YES: The Album Series
The Album Series: Drama + Topographic 1 & 4
YES recently announced their 2016 summer touring plans, which include a stop at the City National Grove of Anaheim on Friday, August 26.
Billed as “The Album Series: Drama + Topographic 1 & 4,” the tour will feature the 1980 album DRAMA performed in its entirety, for the first time ever, and sides one and four of 1973’s double album TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS, plus a selection of their greatest hits.
“We are proud to present the American public with forward-looking albums from the past,” says guitarist Steve Howe of the iconic and influential band. “Promoting ‘Drama’ at Madison Square Garden on multi-nights was a career milestone in 1980, and we are especially looking forward to performing both the opening and closing sides to ‘Topographic Oceans.’” Adds keyboardist Geoff Downes: “One minute, Trevor Horn and I were in The Buggles, the next we joined Yes, then we were in Madison Square Garden playing ‘Drama.’” Expresses drummer Alan White: “We really hit the ground running with ‘Topographic Oceans,’ my first recorded album with Yes. It pushed boundaries of music and went to number 1 in the UK.”
The band’s annual summer outing will take them throughout the U.S. from late July through early September, beginning July 27 in Columbus, OH. YES will then stop in such cities as Atlantic City, Wallingford, Westbury, Staten Island, Morristown, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Denver, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Saratoga and Reno before wrapping September 4 in San Diego. See below for initial list of tour dates. Go to www.yesworld.com for ticketing information and stay tuned to their website for additional shows that will be announced soon.
The 1980 album DRAMA—the band’s tenth studio album—marked a new sound and more aggressive direction for YES with the use of modern keyboards and a vocoder. The album peaked at #2 in the UK and #18 in the US and features the single “Into the Lens.” Released as a double album in December 1973, TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS is a concept album comprised of four interlocking pieces, ranging between 18 and 22 minutes, and drummer Alan White’s first release with YES. As the band’s sixth studio album, TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS reached #1 in the UK for two weeks—where it was the first UK album to qualify for Gold certification based on pre-orders--and peaked at #6 in the US.
Following the album performances, YES—Steve Howe (guitar), Jon Davison (vocals), Alan White (drums), Billy Sherwood (bass) and Geoff Downes (keyboard)—will also perform a selection of their greatest hits.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, April 22 at noon.
About YES:
Founded in 1968 by Chris Squire and Jon Anderson, Grammy-award winning recording artists YES have created some of the most important and influential music in rock history, such as iconic pieces “Roundabout,” “Close to the Edge,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Starship Trooper,” and countless others. Its albums, including Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans, and 90125, have been certified multi-platinum, double-platinum, platinum, and more by the RIAA, and have sold over 50 million records total in its career that has so far spanned almost five decades. Among the world’s most influential, ground-breaking, and respected progressive rock bands, YES continues creating masterful music that inspires musicians, fans and music lovers around the world.