Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks have emerged as one of progressive rock’s most acclaimed live collaborations, performing classic Yes material with remarkable fidelity while introducing new music that sits comfortably alongside the band’s celebrated catalogue.
by Paul Cashmere
More than half a century after helping define progressive rock with Yes, Jon Anderson has found a new musical partnership that has reinvigorated both his catalogue and his live performances. Anderson’s collaboration with The Band Geeks has become one of the most talked about live acts in modern prog, with audiences regularly giving standing ovations after performances of material that first emerged in the early 1970s.
For fans of Yes, the project carries particular significance. While there are multiple incarnations of the band’s legacy in circulation, Anderson’s partnership with The Band Geeks has been widely praised for capturing the spirit and musical ambition of classic Yes while avoiding the feel of a nostalgia exercise. The performances are centred on album tracks and extended compositions that demand attention from listeners, rather than relying on radio hits or spectacle.
The collaboration began unexpectedly in 2023 when a friend sent Anderson a video of a group performing the Yes classic Heart Of The Sunrise. The singer was immediately impressed and contacted multi-instrumentalist Richie Castellano.
“He said, ‘Are you sure? You’re Jon Anderson of Yes?'” Anderson recalled. “We got together, and I was amazed how good they were. I said, ‘Let’s make an album.'”
That album became True, released in August 2024. Despite Anderson living in California and the musicians being based in New York and New Jersey, the record was written and recorded remotely.
“Every Tuesday, we would meet via Zoom to write and record,” Anderson said. “It was exactly like the old days of Yes when everyone tried everything without hesitation.”
The Band Geeks originated in 2014 when musician and engineer Richie Castellano launched the Band Geek With Richie Castellano podcast. The project evolved into a YouTube collective performing ambitious covers of classic rock material, often focusing on the complex arrangements of Yes. The current line-up includes Castellano on bass and backing vocals, drummer Andy Ascolese, guitarist Andy Graziano, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Phil Castellano, and keyboardist Chris Clark.
Their reputation has been built on musical precision and vocal arrangements that closely recreate the sound of classic Yes recordings. Reviewers have noted the group’s ability to reproduce material created more than 50 years ago while maintaining energy and authenticity in performance.
The live set reflects that philosophy. Performances frequently open with the complete version of Close To The Edge from the 1972 album of the same name, followed by Perpetual Change from The Yes Album and And You And I from Close To The Edge. New compositions such as Counties And Countries from True and the title track of the forthcoming album Giving Is Living sit comfortably alongside the established repertoire.
The second half of the show typically delves even deeper into Yes history with performances of Awaken, I’ve Seen All Good People, Leaves Of Green, Starship Trooper and Roundabout. The set also features Once Upon A Dream, a nearly 20-minute composition from True.
“My music takes over after a while,” Anderson said of the song’s evolution. “By the time we finished, it was almost 20 minutes long. To perform it on stage is a miracle. It’s just beautiful.”
At 81, and approaching his 82nd birthday later this year, Anderson continues to deliver the high register vocals that became one of the defining sounds of progressive rock.
“I don’t know,” he said while demonstrating his range during an interview. “I’m very blessed. I love singing. I just enjoy life to the fullest.”
The reception to Jon Anderson And The Band Geeks suggests there remains a dedicated audience for ambitious album-oriented music from the progressive era. Audiences have responded not only to familiar songs but also to new material, with reviewers observing that the performances feel vibrant and fully engaged rather than simply recreating the past.
Anderson is already looking ahead. A second studio album with The Band Geeks, Giving Is Living, is scheduled for release in the second half of 2026, accompanied by another multi-leg US tour. For a singer whose career predates the term “prog rock” itself, the partnership represents an unexpected late-career renaissance.
“I’ve been truly amazed,” Anderson said. “I’m blessed that I met the Band Geeks.”
Jon Anderson and the Band of Geeks, San Jose, June 30, 2026
Set 1:
Close To The Edge (from Yes, Close To The Edge, 1972)
Perpetual Change (from Yes, The Yes Album, 1971)
Counties And Countries (from True, 2024)
And You And I (from Yes, Close To The Edge, 1972)
Giving Is Living (from to be released Giving Is Living, 2026)
Soon (from Yes, Relayer, 1974)
Set 2:
Awaken (from Yes, Going For The One, 1977)
I’ve Seen All Good People (from Yes, The Yes Album, 1971)
Once Upon A Dream (from True, 2024)
Leaves Of Green (from Yes, Tales Of Topographic Oceans, 1973)
Starship Trooper (from Yes, The Yes Album, 1971)
Roundabout (from Yes, Fragile, 1971)
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