rick wakeman tour uk

Live Performances

Rick Wakeman is at his best in front of an audience, as we're sure many of you know. This page contains details of all forthcoming performances worldwide. We also try where possible to list appearances on TV and radio.

You can also checkout Rick's Previous Tours or an archive of selected Tour Programmes

The Final Solo Tour

Rick recently completed a tour of the U.S. and South America with a series of solo piano concerts for the last time in 2024. Rick, who has become almost as well known for his intimate piano shows as his prog rock extravaganzas, has decided that after a career spanning over 50 years, he is calling a halt to lengthy American one-man show tours, in order to concentrate on composing, recording and collaborating with other musicians.

As an exclusive gift for fans, on these shows Rick premiered a brand new piece of music, "Yessonata", a 30 minute instrumental work featuring YES themes and melodies, woven into sonata form.

Rick says, "I always planned to stop touring by my 77th birthday – but there is so much to fit in before then that I'm having to make plans now and so my final one-man shows will have to cease by that date. I have thoroughly enjoyed performing the various one-man shows, but it's time to call it a day. I intend to throw in the best of what I have done in the past, plus a few new surprises on the way, and possibly even the odd guest joining me on the odd occasion. The plan is not to perform at the same venue twice throughout this period, so whatever venue you are hopefully thinking of coming to, it will be the last performance there – and I am taking this opportunity of thanking everyone and anyone who has supported me over the last 53 years!"

More dates later in 2024 will be announced in due course, please do not contact the site asking about future dates.

Please also read Rick's further statement about this tour.

Yuletide Christmas Show

After an overwhelming response when The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show went on sale at the start of March, additional dates have now been added: London Lyric Theatre (25 November), Stoke-on-Trent Victoria Hall (3 December) and Cheltenham Town Hall (19 December).

As previously announced, after a year off, Rick Wakeman’s traditional Christmas tour returns in November and December 2024 with an all-new show.

" There's an old expression which goes 'If it ain't broke, then don't fix it' ", says Rick, " and in most cases, that's absolutely correct. However, I've decided that in spite of the success of the tried and tested formula for my solo Christmas tours over the last few years, it's time for a rethink, and so the one-man show becomes a three-man show – well, two male and one female, to be entirely accurate. "

With a stage set-up of two keyboards and a grand piano, Rick will be joined by two very special guests: his son and fellow keyboard player Adam Wakeman and Mollie Marriott, daughter of the late Steve Marriott, both of whom performed so brilliantly with him as part of the English Rock Ensemble on his Return Of The Caped Crusader tour in February.

The tour will start in Portsmouth on 23 November 2024 and then visit High Wycombe, St Albans, Folkestone, Leicester, Basingstoke, Evesham, Croydon, Bradford, Worthing, Ipswich, Bexhill, Poole, Guildford and Bath before concluding at London's Cadogan Hall on 20 December.

The new line-up will give Rick much more range and flexibility in the material he is able to perform, which will be a mixture of old and new from his back catalogue, some traditional Christmas songs and an unexpected piece of audience participation!

Expect hilarious banter from Wakemans Senior and Junior, as Adam tries to control his father's gentle 'unwokeness', fabulous soaring vocals from Mollie and virtuosic performances from a pair of musicians widely acknowledged as two of the most outstanding keyboard players in the business.

Rick says it will be an evening of festive fun with a difference. Adam says he's worried what his father means by that. Mollie says, whatever, she'll probably side with Rick, as he's paying the wages! In other words, a Christmas show not to be missed!

Tickets for the additional three shows will go on sale at 10am on Friday 26th April.

No tour currently scheduled.

One off Appearances

Fairport's cropredy convention.

Rick and the English Rock Ensemble will be headlining the first day of Cropredy on Thursday 8th August 2024, their first appearance since 2010. Tickets are now available .

Nothing currently scheduled.

Previous Tours/Appearances

These are the tours that have been listed on RWCC since 1996. For earlier dates, you can try setlist.fm

• The Return Of The Caped Crusader (Feb)
• His Music and Stories USA (Mar-Apr)
• The Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour USA Leg 2 (Feb-Mar)
• Rick Wakeman and The English Rock Ensemble UK Tour (Mar-Apr)
• Grumpy Christmas Stocking Tour (Nov-Dec)
• The Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour USA Leg 1 (Oct-Nov)
• The Not Quite As Grumpy As Last Xmas Tour (Nov/Dec)
• Piano Odyssey (May-Nov)
• Grumpy Old Rock Star USA & Canada (Sep-Oct)
• YES featuring ARW 50th Anniversary (Jun-Sep)
• Piano Odyssey (Sep-Nov)
• Christmas Piano Odyssey (Dec)
• Yet Another Evening with Rick Wakeman (Jan-May)
• YES Featuring ARW (Mar-Jul)
• Piano Portraits (May-Nov)
• YES featuring ARW North America (Aug-Oct)
• Yet Another Evening With Rick Wakeman Part Two (Feb-Dec)
• ARW in North America (Oct-Dec)
• Yet Another Evening With Rick Wakeman (Jan/Apr)
• A Very Intimate Evening (Jan/Dec)
• Journey to the Centre of the Earth UK (Apr/May)
• The English Rock Ensemble in South America (Oct/Nov)
• Edinburgh Fringe (Aug)
• A Very Intimate Evening (Apr-Oct)
• A Very Intimate Evening (Mar-Dec)
• A Very Intimate Evening (Feb-Dec)
• Anderson Wakeman USA Tour (Oct-Nov)
• A Very Intimate Evening (Jan-Dec)
• Anderson Wakeman Project 360 (Oct-Nov)
• Grumpy Old Picture Show (Apr-May)
• Rick Wakeman and The English Rock Ensemble in Canada (Aug)
• Grumpy Old Picture Show (Oct-Nov)
• Anderson and Wakeman Live in Concert UK (Oct-Nov)
• The Grand Piano Tour USA (Jun-Jul)
• Rick was on tour with YES on the 35th Anniversary Tour (Apr-Sep)
• Rick Wakeman and the NERE Out There (Apr-May)
• Rick was on tour with YES on the Full Circle Tour (Jun-Oct)
• The Other Side of Rick Wakeman (Oct-Nov)
• Rick was on tour with YES on the Full Circle Tour (Jul-Dec)
• Rick Wakeman Back Again (Mar-Apr)
• An Evening with Rick Wakeman (Feb-Apr)
• The English Rock Ensemble in South America (Sep)
• An Evening with Rick Wakeman (Oct-Nov)
• The Half a Century Tour (May-Jun)
• Words and Music Tour 98 (Mar-Apr)
• The New Gospels in California (Mar)
• The Piano Tour (Apr-May)
• The Six Piece at Ronnie Scotts (Jul)
• The It's Nearly Xmas Tour (Oct-Nov)
• Wot's On TV Tonite Tour (Apr-Jun)
• The Six Piece Tour (Oct-Nov)
• The Piano Tour (Nov-Dec)

In addition to the above formal tours, this is a list of one off dates .

Previous Tour Programmes

These tour programmes are presented as PDF files. My thanks go to the contributors of these programmes.

Contributors: Paul Chandler, John Chivers, Martin Cook, Paulo Edson, Graham Johnson, Eddie Lee, Eddie McFadden, Brian Neeson, Craig Smith, Derek Wales

• Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974)
• Journey at Crystal Palace (1974)
• North American Tour (1974)
• King Arthur at Wembley (1975)
• Journey in Australia (1975)
• Japanese Tour (1975)
• Rick Wakeman Em Concerto in Brazil (1975)
• Rick Wakeman in Concert (1976)
• No Earthly Connection (1976)
• Rick Wakeman in Concert at Sun City (1981)
• Journey in Durban (1981)
• The Daily Error (1981)
• Silent Nights (1985)
• Southbank Pops '87 (1987)
• Rick Wakeman 20 Years (1989)
• Ere We Go Again (1990)
• Classical Connections II (1992)
• Wakeman with Wakeman (1992)
• Rick & Adam Wakeman - Alone at Last (1994)
• Wot's On TV Tonite (1996)
• The Piano Tour (1996-7)
• It's Nearly Christmas Tour (1997)
• The New Gospels (1997)
• An Evening with Rick Wakeman (2000)
• Back Again (2001)
• The Ultimate Experience Live in Gloucester (2013)
• Piano Portraits (2017)
• Piano Odyssey (2018)
• Piano Portraits Live at Lincoln Cathedral (2018)
• The Grumpy Old Christmas Show (2019)
• Grumpy Old Rock Star Tour USA (2019)
• Journey at the Royal Festival Hall (2019)

Concert Review: Rick Wakeman, London Palladium, Feb 22 & 23, 2023

Review of Rick Wakeman’s 2 live shows at the London Palladium

Rick Wakeman – February 22nd & 23rd, 2023 The Return of the Caped Crusader The London Palladium, London Review and Photos by Geoff Bailie

With a discography that runs to more than 120 albums since the release of Rick Wakeman’s solo debut in 1973, a two night celebration of the music that formed the foundation of that career seemed appropriate. “The Return of the Caped Crusader” shows took place at the London Palladium, a legendary venue around 10 miles from where Wakeman was born, and less than 3 miles from the Royal College of Music, which he left to pursue his career as a session musician and performer. The evenings focused on performances of his classic 1970s albums, the Six Wives of Henry VIII, King Arthur and Journey albums, plus a set of Classic Yes, played to an audience who, Wakeman says, “have travelled from all around the globe to be here.”

Rick has established a phenomenal live band: on the left you have his son Adam Wakeman on keys and guitarist Dave Colhoun, while on the right there is the rhythm section of drummer Adam Falkner and bassist Lee Pomeroy (of ARW fame). Rick’s massive keyboard rig occupies centre stage and so with Pomeroy being a left handed guitarist you have a fantastic symmetry! Behind them, the English Chamber Choir led by Guy Protheroe have their own riser and on vocals. The band is joined by singer Hayley Sanderson, famous to British fans as the voice of Strictly Come Dancing. The musical prowess combined with a brilliant sound system and reproduction means that we are hearing the music at its very best.

Night One began with an intro from Rick in the gold, blue and red cape worn at the ARW shows, in which he explained that the first half would be the Six Wives of Henry VIII played in chronological order (the original album shuffled the sequence to balance the vinyl album time restrictions). Many of the tracks, like “Catherine Howard” and “Catherine Parr”, have been featured in Rick’s live sets over the years, and so it was great to hear some of the less-played songs, like “Anne Of Cleves”. The balance of styles and tones throughout this diverse album were executed (pun intended) superbly, giving it the anniversary tribute it truly deserved.

The second half of the first show consisted of The Myths and Legends of King Arthur… Within the early catalogue, this is an album I don’t find myself listening to as much – I find some of the more “raw” vocal performances harder to enjoy, but musically it’s still a great album. Having Hayley on vocals made a massive change to this music for me and I really enjoyed this performance. The Moog solo in “Sir Lancelot & The Black Knight” is one of the finest examples of this style of playing and it was performed with all of the speed and accuracy of the 1975 performance – Rick plays wearing fingerless gloves these days, I assume for medical reasons, but he has lost none of his speed and skill. Having the English Chamber Choir present meant the choral interludes for these album were authentically performed, however those paying attention noticed something was missing… it turns out deliberately. Following “The Last Battle” the band took their bows and left the stage, returning to perform the track they had skipped, “Merlin The Magician”, as their encore. With a keytar/ guitar trade off finishing up the song and the show, it was an amazing evening of music!

At the start of Night Two, Rick acknowledged the significant role that the band Yes had played in his musical career in the 1970s and told the audience that he was going to perform a selection of material from that band’s catalogue as the first part of the show. While in the program for the event, Rick explained that he didn’t want to perform the songs as clones of the originals, What became clear very quickly, with the opening version of “Roundabout”, was that this band was more than capable of tackling these legendary prog classics. Hearing “The Meeting” from the ABWH album was a nice surprise, as was the twist on “Wonderous Stories” where the song’s delicacy was blended with a new degree of punch – I have to give drummer Adam Falkner a lot of credit for his energy and playing throughout this show. Perhaps the biggest surprise, and for me the highlight of the evening, was the version of “Southside of the Sky” that followed. This is a song that was very rarely even performed by Yes in the past, and so to hear the confidence of the ERE playing this epic song was just incredible. It’s difficult to single out a player because every each one made a massive contribution to this track. Where do you go from there? Well Dave Colhoun’s 12 string guitar harmonics made it clear that And You And I was about to be played, and the band executed an excellent version.

“Journey to the Centre of the Earth” is, perhaps one of Rick’s most performed pieces, but also one of the best concept albums. The modern keyboard sounds and technology plus the choir all made this a really strong performance. “The Hansbach” is another of my favourite Rick moments and it was great to hear its tricky keyboard part done justice.

The finale encore was a rousing version of Yes’ “Starship Trooper”, played in the arrangement, with extended solos for Pomeroy (the birthday boy this evening!), Colhoun, Adam W and then Rick. Sadly a keytar malfunction meant Adam didn’t get to jam centre stage with his Dad, but that didn’t change a thing.

All in all it’s a joy to see a seasoned musician such as Rick doing such great versions of songs recorded almost a lifetime ago! I left feeling I’d seen two of the most iconic gigs of Rick’s career!

I was there on both nights and thoroughly enjoyed the brilliance of The Caped Crusader. He is still the undisputed greatest modern keyboardist alive. To hear three of his greatest albums was nothing short of magnificence. Such a shame that it wasn’t videod for the world to see and hear his genius. Rick. You made an old man very happy.

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Rick Wakeman

• Thu 8 Aug ➙ Sat 10 Aug Banbury, Cropredy Festival Fairport's Cropredy Convention 2024 Fairport Convention, Feast of Fiddles, Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening, Tony Christie, Rick Wakeman… View tickets
• Sat 23 Nov Portsmouth, New Theatre Royal The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Sun 24 Nov High Wycombe, Swan Theatre The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Mon 25 Nov London, Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Thu 28 Nov St. Albans, The Alban Arena The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Fri 29 Nov Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Sat 30 Nov Leicester, De Montfort Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Sun 1 Dec Basingstoke, Anvil Arts The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Tue 3 Dec Stoke-on-Trent, Victoria Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Fri 6 Dec Croydon, Fairfield Halls The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Mon 9 Dec Bradford, St George's Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Wed 11 Dec Worthing, Assembly Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Fri 13 Dec Ipswich, Corn Exchange The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Sat 14 Dec Bexhill-on-Sea, De La Warr Pavilion The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Sun 15 Dec Lighthouse, Poole The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Mon 16 Dec Guildford, G Live The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Wed 18 Dec Bath, The Forum The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Thu 19 Dec Cheltenham Town Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets
• Fri 20 Dec London, Cadogan Hall The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show Adam Wakeman, Mollie Marriott View tickets

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Rick Wakeman

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Upcoming concerts (17) See all

New Theatre Royal

Wycombe Swan Theatre

The Alban Arena

Leas Cliff Hall

De Montfort Hall

Victoria Hall

Fairfield Halls, Concert Hall

St Georges Hall, Bradford

Assembly Hall

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Tours most with, live reviews.

The Royal Albert Hall is the perfect venue for Rick Wakeman. They are both old, respected London Institutions. They have both enjoyed star-studded existences. The Royal Albert Hall has seen Freddie Mercury, Sting, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Paul McCartney and so many others pass through its doors and on to the stage of the lush, velvet seated auditorium.

Wakeman has sessioned with David Bowie, T.Rex, Cat Stevens and Black Sabbath, but is best known as the keyboardist for progressive rock outfit, Yes, working on their albums Fragile (1971), Close to the Edge (1972), and Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973), before kicking off a highly successful solo career in 1974. He has recorded over fifty albums since then, among the more revered of these being 1984, Time Machine and Night Airs.

There is an air of regard that feels befitting at the Royal Albert Hall, as Wakeman takes to the keyboards and riffles out some classics from his long-standing career. There is a sense of allure that memorialises the glory days of glam and there are many hands waving along to all those years in retrospective.

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What a wonderful show. It was a great mix of storytelling and music. Rick would talk for a few minutes, a story about his career or life, a joke or two, tie it back to the songs he was introducing and then play a couple of songs. Simple set up, just Rick and a grand piano.

The music was great and simply amazing to see Rick play the piano. Honestly, I had forgotten what a talent he has. And I never knew some of the music that he made as a session player.

He was warm and genuine in his talks. No opening act, show was about 2.5 hours long. Just a great night. If he is coming to your city, don't miss this show.

Beautiful show from a very talented artist.

These piano versions of many great songs were absolutely amazing.

In between songs, Rick was telling the audience various stories that happened to him in his life.

These were absolutely hilarious and this show was like a stand up comic combination with a piano concerto together.

I recommend this to everyone.

You must see this unique concert.

A lifetime experience.

Pure analog heaven. He had fun and played well. Toward the end of the show the keytar came out and he challenged Trevor to a duo duel. Ripping good time. Thanks for following through with this project.

He continues to be a master keyboard player. His wit and jokes were very good. I would have enjoyed hearing an electric keyboard of songs as well. He's lived life his way and you have to appreciate that.

Very good entertainer i really enjoyed every minute of it. All music selected was good and varied and the venue was very good.Thanks for the music looking forward for more concerts.

An absolutely awesome show! I have been a fan for 50 years. Rick has to be in the top 10 best pianists in the world! I highly recommend you see this show.

Posters (11)

Past concerts

Teatro Teletón

Hart Theatre, Egg Center for the Performing Arts

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Rick Wakeman tour dates and tickets 2024-2025 near you

Want to see Rick Wakeman in concert? Find information on all of Rick Wakeman’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Rick Wakeman is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 17 concerts across 1 country in 2024-2025. View all concerts.

Next 3 concerts:

• Portsmouth, UK
• High Wycombe, UK
• St. Albans, UK

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Concerts played in 2024:

Touring history

Most played:

• London (63)
• Birmingham (26)
• Brighton (21)
• Manchester (20)
• Edinburgh (19)

Appears most with:

• Adam Wakeman (59)
• Jon Anderson (50)
• Trevor Rabin (36)
• Anderson (17)
• YES featuring Jon Anderson,... (12)

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The tour kicks off March 30 at London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

Published on

Rick Wakeman is to play five headlining shows with the English Rock Ensemble in spring 2022. The concerts will reportedly feature material from his most recent rock album, The Red Planet .

Wakeman explains, “On the rare occasions I am able to get the English Rock Ensemble together, it’s always very exciting for me, as the setlist determines the lineup. This particular show will include some songs that various female singers have sung with me over the years and because we will be playing some tracks from The Red Planet , there will also be additional musicians in order to do the music justice.”

Joining him on the stage are: Dave Colquhoun (guitars and backing vocals), Tony Fernandez (drums and percussion), Lee Pomeroy (bass and backing vocals), Hayley Sanderson (vocals), and Adam Wakeman (keyboard, guitars and backing vocals).

‘Fields of Gold’: Sting’s Reflective Timeless Ballad

How lgbtq musicians broke barriers to the mainstream.

The English Rock Ensemble was originally founded in 1975 as a solo project by Rick after leaving Yes and has continued to play together intermittently over the years with a fluid lineup. It’s been nearly 20 years since they last toured the UK.

Wakeman is also currently in the middle of the long-delayed follow-up to 2019’s sell-out ‘The Grumpy Old Rock Star’ tour with ‘The Even Grumpier Old Rock Star’ tour of North America.

Having made his name creating prog rock extravaganzas, in his solo shows Wakeman – who was recently awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II – returns to his roots with a program packed with virtuosic piano performances and hilarious anecdotes, inspired by his 50-plus-year career.

Repertoire has ranged from his solo works and his stints in the band Yes through to his early days as a session musician playing keyboards on such classics as David Bowie’s “Life On Mars,” plus surprises like his unique interpretations of Beatles hits and many more memorable tunes, adapted for the grand piano. And all of this glorious music is punctuated by riotous reflections on his life and the people he’s met along the way.

Buy or stream Rick Wakeman’s Piano Portraits .

Rick Wakeman And The English Rock Ensemble 2022 Tour Dates : 03.30.2022: London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire 03.31.2022: Birmingham O2 Academy 04.01.2022: Glasgow O2 Academy 04.02.2022: Sheffield O2 Academy (as part of HRH Prog XII) 04.03.2022: Newcastle O2 City Hall

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Pre-sale: Rick Wakeman confirms 16-date Christmas 2024 tour

He's joined by Mollie Marriott and his son Adam Wakeman

After a year off from his traditional festive frivolities, keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman has announced the dates for his 2024 Christmas tour.

The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show tour opens at Portsmouth New Theatre Royal on Saturday 23rd November and wraps up at London Cadogan Hall five days before Christmas on Friday 20th December.

The caped progressive rock hero will also visit High Wycombe, St Albans, Folkestone, Leicester, Basingstoke, Evesham, Croydon, Bradford, Worthing, Ipswich, Bexhill, Poole, Guildford and Bath as part of the month-long trek.

Rick will be joined by two very special guests: his son and fellow keyboard player Adam Wakeman and Mollie Marriott , both of whom performed on the Return Of The Caped Crusader tour in February.

Rick Wakeman pre-sale:

Planet Rock has a 24-hour pre-sale to Rick Wakeman’s tour that starts RIGHT HERE at 10am on Thursday 29th February 2024. General sale follows on Friday.

Buy Rick Wakeman pre-sale tickets

A description of the tour reads: ‘With a stage set-up of two keyboards and a grand piano, this new line-up will give Rick much more range and flexibility in the material he is able to perform, which will be a mixture of old and new songs from his back catalogue, some traditional Christmas songs and an unexpected piece of audience participation!

‘Expect hilarious banter from Wakeman Senior and Junior, outstanding soaring vocals from Mollie and virtuosic performances from two of the most talented keyboard players in the business.’

The Rick Wakeman Yuletide Christmas Show tour dates:

NOVEMBER 2024

Portsmouth New Theatre Royal – Sat 23rd

High Wycombe Swan – Sun 24th

St Albans Alban Arena – Thu 28th

Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall – Fri 29th

Leicester De Montfort Hall – Sat 30th

DECEMBER 2024

Basingstoke Anvil – Sun 1st

Evesham Regal – Wed 4th

Croydon Ashcroft Theatre (at Fairfield Halls) – Fri 6th

Bradford St George's Hall – Mon 9th

Worthing Assembly Hall – Wed 11th

Ipswich Corn Exchange – Fri 13th

Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion – Sat 14th

Poole Lighthouse – Sun 15th

Guildford G Live – Mon 16th

Bath Forum – Wed 18th

London Cadogan Hall – Fri 20th

The real locations of 21 famous album covers, including a Yes classic:

Ac/dc – ‘dirty deeds done dirt cheap’ (1976).

The sleeve to the international version of AC/DC's 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' was created by fabled English design group Hipgnosis. The building in the background was a motel on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The motel on AC/DC's 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' cover is now called Hotel H-Wood.

Thunder - 'All The Right Noises' (2021)

Thunder's 13th studio album 'All The Right Noises' from March 2021 features a visually striking outdoor sculpture called the Singing Ringing Tree set against a dramatic skyline.

Located on the Pennine hill range overlooking Burnley in Lancashire, the Singing Ringing Tree is a wind powered sound sculpture that stands 3 metres tall. Designed by architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu of Tonkin Liu, the unique sculpture features pipes of galvanised steel that create sounds when the wind hits them. Luke Morley stumbled upon the sculpture when Googling "bizarre musical instruments."

Black Sabbath – ‘Black Sabbath’ (1970)

The seminal and highly eerie cover for Black Sabbath's eponymous debut album 'Black Sabbath' in 1970 was shot at the 15th Century Mapledurham Watermill, located on the banks of the River Thames in Oxfordshire.

A photograph of Mapledurham Watermill, location of Black Sabbath's self-titled debut album 'Black Sabbath.'

Six years after the release of 'Black Sabbath', Mapledurham Watermill featured prominently in the 1976 World War II movie 'The Eagle Has Landed'. Here's actress Jenny Agutter during location filming on 14th June 1976.

The grade II listed building of Mapledurham Watermill has become a mecca for Black Sabbath aficionados around the globe – including children's TV presenter Mr Tumble, aka Justin Fletcher.

Pink Floyd – 'The Division Bell' (1991)

Pink Floyd's longtime album artwork collaborator, the late-great Storm Thorgerson, had two gargantuan metal heads the size of double decker buses made for 'The Division Bell' sleeve and he positioned them in a field near the cathedral city of Ely in Cambridgeshire, which you can see in the background. In 2017, the two heads appeared at the magnificent Pink Floyd exhibition Their Mortal Remains at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

After extensively searching through fields, Bob Egan of the website Pop Spots discovered the exact location of Pink Floyd's 'The Division Bell' sleeve.

U2 - ‘The Unforgettable Fire’ (1984)

U2 recorded their fourth studio album 'The Unforgettable Fire' at Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland, however they opted for a different castle to adorn the sleeve – Moydrum Castle, east of Athlone in Ireland. Bono, The Edge, Adam and Larry liked the mysticism of the ivy-engulfed ruined castle and thought it suited the music perfectly. The photo was a copy of a picture on the cover of a 1980 book In Ruins: The Once Great Houses of Ireland by Simon Marsden and the band's representatives had to pay an undisclosed fee for the copyright infringement.

The ruined, and now even more overgrown, Moydrum Castle in Ireland in 2020.

Yes – ‘Going For The One’ (1977)

After the legendary Roger Dean designed the band's previous four album sleeves from 1971's 'Fragile' to 1974's 'Relayer', Yes enlisted Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis fame for 'Going For The One'. The sleeve retained Dean's Yes logo, and featured a naked man looking towards the Century Plaza Towers in Century City, California against a blue sky.

Designed by Minoru Yamasaki (who also designed the original World Trade Center) and completed in 1975, the visually striking and geometric Century Plaza Towers are 174 metres high and the tallest buildings in California outside of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Neil Young – ‘After The Gold Rush’ (1970)

Neil Young's third studio album from over half a century ago features a photograph of the musician walking through Greenwich Village in New York. The photographer Joel Bernstein was just 18 years old when he took the photo, and he was said to be "shocked" that Neil Young picked it.

A composite of the 'After The Gold Rush' album cover against the railings. They're located on the northwest corner of Sullivan Street and West 3rd Street, Greenwich Village, New York.

Led Zeppelin – ‘Physical Graffiti’ (1975)

The cover to Led Zeppelin's sixth studio album 'Physical Grafitti' features two side-by-side tenement buildings located at 96 and 98 St. Mark's Place in New York's East Village.

As you can see from this Google street view image, artist Peter Corriston and designer Mike Doud were forced to crop out the top floor of the five-storey buildings so they would fit onto the square sleeve better.

The Rolling Stones' video for their 1981 single 'Waiting on a Friend' was filmed on the front steps of #96 St. Mark's Place in an apparent nod to Led Zeppelin. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards meet on the steps of #96 before walking to the corner of 1st Avenue to the meet with the rest of the band.

Rush – ‘Moving Pictures’ (1981)

Created by long-time Rush collaborator Hugh Syme, the artwork to Rush's 1981 magnum opus 'Moving Pictures' is a very literal translation of the album title. A triple entendre, it features workers moving pictures, then the paintings themselves depict emotional – or moving – scenes, and finally the back sleeve has a film crew making a motion picture of proceedings. The sleeve was photographed outside the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Park, Toronto.

Defined by its characteristic pink-hue sandstone – giving it the nickname The Pink Palace - the Ontario Legislative Building in Rush's native Canada was completed in 1893. It houses the viceregal suite of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and offices for members of the provincial parliament.

The Who – ‘The Kids Are Alright’ (1979)

The Who's 1979 soundtrack album to the film of the same name features a photograph of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon draped in a huge Union Jack flag outside a section of the Carl Schurz Monument at 116th Street and Morningside Drive in New York.

Bob Egan of the website Pop Spots has brilliantly superimposed the artwork onto the monument.

David Bowie - ‘The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ (1973)

The artwork to David Bowie's seminal masterpiece 'The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' depicts of Bowie as Ziggy at 23 Heddon Street in London, outside the home of furriers "K. West". The photograph was taken by Brian Ward in monochrome and recoloured by Terry Pastor.

Here is a 1980s photograph of Heddon Street with the Ziggy Stardust album artwork superimposed on top.

On the 40th anniversary of 'The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' in 2013 a plaque was unveiled at 23 Heddon Street. Pictured are Spiders from Mars band members Woody Woodmansey and the late Trevor Bolder at the plaque's unveiling.

Led Zeppelin – ‘Houses of the Holy’ (1973)

The otherworldly cover image that adorns Led Zeppelin's fifth studio album 'Houses of the Holy' is a collage of several photographs of two alien-like children (siblings Stefan and Samantha Gates) taken at the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland by Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis fame.

The 40,000 interlocking and mostly hexagonal basalt columns that make up Giant's Causeway are the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption some 50 to 60 million years ago.

The image on the inner gatefold sleeve of Led Zeppelin's 'Houses of the Holy' was captured at the medieval Dunluce Castle near the Giant's Causeway and depicts a silver man holding up the young girl.

The now ruined Dunluce Castle in Northern Ireland, which was built over half a millennium ago in the Late Middle Ages. It's located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim.

KISS - ‘Dressed to Kill’ (1975)

The artwork to KISS's third album depicts Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley wearing dodgy suits and standing on the southwest corner of 23rd Street and 8th Avenue looking north in New York City. The photo was taken by esteemed photographer Bob Gruen.

Another Pop Spots image with the KISS 'Dressed to Kill' album cover superimposed over 23rd Street and 8th Avenue.

Pink Floyd - Animals (1977)

Pink Floyd's tenth studio album depicts a floating pig above the imposing Art Deco megastructure of Battersea Power Station in London. Storm Thorgerson designed the sleeve but the idea was the brainchild of Roger Waters who regularly passed the station on journeys into central London from his home.

Located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Nine Elms, Battersea, work on Battersea Power Station was completed in 1955 before it was decommissioned in 1983. The building was converted into flats in 2021 and 2022, and it's currently owned by a consortium of Malaysian investors.

The Clash – ‘The Clash’ (1977)

The Clash's eponymous debut album features artwork designed by Polish artist Rosław Szaybo and a cover photo shot by Kate Simon in an alleyway opposite Camden Market, London.

'The Clash' album cover superimposed on the real alleyway in Camden Town.

Eagles – ‘Hotel California’ (1976)

One of the best-selling records of all time, the Eagles' ubiquitous 1976 album 'Hotel California' is adorned with a photograph of The Beverley Hills Hotel in California. The timeless image was captured by photographer David Alexander while standing 60 feet above Sunset Boulevard on top of a cherry picker.

An aerial photograph of The Beverley Hills Hotel featuring the distinctive turrets and palm trees that appear on the 'Hotel California' cover. Work on the hotel was completed in 1912 and from the 30s to the 70s, the world-famous hotel became synonymous with Hollywood glamour.

Ramones – ‘Rocket To Russia’ (1977)

The photograph hat adorns the Ramones' third studio album was taken by the band's manager Danny Fields at 315 Bowery behind the legendary New York club CBGB.

In image of the exterior of CBGB prior to its closure in 2006 with 'Rocket To Russia' superimposed over it.

Pink Floyd - ‘Wish You Were Here’ (1975)

The photograph of the stuntmen Ronnie Rondell and Danny Rogers for Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' was taken by Aubrey "Po" Powell of Hipgnosis at The Burbank Studios (now the Warner Bros Studios) in California. Decades before the advent of CGI, one of the stuntmen had to be set on fire wearing a flame-retardant suit and Rondell drew the proverbial short straw.

The Warner Bros Studio complex in Burbank, California in 2020.

Steely Dan – ‘Pretzel Logic’ (1974)

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's third album features a photograph of a pretzel seller taken by the late Raeanne Rubenstein. The pretzel seller was standing on the west side of Fifth Avenue and 79th Street in New York near the Miners' Gate entrance of Central Park.

A composite picture of the album cover on the real 'Pretzel Logic' location in New York.

Deep Purple – ‘Deep Purple in Rock’ (1970)

The 'Deep Purple in Rock' album cover was the brainchild of the band's manager Tony Edwards, who suggested placing the US Presidents' heads on Mount Rushmore with the heads of the Mark II line-up; Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. Created by Gutzon Borglum, the sculpture features the 60-foot (18 m) heads of Presidents George Washington (1732–1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), and Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865).

Queen – ‘Made In Heaven’ (1995)

Queen's last studio album, released four years after Freddie Mercury's death, features a photograph at dusk of Irena Sedlecká's Mercury sculpture located at Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland.

The iconic Freddie Mercury statue overlooking Lake Geneva in Montreux. Standing three metres high, the sculpture was unveiled several years after Freddie's death by Montserrat Caballé and Freddie's mother Jer.

Black Sabbath – ‘The Best of Black Sabbath’ (2000)

Black Sabbath's 2000 compilation album 'The Best of Black Sabbath' features a black-and-white photograph of four water-filled stone graves on the cover.

The stone graves date back to around the 11th Century and they're located at the ruined St Patrick's Chapel in Heysham, Lancashire overlooking Morecambe Bay. Photography by Twitter user @gdpreston __ .

Led Zeppelin – ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ (1971)

The block of flats that can been seen on the back sleeve of the gatefold to 'Led Zeppelin IV' is Salisbury Tower, a 20-storey tower block on Middleway View in the Ladywood district of Birmingham. Completed in 1968, the tower is 57 metres tall and contains 116 flats.

Birmingham's Salisbury Tower from the Led Zeppelin 'IV' back sleeve in August 2020.

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• rick wakeman

Rick Wakemen announces his long-delayed Christmas UK Tour

Rick Wakeman returns to UK venues with his Not Quite As Grumpy As Last Xmas Tour in December

Rick Wakeman has announced that he will finally be able to undertake the follow-up to his 2019’s Grumpy Old Christmas sell-out tour in November and December.

Postponed from December 2020 due to the Covid-19 lockdown, Wakeman's new tour is appropriately titled The Not Quite As Grumpy As Last Xmas Tour and will see him performing in some of the cities he didn’t manage to visit in 2019.

"At last I can finally tour the UK again," Wakeman enthuses. "I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed it. I’m also looking forward to ringing the changes with the addition of keyboards, which is a bit of a departure from my traditional ‘piano shows’, but will give me the opportunity to vary the setlist. And hopefully, I can put smiles on all our faces with stories of some of the ludicrous things that have happened in my career. After the last 18 months, I think we all deserve a laugh!”

As Wakeman implies, the new show will be a mix of music, featuring Wakeman's own solo compositions, music he recorded with Yes , but also classics from  David Bowie and The Beatles and a few festive songs for good measure, along with Wakeman's all interspersed with his tongue-in-cheek anecdotes from his lengthy career.

In a departure from his last tour, as well as playing a grand piano, Wakeman will also be bringing along a couple of electronic keyboards to add variety and texture to his set.

Rick Wakeman's Not Quite As Grumpy As Last Xmas Tour dates: Nov 28: Basingstoke  The Anvil Dec 01: Leicester De Montfort Hall Dec 03: Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion Dec 04: High Wycombe The Swan Dec 05: Dorking The Halls Dec 06: Cambridge Corn Exchange Dec 09: Birmingham Town Hall Dec 10: London Cadogan Hall Dec 11: Southampton Central Hall Dec 14: Southend Palace Theatre Dec 15: Manchester Bridgewater Hall Dec 16: Gateshead The Sage Dec 17: Middlesbrough Town Hall Dec 18: Edinburgh Queen’s Hall Dec 20: Bradford St George’s Hall Dec 21: Hull City Hall

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Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

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Rick Wakeman

FINAL CURTAIN CALL This show is no longer running at Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Rick Wakeman’s back with  The Return of The Caped Crusader.

The concert will consist of two parts: the first half will consist of Rick’s new arrangements of Classic YES material for band and vocalists, followed after the interval by his ever-popular epic Journey to the Centre of the Earth .

EVENT INFORMATION

TICKETS Prices displayed include an online per ticket booking fee. All prices include a £1.70 restoration levy.

First Class Journey Package

Premium top price ticket within the first 10 rows

• A chance to take a photo with Rick at his keyboards

Exclusive Rick Wakeman branded cape

A piece of Rick Wakeman sheet music, signed by Rick

Commemorative VIP laminate & lanyard

Rick Wakeman tour bag

TIMES Show starts, set 1 – 19:30 Interval – 20:10 Set 2 – 20:30 Show ends – 21:45

Our range of experiences are perfect for special occasions like birthdays, family celebrations, or a treat for yourself. Simply take a look through our extra-special offers, pick the experience that’s perfect for you, and we’ll take care of the rest.

The prices below do not include the price of the seat ticket. 

Book Lounge Access

• Access to an exclusive bar 1 hour before show time
•  Pre-show drinks, bar snacks and nibbles
• Interval drinks served by theatre staff
• Complimentary cloakroom

AVAILABLE TO BOOK WITH SHOW TICKETS

Pre-show and interval drinks order includes a half bottle of house Champagne or alternatives to the same value per person. Alcohol can only be served to and consumed by persons aged 18 years and over. Please ask a member of staff for details about any food allergens. See website for full terms and conditions. Please drink responsibly.

Book a Private Suite

• Exclusive access to one of our private suites for you and your guests during pre-show, and interval where applicable
• Dedicated Red Coat to assist throughout
• Pre-show and interval Champagne
• Savoury bar snacks

Pre-show and interval drinks order includes a bottle of house Champagne or alternatives to the same value per person. Alcohol can only be served to and consumed by persons aged 18 years and over. Please ask a member of staff for details about any food allergens. See website for full terms and conditions. Please drink responsibly.

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