by Unqualified-Kritic | May 22, 2022 | News, Tour
22nd May 2022: YES Management have announced today that due to current health issues Alan White will not be taking part on the forthcoming 50th Anniversary Close to the Edge UK & Eire Tour. Alan was really looking forward to playing live again preparing to celebrate 50 years with Yes, having joined the band for the July 1972 Close to the Edge Tour, coming full circle in 2022. Alan’s close friend Jay Schellen will be taking on drumming duties in Alan’s place.
The Album Series Tour 2022 which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of YES’ iconic album Close to the Edge and will feature the album, performed in full, along with other classic tracks from YES’ extensive catalogue.
The tour line-up will feature Steve Howe (guitars), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar and backing vocals) with Jay Schellen (drums and percussion).
The show will comprise full production and a high-definition video wall directed by Roger Dean who will also be joining the tour with an exhibition of YES related art.
A full performance of the Relayer album will now be featured in a future UK tour in The Album Series. European dates were recently announced for rescheduled dates in 2023.
The 10 date UK and Eire tour starts on 15th June – full dates are:
Wed 15th June Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Fri 17th June Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Sat 18th June Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Mon 20th June Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Tues 21st June London Royal Albert Hall
Wed 22nd June York Barbican
Fri 24th June Birmingham Symphony Hall
Sun 26th June Newcastle O2 City Hall
Tues 28th June Dublin Vicar Street
Wed 29th June Cork Opera House
Tickets remain valid for the rescheduled shows. For full details and to book tickets for all shows go to venue website or http://yesworld.com/live where you can also book Meet and Greets with the band.
About YES
Steve Howe: guitars, backing vocals (1970 –1981, 1990–1992, 1995–present)
Alan White: drums, percussion (1972 – present)
Geoff Downes: keyboards (1980–1981, 2011–present)
Jon Davison: lead vocals, acoustic guitar (2012–present)
Billy Sherwood: guitar, backing vocals ((1994, 1997–2000), bass guitar, backing vocals (2015–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. In 2021 YES released their 22nd Studio album, The Quest, produced by Steve Howe, which went to No.1 in the UK rock chart and entered the Official UK Album Chart at No. 20.
UK www.yesworld.com
www.facebook.com/yestheband
www.twitter.com/yesofficial
www.youtube.com/user/yesofficial
www.instagram.com/yesofficial
soundcloud.com/yesofficial
by Nick | Nov 11, 2016 | New Releases, News
London, UK – Much to the excitement of prog fans worldwide, Esquire featuring Nikki Squire, the first wife of Chris Squire from YES, has released their first new album in several years! On their new release “No Spare Planet”, the band has championed a unique and sophisticated sound and they have straddled traditional music boundaries and essentially unleashed an innovative style of progressive rock that is varied, accessible and modern.
Esquire is now set to extend their musical legacy with this 3rd studio album. Comprising of nine unreleased songs, the last that Nikki Squire and Nigel McLaren wrote together before Nigel’s untimely passing in 2015.
Says Nikki, “Nigel and I started work on these songs a few years ago. Our intention was to create an album that although still ‘progressive’, would bring a modern and fresh outlook and move forward to build a meaningful album…a solid basis that was to become ‘Esquire 111 – No Spare Planet’. Nigel my co- writer suddenly passed away in 2015, just as we were getting ready to mix and master our music. Many things that happened after this led me to complete the album alone, which has now become a Tribute to Nigel McLaren.”
Fronted by Nikki Squire, Esquire is a British rock band noted for their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Formed in 1982, Esquire released two studio albums – the self-titled “Esquire” in 1987, written and produced by Nikki Squire, Nigel McLaren & Esquire, and then a follow-up album “Coming Home” in 1997. Chris Squire and Mark Wallis produced the mixes, YES drummer Alan White, YES producer Trevor Horn and Chris and Nikki’s eldest daughter, Carmen Squire and Charles Olins, all worked on the band’s debut album. The second album, “Coming Home”, was written by Nikki Squire and Nigel McLaren; it also included Danny Isaacs on guitar on three tracks and Tony Matteucci on drums, Also WINGS Denny Laine on backing vocals, to name but a few…
Now, completing the Esquire trilogy after their last album, “Esquire III – No Spare Planet” brings the band right up to date in 2016!
Special Appearances by John Baker, former Mars Hollow, and Lisa LaRue of 2KX on No Spare Planet, as well as Robbie Blunt and others.
For more information: http://esquiretheband.com/
To purchase: http://geni.us/esquire3
Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), [email protected]
by Nick | Oct 18, 2016 | News
YES is excited to announce that drummer Alan White, who had to sit out the band’s recent U.S. summer tour due to back surgery, will officially rejoin his band mates Steve Howe (guitar), Jon Davison (vocals), Billy Sherwood (bass) and Geoff Downes (keyboard) on their Japanese tour this November. Jay Schellen, the band’s good friend who sat behind the kit all summer, will also travel to Japan and sit in until White is fully healed.
“I’m greatly looking forward to getting back on stage with my bandmates to play YES music once again for our devoted audiences” says drummer Alan White.
The 6-date trek, beginning November 21 in Tokyo, will feature YES performing the 1973 album YESSONGS, the band’s first live album, as well as sides one and four of 1973’s double album TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS, which received rave reviews throughout their 28-date U.S. outing this summer. Of the Tales portion of the show, Chicago Tribune Community Contributor Raymond Britt raved, “The pieces were nothing short of a tour de force of musical ambition, complexity and remarkable synchronicity. It sounded outstanding.” Britt also added, “This version of Yes seems to play at a higher level, a more powerful level, like they’ve been together a decade or more. These guys are on no nostalgia tour. They play it like they mean business, with little intention of slowing down” (8/31/16). For their upcoming Japan tour, YES will perform at the Tokyo Orchard Hall on November 21, 22, 28 and 29, the Osaka Orix Theater on November 24 and Zepp Nagoya on November 25./
by Nick | Sep 21, 2016 | News
“OVER 300 INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS CONTRIBUTE from over 30 countries featuring Dan Aykroyd, Julian Lennon, Kathy Sledge, Alan White, Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Patrick Moraz, Annie Haslam, Janis Ian, Martin Barre, Colin Andrews, Lillias White, and many other artists!
ACTION MOVES PEOPLE UNITED, a World Peace Project with UNESCO – USFUCA, is produced by Grammy® Winner Kevin Mackie, award winning producer Krista Wallhagen, and Guinness World Record® holder musician and award winning filmmaker Rupam Sarmah. Through media initiatives, in collaboration with artists, authors, and organizations from all around the world, AMPU’s mission of establishing a peaceful planet and a healthy biosphere will be an ongoing commitment. One of the goals for the project is to pair up artists who live in opposing countries for collaborations that go beyond politics, religion and borders.
The team has produced a musical spoken word album that will exchange ideas, stories, and information focused on bringing about World Peace through individual responsibility, Education, and helping each other. The goal of the project is to raise awareness of environmental and humanitarian crisis and find actionable solutions.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) strives to promote peace and security among nations through education, science, and culture.
“I pray for the moment of mass consciousness when we all wake up and bring peace into our own hearts and souls. It’s a challenge and it’s going to take every one of us to make it happen,” says Dan Aykroyd.
The double CD album with 45 tracks of Musical Spoken Word and Songs will be officially released on Sept 21, 2016. The album is available for digital download on iTunes, Amazon, and other stores worldwide. Please visit the site for details: www.ActionMovesPeopleUnited.org”
