Arena (band)

Arena are an English neo-progressive rock band founded in 1995. Their style ranges from symphonic to hard rock.

Arena
Arena in 2020
Background information
OriginVirginia Water, Surrey, England
GenresNeo-progressive rock
Years active1995–present
LabelsVerglas, Griffin, SPV
Websitearenaband.co.uk
MembersClive Nolan
Mick Pointer
John Mitchell
Kylan Amos
Damian Wilson
Past membersKeith More
John Carson
Cliff Orsi
John Jowitt
Paul Wrightson
Ian Salmon
Rob Sowden
Paul Manzi

History

Arena was founded in 1995 by Clive Nolan keyboardist of Pendragon and Shadowland, and Mick Pointer, the original drummer of Marillion, his tenure lasting from 1979 until 1983. The other founding members of the band were guitarist Keith More, vocalist John Carson, and bassist Cliff Orsi. Orsi was replaced by John Jowitt (of IQ) in the band's inaugural year, whilst Carson and More left the band in 1996 and 1997, and were replaced by Paul Wrightson and John Mitchell (of Frost*) respectively.

Both Jowitt and Wrightson left the band in 1998, to be replaced by Ian Salmon and Rob Sowden, creating the band's most stable lineup to date (from 1998 until 2010). This lineup came to an end with Paul Manzi replacing Sowden in 2010. In 2011, Jowitt rejoined the band to replace the departing Salmon, leaving again in 2014 and being replaced by Kylan Amos. In July 2020, Manzi was replaced by Damian Wilson.[1]

Most of the band's lyrics are written by Nolan, though Pointer contributed lyrics to Sirens and other tracks on the first two albums.

Musically the band's style ranges from symphonic to hard rock. While in the beginning the Band sound like the "old" Marillion from the Fish era, some of the band's recent albums have a similar sound to Nolan's earlier band, Shadowland.

AllMusic called them one of the dominant neo-prog groups of the 1990s.[2]

Personnel

Members

Lineups
1995 1995-1996 1996-1997 1997-1998 1998-2010
  • John Carson – lead vocals
  • Keith More – guitars, backing vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • Cliff Orsi – bass
  • John Carson – lead vocals
  • Keith More – guitars, backing vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Jowitt – bass, backing vocals
  • Keith More – guitars, backing vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Jowitt – bass, backing vocals
  • Paul Wrightson – lead vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Jowitt – bass, backing vocals
  • Paul Wrightson – lead vocals
  • John Mitchell – guitars, backing vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Mitchell – guitars, backing vocals
  • Ian Salmon – bass
  • Rob Sowden – lead vocals
2010-2011 2011-2014 2014-2020 2020-
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Mitchell – guitars, backing vocals
  • Ian Salmon – bass
  • Paul Manzi – lead vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Mitchell – guitars, backing vocals
  • Paul Manzi – lead vocals
  • John Jowitt – bass, backing vocals
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Mitchell – guitars, backing vocals
  • Paul Manzi – lead vocals
  • Kylan Amos – bass
  • Clive Nolan – keyboards, backing vocals
  • Mick Pointer – drums
  • John Mitchell – guitars, backing vocals
  • Damian Wilson – lead vocals
  • Kylan Amos – bass

Timeline

Discography
Arena at the Baltic Prog Fest 2007 in Lithuania

Studio

Live
  • Welcome to the Stage (1997)
  • Breakfast in Biarritz (2001)
  • Live & Life (2004)
  • Arena: Live (2013)
  • Arena: XX (2016)

EP
  • Edits (1996)
  • The Cry (1997)
  • Contagious (2003)
  • Contagium (2003)

Compilations
  • Ten Years On (2006)

Videos/DVDs
  • Caught in the Act (2003) (live)
  • Smoke & Mirrors (2006) (live)
  • Rapture (2011) (live)
  • Arena: XX (2016) (live)
  • Re-Visited (2018) (live)

Fanclub releases
  • Welcome Back! To the Stage (1997)
  • The Visitor Revisited (1999)
  • Unlocking the Cage (2000)
  • Radiance (2003)

References
  1. Jerry Ewing. "Damian Wilson joins Arena". Loudersound.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. Geoff Orens. "Arena Biography". AllMusic.
  3. "Paul Manzi leaves Arena". Loudersound.com. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
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