Well, quite a show that was. I had mixed feelings about it going in, as this was the first time I have seen them without Jon Anderson or Rick Wakeman. Definitely a different vibe than a Furthur show, with all the prog-rock geeks and freaks out and about. I think there were maybe 40 women in the whole place, of which probably only 10 were there for the show.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed myself, aided by the great VIP balcony level tickets that my friend scored for us, and the boomers added an additional layer to the sonic environment. Both of these were of great benefit, given that I knew this would be a rather personal, sit down affair. The house was about 75% full.
They played 3 albums in their entirety; Close to the Edge, The Yes Album, and Going for the One, in that order with a 20 minute break between the 2nd and 3rd album. The only other song they played was Roundabout as an encore.
Maybe it was my seat, as I've been to this venue many times before (The Midland Theater), but I thought the sound was dismal at the start, over driven with acoustics more akin to a gymnasium than a theater. Either I adjusted to it or they got it dialed in, as it seemed to improve as the show progressed thru the evening.
I've loved Yes music since my youth. The complexities and experimentation of their songs and structure drew me in, more thru critical home album listening than live performances. This makes for quite an adjustment seeing them live, especially after so many Furthur/PLF shows where the live shows outshine the studio recordings.
Jon Davison did an admirable job on vocals, capturing Jon Anderson's light, airy ways without getting too "flowery", he maintained a presence on stage without being corny or distracting. I have to say I was really pleased with the way his voice sounded and any reservation I had about him were quickly dismissed.
Chris Squire displayed his "rock god" staging, with a giant wall of speaker cabinets, and at one point breaking out a triple neck bass. I've always felt he thrived off of the image more than the music, which continues to be a turnoff for me, though he is still very capable of shaking you to the core with his headstrong playing. Turn it up to 11 is his mindset.
Alan White was as competent a drummer as ever, though I would have rather seen Bill Buford in this lineup.
Geoff Downes had an array of keyboards at his disposal, and kept his back to the audience most of the night. Not being partial to this period of Yes, I would have preferred Rick Wakeman, and couldn't help but to think of Geoff as a "fill in" player. No Hammond , no Mellotron.
Steve Howe was the member that made me have to see this show. His guitar abilities have not diminished with age. He really opened up and I saw a more active Steve than his staid posturing in the past, making his way to the center of the stage during solos on several occasions. The Clap was a highlight to be sure.
Overall I was glad to have attended the show, but it made evidently clear the differences between a show like this and any Furthur/Dead show. This had more showmanship and stage trappings than genuine exchange between musicians with the goal of creating a sonic stew. I also can't help but think these guys are doing it more for the money than for the sense of creating great music. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every song played and had an absolutely great time, but I sure missed of all the things that make a Furthur show so special. One of the best examples of this was when they took their break, they had just finished The Yes Album, and they just slowly left the stage, with Jon Davison even waving to the crowd. Then a message was displayed on the video screen that said there would be a 20 minute intermission. I was like "what the" couldn't one of the band members say something to the crowd about the break, ala Bob? That left an impersonal, cold feeling in me.
Anyway, this may be a nonconventional review, but it's just my thoughts about the night.
The following user(s) said Thank You:
Chester
