Rick Wakeman

PHIL, Haarlem [NL]
Friday, 16th May 2025

Final One-Man Solo Tour

The announcement of a performance by legendary Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman is an absolute must for many prog fans, especially as this show is part of a series entitled as the ‘Final One-Man Solo Tour’. Added to this the beautifully restored old music hall PHIL, in Haarlem, serves as a location for this show, so my decision is quickly made. The hall, with a capacity of approximately 1,200, is not completely sold out, but certainly a healthy turnout. Now rarely have I seen so many ladies in the audience as this evening, but a show by Richard Christopher Wakeman always guarantees quality and his music is sufficiently accessible for our better halves to enjoy too.

Preceded by a soundtrack of anthemic music, Ascraeus Mons from the album The Red Planet, and amid loud cheers, the ‘old master’ enters the beautiful concert hall in Haarlem. On stage is a Steinway Model D Concert Grand piano next to a setup with two Korg Kronos keyboards. If it hadn’t already been made clear, then it certainly is now: Rick would play part of his repertoire tonight acoustically and amplified thus providing the necessary variety. The show will last until half past nine at the latest, undoubtedly contractually agreed and he starts at exactly eight o’clock, as announced.

Without further ado Wakeman kicks off proceedings, behind the Kronos setup, with Jane Seymour from his 1973 debut album The Six Wives of Henry VIII. He then takes the microphone to address the audience and in his usual witty fashion, with lots of self-deprecating humour, announces two more Wives, Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Howard. This also gives him an opportunity to draw a parallel with his own married life: not six, but four wives for him, although no beheading, but certainly the loss of property in his divorces. He then turns to the gigantic church organ behind the stage: ‘that will make much more noise than I do, maybe I’ll have a go at it later’. Unfortunately, it does not come to fruition. Then it’s time for a return to the grand piano accompanied by a short story about his collaboration with Cat Stevens and especially David Bowie. Following are brilliant renditions of Morning Has Broken, Space Oddity and Life on Mars… he completely enchants the audience.

He returns to the synthesizer set-up, and after an introduction about past difficulties he had in convincing his (English) record company of the importance of his long, complex and mainly instrumental music, he launches into a medley of his 1975 masterpiece Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, performed with great conviction and aplomb. Once again he takes his place behind the grand piano, which for a large part of the audience, is undoubtedly the section they are looking forward to: the Yes medley. Unfortunately not the full twenty-minute version as recorded on his last studio album Yessonata, but the selection of The Meeting (AWB&H), And You and I, Wonderous Stories and especially Awaken gets the crowd cheering without any problem. One fabulous theme is alternated with another, the composer and arranger Wakeman can boast an unparalleled musical legacy.

The maestro, now looking older and somewhat frailer as he moves across the stage in his long coat – the iconic gold-coloured cape of yesteryear is now left at home – however his performances behind the keyboards are still unsurpassed, the sparkle that characterizes his playing is still there. OK, to the attentive listener some (minor) mistakes can be detected but we gladly forgive him. Because this man is not only a living legend and a virtuoso pianist but also the composer of countless gems from prog and rock music. He emphasizes that this is (almost) the end of his appearance as a solo artist, but there is still plenty to be expected from him, in collaboration with others or in a band setting. Duly noted.

We move back to the Korgs, this time for two Beatles classics. John Lennon’s Help! is played in an inimitable way in the style of the French pianist/composer Saint-Saens, however the pièce de résistance is the exceptional arrangement of McCartney’s Eleanor Rigby, which gets the full Prokofiev treatment by Wakeman. This is the last number of the official setlist and the master disappears from the stage to loud applause. Said absence however does not last long and Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the actual closing song, concluding the hour and a half of performance. He plays the piece as he originally composed it at the piano. And Wakeman wouldn’t be Wakeman if he didn’t also take the opportunity to include a small section from Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King.

Then it’s really all over, with a standing ovation the keyboard maestro leaves the stage, exhausted but undoubtedly satisfied. One more show, in Valkenburg, an open-air theatre in the south of Holland of all places, then it’s over and done with for the solo gigs in the Netherlands. One day later he will celebrate his 76th birthday in peace and quiet, fully deserved.

[Photos courtesy of Alex Driessen and Ron Kraaijkamp]

SETLIST
Jane Seymour
Catherine Of Aragon
Catherine Howard
Morning Has Broken
Space Oddity
Life On Mars
King Arthur Medley: King Arthur Theme / Guinevere / The Last Battle / Merlin the
Magician
Yes Medley: The Meeting / And You and I / Wonderous Stories / Awaken
Help!
Eleanor Rigby
~ Encore:
Journey To The Centre Of The Earth

MUSICIAN
Rick Wakeman – Grand Piano, Synthesizers

LINKS
Rick Wakeman – Website | Facebook | YouTube | X | Instagram