Yes Announces “Close To The Edge” 50th Anniversary U.S. Tour Dates

Fifty years ago, Yes released their iconic album Close To The Edge. The epic sonic journey is one of the most defining records for the progressive movement.

“We were young, enthusiastic, and adventurous, and we had this incredible breakthrough success with Fragile,” guitarist Steve Howe tells Guitar Player in their September 2022 issue. “We saw our next album as a real opportunity to prove our worth as a band. The door had been opened and we weren’t going to go backward. We wanted to sharpen our skills as far as writing and arranging.”

Now the band is celebrating the milestone with the “Close To The Edge 50th Anniversary Tour,” which will see the band playing the masterpiece in its entirety, as well as a selection of other classic songs. The current Yes lineup includes Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes, lead vocalist Jon Davison, and bassist Billy Sherwood, who continues to anchor the band in place of the late Chris Squire. Another addition to the band is drummer Jay Schellen, who will be filling the drum seat after Alan White’s passing in May. The tour is dedicated to his memory.

“Alan White joined Yes in June 1972, just days before their “Close To The Edge” Tour began,” the band writes. Over the following 50 years, Alan would appear on every Yes album, including 2021’s ‘The Quest.’ Following the global pandemic, he had been looking forward to this tour and re-joining his bandmates on stage, something he lived for, in the run up to his 50th anniversary of joining Yes.”

The extensive tour kicks off October 2nd with an Alan White tribute show before snaking its way across the entire U.S. The run is slated to wrap up on November 19th at the NYCB Theatre in Westbury, New York.

Yes “Close To The Edge” 50th Anniversary Tour: