(NEWTON, NJ) -- The newly formed ProgJect is touring America, and will bring "The Ultimate Prog Rock Experience” to The Newton Theatre on Thursday, April 21. ProgJect features Michael Sadler from SAGA, GTR's Jonathan Mover, Frank Zappa's Mike Keneally, Ryo Okumoto from Spock's Beard and Matt Dorsey from Sound of Contact, coming together on one stage to perform the classics and epics of Genesis, Yes, King Crimson and ELP, along with some Pink Floyd, Rush, Jethro Tull, Peter Gabriel, Gentle Giant and more!
Look for ProgJect to perform a two-plus hour set of Prog classics and epics such as “Cinema Show,” “Firth of Fifth,” “Squonk,” “Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression–Pt. I & II,” “Siberian Khatru,” “Roundabout,” “Heart of the Sunrise,” “21st Century Schizoid Man,” “Lark's Tongues In Aspic, Pt. I & II”, “Xanadu,” “La Villa Strangiato,” “Have A Cigar,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Solsbury Hill” and “Living In The Past,” to name only a few.
ProgJect–the brainchild of drummer Jonathan Mover–came to fruition out of his childhood dream of playing Prog. “Prog Rock is the reason I play drums,” Mover explains, “but by the time I turned pro, Prog in the classic sense was over. And, although I got to work with some Prog-associated artists, such as GTR (with Steve Hackett and Steve Howe), and Marillion, my career took a decidedly different, though incredibly fortunate path, working with artists such as Alice Cooper, Joe Satriani, Aretha Franklin, The Tubes, Shakira, and others. That being said, I never lost my desire to play the Prog I grew up listening to.”
He adds: “The idea and inspiration came in 2019 from my getting a last-minute rescue call to play with the Genesis tribute band, The Musical Box. That not only relit that childhood fire and desire, but made me realize: if there’s an audience for Genesis, and an audience for Yes, and Pink Floyd, and ELP, and King Crimson....there’s an audience for all of them. So, why not play them all, since I love them all, and assemble a team of extraordinary musicians that feel the same as I do? And they, like me, wanted to play a variety of Prog from all our favorite bands, and therefore thought more of the concept of an ‘homage band’, instead of a tribute band.”
Tickets range from $34-$49 and are available for purchase online. Showtime is 8:00pm. The show is open to all ages.
What is the enduring appeal of Prog? “It’s music that you really listen to, and in some ways, live in,” says Mover. “It’s not just something to play in the background. When you’re into Prog, you’re not only really into listening, but often times, attached to it as well. It’s the same for seeing it played live. It’s more than just a music performance–it’s an experience.
The Newton Theatre is located at 234 Spring Street in Newton, New Jersey.
PHOTO: L-R: Ryo Okumoto, Michael Sadler, Jonathan Mover, Mike Keneally, and Matt Dorsey
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