Dutch prog legends Kayak call it a day with final tour

Kayak 2021 around a moon — (Image credit: Rudi Huisman, Jan Banning, Ronja Gildenlow)

Dutch progressive rock legends Kayak have announced what will be their final tour. The dates throughout Europe on April and May include UK shows in London and Manchester.

“It’s been a great ride but we’ve come to the end of the line," says keyboard player and band leader Ton Scherpenzeel. "As the other band members would have liked to continue, the decision became extra difficult. And as a musician I still do enjoy playing itself. But it takes a lot more than just that to make a good tour, and circumstances for bands like us are not getting any easier. In that respect I feel I’ve reached the limit of my capabilities. And however sad it may be, I’d rather stop too early than go on too long.”

Kayak originally formed in 1972 and remain one of the Netherlands' best-known and loved progressive groups. The band split in 1982 but regrouped in 1999 and have been going ever since. They released their last studio album, Out Of This World, earlier this year.

Scherpenzeel, who played with UK prog rockers Camel in the 1980s, suffered a heart attack in 2019.

Support on all dates comes from Dutch art rockers Lesoir.

Kayak Farewell Tour Dates:
Apr 22: NED Venlo Grenswerk
Apr 23: NED ZoetermeerDe Boerderij
Apr 28: NED Groningen Oosterpoort
Apr 29: NED Tilburg 013
May 9: UK London Islington Assembly Hall
May 10: UK Manchester Club Academy
May 12: GER Rüsselsheim Das Rind
May 13: NED Enschede Metropool
May 14: NED Hilversum De Vorstin
May 15: GER Köln Yard Club
May 16: BEL Verviers Spirit of 66
May 18: GER Hamburg Bahnhof Pauli
May 19: DEN Helsingor Karosserifabrikken
May 20: SWE Gothenburg Musikens Hus
May 21: NOR Oslo WLR Festival Gronsand

Get Out Of This World.

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.