In a perfect world, pets would live forever, bacon would be a vegetable and all of Will Ferrell’s movies would be hysterical. Alas, the world is far from perfect, and its flaws, of course, extend to the music business, where creative differences, personality clashes, ego and greed result in the vast majority of bands eventually splintering. Sometimes it’s one lineup change, sometimes multiple—and sometimes the turnover is so extensive that the band carries on without a single founding member. Why? Because in the end, it’s about the songs and a fan base’s everlasting connection to (and love for) them.
Nobody understands this better than John Payne. In 1992, he replaced John Wetton as frontman for supergroup Asia, holding that position until 2006 when the only remaining original member (keyboardist Geoff Downes) left to briefly reform the original lineup. Months later, Asia’s four founding members struck a deal with Payne that allowed him to press on as Asia Featuring John Payne. Since then, they’ve been waving the Asia flag the world over, performing such timeless classics like “Heat of the Moment,” “Sole Survivor,” and “Only Time Will Tell,” much to the enjoyment of fans looking for a blast of the past.
Golden Nugget, 8 p.m. Nov. 8, starting at $39 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
