For more than 50 years, Nektar won the hearts of a devoted following by taking legions of fans on audio-visual journeys to far reaches of the universe and the depths of the ocean with their immersive and innovative “Sound and Light Theatre” presentations.

Lady Luck has not always been as kind to Nektar as the music seemingly deserves, however in its many incarnations over the years that concept has always persevered despite it all.

2024 finds the band at crossroads that would have been hard to imagine with the sad recent loss of founding member and musical brother Ron Howden, and obstacles like the covid shut down and general malaise of the concert scene in recent memory, but incredibly, a new chapter is unfolding in a very positive way.

When the band reformed in 2019, founding member Derek “Mo” Moore talked about that Nektar situation as “Unfinished Business,” and it felt like that in many ways.

Back in 1978 when Nektar was being reformed after Roye Albrighton’s departure, Mo and Ryche Chlanda together wrote the new music that many years later would be recorded as “The Other Side” album. Ryche left the band to tour with his other projects before it could be recorded and performed live on tour. Jumping forward to 2020 during “The Other Side” sessions it felt like the band was picking up right where they left off back then, right down to the setlist, which would have fit in perfectly that way.

Nektar played well over 100 live shows over the course of the reunion, starting off with the debut at ProgStock 2019 and encompassing strongholds like the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville in Illinois and The Dunellen Theatre in New Jersey, so close to where Nektar had relocated to in 1975, and where Ron Howden’s next to last ever gig was recorded and filmed, just weeks before his untimely passing.

He describes himself as "a classical pianist trapped in a rock guitarist’s body" and brings his passion for music to life with the diverse range of instruments he plays on stage. The live event will thrill audiences as he is joined by Michael Dutko (Gary Hoey) on bass and Leah Bluestein (Eagles of Death Metal) on drums. The mesmerizing multimedia production is further enhanced by virtual all-star guest appearances on three video screens, including Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Arthur Brown (Crazy World of Arthur Brown), Dave Bainbridge (Strawbs, Iona), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N' Roses, Sons of Apollo, Asia), Peter Zay (New Bedford Symphony Orchestra), and Simon Fitzpatrick (ELP Legacy, Jennifer Batten).