RICK WAKEMAN’S U.S. SOLO TOUR

RICK WAKEMAN’S U.S. SOLO TOUR
Makes a Stop at Phoenix’s Celebrity Theatre
Tuesday, November 9th

PHOENIX, AZ – Danny Zelisko Presents is pleased to welcome rock royalty Rick Wakeman to the historic Celebrity Theatre at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 9th. Full of music and mirth, tickets for Wakeman’s “The Even Grumpier Old Rock Star” 2021 tour go on sale Friday, June 25th at www.celebritytheatre.com.

The keyboard wizard has two reasons to celebrate. First, Wakeman’s outstanding career in music has just been recognized by Queen Elizabeth II, who named him a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in her re-cent annual Birthday Honors. And secondly, after 18 months of lockdown in the UK, he is finally able to announce the long-delayed follow-up to 2019’s sell-out The Grumpy Old Rock Star Tour with The Even Grumpier Old Rock Star Tour! The 25-city October-November trek includes a stop in Phoenix on Tuesday, November 9th.

Having made his name creating prog rock extravaganzas, in his solo shows Wakeman returns to his roots with a program packed with virtuosic piano performances and hilarious anecdotes inspired by his 50-plus-year career. Repertoire will range from his solo works and his stints in the band YES through to his early days as a session musician playing keyboards on such classics as David Bowie’s “Life On Mars,” plus surprises like his unique interpretations of Beatles’ hits and many more memorable tunes, adapted for the grand piano. And all of this glorious music is punctuated by riotous reflections on his life and the people he’s met along the way. As he himself often observes, life is rarely dull when Rick Wakeman is around!

Professional musician, keyboard player, songwriter, broadcaster and raconteur, Wakeman’s career started as a much-in-demand session player, who performed on recordings by David Bowie, Elton John, Lou Reed, Al Stewart and hundreds more artists. His big break came in 1971 when he joined YES, who went on to become the most successful prog rock band in the world.

In the Seventies, he achieved chart-topping success with solo albums such as Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which cumulatively sold over 10,000,000 copies in North America alone.

He has written several film scores, and in the UK, has built up an impressive reputation as a witty guest and host on shows like Grumpy Old Men, Countdown, Watchdog and the comedy cabaret show Live at Jongleurs. His wickedly irreverent acceptance speech when YES was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 nearly brought the house down!

That same year, he made British chart history when his Piano Portraits record became the first solo piano instrumental album to enter the UK’s Top 10 on release – a feat he then repeated with last year’s Piano Odyssey. Both records feature tunes that have a special connection with Wakeman’s personal musical journey and his subsequent tours.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Reserved tickets ($35, $65 and $95) go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 25th atwww.celebritytheatre.com, or by phone: 602-267-1600. All tickets are subject to sales tax, facility and ticketing surcharges. All ages welcome.

About Danny Zelisko Presents: Danny Zelisko has been bringing shows to the Southwest since 1974. He founded the legendary Evening Star Productions in 1976, helping make the Southwest a viable stop on most contemporary tours, producing thousands of shows over the years. Danny proudly partnered Grateful Dead shows with Bill Graham Presents in Phoenix and Las Vegas in the ’80s and ’90s.

Video message from Rick:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xYcGj7diW6Tx5DroTuljKsZepx2PESpK/view