Yes announce the Royal Affair summer tour

Yes

Yes have announced that they’ll head out on the road this summer on the Royal Affair Tour across North America.

Currently, the band have revealed 26 shows with more to be added in due course. They'll kick off at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center on June 12 and wrap up at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga on July 28.

Yes will be joined by special guests John Lodge of The Moody Blues and Carl Palmer’s ELP legacy featuring guest vocals from Arthur Brown.

And that’s not all – it’s also been revealed that Asia will be with them on the road, with original guitarist Steve Howe joining the band for a portion of their set.

Asia will also introduce their new lineup which features guitarist and vocalist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal and Yes bassist Billy Sherwood, with the band paying tribute to late founding member John Wetton.

Yes drummer Alan White will also pay tribute to John Lennon on the tour. White was the drummer on Lennon’s solo material including the recording of Imagine.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday (April 5).

Steve Howe says: “Yes is delighted to headline this celebration of British music which has been so warmly received in America over the past five decades.”

Alan White adds: “I’m looking forward to joining a number of classic British talents that have delighted so many fans over the past half century.”

Keyboardist Geoff Downes says the tour will be “a unique celebration of the British contribution to classic rock over many decades” and adds: “It will be inspirational to be a part of. And I know it is what John Wetton would have wanted.”

Find a full list of dates below.

Yes The Royal Affair Tour 2019
Jun 12: Bethlehem Sands Bethlehem Event Center, PA
Jun 14: Farmingdale Long Island Community Hospital Amphitheatre, NY
Jun 15: Atlantic City mark Etess Arena, NJ
Jun 16: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ
Jun 20: Westchetser County Center, NY
Jun 21: Pittsburgh Stage AE, PA
Jun22: Baltimore MECU Pavilion, MD
Jun 24: Toronto Budweiser Stage, ON
Jun 25: Lewiston Artpark Amphitheatre, NY
Jun 27: Bether Woods Centre For The Arts, NY
Jun 29: Gilford Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion, NH
Jun 30: Providence Bold point Park, RI
Jul 03: Rochester Hills Meadow Brook Amphitheatre, MI
Jul 05: Columbus Express Live, OH
Jul 06: Aurora Riveredge Park, IL
Jul 08: Nashville Grand Ole Opry House, TN
Jul 10: Cary Koka Booth Amphitheatre, NC
Jul 07: Clearwater Ruth Eckerd Hall, FL
Jul 13: Hollywood Seminole Hard Rock Hotel And Casino, FL
Jul 18: St Augustine Amphitheatre, FL
Jul 20: Irving The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory, TX
Jul 21: Rogers Walmart AMP, AR
Jul 24: Phoenix Comerica Theatre, AZ
Jul 26: Las Vegas The Joint, NV
Jul 27: Irvine Five point Amphitheatre, CA
Jul 28: Saratoga The Mountain Winery, CA

Scott has spent 37 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, highlights deals, and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 12 years, Scott has written more than 11,500 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from news and features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.