Fans of two powerhouse progressive rock bands, Yes and Asia, will be happy to hear that a long tour featuring both bands is on the way. With history dating back more than 40 years, Yes got its start at the end of the 1960s and hit it big in the early ’70s with their guitar driven progressive rock sound. Steve Howe and Geoff Downes, both former members of Yes, joined forces in 1981 with John Wetton (King Crimson) and Carl Palmer (ELP) to create a supergroup in the form of Asia. These four skilled musicians went on to create three successful studio albums in the 1980s, hitting their stride with the single “Heat of the Moment“. Yes, meanwhile, forged on and found an new success of their own in 1983 with the single “Owner of a Lonely Heart“, which soared to #1 in the United States. Changes arrived for both groups in the 1990s, but by 2004 the original members of Asia had re-united, and the line-up in Yes had become the same as it was in the late 1970s.

Health problems plagued members of Yes in recent years, leading to a new vocalist in Benoit David and Rick Wakeman’s son Oliver taking over the keyboard duties. Guitarist Steve Howe is a member of both bands, and will surely be kept busy on the summer tour, stating: “this is a monumental event and even though it will be a challenge, I am up for it.” The first show is on June 26 in Indio, California. The tour is heavily focused on the west and east coasts of the United States, but it does break into the heartland in July with shows in Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. Fans are in for very diverse performances, and since both bands have such long histories, there is certainly no shortage of material to play. “People have been waiting for this for decades,” said Asia’s John Wetton. “Since America was so important to the success of both bands, we feel it was the right time and place to launch it.” Read the full press release at this link. Here are the 24 dates for Yes and Asia:

6/26/09 – Indio, CA – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
6/27/09 - Las Vegas, NV - Thomas & Mack Center
6/30/09 - Snoqualmie, WA - Snoqualmie Casino
7/02/09 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
7/03/09 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
7/07/09 - Universal City, CA – Gibson Amphitheater
7/08/09 - San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay
7/09/09 - Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
7/12/09 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
7/14/09 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
7/15/09 - Fort Worth, TX - Bass Performance Hall
7/16/09 - Muskogee, OK - Muskogee Civic Center
7/18/09 - Walker, MN - Festival Grounds
7/20/09 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Energy Music Theatre
7/21/09 - Pittsburgh, PA - Station Square
7/22/09 - Glen Allen, VA - Innsbrook Pavilion
7/23/09 - National Harbor, MD - National Harbor
7/25/09 - Cohasset, MA - South Shore Music Circus
7/26/09 - Jackson, NJ – Northern Star Arena
7/28/09 - Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theatre
7/29/09 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
7/31/09 - Westbury, NY - The Capital One Bank Theatre
8/01/09 - Jamestown, NY- Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena
8/02/09 - Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Grounds