Rock Legends YES begin preparations for their 2016 UK-European Tour
Grammy Award winning pioneers of progressive rock, YES have achieved worldwide success with a history spanning 47 years and 21 studio albums. The band is known for its expansive songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art and live stage sets.
Earlier this year YES tragically lost founding member, bassist Chris Squire. Chris had a career spanning over four decades and has influenced as well as played with some of the most notable musicians in rock and pop history. “It’s hard to imagine the future without Chris! He will always be in our thoughts and mind. Chris was a one-off, larger than life human being, who brought a serious amount to everything he was part of,” said YES guitarist, Steve Howe
“It’s been harder than I can say to put thoughts to words—to express the sense of loss I feel upon the passing of my cherished friend and band mate, Chris Squire. I am without one of the most important, most loved people in my life. Chris was always a gentle but strong leader; a steadfast rock of my existence,” added YES drummer, Alan White.
There is no better way to honor the memory of Chris than moving forward and continuing the legacy of the band he co-founded back in 1968.
YES have just finished a successful tour in North America with rock legends TOTO, and Billy Sherwood doing an amazing job taking over for Chris. YES are now planning a massive 25 date tour across the UK and Europe. YES, for the first time in their history, will perform 1971’s ‘Fragile’ and 1980’s ‘Drama’.
“This is the first time we’ll be performing ‘Drama’ in its entirety. And most of the songs haven’t been performed in some 30 years,” stated Steve Howe.
YES are among of the longest lasting and the most successful of the ’70s progressive rock groups, proving to be one of the lasting success stories from that musical genre. The band, founded in 1968, overcame a generational shift in its audience and the departure of its most visible members at key points in its history to reach the end of the century as the definitive progressive rock band. YES retained the same sound, and performed much of the same repertoire they were doing in 1971, and for their trouble, found themselves being taken seriously a quarter of a century later. Their audience remained huge because they had always attracted younger listeners drawn to their mix of daunting virtuosity, cosmic (often mystical) lyrics, complex musical textures, and powerful yet delicate lead vocals.
UK and European Tour Date 2016
27th April – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, UK
29th April – City Hall, Newcastle, UK
30th April – Apollo, Manchester, UK
2nd May – Philharmonic, Liverpool, UK
3rd May – City Hall, Sheffield, UK
4th May – Colston Hall, Bristol, UK
6th May – Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK
7th May – Brighton Centre, Brighton, UK
9th May – New Theatre, Oxford, UK
10th May – Royal Albert Hall, London, UK
13th May – Olympia Paris, France
14th May – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
15th May – Tivolivredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands
17th May – Mehr Theater, Hamburg, Germany
19th May – Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
20th May – Haus Avensee, Leipzig, Germany
21st May – Admiralspalast, Berlin, Germany
23rd May – Beethovenhalle, Bonn, Germany
24th May – Hegelsaal, Stuttgart, Germany
25th May – Cirkus Krone, Munich, Germany
27th May – Volkshaus, Zurich, Switzerland
28th May – Teatro Nazionale, Milan, Italy
29th May – Gran Teatro Geox, Padova, Italy
31st May – Dbihall, Florence, Italy
1st June – Teatro Olimpico, Rome, Italy
