Mention to anyone who grew up watching MTV in the 1980’s (when MTV actually played music videos) the groups Asia or Missing Persons and there is a nod of recognition. What many people do not know is that the leaders behind those groups had already been in a progressive rock super-group prior their 1980’s gigs. On Monday, May 21, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. at the Mesa Arts Center, the Valley will be host to the reunion tour of UK, a band that featured a trio of influential progressive rock performers.
Originally formed in England in 1977 by keyboardist and electric-violinist Eddie Jobson (Roxy Music, Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull); vocalist and bassist John Wetton (King Crimson, Roxy Music, Asia); guitarist Allan Holdsworth (Soft Machine); and drummer Bill Bruford (Yes, King Crimson, Genesis), UK represented the final statement of the classic progressive rock era with their ground-breaking, self-titled debut album. After Holdsworth and Bruford left the group, UK continued on as a trio when drummer Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa, Missing Persons) joined Wetton and Jobson and recorded UK’s second album, Danger Money released in 1979. UK’s short lifespan ended with their final tour in 1979. Their 1979 live album, Night After Night, which was recorded during UK's last tour of Japan, was the band's swan song.
Flash forward to thirty three years after their farewell concert, where the three legendary players of the UK trio, Jobson, Wetton, and Bozzio are reuniting to reenact their final tour one last time and are hitting the road for UK's Night after Night tour 2012.
The music of UK has influenced progressive bands from Yes to Rush, guitar heroes from Yngwie Malmsteen to Steve Vai and hard rock bands from Van Halen to Dream Theater, leaving the individual members of UK with unsurpassed reputations as the definitive “musicians’ musicians.”
Tickets for the Mesa show go on sale to the public at 10:00 a.m., Monday, January 30 and are priced from $67 to $97 plus any applicable fees. Tickets are available through Danny Zelisko Presents or by phone through the Mesa Arts Center box office, 480-664-6500.
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