December 23, 2024

Skylight Webzine

Online since 2000

Symphonic Rock Icons Renaissance To Tour The US Fall 2015


Symphonic rock icons Renaissance featuring legendary singer Annie Haslam will be performing in the US in the Fall 2015! Responding to requests from fans, Renaissance will be performing “Song For All Seasons”, “Sounds Of the Sea” and “Northern Lights” along with favorite classics and debuting “Immortal Beloved” from their critically acclaimed “Symphony of Light” album on this tour. Legendary keyboardist Patrick Moraz, best known for his work with YES and the Moody Blues, as well as his innovative solo career, will be making a special guest appearance with the band at the Victoria Theater at New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ on October 9 and 10, 2015!

Renaissance is a band with a rich history unique unto themselves as progressive rock pioneers who rose from the ashes of the seminal UK rock band, The Yardbirds. Acclaimed for their unique blending of progressive rock with classical and symphonic influences, the band’s career has spanned forty plus years spearheaded by the 5 octave voice of Annie Haslam and the masterful songwriting skills of Michael Dunford. They are widely considered to be the band that most successfully and routinely utilized the sound of a full orchestra in their recordings.

In the early years Renaissance toured Europe extensively. It wasn’t long before influential progressive rock stations in the US, such as WNEW (NYC), WMMR (Philadelphia) and WHFS (Washington) were turning on America to Renaissance. Before too long the band started thrilling concertgoers on the world’s most distinguished stages, from Carnegie Hall in NYC with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, to the Royal Albert Hall in London with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Chorale Society. In 1978 they had a top ten hit in the UK with ‘Northern Lights’, which has become a classic radio favorite, still demanding regular airplay to this day.

 

The band eventually disbanded in the late 1980’s at which time Annie Haslam launched a solo career. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the original founding of Renaissance, Michael and Annie in 2009 decided to form a new touring band. More recently they have toured the UK, Belgium, Holland, Israel, Portugal, North America, Canada, Japan and South Korea and produced their first album in 13 years entitled ‘Symphony of Light’. The album is a testament to the unforgettable melodies that Michael Dunford infused into his work, Michael died prematurely in 2012.

 

Renaissance toured Europe this April, the first in over 35 years! They recorded the London Union Chapel show for a ‘live’ DVD to be released soon! The tour was very successful and the fans loved every minute!
The current personnel of Renaissance include: Annie Haslam lead vocals, Rave Tesar keyboards, Tom Brislin keyboards, Mark Lambert acoustic guitars, Leo Traversa bass guitar, and Frank Pagano drums.

Renaissance Fall 2015 US Tour Dates:
Oct 08 Landmark Theater – Port Washington, NY
Tickets http://www.landmarkonmainstreet.org/event.cfm?id=262
Oct 09 Victoria Theater at New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Newark, NJ
Tickets http://www.ticketmaster.com/Renaissance-tickets/artist/735960?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name
Oct 10 Victoria Theater at New Jersey Performing Arts Center – Newark, NJ
Tickets http://www.ticketmaster.com/Renaissance-tickets/artist/735960?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name
Oct 11 Rams Head On Stage – Annapolis, MD
Tickets http://www.ramsheadonstage.com/event/877319-renaissance-songs-for-all-our-annapolis
Oct 15 Fairfield Theater Stage One – Fairfield, CT
Tickets https://fairfieldtheatre.org/shows/renaissance
Oct 16 Infinity Music Hall & Bistro – Norfolk, CT
Tickets http://www.infinityhall.com/Events/renaissance-fall-tour-2015-songs-for-all-our-times-featuring-song-for-all-seaso/
Oct 22  Shalin Liu Performance Center – Rockport, MA
Tickets http://rockportmusic.org/renaissance/
Oct 23 Tarrytown Music Hall – Tarrytown, NY
Tickets https://tickets.tarrytownmusichall.org/ordertickets.asp?p=2208
Trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHRvohYloEo

Source: https://www.facebook.com/RenaissanceTouring
Photo credit: Richard Barnes