Rick Wakeman – Glasgow

I went to see Yes quite a few years ago and it remains one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended.

The only slight disappointment was that Rick Wakeman wasn’t in the band at the time. His keyboard work was such a huge part of the classic Yes sound that it always felt like there was a missing piece to the puzzle.

The concert was still exceptional, but I left knowing that if I ever got the chance to see Rick Wakeman perform live, I wouldn’t pass it up.

So when this tour was announced, getting a ticket was an easy decision.

Not only was Rick performing, but he was playing two of his most celebrated solo albums in their entirety: The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

For a fan of progressive rock, that’s about as tempting as it gets.

Progressive rock has never really been known for doing things by halves, and Rick Wakeman has always been one of its greatest showmen. Even before a note was played, there was a sense that this would be something a little more theatrical than your average concert.

And sure enough, he didn’t disappoint.

For each album he appeared wearing a different cape, because of course he did.

Nobody has embraced the glorious absurdity of progressive rock quite like Rick Wakeman. Lesser musicians might worry about looking ridiculous. Rick realised decades ago that if you’re going to write concept albums about the wives of Henry VIII and King Arthur’s court, you might as well wear a cape while doing it.

The audience loved it.

Once the music began, however, any thoughts of costumes quickly became secondary.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII remains one of the great instrumental progressive rock albums and hearing it performed live was a real treat. The compositions are ambitious, melodic and wonderfully inventive, showcasing the extraordinary keyboard skills that made Wakeman one of the most respected musicians of his generation.

Then came The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

If Six Wives is ambitious, King Arthur is downright epic. The music is grand, dramatic and unapologetically theatrical, perfectly suited to Wakeman’s larger-than-life personality. Performed live, it felt every bit as majestic as the title suggests.

Of course, none of it would have worked without a great band.

Thankfully, the musicians accompanying Rick were outstanding. Progressive rock places enormous demands on performers, with complex arrangements, frequent changes in mood and no shortage of technical challenges. The band handled it all effortlessly, allowing the music to flow exactly as it should.

As for Rick himself, he was magnificent.

Even after all these years, his enthusiasm for the music remains obvious. There was a genuine sense of joy in the performance, as though he was enjoying revisiting these albums every bit as much as the audience were enjoying hearing them.

Looking back, this was everything I had hoped it would be.

Years after seeing Yes without him, I finally got to witness Rick Wakeman doing what he does best, and he certainly didn’t disappoint. The music was superb, the musicianship was flawless and the capes were exactly as fabulous as you’d expect.

What more could a prog fan ask for?

The footage below captures some of the evening and gives a glimpse of a truly memorable performance by one of progressive rock’s genuine legends.