Jon Anderson received the ultimate prize at last night’s Prog Magazine Awards, accepting the Prog God Award from ARW bandmates Rick Wakeman and Trevor Rabin - the trio’s first public appearance since reforming in January.
Other winners included Big Big Train, who picked up Band Of The Year and Event Of The Year — for their critically acclaimed three-night residency at Kings Place in London. The Album Of The Year award went to iamthemorning’s Lighthouse, while the winner of the Chris Squire Virtuoso award went to King Crimson’s Jakko Jakszyk, and Van der Graaf Generator picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award. The full list of winners can be found below.
Guests at the event, hosted by presenter Matthew Wright and held at The Underglobe on London’s South Bank, included Rick Wakeman, comedian Ade Edmondson, Hawkwind’s Dave Brock, Gong’s Mike Howlett and Kavus Torabi, plus snooker star, DJ and radio host Steve Davis. The awards ceremony was preceded by a set by psychedelic rock band Purson.
“It’s worth considering the impact that Progressive Music continues to have,” said Prog Magazine Editor Jerry Ewing from the stage, before going on to pay tribute to Keith Emerson. A minute’s silence followed, dedicated to musicians who died this year.
The 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
All photos: Onstage - Will Ireland, backstage Kevin Nixon