Time for Part 2
With the audience now refreshed and ready to go, it kicked off with a video of Chris Braide from the Downes Braide Association and a video of them singing the ASIA classic, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes. We were now dealing with John Wettton music that I love!
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
Then, an even bigger surprise as John's time with Roxy Music was celebrated with some members of The Orchestra and 4 guest musicians - from Squeeze, Chris Difford and from Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry guitarist Phil Manzanera, Bassist Supreme Guy Pratt and on drums for the first time in about 20 years the Ex Yes/Genesis/King Crimson drummer - Dr Bill Bruford!!!
They played a spirited version of Let's Stick Together and then were gone!! I would loved to have heard more from these guys but it wasn't to be.
Let's Stick Together
They also came up with the line of the night - 'this is the only song tonight you'll hear in 4/4'
Now we were in for the the ASIA part of the evening and John as a songwriter - most often with Geoff Downes. You had to be back there in '82 to really appreciate the impact of ASIA on the music world. Remember, different times then. Information was hard to come by. You had to wait for music papers such as Melody Maker or Sounds to get any information at all. Or the BBC Saturday Rock Show with Alan Freeman then Tommy Vance.
Drama had seen new wind put into the YES sails with the arrival of Buggles Trevor Horn & Geoff Downes but nobody expected ASIA. I was interested in what John was going to do after the demise of UK and used to look for any info I could get. Soon, the word started coming out of a Supergroup with members of ELP, YES & King Crimson. And finally ASIA was revealed. They signed to Geffen Records and to say they were successful was the understatement of 1982. The album flew! Sold by the lorryload and became one of the biggest albums in the USA for 1982. It even had hit singles. It was certainly John's most successful project and he was magnificent as front man with that fabulous voice, movie star looks and writing songs to die for.!
So, back to the gig - The Rock Academy Orchestra came back to the stage and gave excellent performances of ASIA songs Ride Easy & Voice Of America.
Ride Easy
VOICE OF AMERICA
I hear a huge rumble and huge applause as Geoff Downes came onto the stage accompanied by Jay Schellen and Billy Sherwood from YES, Harry Whitley, Martin Orford on Flute John Mitchell and Renaissance lead vocalist Annie Haslam and gave a stunning performance of the final song from the first ICON album (2005) (John's duo project with Geoff Downes) In The End which has Annie duetting with John Wetton on the recorded version- not a dry eye in the house - well, my house at least.
IN THE END
RUBICON
With Annie leaving the stage it was time for the second Icon song of the night, from the second album we were treated to Rubicon.
We now had the 'new' ASIA with Geoff on Keys, John Mitchell on Guitar, Billy on Bass, Jay on Drums and Harry Whitley on Lead Vocals and Keys. And as Jerry said at the end of the set, Yes, I'd pay good money to see that line up on the road.
They kicked off with
Only Time Will Tell.
To hear these classic ASIA songs again live sent shivers down my spine and the band played as if they'd been playing together for years. Harry fitted in just perfectly.
When you go back and listen to those UK, ICON & ASIA albums you realise what a magnificent voice John Wetton had - he really was at his best with ASIA. He finally found his home I think after years of musically wandering.
MY OWN TIME
Time for more tears in the Macwood Fleet house, Trading Boundaries and all around the world via the live stream as the band played the ASIA song, which has now become John's own Epitaph - An Extraordinary Life.
AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE
With one song from this set to go from the band, they choose to rock it out and launch into Sole Survivor from the first ASIA album.
Jerry then come back onto the stage to tell us that there are 2 songs yet to be played with are inextricably linked to John Wetton.
The Rock Academy guys then come on accompanied by David Cross, Mel Collins, David Kilminster and current King Crimson guitarist Jakko Jakszyk for an epic performance of Starless
STARLESS
An in the end - there can be only one!!
The 'new ASIA; boys came back and gave it the full treatment.
Yes, it was time for The Heat Of The Moment
THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT
And, that was it!! John had been truly celebrated tonight, the great and the good showed up to pay their respects and the World wide audience was given a night they'll never forget. They really couldn't have done any better if they'd thrown millions at it. Tonight turned out to be the perfect time and the perfect place.
The winner in the end was Music.
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