1999 - May sees the new line-up and the first gig since the sabbatical. The 'Woven Chord' concert is performed in London with the All Souls Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall.
June - November - 1999 - A very busy time in the studio. Soon after the succesful 'Woven Cord' concert with the All Soul's Orchestra, work begins on piecing together material from the concert for the 'Woven Cord' album. Pic left shows Nigel Palmer backstage recording the Festival Hall concert (May 1999).
After a few months of editing, mixing takes place with Calum Malcolm at Castle studio near Edinburgh in August. Meanwhile, writing of material for what is to become the 'Open Sky' album is happening concurrently.
August / September - A few festival appearances in Europe (Switzerland and Holland). The Switzerland festival is memorable for the band playing during a thunder storm, complete with torrential rain and towels on the equipment in a vain attempt to keep it dry!
October
1999 - The 'Woven Cord' album is released on the Alliance label. Forefront
in the US delay release until March of the following year.
November 1999 - March 2000 - Recording of the 'Open Sky' album, largely at Chapel Studios in the heart of rural Lincolnshire. The band breaks off in December to play at a concert in aid of Amnesty International in Germany.
May 2000 - Release of 'Open Sky' coincides with a UK tour.
July 2000 - Further UK dates, including at a Millennium celebration in the spectacular surroundings of Stourhead Gardens in Wiltshire.
November 2000 - The band's first actual tour in Switzerland (see pics below) is very well attended and well received. Jean-Daniel Lerber, the tour's promoter becomes the band's tour agent for the whole of mainland Europe.
December 2000 - Concerts in Holland. Nick Beggs fills in for Phil, who is unable to get out of a prior commitment.
February 2001 - Iona's first ever concert dates in Japan organised by The Music Plant. The band are overwhelmed by the audience response each night, and the fact that many people are already familiar with the band's music. An acoustic 'welcome' evening in a small club sees the whole audience coming to chat to the band and have their cds signed afterwards! Over a traditional Japanese meal, Joanne announces the joyous news that she is pregnant - and suffering very bad morning sickness.
March - July - Due to complications with the pregnancy, Jo's doctor advises her not to do anymore long haul flights until after the baby is born. The band manages one Festival appearance in the USA in Memphis, but unfortunately has to cancel other US dates and the planned appearance at the Baja Prog Festival in Mexico.
July - The band is dropped by US label Forefront after management changes at the company and a change of emphasis to favour signing more younger chart oriented artists.
August - After discussions with Alliance Media, Iona's UK label, it is agreed that the band can be freed from their current contract in order to set up their own label 'Open Sky'. Iona immediately begin to look into the possibility of releasing a 4cd box set as their own label's first release. Greenbelt Festival decide that it is too risky to have the band on the bill due to Jo's baby's imminent birth (although Jo is feeling fine by now), so they cancel our appearance.
September 28th - Baby Issac Hogg is born to proud parents Jo and Steve.
