NEKTAR The Legendary Rock Band

Formed in Germany in 1969 by British expats, Nektar is among the originators of the progressive rock movement of the 1970s as well as the jam-band scene that arose from it. Their sound traveled well to the States, where they enjoyed Top 40 success with “A Tab in the Ocean” (1972) and Top 20 with“Remember the Future” (1973). Nearly 20 albums and a half-century later, the band’s artistic and personal charisma has earned them masses of devoted fans, who have flocked to festivals such as NearFest and ProgStock. “The Other Side” has been hailed as “an epic concept album” and “the best recording by Nektar since ‘”Recycled.’” Mostly written by Mo Moore and Ryche Chlanda in 1978 it was released as a double album in March of 2020 right when COVID hit the United States, taking the band out of circulation for almost 2 years. “The whole album is a love song,” says Mo. It’s also a memorial to friends the band has lost, including fellow founding member Roye Albrighton, who passed in 2016 and Taff Freeman in 2021 and their long-time sound mixer Vinny Schmid. Currently, Nektar features original member Derek ‘Mo’ Moore (bass guitar, vocals), Ryche Chlanda (guitar, vocals) from the 1978 Nektar band, Kendall Scott on keyboards and Jay Dittamo on Drums. They will be joined onstage by Maryann Castello on backing vocals. Since Ron Howden’s passing in September 2023, the band has forged ahead with Ron’s designated drummer, Jay Dittamo. Nektar has a new Live DVD filmed at the Dunellen Theatre in 2023, which was Ron’s last concert, plus a new album with music written over the past 3 years that we were in the works in September 2023, when Ron died. Nektar will be playing exciting new music from their new album “Mission to Mars,” plus music from the 2019 album “The Other Side”, as well as “Remember the Future” and assorted songs from their classic catalog.