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YES Announces 'Classic Tales Of Yes' Fall 2023 U.S. Tour

Following last year's sold-out U.S. tour, YES , who are Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals, acoustic guitar), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar, vocals) and Jay Schellen (drums),have today (July 17) announced their "Classic Tales Of Yes" tour in the U.S. starting September 24 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and ending November 4 in Riverside, California. Look for the tour — which is the latest presentation of their ongoing concert series illuminating their classic music — to include many iconic tracks from the influential and pioneering Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees' catalog covering 50-plus years as well as music from their acclaimed new album "Mirror To The Sky" (released May 19 on InsideOut Music / Sony Music ).

Tickets for the tour will go on sale July 21. Go to www.yesworld.com/live for ticketing information.

Looking forward to the "Classic Tales Of Yes" tour, Howe said: "We're putting together a great setlist covering the length and breadth of YES 's career."

Downes added: "As always, we are committed to pushing new boundaries and are very excited to be performing another chapter in the rich legacy of the band."

The evening will begin with an on-site presentation by world-renowned English artist and designer Roger Dean , whose masterful artwork of striking otherworldly landscapes has graced classic album covers and posters, most prominently by YES and ASIA . Every show will feature a Roger Dean gallery in the venue's reception/foyer area. His work — which also appears on the cover of "Mirror To The Sky" — has sold more than one hundred million copies worldwide.

"Mirror To The Sky" features not one, but four tracks clocking in at over eight minutes, with the sweeping and cinematic title track coming in just shy of fourteen minutes. What's more, the tracks, like YES 's best, take the listener on a wide dynamically ranging journey of soundscapes which also showcase Steve Howe 's dazzling guitars, Jon Davison 's angelic, crystalline vocals, Billy Sherwood 's deftly dancing bass, keyboard wizard Geoff Downes 's impeccable sounds, exquisite melodies and fills, and Jay Schellen 's masterfully controlled explosions, on drums. Jay Schellen , who has been touring with the band since 2016 as an additional drummer, was hand-picked to step into his mentor and friend Alan White role when White sadly passed away in 2022.

Ultimate Classic Rock raved that " 'Mirror In The Sky' breezes from one musical highlight to the next so deftly that you're wanting more." (May 17). Glide Magazine observed that "Mirror To The Sky" succeeds at proving the idea that YES music will carry on long after the original members pass in a very special way. As the producer of this twenty-third studio album, [ Steve ] Howe has stepped in and helped create a soundscape in the vein of their classic material." (May 18). Guitar World noted that "There's a lot of classic prog keyboard and guitar interplay across 'Cut From The Stars' , but there's lovely stuff from about 4.30 where Steve Howe and Geoff Downes exchange melodic pot shots." (March 16).

Photo credit: Gottlieb Bros.

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Yes Launches US Tour With Intimate Club Show: Set List and Videos

Yes kicked off their  Classic Tales of Yes U.S. tour  on Tuesday with an intimate fan club show in Lititz, Pennsylvania, that featured several live debuts and songs that hadn't been performed in years.

You can see videos from the performance and the full set list below.

The progressive rock legends launched their latest stateside run at Mickey's Black Box, a 600-person venue located on the campus of Rock Lititz, a sprawling rehearsal and production facility where artists can workshop their stage designs, film music videos and more.

Yes Played Several Deep Cuts and Live Debuts on Tour Kickoff

After opening their set with the title track from 1977's  Going for the One , Yes unearthed "It Will Be a Good Day (The River)," off 1999's  The Ladder , for the first time since 2000. They also performed 1977's "Turn of the Century" for the first time since 2014, and several other tracks — including "Machine Messiah," "Time and a Word" and "South Side of the Sky" — for the first time since 2018.

READ MORE: Yes Solo Albums Ranked 

The intimate performance also featured two live debuts — "All Connected" and "Cut From the Stars" — off Yes' most recent album,  Mirror to the Sky , released in May.

More time-honored tracks included a cover of Simon & Garfunkel 's "America," as well as the hits "I've Seen All Good People" and the show-closing "Roundabout."

The Classic Tales of Yes tour will begin in earnest on Thursday at the Wind Creek Event Center in nearby Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The voyage will conclude on Nov. 4 in Riverside, California. Each show will also feature an on-site presentation and gallery by artist and designer Roger Dean, whose work has appeared on several Yes album covers.

Watch Yes Play 'I've Seen All Good People' at 2023 Tour Kickoff

Watch Yes Play 'Rhythm of Love' at 2023 Tour Kickoff

Yes, 9/19/23, Mickey's Black Box, Lititz 1. "Going for the One" 2. "It Will Be a Good Day (The River)" (first time since 2000) 3. "Machine Messiah" (first time since 2018) 4. "America" (Simon & Garfunkel cover) 5. "Time and a Word" (first time since 2018) 6. "I've Seen All Good People" 7. "South Side of the Sky" (first time since 2018) 8. "Turn of the Century" (first time since 2014) 9. "Rhythm of Love" 10. "Don't Kill the Whale" (first time since 2018) 11. "All Connected" (live debut) 12. "Cut From the Stars" (live debut) 13. Excerpts from Tales From Topographic Oceans 14. "Roundabout"

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Yes announce 50th anniversary Close To The Edge American tour

The fall tour will see Jay Schellen take the place of the late Alan White on drums, and is dedicated to White's memory

Yes have announced a fall 2022 American tour that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their landmark 1972 album, Close To The Edge .

Set to begin on October 7 at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and conclude with a November 19 gig at the NYCB Theatre in Westbury, New York, the tour will feature Steve Howe on electric and acoustic guitar and backing vocals, lead vocalist Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Geoff Downes on keyboards.

Jay Schellen, meanwhile, will take the place of longtime Yes drummer Alan White, who passed away in May. The tour – which is dedicated to White – will be prefaced by a tribute concert celebrating his life and music that will be held  on October 2 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington.

Featuring Siberian Khatru, And You and I , and the knockout 18-minute title-track, Close To The Edge is often cited as Yes's greatest album, and one of the finest records the prog-rock genre as a whole has ever produced. 

“Our spirits were very high,” Howe told Guitar Player in a recent interview about the album's creation. “We were young, enthusiastic and adventurous, and we had this incredible breakthrough success with [their 1971 album]  Fragile . 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. 

"Concerts come and go, but a record is forever. I think we all had a sense that whatever we did next, it had to feel like some sort of definitive statement. A record like this was destined to be made, and we wanted to be the ones making it.” 

You can see the full itinerary for the American leg of the 50th anniversary Close To The Edge tour below.

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For tickets and more info on the trek, visit Yes's website .

Yes – Close to the Edge 50th Anniversary US Tour:

10/7 – Keswick Theatre - Glenside, PA 10/8 – Keswick Theatre – Glenside, PA 10/9 – State Theatre – New Brunswick, NJ 10/11 – Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN 10/13 – Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL 10/14 – The Parker Playhouse – Ft. Lauderdale, FL 10/16 – King Center – Melbourne, FL 10/17 – Ruth Eckerd Hall – Clearwater, FL 10/19 – Saenger Theatre – New Orleans, LA 10/20 – Arena Theatre – Houston, TX 10/21 – The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 10/23 – Rialto Theatre – Tucson, AZ 10/24 – The Magnolia – El Cajon, CA 10/25 – Fox Performing Arts Center – Riverside, CA 10/27 – Hard Rock Live – Wheatland, CA 10/29 – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA 11/4 – The Factory – Chesterfield, MO 11/5 – Brown County Music Center – Nashville, IN 11/6 – Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OH 11/9 – Orpheum Theater – Madison, WI 11/10 – Wabash Theater – Wabash, IN 11/11 – Hard Rock Casino – Gary, IN 11/13 – Warner Theater – Washington, DC 11/14 – The Palace – Stamford, CT 11/15 – Warner Theatre – Torrington, CT 11/17 – Bergen Performing Arts Center – Englewood, NJ 11/18 – Wind Creek Events Center – Bethlehem, PA 11/19 – NYCB Theatre – Westbury, NY

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Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player . Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded . Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.

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My first Yes concert experience was on 25 Sept. 1977 at the San Diego Sports Arena. The stage was designed by Roger Dean and had beautiful orange fabrics draped all around. This time out Yes consisted of Chris Squire on bass (the only member to be in every Yes role-call), Steve Howe on guitar, Alan White on drums, Jon Anderson on vocals, and Rick Wakeman returning on keyboards.

The opening act for this show was Donovan and I believe it was his first performance in San Diego. While the house lights were still up Firebird Suite began to play and the lights began to slowly fade. What a great memory being greeted by the majestic organ introduction to Parallels, a a marvelous start to the evening as well. The material from the recent Going For The One album was equally as strong as their older material and has since survived the test of time compared to some of their other works.

This particular evening had a brilliant mix of old and new. The songs continued with I've Seen All Good People, and Close To The Edge. Wonderous Stories and Turn Of The Century both feature Jon Anderson's angelic alto voice. Jons' microphone gear that night looked like a space helmet collar and had 2 mics for stereo tracking that sounded amazing.

After Going For The One and Awaken the band left the stage. They returned for an encore and played Starship Trooper and Roundabout. What an evening. Rick Wakeman looked like a gladiator in an arena of keyboards and Steve Howe had several guitars to choose from. The quality musicianship of these players has awed me for over 40 years now.

In 1984 Yes toured the 90125 album with Chris Squire on bass, Jon Anderson on vocals, Tony Kaye returning on keyboards, Alan White on drums and Trevor Rabin on guitar. The stage was round and had slanted grating that made it difficult for Echo and the Bunnymen so set up their equipment so the opening act was replaced by 2 Bugs Bunny cartoons. The show started with a new instrumental named Cinema from the 90125 album. Leave It had Alan White playing a small electric drum set for the first half of the song, when the lights dimmed and he reappeared behind the full acoustic drumkit in a blast of light for the end of the song the whole Forum was floored.

This show found Yes playing mainly the newer material. We were treated to a few of the classics: I've Seen All Good People, And You and I, and Long Distance Runaround were mixed in to the main set and once again the encore was Starship Trooper and Roundabout.

In 1991 Yes had a Reunion tour. To some it may have felt the band was larger than the audience. Guitars: Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin. Drums: Alan White and Bill Bruford. Keyboards: Tony Kaye and Rick Wakeman. Bass: Chris Squire. Vocals: Jon Anderson. I was able to see both legs of this tour. The first leg was indoor arenas and the stage was round and rotated clockwise for the first half of the show and counterclockwise for the second half.

The second leg of the tour was in outdoor amphitheaters. In addition to the classics we were treated to a drum duet, two guitar solos, and two keyboard solos. The main sets were only about 20 songs and the encore was Roundabout, but when you consider that some of the songs are 30 minutes long or so it made for quite a full evening of some of the best musical talent you will ever see in one place.

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Yes were on their usual nervy, edgy form - they're an unusual band because although everything has complex arrangements, they are still winging it for most of the gig.

Set One - Don't Kill The Whale, Drama album, Siberian Khatru, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, Time And A Word

Steve Howe played pretty erratically - as he always risks with his love of staccato, spur of the moment embellishments - for most of the first half, but oddly enough nailed Owner Of A Lonely Heart, a record he wasn't on, and from that point cleaned up his act and started to hit the beat. Jon Davison and Alan White were impeccable as they fought to keep the beat on track, while Geoff Downes seemed to be in a hurry to get to the end of some of the songs - especially Siberian Khatru, which was quite a mess between the rushed keyboards and the stuttering guitar. However, it was a pleasure to hear the Drama album finally sung by a great singer rather than the rather demo-quality performance on the original album, and the rhythms were so much more powerful live.

Set Two - Fragile album, Starship Trooper

The second half cleared up all doubts with a fiery, muscular performance of Fragile, an album the band have been playing regularly for a couple of years. The combination of nostalgia, power and a wealth of melodies was breathtaking and moving. Geoff Downes was so strong that he completely eclipsed the more hesitant performance shown on the Like It Is DVD.

Billy Sherwood, bless him, won the crowd's love with his devotion to channelling his mighty mentor, the late Chris Squire, whose memory is still being celebrated with a slideshow and playback of "Onward" before the band came on. Yes have now wisely added a slide in tribute to their other unmanifest member, Peter Banks, after performing one of the original band's early songs, Time And A Word, which was recorded by five entirely different people from the current line-up.

This completely replaced and refreshed Yes look set to reach the band's 50th anniversary, and Steve Howe is wearing the leader's hat lightly and happily after waiting so long to inherit it.

The Yes concert was excellent. They played two albums in their entirety, Close to the Edge (in reverse order) & Roundabout. Two songs from the new album and then two encores, "All Good People" and (somewhat of a surprise) "Owner of a Lonely Heart". Amazing that guys their age can play very difficult music for almost 3 hours and not miss a note. I guess that is what 40 years of practice will do for you. This may not have been the 'classic' line up that so many fans wanted to see, but I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. Geoff is not the keyboard wizard that Rick is (who is?), but he was very sharp and did a masterful job. Steve is still Steve, I'm sure he will be playing those licks when he is in his 90's. I hope he gets paid by the note, he will make a fortune. Chris too was in great form and you could tell he was enjoying playing this material to a very appreciative crowd. Jon Davison handles the vocals very well. He isn't trying to imitate Jon Anderson, but stays true to the original spirit of the lyrics. His voice did justice to the music and he is great in his role as the new lead singer for this band. Alan is still (IMHO) one of the best rock drummers around, not flashy, but gets the job done. Some of the songs have never been preformed live until this tour, so it was pretty neat to experience some things that have never been heard outside of a recording studio before. Who knows, maybe down the road there will be another Union tour. If there is, count me in!

First: RIP Mike Porcaro and Chris Squire. Second: Rose Music Center is a great venue. Everything about the place is wonderful. I can't wait to go to more concerts there. Third: Toto stole the night. I had truly wished by some miracle that Simon Phillips would have been on this tour, but so be it. Lukather crushed it. Vocals were out of this world too. I also wanted more of their hits, but it was good to see Steve and Luke jam out Hydra live. Also, Phillips would have KILLED that set... Shannon Forrest... he's OK. Just OK. Sorry, you had big shoes to fill. Last: This was my third Yes concert in my life. Sadly, it's time for the boys to hang it up. Steve Howe unfortunately just didn't seem to be with it. Alan was taking it easy, but hey, I get it, these guys have been doing this for decades. Yet, they butchered some of their best tunes AND at slow tempos to boot. I'm sure diehard fans won't agree. That's fine. I didn't even finish the set this time. I just had to go. It was painful to watch. I won't be seeing them anymore. Last point: Jon Davison is a decent emulator, but it was just too much. Billy Sherwood is a great bassist by the way. Kudos. Venue review: the sound mix was awesome for both bands. Sorry Yes... I'll always love the recordings. I wish you well in retirement.

The entire concert last night was incredible. Toto put on a great show by playing a number of their old songs and also by playing a couple of songs from their new album. One of the new songs they basically dedicated it to Mike Porcaro and Chris Squire since both bands lost their bass players this year.

Yes started their part of the concert with a tribute to Chris Squire and having his infamous Rickenbacker bass on stage while showing pictures of Chris through his time with Yes. The band then came out and opened up with Don't Kill the Whale. They played songs from throughout the years, including Going for the One, Time and a Word, and Owner of a Lonely Heart. They ended their set with Roundabout and played Starship Trooper for their encore. The entire night was just beyond belief with these two bands rocking the stage.

The concert was awesome and it brought back lots of old memories! They had a new lead singer who is just as good if not better than the original! Definitely a concert worth seeing. They played the Close To The Edge album and then the entire Fragile album along with a few new songs from a new album that's going to be released that sounded really good!!

The concert was excellent. The band line-up performed excellently, with Geoff stepping in brilliantly for Chris Squire, and Jon Davison has an excellent voice as well, keeps up the quality of Yes' amazing music.

I wish I could go back and time and re-live the concert!! This is a definite must-see!! I can't wait till next time!!

Great band with great songs and a great history - it was great to see them purely for that reason. However, when I saw them at Oxford this year they seemed really under-rehearsed. I don't know if they had sound issues on stage but the drummer was in his own tempo for a lot of it. Even my Dad noticed and he's not musical!

They're getting old... but they weren't bad at all. I just hope this is their last tour. Starship Trooper was a good way to go out, and tbh Anderson Rabin and Wakeman is more yes than they are at this point member-wise... anyway, good concert, and I'd catch them if I were you just cuz I think this is it for them.

Great show, worthy tribute to Chris Squire. Billy Sherwood ably filled the bass and vocal duties, at the express wish of Chris himself before he passed. Nice mix of tunes, featuring some fairly deep cuts to include "Don't Kill the Whale" which I hadn't heard them play live before.

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YES Announce 2023 US Tour

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The post YES Announce 2023 US Tour appeared first on Consequence .

YES have a new North American tour taking place in the fall.

The “Classic Tales of Yes Tour” will see Steve Howe (guitars, vocals), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals, acoustic guitar), Billy Sherwood (bass guitar, vocals), and Jay Schellen (drums) play 27 shows across the US between September and November.

Each date will begin with an on-site presentation by world-renowned artist and designer Roger Dean, who created several of YES’s album covers.

A  Live Nation ticket pre-sale  will begin on Wednesday, July 19th (use access code  LEGEND ) ahead of the general on-sale slated for Friday, July 21st via  Ticketmaster .

Once tickets are on sale, you can also find them at  StubHub , where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

YES 2023 Tour Dates: 09/21 – Bethlehem, PA @ Wind Creek Event Center 09/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met 09/24 – New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall 09/25 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre 09/27 – Lynn, MA @ Lynn Auditorium 09/28 – Westbury, NY @ NYCB Theatre 09/30 – New Brunswick, NJ @ State Theatre 10/01 – Englewood, NJ @ Bergen PAC 10/03 – Oxon Hill, MD @ MGM National Harbor 10/04 – Greensboro, NC @ Steven Tanger Center 10/06 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Hall 10/08 – Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheater 10/10 – Orlando, FL @ Steinmetz Hall 10/11 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 10/13 – Mobile, AL @ Saenger Theatre 10/16 – Cincinnati, OH @ Andrew J Brady Music Center 10/17 – Nashville, IN @ Brown County Music Center 10/19 – Warren, MI @ Andiamo Showroom 10/20 – Cleveland, OH @ Temple Live 10/22 – Joliet, IL @ Rialto Square Theatre 10/23 – St. Louis, MO @ The Factory 10/26 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre 10/28 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Hall At Eccles Theater 10/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern 10/31 – Napa, CA @ Blue Note Napa 11/03 – El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia 11/04 – Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center

YES Announce 2023 US Tour Scoop Harrison

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Yes Refuses To Reunite With Singer Jon Anderson. He’s OK With That

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Jon Anderson started Yes in 1968 with bassist Chris Squire, and the prog rock band was at the center of his life for the next four decades through numerous permutations. But when illness forced him off the road after the group’s 2004 tour, Yes decided to hire a replacement vocalist and carry on without him. Anderson has been healthy and active for well over a decade, but the band — which now features Seventies guitarist Steve Howe, Drama -era keyboardist Geoff Downes, and hired guns — refuses to take him back.

That hasn’t stopped Anderson from bringing Yes music to concert stages all over the road. In 2016, he went out with fellow Yes alums Rick Wakeman and Trevor Rabin as ARW (later renamed Yes Featuring ARW), and last year he celebrated the 50th anniversary of Close to the Edge by playing the album straight through on tour with teenage musicians from the Paul Green Rock Academy .

We phoned up Anderson at his Central California home to talk about the Band Geeks tour, the deaths of Squire and drummer Alan White, his estrangement from Howe, his dim hopes for a Yes reunion, and his five-year plan for releasing new music.

How did you discover the Band Geeks? My good friend works at Sirius Radio. He got in touch and said, “I’m going to send you a video of this band.” I said, “Go for it.” They were performing “Heart of the Sunrise.” I went, “Wow. These guys are so damn good!” Not only are they good, they sound just like the record. Quite amazing.

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After a month or so, I decided to call up the bass player, Richie [Castellano], and have a chat with him. We had a very nice conversation. I said, “Would you be interested in going out and performing the Yes epics and classics?” I thought that covered everything. He was very excited. That’s how we started.

I’m sure he was stunned to hear from you. Yeah. That was the great thing. You can sense an energy from somebody over the phone. I was thinking about playing “Close to the Edge,” “Awaken,” “Gates of Delirium,” and things like that. He was overjoyed. It was probably a couple months later that we got in touch again. Working with his agent, I said, “Let’s go out and have fun for three weeks, do about a dozen shows, and see how it feels.” That’s the whole concept. I want to see how it feels to perform those songs from 50 years ago.

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Have you worked out any songs that will surprise fans other than “Mind Drive?” Well, I did write a song for Yes about 20 years ago that we never recorded, “Counties and Countries.” I sent it to Richie and he did a beautiful rendition of it. He’s an excellent producer in addition to being a bass player. It sounded really good. When we do a rehearsal, we’ll decide whether or not we want to throw that new song in.

You’re just booked in 12 East Coast venues so far. If the tour goes well, will you do more shows? Yeah. The idea was, “Let’s give it a whirl. Let’s see how the fans react to it and how we do.” From then on it’ll be, “Let’s go to Europe. Let’s tour the world.”

Your last tour was with the Paul Green Rock Academy. Those were obviously very young musicians without a ton of experience. This is almost the opposite. Yeah. I’m going out with the teenagers in Europe this summer. They’re brilliant to work with because they are very grateful to do a show like that. The same goes for the Band Geeks. I feel very grateful that they actually play so good. They seem to be thankful about doing this show.

I’m at a place in my career where I’m feeling like I’m in a very creative mode all the time. I’m finishing four projects for the coming five years. You’re going to have a lot of music coming out over the next five years.

What were you going through medically after the 2004 tour that prevented you from touring for a while? It was just asthma. I had asthmatic attacks. I went through a really tough time. My wife saved my life, actually. You recover from that and can’t think about doing what you used to do, so you just need to take it easy for a few months. I was in a hospital for a couple of months. I got better and better. Then I put together a solo show with a guitar.

Yes didn’t tour for four years. I’m sure the guys got frustrated at having to wait. I didn’t ask them to do anything. They just decided they wanted to get on the road. As you know, they hired a Canadian singer , a really nice guy. People just need to get on with life, no matter what.

How did you feel about them bringing someone else on? In some ways, I thought, “Forget it. I’m just going to go on the road myself and tell stories and play small clubs.” In a way, it was a breakthrough for me. I was emotionally still able to enjoy performing the songs that I wrote for the band. You have to let go of things and just get on with life.

I spoke to the first guy that replaced you a couple of months ago. He said that singing your vocal parts was really hard for him. It ultimately just blew out his voice. Those are tough sings to sing every night. Yep. [Laughs.] Well, I’m an alto tenor. Some of the recordings in the late Seventies and Eighties, I sing as though I’m in helium.

He pointed to the climax of “Heart of the Sunrise” where you go “Sharp…Distance!” It just killed him trying to recreate what you did there. It’s true. It’s not easy up there. But I’m doing it now. It seems to be going pretty good.

I woke up from the dream and told my wife. I said, “I just saw Chris. He was heading towards the light of Heaven.” She said, “He loved you.” I said, “Yeah. We were brothers.” It was an incredible moment.

A couple of months later, I was doing a show in Phoenix. I met Chris’ widow, Scotland, and I told her the story. She said to me, “He kept saying before he passed away that he wanted to go to Maui.” There you go.

But you didn’t actually speak with him before he died? Didn’t need to. He had his life to live, and I had my life. I actually had a great dream about Alan White last night. It was a lovely dream. He was with all the guys in the band … Not just one or two, but everybody who has been in the band. They were up there doing some gig or something. The next minute, he was right next to me. We hugged since he was the best man at my wedding about 25 years ago.

You got a chance to play with Alan and Steve at the Hall of Fame in 2017. What was that experience like for you? It was great, but I was hyperventilating a lot. I just loved the idea of getting up onstage and performing a couple of songs. When you’re just doing a couple of songs, that’s one thing. When you’re hanging around and getting ready to go up, you’ve got your fingers crossed it’s going sound OK. When we got up onstage to say “thank you,” I was totally out of control. I just kept saying, “Everyone is so beautiful!” Then Rick, perfect, gets up and starts telling dirty jokes. That was perfect for me. It made me relax.

I could see you enjoying Rick’s speech, which I really think is one of the best Hall of Fame speeches ever, if not the very best, and Steve not really enjoying it so much. Oh yeah. Exactly. [Laughs.]

Did you guys make any new music? We did some recordings at Trevor [Rabin]’s place. It just didn’t work out. Things are like that sometimes.

Are you still on good terms with Trevor and Rick? Sure. I sang happy birthday to Trevor last week.

Might you tour with Rick as a duo again some day? That was fun. That was so damn funny. You never know in life. You never really know. As I mentioned earlier, I have so many things I’m working on, especially the last couple years, just things coming together that I want to get clarified and produced, just get out there and perform and finish some recordings. I’m actually working a musical that I wrote 40 years ago.

What’s that? I met this guy called Marc Chagall on his 90th birthday. He was a painter, very, very famous guy. I didn’t know how famous he was when I met him. I met him at his birthday party down in the south of France. Bill Wyman brought me. He was such a sweet guy. Then I discovered the incredible art of this man, and the stained glass he’d created around the world. He was so well-known around the art world, so I decided to write a musical about him.

He said to me, “Jon, if you’re going to write a musical, it’ll take a long time.” I thought, “I’ll get it done next year.” Of course, 40 years later, we’re in the brink of getting it produced. It’s about his life.

What’s the status of it? We actually did a short performance of the project in San Francisco just a month ago. We’re testing the idea of it visually, musically. It was an abbreviated version, but it’s given us a lot of impetus to get on with it and possibly get it into production this year or next year. After waiting 40 years, it doesn’t matter.

You’re playing Yes music on tour with new musicians. Steve is playing Yes music on tour with new people. Can’t one argue that what you’re doing is just as authentically Yes as what he’s doing? Yeah. I’ve never seen his show though, so I can’t tell you. [Laughs.]

I spoke to Steve a couple years ago. He said that any reunion was “completely unthinkable.” [Big laugh.]

Why do you think he’s being so absolutist? I’m a pessimist… I’m a pessimistic optimist. You never know in this life. And that was just him at that moment in time. I sang with him on my last album, 1,000 Hands. At the very end, I had worked on a piece of music [“Now and Again”] I started with Chris and Alan about 28 years earlier. I sent it to Steve and said, “Would you play some lovely guitar at the end?” And he did. All I could think of when I heard was to sing with it, and I did.

And every night he goes onstage with a singer that sounds just like you. How do you feel about that? There’s a phrase for that: Imitation is the most sincere most form of flattery. [Laughs.]

To me and so many fans, the two of you are the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of prog rock. You should be onstage together. Well, it’s not going to happen as far as I know. I’ve mentioned a couple of times over the years that I’m very open to giving it a whirl. In these days, though, you never know what’s going to happen.

They play about 50 shows a year. They even did nearly 90 a few years back. Do you think that would be too much traveling for you at this point in your life? I don’t think so. I feel very healthy and happy. Me and my wife love touring. We’re going to be on the road this summer with the Academy of Rock all over Europe. Now we’re doing this wonderful experience with the Band Geeks. I just love their name. It’s so cool.

Are you working on a second chapter of your solo album 1,000 Hands? Yes. We’re working on it. I reckon that it’s going to be ready next year. I’ve been writing some songs. I even wrote an album in Chinese. Singing in Chinese is not easy.

You’re so positive and optimistic. A lot of people would be really bitter and angry if the band they started and fronted for decades was carrying on without them. I come from the North of England. I had my first band in 1963. That’s when the Beatles came out. I saw them before they were famous. I just keep going because life is a wonderful experience, if you want.

Do you see yourself touring and playing Yes songs in your eighties? Oh yeah. Of course.

Retirement is never a thought? Never. There’s no point.

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Crazy it’s been 50 years. I performed it with the Academy of Rock last year. We’re going to do it again this year in Europe. And doing it with teenagers is just unbelievable, the feeling.

I’ll let you go, but I’m optimistic that you and Steve are going to find a way to patch things up at some point and play together again. It just makes too much sense. You never know. You really never know, honestly.

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Yes announce new Classic Tales Of Yes tour dates for 2024

UK prog legends Yes return to the nation's venues for live dates in May and June 2024

UK prog legends Yes have announced UK tour dates for their Classic Tales Of Yes tour for 2024. The run features seven dates that have been rescheduled from the band's cancelled 2023 tour, with new shows added at London's Royal Albert Hall and Bristol's Beacon.

The new dates will feature a mixture of classic Yes songs as well as new music from the band's upcoming album Mirror To The Sky , which will be released through InsideOut Music on May 19.

"We're putting together a great setlist covering the length and breadth of Yes’ career," says guitarist Steve Howe .

"As always, we are committed to pushing new boundaries and are very excited to be performing another chapter in the rich legacy of the band," adds Geoff Downes .

The dates have been announced in the wake of the cancellation of their proposed Relayer  tour of Europe for the third time . This time the band cited failure to get sufficient insurance to cover any Covid-related mishap or Act Of War.

The dates were scheduled for 2022 (having been postponed twice previously due to the pandemic), but the band changed their live plans for 2022 last March when they announced that they would celebrate the 50th anniversary of Close To The Edge instead .

Tickets for the seven dates that have been rescheduled remain valid for the new corresponding dates. Tickets for the London and Bristol shows go on sale Friday May 12 at noon. Full dates below.

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Classic Tales Of Yes UK tour dates 2024

May 23: Manchester Bridgewater Hall * May 24: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall * May 26: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall * May 28: York Barbican * May 29: Southend Cliffs Pavilion * May 31: Bristol Beacon Jun 01: Birmingham Symphony Hall * Jun 02: Gateshead The Sage * Jun 04: London Royal Albert Hall

*Show rescheduled from 2023, all tickets remain valid.

Get tickets .

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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YES - The Classic Tales Of Yes Tour 2024

YES's tour of Germany is finally taking place. Originally titled "Relayer & Classic Cuts" for 2020, now, four years later, it is called "The Classic Tales Of YES". Tickets for the Berlin concert are already available in advance, although tickets already purchased for Mönchengladbach remain valid.

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TikTok artist replicates 21 Eras Tour stadiums where Taylor Swift has performed

SAVANNAH, Georgia — Dana Theobald sings Taylor Swift music while meticulously placing hundreds of lavender and purple rhinestones on a wooden frame engraved with “Taylor Swift The Eras Tour.”

The TikTok sensation created a model version of Singapore's National Stadium, which Swift sold out for six nights.

Lyrics from “Long Live” shine in cursive letters along the rim. One of the lines, “Remember this feeling,” is in the center. It's a sentiment Theobald reminds herself of frequently.

“I’m learning how to be present in the moment and not stress over being perfect,” the 30-year-old says. “I’m just trying to have fun. The concerts are an escape for a lot of people. For some of us, it’s one of the best nights of our lives.”

The paint and glue will take hours to dry. Theobald will set up her camera, remove the masking tape and unveil her 21st finished wooden replica of an Eras Tour stadium to the TikTok world she’s taken by storm.

“Before I was making the Eras pieces, I was making sports stadiums,” she says. Her smile shines between each sentence, and she giggles when talking about two of her passions. “I love sports, and I’m also a very big Taylor Swift fan.”

The artist grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, and went to Boston University to play basketball before transferring to Savannah College of Art and Design. She fell in love with building models, woodworking and studying interior design and architecture. During the pandemic, she invested in herself and bought a laser printer. 

“I started building wooden maps of cities,” she says. 

Her work table is replete with dents, paint splatters and polish drippings. Organized along the back wall are jars of rhinestones, cans holding paint brushes and shelves holding 100 paint bottles.

“In 2020, my best friend asked me if I could make a Kansas City stadium for her husband and I said I would try,” she says. "It kind of just took off from there.”

Although she has completed many wooden replicas of college and professional stadiums, rugby fields and soccer pitches, she brought her craft into a whole new era — by happenstance — in 2023.

“With the Eras Tour coming to Gillette Stadium this weekend, I decided to make an art piece to pay off my pricey ticket,” she posted on TikTok . The video showed her constructing a replica of the Foxborough, Massachusetts, venue to Swift’s opening number. More than 6 million have seen it.

Mission accomplished. A fan in Boston bought the piece, and yes, it paid for her seat. Theobald and her mom watched Swift in the pouring rain.

Commenters asked her to do the tour’s next stop: MetLife Stadium … and then Soldier Field … and then Ford Field .

Twenty-one stadiums later, she is determined to replicate every sold-out venue and has the process down to a science. She starts with images from Google Earth and traces rows of seats over the complex images. The drawings take a couple of days. From there, she cuts the pieces on her laser printer and stains each panel before grabbing the wood glue and constructing a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

The videos are mesmerizing, and viewers can see how incredibly patient — like insanely patient — Theobald is with her creations.

“The planning takes the most mental power,” she says. “The building part is less time consuming, although I have to wait for everything to dry.”

Each frame is painted in the era or aesthetic that the crafter thinks best represents the country or city. She customized Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City Chiefs colors and added the engraving, “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me,” as a shoutout to Swift’s lyric change for boyfriend and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

“I like following the tour and seeing how different cultures come together and celebrate their love for Taylor Swift,” Theobald says. She only creates one piece per stop. Interested buyers can email her for prices. There are two still available: Estadio Mâs Monumental in Argentina and Soldier Field in Chicago.

Swift heads to Paris on May 9 and will perform her record-shattering tour in 23 stadiums. But the number of stadiums left doesn’t stress Theobald out. 

“I try not to get overwhelmed with how much there is because at the end of the day, this is supposed to be fun and it brings me so much joy,” she says. 

Follow Bryan West, the USA TODAY Network's Taylor Swift reporter, on  Instagram ,  TikTok  and  X as @BryanWestTV .

Don't miss any Taylor Swift news, sign-up for the free, weekly newsletter "This Swift Beat."

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10 takeaways from Beyoncé's new album, 'Cowboy Carter'

Sidney Madden

Sheldon Pearce

Cowboy Carter is the hotly anticipated follow-up to to Beyoncé's 2022 album, Renaissance . Blair Caldwell/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Cowboy Carter is the hotly anticipated follow-up to to Beyoncé's 2022 album, Renaissance .

How long have fans been speculating over the details of Beyoncé 's new album? It depends when you start counting: Some began buzzing over it the second her previous record, the dance-centric Renaissance , was released in 2022 and touted as "act one" of a trilogy. But the chatter has been especially fervent in the past two months, as singles, visuals and other teases popped up during the Grammys, Super Bowl and on the artist's own social media. The Beyhive's busiest bees analyzed clues that pointed toward a country music-inspired sound; they dissected the history of that genre, and how Black musicians have often been written out of it.

After months of anticipation, Cowboy Carter has finally arrived. Is it a country album? In many ways, yes — but it's also a sprawling work filled with disparate influences and references, while remaining a Beyoncé album at its heart. Two NPR Music staffers, reporter Sidney Madden and editor Sheldon Pearce , have been listening since the stroke of midnight. They come to you now with the 10 most important things to know about exactly what Cowboy Carter is, and is not.

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1. It's a sprawling Western epic...

Just as Beyoncé's 2022 album, act i: RENAISSANCE , served as a world-building homage to the unsung Black queer youth who created house music, Cowboy Carter continues the lesson plan. In a statement soon after the album's worldwide release, the artist's Parkwood Entertainment shared that each song on the 27-track project is its own version of a reimagined Western film: "She took inspiration from films like Five Fingers for Marseilles , Urban Cowboy , The Hateful Eight , Space Cowboys , The Harder They Fall and Killers of the Flower Moon , often having the films playing on a screen during the recording process."

Each track, whether an interlude, collaboration or poignant solo, rides out like a full-length film full of scenic grandeur, character and conflicts that any Chitlin' Circuit aficionado or spaghetti Western cinephile can obsess over. As a whole, Cowboy Carter serves as a well of discovery, full of samples, sonic Easter eggs, Knowles family callbacks and, most importantly, an appreciation for pioneers in the country world.

2. ... with a searing image of its titular central character.

In the cowboy, Beyoncé finds her ideal figure of the American West and South. She cites the rodeo as the first place where anyone who loved country music and culture could gather and mingle and feel welcome. It's an image that runs counter to the experience that inspired the album: performing her song "Daddy Lessons" at the CMA Awards in 2016, where she has said she "did not feel welcomed ... and it was very clear that I wasn't." The Cowboy Carter character exists in conversation with the history of Black cowboys, the loaded meaning behind the term and its function in the American imagination.

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3. It's a country album...

There are plenty of categorically country sounds on Cowboy Carter . String instruments are its sonic heartbeat, and the do-si-do of the slide guitar on "DESERT EAGLE" and "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" feel perfectly matched with Bey's feathery vocals. The jovial wiggle of the accordions on "RIIVERDANCE" tip a hat to zydeco music and the artist's Creole heritage. "PROTECTOR" (featuring Beyoncé's youngest daughter, Rumi) is anchored by acoustic guitar. "SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN' " interpolates "I Fall to Pieces," the shuffling standard made famous by Patsy Cline . Compared to Bey's past work in an R&B world full of glitz and glamor, many moments on the album, even with their layered arrangements, feel like intimate jam sessions straight out of a Nashville writing camp.

4. ... and it's also not.

Across the track list, elements of hip-hop, bluegrass and Chicano rock, with pop, rock, Jersey club music and operatic runs. "YA YA" conjures the charisma of Tina Turner and Chuck Berry , while winking in the direction of Nancy Sinatra and The Beach Boys . "BODYGUARD" is a breezy surf-rock romp with Latin percussion and a little whiskey on its breath. "AMEN" rings to the rafters in true gospel splendor. "SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN' " stacks genre upon genre and yet never overwhelms, instead connecting the dots between them with dusty horse gallops. The production credits stretch far beyond the scope of country stalwarts, making the album a treasure hunt for fans and issuing a challenge to the ways country music has come to be defined.

5. It's got country and Americana icons to set the tone...

Voices from country lore appear throughout the track list, signposts for the album's deconstructions of genre. The outlaw country pioneer Willie Nelson , who once bucked the Nashville sound himself, stands in as the host of KNTRY Radio Texas, Beyoncé's fictional pirate station. Dolly Parton draws a line from Becky with the good hair to Jolene, and turns up again before "TYRANT," encouraging Beyoncé to light up a juke joint. In a prelude to one of the album's most adventurous cuts, "SPAGHETTII," Linda Martell, an undersung, trailblazing Black country star of the '70s, lays out a sort of mission statement: "Genres are a funny little concept, aren't they? Yes, they are. In theory, they have a simple definition that's easy to understand. But in practice, well, some may feel confined."

6. ... and it's flipping some old tropes.

There are covers of country classics here that stand out for how stealthily they're reimagined. Parton's 1973 hit "Jolene" shows up early in the album, but Beyoncé adds her own sauce to flip its storied narrative. A vigilant Bey (flip-flopping between being upset and unbothered) clocks the "bird" chirping round her man; unlike Dolly, who responds to a similar threat with a plea for mercy, she puts her rival on notice: " I'm warnin' you, woman, find you your own man / Jolene, I know I'm a queen, Jolene / I'm still a Creole banjee bitch from Louisianne ." This twist renegotiates the common push and pull of rolling-stone / damsel-in-distress infidelity that's historically been a hallmark in country standards, and has only recently started to shift (see also: Carrie Underwood 's "Before He Cheats").

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7. It gives flowers to unsung pioneers.

When Linda Martell shows up in the opening moments of "SPAGHETTII" to pose her question about genres, the slick rhetorical framing cuts to the main conceit of Cowboy Carter and centers Martell herself as a case in point. As a pioneer in the country space, Martell made history with her 1970 album, Color Me Country , and was the first Black woman to perform on the storied Grand Ole Opry. But because of the racist aggression she endured when moving from pop to country, Martell soon left the business. Now, at 82 years old, Martell's getting her due. Her voice is immortalized on both "SPAGHETTII" and "THE LINDA MARTELL SHOW," both tracks that play hopscotch with a range of genres. "I am proud that Beyoncé is exploring her country music roots," the veteran posted on Instagram . "What she is doing is beautiful, and I'm honored to be a part of it. It's Beyoncé, after all!"

8. It shines a light on the stars of country's new age.

A recent study tracking country music programming from 2000 through 2020 revealed that only 29% of country songs played on format radio were by women artists, and of that 29%, 0.01% were Black women. And so along with honoring pioneers, Cowboy Carter platforms new stars in the field who are still working their way through its entrenched gatekeeping and redlining.

Rhiannon Giddens strums her banjo on the album's lead single, "TEXAS HOLD 'EM." Virginia's Shaboozey, whose 2022 release, Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die , offered songs for a post-"Old Town Road" country-rap world, cuts through two tracks with his unforgettable tone. "BLACKBIIRD" features the vocals of four Black women — Tanner Adell , Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy and Reyna Roberts. This soulful cover of The Beatles ' classic about Black women's plights and resilience during the American Civil Rights movement puts its subjects in a spotlight that country radio rarely does, bringing home the reality that opportunities for artists like these have scarcely grown in the years since Martell broke ground.

9. It saddles up over the pop-country middle ground.

On Cowboy Carter , Beyoncé is a pop star actively in conversation with the idea of country music, and traversing the distance between those genres seems to have made her consider the existing relationship between them. In two moments on the album, she enlists singers who have been blurring that binary for quite some time: Miley Cyrus and Post Malone . Miley, of course, is the daughter of "Achy Breaky Heart" sensation Billy Ray Cyrus , and in her own pursuit of a pop identity, fiddled with Mike WiLL trap, Flaming Lips psychedelia, glam rock and country pop before settling on the centering sounds of last year's Endless Summer Vacation , which earned her a record of the year Grammy for "Flowers." For his part, Post broke out as a watercolor trap rockstar and has since shifted toward a sound more in line with his Texas roots. Both seem to resonate with the ambiguity Bey sees running through the music.

10. There's more beneath the rhinestone jewel case.

Beyond the many featured guests, other behind-the-scenes contributors help tell the story. The-Dream , Pharrell , No I.D., Raphael Saadiq , Ryan Tedder, Ryan Beatty and Swizz Beatz all helped produce the record. It also boasts an incredibly accomplished cast of supporting players: Pulitzer-winning folk revivalist Giddens , Grammy-winning soul man Jon Batiste , session luminary Nile Rodgers, gospel pedal steelist Robert Randolph , blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. , hip-hop banjoist Willie Jones and the incomparable Stevie Wonder . The incredible variety of names and skills is the secret sauce behind Cowboy Carter 's sprawling vision.

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Cody Rhodes tour bus caught fire last night

Thankfully, everyone’s okay. But the American Nightmare is rocking some smokey-smelling suits today.

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Share All sharing options for: Cody Rhodes tour bus caught fire last night

This morning (April 4), Cody Rhodes tweeted:

Before you hear it elsewhere - my tour bus caught fire last night Everybody is safe and okay The 2 items I grabbed before I got off will probably pop wrestling fans Again, thank you @PhillyFireDept — Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) April 5, 2024

Since — thank goodness — Rhodes told us right up front that no one was hurt when his bus caught fire on Thursday night, his message prompted a lot of jokes about the lengths Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would go to mess with his WrestleMania rival.

It also led to a more detailed explanation from Cody on The Pat McAfee Show this afternoon. The man who will main event both nights of WrestleMania XL said his bus didn’t “burn to a crisp, but it was up in a big fireball for a moment”. The things he rescued from the bus are pictures of his wife & daughter, and his wrestling boots. He thanked the Philadelphia Fire Department for putting out the blaze, and that they were able to save a lot of stuff... although his signature suits have a smokey odor to them today.

"I'm coming in a little bit hot and here's why.. Last night at 1AM my bus driver yelled we gotta get off this bus it's on fire.. There ain't NOBODY here who is more ready for WrestleMania than me" ~ @CodyRhodes #PMSLive #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/yO7EWO7OGJ — Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 5, 2024

And where did Rhodes crash with his own sleeping quarters uninhabitable? He told McAfee that his Night One tag partner Seth Rollins offered him shelter on his bus. With a friendship like that, how can they lose tomorrow night?

Probably they way everyone who wrestles The Bloodline loses, but that was still a nice gesture from Rollins (and his wife, we presume). Anyway...

Quite a story. Glad everyone is okay, and we’ll see where it ends up fitting in the legend of WrestleMania XL when all is said and done.

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PGA Tour rookie Nick Dunlap soars up Houston Open leaderboard; puts struggles behind him

Nick Dunlap, who won The American Express as an amateur, put a solid round together at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

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Share All sharing options for: PGA Tour rookie Nick Dunlap soars up Houston Open leaderboard; puts struggles behind him

Since turning professional after his historic victory at The American Express , Nick Dunlap has struggled on the PGA Tour .

In his five events since, Dunlap has missed two cuts, finished dead last at Pebble Beach , and failed to contend at both the Cognizant Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

But he did not struggle during the third round of the Texas Children’s Houston Open .

Dunlap carded a 7-under 63, one stroke off the course record matched by Tony Finau on Friday. In doing so, the former Alabama star soared up the leaderboard and into contention.

“All I tried to do today was play perfect with what I had, not necessarily like perfect golf but getting the easy ones up and down, not three-putting,” Dunlap said of his third round.

“You’re not going to make every putt, and you’re not going to hit every wedge close, but from where I was trying to play a perfect round of golf, I feel like I did that.”

The reigning U.S. Amateur champion made seven birdies to zero bogies, as he now sits at 8-under for the championship.

Dunlap looked more comfortable out there. Perhaps that welcome sight can be attributed to playing practice rounds alongside Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns. He played with Scheffler once again on Tuesday at Memorial Park.

“I think [Scheffler] plays practice rounds the same way he plays tournament rounds,” Dunlap reasoned.

“He obviously doesn’t miss very many golf shots at all; he’s putting a lot better. He does everything well that you’re supposed to do and is also obviously very good under pressure.”

Undoubtedly, the 20-year-old has learned a lot from both Scheffler and Burns, who teamed up at the Ryder Cup this past fall. But the biggest thing Dunlap has learned thus far is to focus on the little things because the margin for error on the PGA Tour is razor-thin.

“They’re really good, they’re really good,” Dunlap said of his fellow PGA Tour professionals.

“I’ve got to do the little things better, whether that’s the little up-and-downs. I think out here everybody thinks that they hit the super hard shots well, and they sometimes do, but it’s the easy shots, and the lag putts that they don’t stress about, they hit ‘em to kick-in [range], and they move on, and that’s something that I’ve got to get better at.”

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

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Join the throngs and say yes to the eclipse: Ted Diadiun

• Updated: Apr. 07, 2024, 5:37 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 07, 2024, 5:31 a.m.

In this photo taken Friday, Aug. 18, 2017, Poureal Long, a fourth-grader at Clardy Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri, practices the proper use of eclipse glasses, a technique others might want to emulate in anticipation of Monday's total solar eclipse over Cleveland. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) AP

• Ted Diadiun, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND -- The first time I ever heard the word “eclipse,” I was a kid watching a television Western back in the ‘50s – “Tales of Wells Fargo,” maybe, but I can’t be certain.

The show’s hero was trying to prevent an attack by Native Americans on a wagon train and, if memory serves, he warned the chief that an act of war would turn day into night.

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