Im sure our fans will be excited and pleased as well!
The Classic Tales of YES UK Tour Dates 2024
Thursday 23 May Manchester Bridgewater Hall* Friday 24 May Glasgow Royal Concert Hall* Sunday 26 May Liverpool Philharmonic Hall* Tuesday 28 May York Barbican* Wednesday 29 May Southend Cliffs Pavilion* Friday 31May Bristol Beacon Saturday 1 June Birmingham Symphony Hall* Sunday 2 June Gateshead The Glasshouse (formerly The Sage*) Tuesday 4 June London Royal Albert Hall
*UK Shows rescheduled from 2023, all tickets remain valid.
It was fantastic to see the band dig deep and play selections such as It Will Be A Good Day (The River), a song not played live since 2000. What tale can be complete without digging up Tales From Topographic Oceans. The band did a condensed reimagined version which ended the main set with a thunderous ovation. Consider it a treat that YES still exists in 2023. Joseph Suto, ROCK SHOW CRITIQUE
This show is bound to please and have something for everyone. Everyone together produces a sound that is almost indistinguishable from the earlier incarnations. The only real difference is the improvement of technology and better fidelity. If you have enjoyed Yes in the past, you will enjoy this show and if you have never seen them, there is no better time than now. Kim Hansen, GHOST CULT MAG
About YES
Steve Howe: guitars, backing vocals (1970 1981, 19901992, 1995present) Geoff Downes: keyboards (19801981, 2011present) Jon Davison: lead vocals, acoustic guitar (2012present) Billy Sherwood: guitar, backing vocals ((1994, 19972000), bass guitar, backing vocals (2015present) Jay Schellen: drums and percussion (2016-present)
Formed in 1968 by Jon Anderson and the late, and much-missed, Chris Squire, YES have been one of the most innovative, influential and best-loved bands in rock music history. Their 1970s albums The Yes Album, Fragile, Close To The Edge, Yessongs (a triple live album set), Tales From Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going For The One were ground-breaking in musical style and content. Their music also became synonymous with artist Roger Dean whose distinctive YES logo design and artwork adorned the lavish gatefold presentation sleeves of many YES albums.
With sales of over 50 million records, the Grammy-award winning YES were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2017 where they performed Roundabout from the album Fragile and the FM radio-friendly Owner Of A Lonely Heart from the 1985 album 90125.
YES released their 22nd studio album in 2021, The Quest, produced by Steve Howe and which went to No. 1 in the UK Rock Albums Chart and entered the Official UK Album Chart at No. 20.
In 2022 came the sad news that drummer Alan White, ever-present in the YES line-up for 50 years, had passed away. The news came shortly before the band embarked on their classic, genre-defining album Close To The Edge 50th Anniversary Tour, which he was intending to be a part of until ill-health determined otherwise. The tour was dedicated to Alan.
In February 2023, ahead of the news of the new studio album Mirror To The Sky, YES confirmed Jay Schellen as the new permanent drummer with YES, hand-picked to step into his mentor and friend Alan Whites role. I had done the 2016 tour on my own for Alan, says Jay. From late 2017 onwards, we had a beautiful partnership. I learned and discovered so much about Alans style. His passion and creativity was phenomenal. The new album has Alans presence all over it. It is inside of us. So, this is still, in my heart, Alan just being present and with us, and with me, in a big way.
Mirror To The Sky, YES 23rd studio album, was released on 19 May 2023 to universally positive reviews in the music press. Mirror to the Sky is very much a band album, where all five members… have been at the top of their game, stated The Progressive Aspect. YES will continue to have a role to play in shaping the future sounds of prog.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
