Concert Review: The Heat of the Moment Tour featuring Asia with Focus, Martin Turner, and Curved Air

The Heat of the Moment Tour Review
by Nicole Chase

July 3rd, 2024: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
July 4th, 2024: OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino Resort, Fallsview, ON
July 6th, 2024: Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA

“Oh my God…he sounds just like Wetton.” A man on my right gasps with both fascination and utter disbelief in his voice during the Niagara Falls concert as Harry Whitley starts singing “Wildest Dreams.”

Welcome to day 2, and rather conveniently, concert #2 of The Heat of the Moment tour. But, before I talk more about the Niagara Falls concert, let’s go back in space and time (no TARDIS required, though) to day 1 and concert #1 of this tour.

July 3rd, 2024: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
Sonja Kristina (vocals), Kirby Gregory (guitar), and Grzegorz Gadziomski (violin) of Curved Air take the stage after the house lights dim. Their acoustic set features a handful of songs from Curved Air’s discography with Sonja providing brief commentary in between the songs. Grezegorz’s violin playing is simply spellbinding. Just marvelous.

Next up is Martin Turner, ex Wishbone Ash. With Martin (bass guitar, vocals) are Danny Wilson (guitars, vocals), Misha Nikolic (guitars, vocals), and Sonny Flint (drums). Martin and Danny’s vocals complement each other wonderfully. The band’s sound is fantastic and I find myself dancing in my seat to a significant portion of their set.

Focus, aka Thijs van Leer (Hammond organ, flute, vocals), Menno Gootjes (guitar), Udo Pannekeet (bass guitar), and Pierre van der Linden (drums), walks out onto the stage next. Their set is damned impressive, especially “Eruption.” Pierre is a machine on the kit and moves with such skill, grace, and precision. He’s impressive to watch, especially when he does extended drum solos that become more involved and frenzied, yet controlled.

After a brief intermission, the house lights dim again. The stage lights come up, but just enough to create an atmosphere and an ambiance that is communicated well; kudos to the lighting director. Asia, Geoff Downes (keyboards, vocals), John Mitchell (guitars, vocals), Harry Whitley (bass guitar, lead vocal), and Virgil Donati (drums), walks out onto the stage to applause and cheers.

Here we go.

As the first song begins, the energy from the band lights a fire. The audience, via the energy and the care that we metaphorically throw to the stage, along with the band, keeps the fire strong. The heat of the fire persists fantastically.

Harry greets us and we enthusiastically applaud and cheer. If he’s nervous, he doesn’t show it; good on him. He holds up the beautiful white bass he’s playing and says that he’ll be using it for the duration of this tour, thanks to the John Wetton Estate. As Harry says this, the band all look at him fondly. It is splendid that they all support and get on well with each other.

Geoff provides commentary for the majority of the songs, including talking about which songs on the setlist were very important to John Wetton. Their set features a good mixture of songs, including one song that is a complete surprise to me.

Throughout the course of their set, various members of the audience yell out words of support for the band, for Geoff, and for Harry. This concert is close to the top of my “concerts with an incredibly supportive and caring audience” list. Just beautiful.

The encore, “Heat of the Moment,” encourages people, self included, to get up from their seats to dance and sing. When the song ends, the audience erupts as the band take their bows and leave the stage.

A great ending to a splendid night.

July 4th, 2024: OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls, ON
Having, unfortunately, never gotten the chance to see John Wetton, I cannot put into words how wonderful and magical it is to hear and feel that bass tone from just mere feet away as Harry plays song after song.

Much like last night, the audience gets up, sings, and dances during “Heat of the Moment.” It’ll never not be cool seeing how music impacts some people.

A wonderful concert all the way around.

July 6th, 2024: Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA
Before “Video Killed The Radio Star” starts, Harry says that this song requires a costume change. He then pulls out a pair of black, Trevor Horn-esque glasses, and puts them on. Fabulous.

Watching the interactions between Harry and John during the course of Asia’s sets since Ridgefield is a delight. There’s a palpable sense of fondness between them. Before “Heat of the Moment,” John pinky promises that this is the last song. Harry lifts up a pinky whilst looking over at John, waiting for John to actually pinky promise him. John doesn’t leave him hanging and the audience cheers when they lock pinkies.

Brilliant concert.

In conclusion
I am glad that I did a solo road trip from northeast Florida to the aforementioned venues to support this tour, even just a little bit. It was a phenomenal experience that I’ll treasure as live music is so precious and special.

When this tour was first announced back in late April and indeed, since the tour started, keyboard warriors have dismissed this tour and the current lineup of Asia. A few of them were present at one of the concerts I attended, and were swiftly silenced by myself and others around them. Their words, which the whole world must listen to, mean very little because they believe that every thought they have is aglow. Good riddance.

If you’re on the fence about seeing one of the remaining concerts of this tour, I would encourage you to see one; Asia is solid and the setlist is very good. Live in the moment. And don’t miss the opening acts before Asia if you go.

John Wetton’s spirit was very much present throughout every single concert I saw. Present throughout every single Asia song that the band played. Present strongly in Geoff, John, Harry, and Virgil. Their collective musicianship is so indescribably good. John, Harry, and Virgil are beyond deserving of being asked to join this lineup; they’re all exceptionally talented and honor John Wetton gracefully. Both John and Virgil worked with John Wetton in the past: John played guitar and sang backing vocals with the John Wetton Band along with the Wetton/Downes project, Icon, mixed/mastered ASIA’s Gravitas, and was a close friend, while Virgil drummed in U.K. on different occasions. Geoff found Harry after watching one of his YouTube videos and, well, the rest is history. The love for John Wetton is enormous on the stage; it is moving and absolutely beautiful.

The entire band has so much fun on stage; go…feel that fun. Be present with John Wetton’s spirit. With that love.

You’ve got the time, just go!