PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
1 September 2016 – Prog Magazine’s fifth annual Progressive Music Awards, in association with Currencies.co.uk, has once again honoured progressive music in the intimate and idyllic setting of the world famous Underglobe, beneath Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
The awards have become one of the best attended and most anticipated events in the musical calendar. From those acts making their first tentative forays into the wider musical world, to the prog overlords who have been there, done it and are now receiving a well deserved slap on the back for their endeavours.
Yes’ Jon Anderson was the evening’s guest of honour and recipient of the Prog God award, an accolade bestowed to the world’s music innovators and has been previously accepted by Rick Wakeman, Ian Anderson, Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks.
Anderson has one of the most recognisable voices in rock was the driving and creative force behind Yes, who have sold over 30 million albums. He found mainstream success between 1979 and 1991 through his collaboration with Vangelis, and the duo (known as Jon & Vangelis) released four acclaimed albums. Still creating music and touring, he recently released the album ‘Invention of Knowledge’ with Roine Stolt under the name Anderson / Stolt to huge acclaim, and after a 25 year hiatus, he has reunited with Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman and will tour this definitive Yes line-up from October as ARW.
Hosted by the irrepressible broadcaster and prog superfan Matthew Wright, the evening celebrated and honoured the past, present and future of prog. From Trevor Horn collecting The Outer Limits award for his band The Buggles, and The Police’s Andy Summers winning the Guiding Light Award, through to some of the most exciting acts just breaking through such as The Anchoress and The Mute Gods who picked up the Limelight and Vanguard awards respectively. Big Big Train, who released their eighth studio album ‘Folklore’ in May of this year, were multiple winners on the night picking up Live Event for their Kings Place shows in London – their first live performances in 17 years, and Band of the Year.
The evening winners:
Limelight sponsored by K Scope – The Anchoress
Anthem sponsored by Teamrock.com – Riverside ‘Towards the Blue Horizon’
Live Event sponsored by The Stage – Big Big Train
Vanguard sponsored by The Ticket Factory – The Mute Gods
Storm Thorgerson Grand Design Award sponsored by Chord Electronics – Anthony Phillips Esoteric Reissue Series
Album of the Year sponsored by Cherry Red and Esoteric Records – iamthemorning – ‘Lighthouse’
Band of the Year sponsored by Olympus – Big Big Train
The Outer Limits sponsored by Inside Out Music – Buggles
Chris Squire Virtuoso sponsored by Butlins (Giants of Rock) – Jakko Jakszyk (King Crimson)
Guiding Light sponsored by currencies.co.uk – Andy Summers
Visionary sponsored by Eagle Vision – Jon Hiseman (colosseum)
Lifetime Achievement sponsored by Prog Rocks – Van der Graaf Generator
Prog God – Jon Anderson
The Progressive Music Awards in association with currencies.co.uk, took place on September 1, at the Underglobe at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
