Yes Postpones European Tour for Steve Howe Surgery

Progressive rock icons Yes have officially postponed their 11-date European Fragile tour to accommodate guitarist Steve Howe's upcoming medical procedure. The band announced that Howe requires an "essential operation that requires recovery time," necessitating the scheduling change.

The band emphasized their commitment to fan satisfaction in an official statement: "This decision has been made to ensure that Steve can return to the stage in full health and deliver the performances that fans deserve." The group is actively working to reschedule the UK and European shows for a later date, with complete details expected after Easter. Ticket holders are advised to retain their current tickets, which will remain valid for all rescheduled performances. The statement confirmed that other tour dates planned for later in 2026 will proceed as originally scheduled.

The postponed tour was set to commence April 22 in Glasgow and would have featured a complete live performance of Yes's 1971 masterwork Fragile. During the North American leg last year, the band's setlist also included beloved tracks such as "Soon," "Tempus Fugit," "Wonderous Stories," and "Starship Troopers."

The band has not yet announced when replacement dates will be revealed.

Current Band Configuration

Howe remains the sole surviving member from the original Fragile album lineup currently performing with Yes. The contemporary roster features vocalist Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, drummer Jay Schellan, and keyboardist Geoff Downes. Downes previously performed with the Buggles and had a brief stint with Yes during their 1980 Drama era before permanently rejoining the band in 2011.

Persistent Divisions with Founding Members

Apart from the band's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2017, Howe has not shared the stage with original Yes frontman Jon Anderson since 2004. Despite Anderson's expressed interest in reuniting, Howe has consistently declined such possibilities. In a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone, Howe explained: "Yes is about people who love working together and can. That word 'can' carries the whole story. That means compatibility and the same awarenesses about what we want to do. And I think [Jon and I] passed that point a long time ago."

This ongoing disagreement has not prevented Anderson from continuing his musical association with the Yes legacy. Between 2010 and 2018, he led the spinoff ensemble Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, and Rick Wakeman (initially marketed as Anderson, Rabin, and Wakeman). More recently, Anderson has been touring with professional musicians under the banner Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks. This group released the album True in 2024 and is currently conducting a U.S. tour featuring classic Yes material from the 1970s.

Upcoming Album Release

Yes has confirmed completion of their next studio album. In a March interview with Rolling Stone, vocalist Jon Davison revealed: "We've just finished it. It's all mastered. We're working on all the details of the album sleeve and Roger Dean submitting the final artwork as we speak. It's scheduled to be out in, I think, July."