Things Can Only Get Better Tour - Final Week

richardblade
2 days ago
3 min read

Wantagh, NY - August 20, 2026 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater

Jones Beach Theater is an amazing venue, with a brilliant stage, sound system, lighting—and even paddleboards available for the performers! Before the show, Rory from Howard Jones' band and I couldn't resist taking them out for nearly two hours. It was a great way to get ready for what was supposed to be an awesome night.

Backstage at Jones Beach, everything was ready as the Things Can Only Get Better Tour prepared to rock the arena. But Mother Nature had other plans.

A massive storm hit during the evening, shutting the show down after my first set and Modern English. A shelter-in-place order was issued, and a tornado touched down just four miles away. After nearly three hours, the order was finally lifted, and I headed back out to restart the show.

Amazingly, most of the crowd stayed, braving the torrential rain to continue the night. We even had a couple of special guests join us—Lou Diamond Phillips and, for the WLIR crowd, Larry the Duck.

From paddleboarding before the show to surviving a massive storm and returning to the stage, it was truly an evening to remember!

Holmdel, NJ - August 21, 2026 PNC Bank Arts Center

The Things Can Only Get Better Tour made its final U.S. stop at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey—and what a night it was!

After the storms the night before, the weather couldn't have been better. The evening began with another incredible free meet and greet, with a long line of fans arriving early to chat, take selfies, and have books signed before the show.

Broadcasting for SiriusXM 1st Wave, the final U.S. show of the tour became a nonstop party from the opening greeting through the final wrap-up of the '80s. The audience was brilliant and brought incredible energy to the night.

A big thank you to the staff and crew at the PNC Bank Arts Center, who were exceptional—and even had an on-site gym, The Shred Zone, available to use!

Special thanks as well to Doug Tirola for capturing some great photos from the show. What a night, and what a fantastic audience. Here's hoping the tour returns to New Jersey next year!

Next stop: Toronto, Canada, for the final show of the Things Can Only Get Better Tour.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada - August 23, 2026

The Bowl at Sobeys Stadium

Last Night of the Howard Jones Tour

With one final day off before the last show, it was time for one more round of “Where's Richard?” before the Things Can Only Get Better Tour headed to Toronto for its grand finale.

The tour closed with a stadium show at Sobeys Stadium, bringing together Howard Jones, Wang Chung, the English Beat, Modern English, and Richard Blade for one final night. Everyone was pumped and ready to close out the tour with their best performances yet.

The final meet and greet may have been the biggest of the entire tour, with an incredible crowd turning out before the show. And what a way to finish—a packed stadium, a sold-out audience, and one final unforgettable night.

When it was all over, the stadium quickly went from full to empty. Just an hour earlier, thousands of people had filled the venue. Then, as the audience headed home, the hard-working crew remained behind, packing up the gear and bringing the tour to its close.

It was a brilliant and unforgettable tour. Thank you to all the artists and crew who made the Things Can Only Get Better Tour so special. Throughout the entire tour, there were no arguments, harsh words, or one-upmanship—just a group of friends working together to give audiences a great time.

And thank you to everyone who came out to the shows. Your energy fed us on stage every night. Until next year, take care.