YES to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of ‘Close To The Edge’ with U.S. Tour

August 30, 2022 11:37 am

Acclaimed prog rock band YES is set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its famed album, Close To The Edge, with a slate of U.S. tour dates, the band announced Monday (August 29).

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers will set out on The Album Series Tour 2022 on October 7 to honor their 1972 record. The tour, which marks the first U.S. dates since 2019, concludes on November 19 in Westbury, New York.

Tickets for the dates go on sale Friday (September 2). For full details and tickets for all shows visit HERE, where fans can also book Meet and Greets with the band.

The tour kicked off in the U.K. in June and the band is dedicating the American leg of the excursions to the late Alan White, the band’s drummer, following his passing in May.

Before the tour gets underway, a special tribute concert, “Alan White – Celebrating His Life and Music,” will be held on October 2, 7:00 pm at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

White joined YES in June of 1972, just days before the Close To The Edge Tour commenced.

“It is with great sadness that I join with the other members of Yes to acknowledge the passing of our dearest friend and drummer, Alan White,” the band’s Steve Howe said at the time. “He gave so many of his best years to the band and was a true believer and determined professional til the very end. Being a kind and loving human being just came naturally to him, with his mellow, non-confrontational personality and abundant generosity, which made him so popular with his friends and everyone he met.”

“It is with the utmost sadness I have received the news of the passing of my dearest friend and bandmate Alan White,” added the group’s Geoff Downes. “He was truly one of the greatest men I have ever met. Honest, loyal, passionate, caring, kind, generous, considerate, charitable, funny—so many superlatives, too many to mention—simply, an all-round top guy and one of the best. And despite living for many years in his adopted hometown of Seattle, he never lost that Geordie wit, irony and charm.

“As a musician, he was unique in every way, and his powerhouse technique influenced whole generations of drummers and percussionists—an absolute legend in the true sense of the word,” Downes continued. “He was a joy to share the same stage with, often glancing over at the keyboard riser with a wink and a smile, but still laying down that solid, yet intricate groove as only he could. This was Alan – a genius who never took himself too seriously. We had some great laughs together, became very close, and always looked after each other to the point where they started referring to us as ‘The Odd Couple!’”

White’s good friend, drummer Jay Schellen, will join YES for the forthcoming tour, alongside Howe (guitars & backing vocals), Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (lead vocals) and Billy Sherwood (bass guitar and backing vocals).

YES 2022 U.S. Tour Dates:

10/7 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA

10/8 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA

10/9 – State Theatre – New Brunswick, NJ

10/11 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN

10/13 – Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL

10/14 – The Parker Playhouse – Ft. Lauderdale, FL

10/16 – King Center – Melbourne, FL

10/17 – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL

10/19 – Saenger Theatre – New Orleans, LA

10/20 – Arena Theatre – Houston, TX

10/21 – The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX