Yes announce benefit concert

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27, 2008—With the eagerly anticipated 30-city “In the Present” tour getting underway Nov. 4 in Ontario, band members Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan White of YES have agreed to donate a portion of proceeds from their Nov. 23 concert at Albany’s Times Union Center to STRIDE Adaptive Sports.

The volunteer, non-profit organization provides more than 3,500 adaptive sport and recreation lessons annually to children and individuals with special needs with 200 instructors serving 850 families, offering free programs in 15 different activities and locations. STRIDE is an affiliate member of Disabled Sports USA, Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors; and an official Red Cross Provider.

The members of YES will donate $10 from every $38.50 ticket sold to STRIDE for their Fourth Annual Wounded Warrior Snowsports Event, with 15 members of the armed forces who have sustained permanent injuries during their service brought to the Albany area on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009 for a weekend of Adaptive Skiing and Snowboarding at Jiminy Peak, Mountain Resort.

All funds from ticket sales will go directly to cover the cost of transportation, lodging, food, clothing, entertainment and gifts for the Wounded Warriors and their families.

The event will open at Michael’s Banquet House in Latham, N.Y., with dinner and entertainment on Feb. 27, 2009, with tickets available for $30 to the public. For more information on the event, visit STRIDE’s website at www.stride.org. To purchase tickets to the YES concert, contact Katie Moshier at the STRIDE offices in Rensselaer, N.Y., at kmoshier@stride.org.

“We are delighted to lend our hand to this very worthy organization,” said the band. “We are glad to do what we can to support the officers and soldiers who have sacrificed so much to defend their country.”

The “In the Present” tour, which will hit a total of 30 cities in November and December, features Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan White playing selections from hit albums like Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans and 90125 along with audience favorites like “Roundabout,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “I’ve Seen All Good People,” some of the enduring classics that have made YES the most influential and groundbreaking progressive group in rock & roll.

The tour will get underway at the Hamilton Place Theater in Hamilton, ON, on Nov. 4 and run through Dec. 17 at the Hard Rock Casino in Miami., featuring guitarist Howe, bassist Squire and drummer White, joined by keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, the son of YES’ Rick Wakeman, and vocalist Benoit David, a Montreal, Quebec, native and vocalist in several YES tribute groups, who was discovered by the band on the Internet and invited on the tour.

The group’s itinerary includes performances at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom on Nov. 14, Baltimore’s Ram’s Head Live Nov. 16, Cleveland’s House of Blues Nov. 25, Detroit’s Fillmore on Nov. 26, Cincinnati’s Taft Theater Nov. 29, St. Louis’ The Pageant Dec. 2, Chicago’s Chicago Theater Dec. 3, Atlanta’s The Tabernacle Dec. 7, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium Dec. 10 and Orlando’s Hard Rock Live Nov. 14, with more dates to be announced.