Category Archives: Roger Dean

2024/04/23

The Heat Of The Moment Tour Featuring Rock Legends Asia, Focus, Martin Turner ex Wishbone Ash, Curved Air and MC’d by Artist Roger Dean – Summer 2024

For Immediate Release

The Heat Of The Moment Tour Featuring Rock Legends Asia, Focus, Martin Turner ex Wishbone Ash, Curved Air and MC’d by Artist Roger Dean – Summer 2024

Asia is absolutely delighted to announce The Heat of The Moment Tour, headlined by Asia and also featuring Focus, Martin Turner ex Wishbone Ash and Curved Air and MC’d by artist Roger Dean.

The tour will commence on 3rd July 2024 and will incorporate 21 dates across the USA and Canada.

The tour has been masterminded by rock music keyboard legend and original Asia member, Geoff Downes (Buggles, Asia, Yes).

Asia was the biggest selling album of 1982, number 1 on Billboard for 9 weeks and pioneers of the MTV era! Downes’ brand new iteration of Asia first began to evolve last Summer, at the concert held in memory of late lead singer, songwriter and bassist, John Wetton (King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, Wishbone Ash, UK, Asia, John Wetton Band, Icon). Downes invited old friend John Mitchell (It Bites, Frost*, Lonely Robot, Kino, John Wetton Band, Icon) and new-comer Harry Whitley to join him on stage to celebrate Wetton’s life by performing some of the classic Asia hits. Such was the uproarious reception to their set, that Downes wondered if something magical was beginning to take shape.

“And so it was that the John Wetton tribute last August really reminded me how much Asia’s music belongs on the stage. The response to it all was literally…spine-tingling.”

Downes’ new-look Asia will once again feature Mitchell on guitars and Whitley on lead vocal and bass. The quartet will be made complete by the addition of Virgil Donati (UK, Southern Sons, Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth) on drums.

Downes continues, “With the addition of Virgil Donati & John Mitchell, two of the finest musicians in the world in their respective classes, this is almost going full circle bearing in mind their previous close collaborations with John W. Completing this circle is also the amazing Harry Whitley who absolutely floored the audience with his incredible vocal interpretation of the Asia songs that John W and I so lovingly wrote over the years.”

The tour will also feature sets from other classic acts, Focus, Martin Turner ex Wishbone Ash and Curved Air. All three support acts boast their founder bandleaders and have deservedly attained the status of legend.

Focus will be releasing a brand new studio album later in 2024. Led by the indomitable Sir Thijs van Leer, featuring original 1970’s drummer Pierre Van Der Linden, plus the virtuoso talents of Menno Gootjes on guitar and Udo Pannekeet on bass.

Martin Turner was lead vocalist, bassist, founding member and creative force behind 70’s rock music behemoth Wishbone Ash, best known for such classic albums as Argus and Pilgrimage.

Formed in 1970, Curved Air are one of the founders of progressive rock and a retrospective collection of their most influential and ground-breaking material is currently in the planning stages. Sonja Kristina (vocals) and Kirby Gregory (guitar) will treat audiences to an acoustic set featuring some of the band’s most memorable musical moments. They will be joined by violinist Grzegorz Gadziomski.

Each performance on the tour will be MC’d by legendary artist Roger Dean. For so many, Dean’s artwork is synonymous with the music of the time and stands to represent the very best of British rock music.

The final word goes to Geoff Downes, “I am convinced that John (Wetton’s) spirit is with us as we set out on this new adventure. After all, it is the Year of the Dragon – just as it was in 1982, when we released our first Asia album. It’s as though it was meant to be. Looking forward to seeing you there, my friends – bring it on!”

Heat Of The Moment 2024 Tour Dates:

Wednesday, July 3: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
Thursday, July 4: Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON
Saturday, July 6: Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA
Sunday, July 7: The Paramount, Huntingdon, NY
Tuesday, July 9: Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood, NJ
Wednesday, July 10: Count Basie Center, Red Bank, NJ
Friday, July 12: Tropicana Showroom, Atlantic City, NJ
Saturday, July 13: Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, PA
Sunday, July 14: American Music Theatre, Lancaster, PA
Tuesday, July 16: Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg, SC
Wednesday, July 17: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Thursday, July 18: Columbia County Performing Arts Center, Evans, GA
Saturday, July 20: Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
Sunday, July 21: Pompano Beach Amphitheater, Pompano Beach, FL
Monday, July 22: Seminole Hard Rock, Tampa, FL
Wednesday, July 24: North Charleston PAC, North Charleston, SC
Thursday, July 25: Macon City Auditorium, Macon, GA
Friday, July 26: Saenger Theatre, Mobile, AL
Sunday, July 28: VBC Mark Smith Concert Hall, Huntsville, AL
Tuesday, July 30: The Arcada Theatre, St Charles, IL
Wednesday, July 31: The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI

ASIA
Geoffrey Downes – Keyboards, Vocals
John Mitchell – Guitars, Vocals
Harry Whitley – Bass Guitar, Lead Vocal
Virgil Donati – Drums

FOCUS
Thijs van Leer – Hammond Organ, Flute, Vocals
Menno Gootjes – Guitars
Udo Pannekeet – Bass Guitar
Pierre van der Linden – Drums

MARTIN TURNER ex Wishbone Ash
Martin Turner – Bass guitar,Vocals
Danny Willson – Guitars, Vocals
Misha Nikolic – Guitars, Vocals
Sonny Flint – Drums

CURVED AIR
Sonja Kristina – Vocals
Kirby Gregory – Guitars
Grzegorz Gadziomski – Violin

For more information, please contact:
Sarah Ewing at TASK Agency, for QEDG Music Management
sarah@taskagency.co.uk

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Leave a comment | posted in Asia, Curved Air, Geoff Downes, Martin Turner, Press Release, Roger Dean

2015/08/10

Legendary Artist Roger Dean To Appear At Rick Wakeman’s WAKEmanFEST

By glassonyonpr

For Immediate Release

Legendary Artist Roger Dean To Appear At Rick Wakeman’s WAKEmanFEST

London, UK – Legendary artist Roger Dean is the latest celebrity to be added to the line-up for Rick Wakeman’s WAKEmanFEST in October 2015 in Lincolnshire. Roger will be holding a Question & Answer session on Saturday October 31st at 3:40pm – 4:00pm, as well as showcasing his spectacular art.

Known primarily for the dreamy, other-worldly scenes Roger Dean has created for Yes, Budgie, Uriah Heep, Gentle Giant and other bands, Dean has said, “I don’t really think of myself as a fantasy artist but as a landscape painter.” His first album cover work was in 1968 for The Gun. He also did the artwork for Atomic Rooster’s album In Hearing of… This album cover hinted at the inimitable style for which he would later become famous. In the same year Dean produced the cover for the first album by the African/Caribbean band Osibisa, which featured a hybrid insect/elephant. This was much closer to Dean’s work as we came to know it and it attracted widespread attention. Later that year, he began the partnership with the progressive rock bands Yes (and Asia) for which he is best known. His first design for Yes was for their album Fragile. Dean designed the now-classic Yes “bubble” logo, which first appeared on the album Close to the Edge, and continued to create covers for the band. In addition to their album covers, Dean also contributed to his brother Martyn Dean’s stage set designs for the band.

Though he primarily works with watercolour paints, many of his paintings make use of multiple media, including gouache, ink, enamel, crayon and collage. In addition to his cover paintings, Dean is respected for his calligraphic work, designing logos and titles to go with his paintings. There are three books chronicling Roger Dean’s art: “Views” (1975) “Magnetic Storm” (1984) “Dragons Dream” (2008).

His work has inspired generations of young men and women who have become professional designers and artists!

WAKEmanFEST is the brainchild of Rob Ayling from Gonzo Multimedia and was conceived as a three day event that would revolve around people Rick Wakeman has worked with spanning over 40 years in the music industry and his own band, The English Rock Ensemble. The festival will run Friday 30th October, Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November.

The event will be held at the legendary Boston Gliderdrome in Lincolnshire. The venue started life as a roller skating rink, but began to attract musical acts in the 1950’s. The venue’s golden age came after it was rebuilt in 1964 following a fire. The rink remained but the Starlight Rooms opened and the biggest names in pop headed to the east of England, which includes Yes, The Kinks, Small Faces, Elton John, T.Rex and Jimi Hendrix to name a few.

Says Rick, “I wanted to create a festival I would want to go to myself. We have chosen as the venue for this 3 day event, The Boston Gliderdrome in Lincolnshire because of its amazing history. I remember playing there many times over the years, especially with YES. We are also hoping to organising various hotel deals for people to book into as well. It all starts on the Friday with a full day Saturday and a very special charity day on the Sunday which finishes around 5pm so everybody can head off home”.

As of June 1st, WAKEmanFEST is lining up like this…

Friday October 30th
Registration from 2:00pm
Video room open showing RW and related DVDs.
5:30pm – 6:00pm – Q&A with Cadbury Sisters
6:30pm – 7:00pm – Q&A with The 3 (or possibly 4) Wakeman’s.

Evening performance:
7:30 – 8:15pm – The Cadbury Sisters.
9:00 – 11:00pm – Wakeman Cubed.

Saturday October 31st
Video room running all day
VIP room open all day
2:00pm – 3:00pm – Q&A with cast of Sir Henry of Rawlinson’s End
3:40pm – 4:00pm – Q&A with Roger Dean
4.30pm – 5:00pm – Q&A with Rick & The English Rock Ensemble
5.30pm – 6.00pm – Q&A with The Electric Strawbs.

Evening performance:
6:30pm – 7:30pm – Sir Henry of Rawlinson’s End.(Rick Wakeman guesting)
8:00pm – 9:00pm – Strawbs (with Rick Wakeman guesting at end)
10:00pm – 11:30pm – English Rock Ensemble

Sunday November 1st
11:30am – Reception before buffet lunch
Midday – 2:00pm – lunch and table magic
During lunch – Three games people for people to play with all proceeds to the Grand Order of Water Rats plus an auction.

Entertainment:
2:00pm – 2:30pm – The Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra
2:35pm – 3:00pm – Magician !
3:05pm – 3:45pm – Kevin Orkian
4:00pm – 5:00pm – Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble – Chrissie Hammond also making a guest appearance.

For more information: http://www.wakemanfest.com
http://www.rwcc.com/notice_wakemanfest.asp

Gonzo Multimedia: http://www.gonzomultimedia.co.uk/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Leave a comment | posted in Press Release, Rick Wakeman, Roger Dean, WAKEmanFest