Thirty-five years after Howard Jones’s song “What is Love” peaked on the U.K. charts at number three, the pioneer of synth pop continues to use innovation and collaboration to draw in audiences. During his upcoming Vilar Performing Arts Center (VPAC) show, Jones will perform an acoustic concert with Nick Beggs and Robin Boult.
The Howard Jones Acoustic Trio takes the stage on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $48 and are available by calling 970-845-8497 or visiting vilarpac.org.
Jones is best known for his string of synth-driven hits during the 1980s, including 1984’s “Things Can Only Get Better,” and 1985’s “No One Is to Blame,” which peaked, respectively at number five and four on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Over the course of his career, Howard has sold over 8 million albums across the globe.
In 1983, Jones’s synthesizer-driven debut influenced a new generation of electronic and dance musicians. Widely regarded as a pioneer of synth, he has worked with contemporary electronic artists such as Ferry Corsten, Eric Prydz and Cedric Gervais. He collaborated with Gervais on a new version of “Things Can Only Get Better” in 2013 and enjoyed 14 weeks on the Billboard dance chart top 40.
His collaborative nature persists; He will release a new studio album in May titled “Transform” that features three collaborations with electronic producer BT. The show is a chance to see and hear a more stripped down, intimate Howard Jones when he performs a special acoustic set.
If you go …
What: Howard Jones Acoustic Trio.
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek.
Cost: Tickets start at $48.
More information: 970-845-8497, vilarpac.org.