Simon Phillips Brings Protocol V to Yoshi’s

The legendary drummer returns to Oakland with Protocol V as the band enters a new chapter defined by fresh writing, a new voice, and the sound-first values that have guided his five-decade career.

See the full show details and ticket information at the end of this feature. Listen to the full conversation with Simon Phillips below.

For more than fifty years, Simon Phillips has built his career from within the sound. His drumming rarely serves as ornament. It functions as architecture—supporting weight, directing motion, and shaping how music occupies a room. Across decades with Jeff Beck, The Who, and Toto, and in his own long-running Protocol project, Phillips has remained less interested in stylistic labels than in how music feels when it moves air.

That sensibility arrives at Yoshi’s on Monday, Jan. 26, as Phillips brings Protocol V back to Oakland. The performance arrives at a moment of forward motion. A new album, Protocol VI, is nearing completion. A European tour begins in May. The band itself continues to evolve, with new repertoire entering the set and a new saxophone voice reshaping the ensemble’s internal balance.

“At this point, the band feels like a living organism,” Phillips reflected during our conversation. “Once you reach this level of familiarity, the music begins to breathe on its own.”

Early Years Inside Professional Sound

Phillips’ comfort in complex musical environments developed early. Long before international tours and large-format studios, he honed his craft among musicians decades older than he was.

“I was already used to playing with older men anyway,” he recalled. “I was in my dad’s band for four years when I was 12. I think the youngest guy was 30, and my dad would’ve been 61 then.”

That upbringing eased his transition into professional recording studios as a teenager. He remembered those early sessions less as moments of intimidation than as environments that felt familiar.

“I was also used to going into studios and listening—sitting by the drummer when my dad did BBC broadcasts,” he said. “It was a scenario I was used to. I just hunkered down, did it, and tried to do the best job. I didn’t really notice it. I just had a job to do and got on with it.”

Protocol As A Composer’s Vehicle

Although Phillips launched Protocol in 1989, the project’s modern identity solidified over the past decade as he refined both the lineup and his compositional focus. Protocol became the place where writing, production, and performance converged.

“When I write, I just write,” he explained. “I might just write with a click [track] going. Then I add the harmony. Then I go on to the next section.”

The compositions often arrive before the physical logistics. “I don’t even figure out how to play the damn thing for a while,” he laughed. “I just write.”

Writing Toward Protocol VI

The next record, Protocol VI, is already being discussed on the current tour. Phillips confirmed that Oakland audiences will hear new music in development. “We are going to play some of the tunes from the new album at Yoshi’s,” he said.

He described the new writing as a continuation shaped by onstage experience. “Each record carries forward what the previous band taught me,” he explained. “The new music grows from how this group actually sounds in rooms.”

Compositions That Begin In Daily Life

Many Protocol pieces originate far from the drum kit. Phillips described writing “Jagannath” amid the isolation of the pandemic.

“I needed an uptempo tune,” he recalled. “I came up with the idea of using a very Indian-type line, very typical Indian rhythms, where they minimize and shorten each time you play them.”

Phillips spoke about an unlikely inspiration. “Our local dust bins [garbage trucks] are picked up on Wednesday morning,” he continued. “These are big, heavy trucks. You can hear them even with all the windows closed. I thought that’s a juggernaut.”

A New Voice In The Band

This tour also introduces a new saxophonist [Phillip Whack] into the Protocol lineup.

“Any time you bring a new voice into a band like this, the chemistry changes,” he explained. “Suddenly, the phrasing moves differently. The harmonic weight redistributes… One of the most important things about being in a band is not just the playing,” he added. “It’s the hang.”

Why Yoshi’s Matters

Phillips returns to Yoshi’s with deep familiarity.

“Yoshi’s is blessed with a wonderful PA system,” he said. “And their staff is really good. They know that room and how to get a good sound.”

Ticket Info

Simon Phillips’ return to Yoshi’s brings decades of electric lineage into one of the Bay Area’s most sonically revealing rooms.

Show details: Simon Phillips Protocol V
Venue: Yoshi’s Oakland
Date: Monday, Jan. 26, 2026
Showtime: 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7 p.m.)
Tickets: https://yoshis.com/events/buy-tickets/simon-phillips-protocol-v-5/detai

Photo Credit: Stephanie Cabral