“UK REUNION” Tour featuring Eddie Jobson and John Wetton Touches Down at Arlington’s Regent Theatre

Mar 28, 2011

“UK REUNION” Tour featuring Eddie Jobson and John Wetton Touches Down at Arlington’s Regent Theatre Friday, April 8, 2011

One of a Handful of Performances in U.S. and Japan Celebrating Seminal Progressive Rock Band’s 30th Anniversary

The iconic duo of multi-instrumentalist, EDDIE WETTON and bassist/vocalist JOHN WETTON join forces once more for a short string of major-city dates in Japan and the U.S. in April including an exclusive New England performance at Arlington’s Regent Theatre presented by NewEars. Teamed with Austrian guitar virtuoso Alex Machacek, and German drumming phenom Marco Minnemann, progressive-rock fans will finally get a chance to experience first-hand what all the excitement was about three decades ago, and hear UK and King Crimson classics performed by two of the musicians who defined the genre.

When UK was formed in 1977, it was considered the last best hope for a progressive-rock movement increasingly overshadowed by the ‘new wave’ of pop and punk bands emerging out of London. Fans of more richly complex music had every reason to be hopeful as the three founding members were already well-established as pioneers of the genre. Eddie Jobson had established himself as the teenage rock prodigy from two of England’s most popular and innovative bands, Curved Air and Roxy Music, and was fresh from a one-year stint with Frank Zappa. John Wetton was the voice of King Crimson, his distinctive bass an essential part of the powerful sound that would influence a generation of musicians. And Bill Bruford, the most innovative drummer of the genre, had already carved a new role for the drums as a pivotal member of both Yes and King Crimson. Finally adding future guitar icon Allan Holdsworth, the prog supergroup would not disappoint, producing an album that is still regarded as a classic by musicians of all ages.

But four musicians of such caliber weren’t destined to remain a unit, and UK would soon morph into a keyboard power trio with Jobson and Wetton being joined by Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio to produce the equally revered, yet more mainstream “Danger Money” album. With the ‘80s rapidly approaching, and punk, new wave, and metal dominating the music scene, UK called it quits - leaving behind only two studio albums, and “Night After Night,” the trio’s swan song—recorded live in Japan on their final tour.

Though the support for progressive rock was waning, their careers were far from over however, with Wetton going on to multiple-platinum success as the voice and principal songwriter of radio-prog band ‘Asia,’ as well as producing a long string of solo albums; while Jobson, after his own brief solo career and short stints with Jethro Tull and Yes, would become an award-winning television and film composer, and run his own musicians’ label, Globe Music.


But even the passage of 30 years couldn’t keep the two prog legends from the pull of revisiting their shared legacy, finally joining together on stage in Poland in November 2009, with Wetton as a guest in Jobson’s all-star U-Z Project. With the recordings from those shows, the double CD “Ultimate Zero Tour - Live,” riding high on the Japanese charts (though not yet released in retail outside of Japan), UK fans of all generations have been able to hear Jobson and Wetton performing their classic material together once again on this very limited date “UK Reunion” tour.

“UK REUNION” Tour featuring Eddie Jobson and John Wetton will be presented by NewEars at the historic Regent Theatre—“Arlington’s Show Place of Entertainment”—7 Medford Street (off Mass. Ave.) in Arlington Center on Friday, April 8, 2011 at 8pm. Reserved seats are $63 with a limited number of preferred seats available for $103. The Regent Theatre is MBTA and handicap accessible with free parking in a municipal lot across the street. For tickets and more information, visit regenttheatre.com or call 781-646-4849.

FOR PHOTOS AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS, CONTACT LELAND STEIN: 617-694-6612 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

###

Categories

Archives