Watch: URIAH HEEP Plays First Concert Without Founding Guitarist MICK BOX

British progressive rock legends URIAH HEEP kicked off the January/February 2026 Scandinavian leg of their farewell tour Thursday night (January 22) at Tempere-Talo in Tampere, Finland. Joining singer Bernie Shaw, keyboardist Phil Lanzon, drummer Russell Gilbrook and bassist Dave Rimmer on stage at the gig was Sam Wood, who is the guitarist of the THIN LIZZY spinoff outfit BLACK STAR RIDERS, and WAYWARD SONS, the band led by former LITTLE ANGELS frontman Toby Jepson. Wood is filling in for URIAH HEEP's founding guitarist Mick Box, who is forced to miss some dates on the band's current tour after falling ill. The news was announced in a statement posted on URIAH HEEP's social media accounts from Box's bandmates.

Fan-filmed video of the Tampere concert can be seen below.

In September 2024, URIAH HEEP announced its plans to embark on a farewell tour, dubbed "The Magician's Farewell", beginning with a seven-show U.K. run in February 2025.

Box, who hadn't missed any URIAH HEEP shows since the band was founded in 1969, told Classic Rock magazine last year that a number of factors contributed to URIAH HEEP's decision to retire from touring.

"None of us are getting any younger, and since Brexit and COVID, the touring side of the business is becoming tougher and tougher, making it almost impossible to do the really long tours that we like to do," Box said. "Tour bus prices have tripled. The government only allows us 90 days outside of the country. It's more and more difficult, on every front."

After the Tampere show, URIAH HEEP was scheduled to play 14 more gigs across Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

On January 21, Mick's URIAH HEEP bandmates released the following statement regarding his absence from the current dates: "We would like to let everyone know that Mick has been taken ill and will not be able to perform the first few shows on the Scandinavian leg of 'The Magician's Farewell Tour' starting in Tampere, Finland this Thursday.

"We are monitoring Mick's progress daily and he will be back on the road as soon as he is fit, and he sends his best along with his sincere apologies to you all.

"We have been very lucky to have Sam Wood stand in at the very last minute with Mick's blessing for the shows Mick cannot make.

"We truly appreciated everyone's understanding in this unfortunate position we are in and hope you can make Sam welcome in this less than easy task for him.

"We will keep you updated on Mick's progress and see you all starting tomorrow.

"Bernie, Phil, Russ and Davy."

In December 2024, Box was asked by Planet Rock's Paul Anthony what he is planning on doing with his time once URIAH HEEP has completed its farewell tour. Mick said: "I guess we'll do [some] writing and go in the recording studio and do other aspects of the of the game, but as I say, we're still gonna be touring, still gonna be playing. It's just that we're not doing the really long stuff. We'll do it in sections rather than a whole long splurge."

After Anthony noted that URIAH HEEP still records new music and is not known as "just a heritage act" which doesn't perform its more recent songs live, Mick concurred. "Well, yeah," he said. "I mean, when you look at it, we've got a lot of classic rock songs. And the new songs are soon to be classic, because it's only time that gives them that title. [Laughs] So, yeah, we look at it like that. And they merge very well, because it's the band doing what the band does, using the same template we had from day one, musically, and that's the Hammond organ, the wah-wah guitar, five[-part vocal harmonies], all that sort of stuff. We just apply that to each song and it's URIAH HEEP."

URIAH HEEP's farewell tour will run for approximately two or three years and will include performances in all parts of the globe.

URIAH HEEP's 25th studio album, "Chaos & Colour", was released in January 2023 via Silver Lining Music. The LP was recorded during the summer of 2021 at Chapel Studios in London with Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, COREY TAYLOR, BLACK STAR RIDERS) at the helm.

URIAH HEEP debuted in 1970 with the release of one of hard rock's milestones, "Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble", and has since sold in excess of 40 million albums worldwide. They have constantly toured the world, playing up to 125 shows a year to more than 500,000 fans. The band's live set features the classic tracks from the '70s and is a musical journey from the band's beginnings to the present day.