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Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks spoke to me in sweet accustomed ways

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Venue:

Bath Forum, Bath

Date: 17/09/2026

On the dot, at seven-thirty last night, the lights changed and the background music swelled. A door in the wings stage left opened and some blokes emerged onto the stage. Routine roadie black was absent, and glad-rags apparent – a cheer went up, here was the band, and then a little guy in a psychedelic white suit festooned with a flowery design followed them all out, a huge grin on his face. The cheer immediately became a roar; here he was, the lad from Accrington and California, sorcerer of impressionistic lyrics and soaring melodies. By the time he’d reached centre stage, the band were all in place – two keyboards on the backline, one on the right and another to the left, in front on the right the bass player, to the left at front a guitarist, and a drummer centre stage behind an impressive kit. This is the current lineup of the Geeks Band, who have seriously impressive chops. Without any verbal communication beyond a winning smile and a nod from the front guy, the ensemble launched into the first number.

I hadn’t expected a superb rendition of the entire first side of Close To The Edge as a hell of a way to start a gig, but it was astonishing and magnificent in equal parts. About twenty minutes later, as the fourth part of the piece – Seasons Of Man – came to a close, Jon Anderson leaned gently into the microphone and said, “Hello Bath”. The place erupted. Standing ovation. First number!

If you don’t know by now the reason for my enthusiastic report, I’d suggest hitting the back button and reading elsewhere. This was a storming return to the music of my teens and beyond; rather than spoil things for anyone planning to catch them on this tour, I’ll just tease by saying that we got a great selection of tracks from Yes albums including ‘The Yes Album’, ‘Fragile’, ‘Close to The Edge’ and ‘Going for The One’ and three from Anderson and Band Geeks separate material, including a new song yet to be released (sorry, didn’t catch its name). I have to say, with great pleasure, that the post-Yes material sounds fabulous and every bit as good as its predecessors.

I found it profoundly encouraging that a guy into his eighties can play for two and a half hours with only a short break, sings exactly like he did when he was in this twenties, smiles all evening, dancing like an elfin child on stage and conducting the band as the pieces unfold. What’s more is that this band have emerged who can take this music, play it with such evident enjoyment and make it their own; when you know this material inside out its such fun to hear the ways it can be adapted, extended and changed by others yet still contain the same listening experience you have learned through your previous exposure. It’s almost as if this truly is modern ‘classical’ music…

There was so much joy and love in the room last night. Every number was charmingly introduced, and then ended with a standing ovation. Every number got this treatment; a reflection of the intense investment that the audience had in the performance. The band were obviously having an absolute ball performing this music, and as if to emphasise this, they shredded the hell out of Roundabout. If you have any time for Yes music, Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks will delight you, and there are some more dates in their brief UK visit before they head to Europe for a few more, I’d highly recommend you go and see them play if you can.

I’ve been buzzing all day from last night’s excitement.

Right then, review scribbled, where’s my copy of ‘The Yes Album’? Warm up that amp….

The audience:

Every Yes fan of a certain age from anywhere within about 60 miles of Bath, I would guess, and a few more from far further afield. Warmly enthusiastic and full of love for the man and his band and the music they played. Silent during numbers, rippled with with recognition when a number started, ecstatic with joyful appreciation when it closed.

It made me think..

Years and decades go by, whole seasons will pass you by without thought of it, but the music you loved in your teens will stay with you, powerful and rich with feeling, until the day you die.

13

Comments

  3. Here’s another review, of the band’s cracking performance a week ago in Oxford:

    https://theprogressiveaspect.net/blog/2026/09/13/jon-anderson-the-band-geeks/

    I’m really glad to have found this review, as it includes the names of the Band Geeks guys – the same line-up I saw and heard last night:

    MUSICIANS
    Jon Anderson – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion
    Angus Clark – Guitar, Backing Vocals
    Chris Clark – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
    Phil Castellano – Keyboards, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Backing Vocals
    Richie Castellano – Bass, Backing Vocals
    Andy Ascolese – Drums, Keyboards, Backing Vocals

    It also contains much better photos!

  5. I saw the concert in Brighton, and it was much the same; an evening of joy, with the music of Yes played with verve and warmth. The solo tracks were totally complementary and not a moment for a toilet break. His dance with his wife was worth a whole load of laser beams, I think, and I noted his voice has kept it’s timbre, which is so often an issue in these gigs, and is the point of the show here really (along with a band able to play the music as it should be heard). Steve Howe has the guitarist, but his ringers are not Jon’s ringers.

    • So glad to hear your happy report too! I neglected to mention the little dance with his wife – the Forum has a big enough stage that I imagine only those of the audience who were off to the right of stage centre – as we were – could see them cuddling and dancing while the band did their Roundabout workout for a minute or so. All part of the overwhelming sense of innocent joy that pervaded the evening.

  7. @Vulpes-Vulpes I had to sell my ticket for tonight, in London. It’s just too early for me to be at a big event where I have no control. Janet and I are going to see Big Big Train on Friday, at The Stables, but there’s more control in that situation.
    A smaller venue.
    Everyone knows me and my situation.
    The band have told me they’ll take care of me.

    However, I am heartbroken about tonight. I doubt that he’ll be back.

    • Feel it for you Niall. Plenty of footage on YouTube at least – including the full Oxford gig – fill yer boots, turn it up loud and close your eyes, you can (almost) be there! Do you have their CD called Live – Perpetual Change?

  8. The London show was also cracking, a few idiots filming everything but 99% of folks were respectful and euphoric at the right times. I didn’t get on with the new tunes – they were ok, but they could have cut one to fit in something like Yours is No Disgrace or Heart of The Sunrise. That said, Jon sounds amazing, especially considering his advanced years and the band were outstanding, especially our MD Ritchie on bass. Big shoes to fill and he nailed it. I’ve had Perpetual Change in my head all week…

  9. Held off reading this thread until after the Liverpool Philharmonic gig last night, for fear of setlist spoilers. Quite rightly, there were none.
    Again, your review could equally have held for last night’s gig. At first, I couldn’t quite get the standing ovation for just coming on stage and then every song, but this curmudgeon crumbled after he fluffed his cue in And You and I. His humility brought him even closer to his audience.
    As for spoilers, walking in to my prime seat (and there are no bad seats at The Philharmonic), there was a harp on the stage. Oh joy. Awaken. Above all, that really showed just how incredibly strong his voice still is.
    Great gig. Great review.

    • I carefully didn’t list all of the albums from which tracks had been taken. The crucial word ‘including’ allowed that. Having said that, ‘Toppo’ is not a work that I am particularly familiar with, I think I’ve probably heard it twice. Whenever I have a Yes itch I usually reach for one of the three I’m most in awe of: The Yes Album, Fragile and Close To The Edge.

        • @fitterstoke
          After you posed the question above I thought the very same thing – I’ve got two different releases of TFTO here – the double CD Elektra/Rhino release from 2003 and the double CD, double DVD release on Panegyric from 2016.

          I’m currently listening to the first of these and liking what I hear a lot. I’m not sure why I’ve left this album largely unheard for a quarter of a century; probably due to an obsessional focus on the three earlier albums I mentioned above – enough in those three to apparently last a (big chunk of) a lifetime.

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