Yes tonight

[Markay]

So big week after the Stones on Wednesday night off for for prog rock evening Saturday night.

 

Fragile and Close to the Edge complete, plus excerpts of Heaven and Earth. Not sure what to expect. Viewed their Live At Montreaux DVD the other night with Anderson and was a somewhat underwhelmed. Different line up now Anyone seen the current lineup with Jon Davison and Geoff Downes?

[Tusker]

Anyone seen the current lineup with Jon Davison and Geoff Downes?

 

I saw a decent rendition of Siberian Khatru on youtube ...

[video:youtube]sNblyV7039I

Geoff has an unfortunate clam at 3.07 in the harpsichord solo, but props to him. He is playing all the parts of some of Yes' most adventurous music ... and Rick has had his share of clams too.

 

I like the new singer. The material promises to be very interesting. It's going to be fun. Have a blast.

 

Please give us a review.

[Dana.]

I'm holding out for the GTR reunion.

 

[video:youtube]

[Markay]

Will do, seeing them in a smallish theatre, we will be 15 rows back on Geoff's side of the stage. Noted Geoff has 3 laptops running MainStage in the vids you linked, might take binoculars to see which sounds he is running from MainStage.

[Stellvia]

Saw them Wednesday night in Perth in a packed theatre. Really good show! Was sitting about 11 rows back on Downes/Howes side.

 

Could see a couple of laptops, looked like Mainstage. Counted 9 keyboards on stage, could only identify a few of them from where I was sitting. Studiologic Sledge really stood out, looked like a Jupiter 50 or FA06 above a Numa Piano of some sort. Hammond SK1 seemed to be used for the majority of organ sounds. A lot of the boards looked to be used as controllers for the laptops.

 

Downes did a really solid job, and for once the keyboards were really prominent in the mix, second only to Squire's bass, which was fantastic. Squire and Howe played great as always (saw the same lineup a couple of years ago), though Howe occasionally got lost in the mix. White's drums were the weakest in the mix, cymbals were pretty much lost most of the time. Davison has a great voice and did a great job with the older material.

 

The two classic albums were great, as expected, and they really got into playing them. There were 2 songs of the new album to break the old albums up, and surprisingly I liked both of them

 

Overall a really enjoyable concert with some great musicians playing some fantastic music!

[AnotherScott]

I saw the tour before this one... actually saw one of the first shows and one of the last shows. I thought the first one was quite good. On the last one, though, they seemed tired. Some of the tempos, well, to say they dragged would be generous. It was more like Yes on quaaludes.

[MorayM]

I saw them on this tour earlier in the year at the show they filmed for their most recent DVD. It was the first time I've seem them and I enjoyed the show, but looking back at the trailer from the DVD, the performance was flat. Guess I was caught up in the moment...

 

Also the sound for the first number was atrocious - everything above about 5K was boosted massively which has left me with ringing nearly 6 months later. They'd mostly fixed it by the end of the first half, but after 20 minutes of Close To The Edge, the damage was done.

 

Geoff was good though, with his monster rig. I did have binoculars so could work out most of it. The Sledge sounded amazing but his Hammond sounds were lacking I felt. Not sure if they were on Mainstage or from the VK8. He did chicken out of the intro to Awaken though - played with one hand on a piano octave setting

[Bosendorphen]

Seen the current line-up twice since 2012. My wife was one of those "no Jon (Anderson) no Yes" folks until she saw the live stream recently with Davison on vocals. We both are really enjoying the new album too and she is a fan again (she's loved Yes since the 70s). I really like "Subway Walls" in particular and hope they do it live next year.

 

Geoff is solid and at the times I've seen him has played all the parts impeccably. A great orchestrator. The band has a lot of renewed energy.

[Dana.]

Also the sound for the first number was atrocious - everything above about 5K was boosted massively which has left me with ringing nearly 6 months later.

Were you not wearing ear plugs?

[Doerfler]

Anyone seen the current lineup with Jon Davison and Geoff Downes?

 

Mark-

 

I saw this lineup July 2013 at the Warner Theater in DC. Best concert I saw all year (I don't count E Street Band shows as they are events to me). They played, in their entirety, Close To The Edge, The Yes Album, 20 minute break, Going For The One. I still think about this show often, and as you know, I see many shows. Have fun.

 

[MorayM]

Also the sound for the first number was atrocious - everything above about 5K was boosted massively which has left me with ringing nearly 6 months later.

Were you not wearing ear plugs?

 

Sadly not - of all the gigs I've been to, I thought that Yes playing in a fairly conservative theatre would be one of the quietest!

[Dana.]

Oof. I would never go to a rock show without plugs.

[nadroj]

Downes posted his rig on twitter recently if any of you cats are on that (who am I kidding?).

 

Looking forward to the review though!

[richforman]

Saw them on Cruise to the Edge in '13, the beginning of their year-long "three album tour", was thrilling especially CTTE. Geoff Downes was amazing I thought although I don't know who dresses him, his stage getups I thought were ridiculous and not vert flattering, but anyway you will have a blast I'm sure,

[rce1]

I saw Yes last August in northern CA. I've seen them around 7 or 8 times starting with the 90215 tour back in the early 80's and the last time being the Masterworks Tour in 2000 with Igor Korashev on keyboards and Kansas opening. That was a great show. Sad to say I kind of wish I hadn't seen them this past time. The high points included Jon Davison, who was terrific and the CTTE portion of the show which they led off with. Davison sang very well all night long, hit all the notes and had great presence and energy. He seemed as if he was very happy to be there for the entire show. Of course he's at least 20 years younger than the rest of them and sad to say I thought it made a big difference that night. All of CTTE was quite strong but like the entire show tempos were a bit slow and got slower as the night progressed. The new material was done well but Fragile went way downhill. With the exception of South Side of the Sky it just didn't go well. The rest of the band seemed old and tired, tempos were ponderous and Roundabout was just butchered. Maybe it was a bad night or they were tired from traveling. Who knows? The crowd loved them anyway. After the show I looked at some old concert footage on Youtube just to see how good Yes had been in the past and they were simply amazing. Too bad about the show I saw. Hopefully that's not the way it is everywhere now.

[SVG]

I saw both Relayer tours (1974 and 1976) with Patrick Moraz, Union tour (what a joke...), and 1997 with Billy and Igor. I enjoyed all of them, though the Relayer tours were the tops for me.

 

I wouldn't go near the current lineup if you paid me. Seeing videos of them now is sooooo sooooo sad.

 

Stephen

 

 

 

 

.

[Brettymike]

That didn't register as a clam at all , and fitted in place amongst the rest of the noise clams.

 

Brett

 

 

[Tusker]

That didn't register as a clam at all , and fitted in place amongst the rest of the noise clams.

 

A non-clam nestling among the clams? Your honor my client is innocent but if he is guilty, there are extenuating circumstances.

[Brettymike]

I mean , it was hidden among the rest of the junk - if you want a more direct opinion .

And look , that 1 note wrong IS zero on the richter scale among the music worlds sea of clangers.

 

Brett

[Doerfler]

I saw both Relayer tours (1974 and 1976) with Patrick Moraz, Union tour (what a joke...), and 1997 with Billy and Igor. I enjoyed all of them, though the Relayer tours were the tops for me.

 

I wouldn't go near the current lineup if you paid me. Seeing videos of them now is sooooo sooooo sad.

 

Stephen

The 1976 Relayer Tour was my first concert ever. I was 15. Saw the Going For The One Tour in 1977. Although I won't pay you to go near the current lineup , I was in fact very happy to see them recently, Chris Squire especially is still a monster bass player and can sing well.

[Marzzz]

Also saw them last summer, at Humphrey's by the Bay in San Diego. Tempos were ponderous, I think mainly because Howe just can't play up to speed anymore. To his credit, his guitar parts are neigh impossible, he has inhuman hands and perhaps the strongest left pinky in rock. Jon Davison is certainly enthusiastic, and I think he does an adequate job. I still wonder why Downes needs to have so many keyboards. Squire still has it, still can nail those amazing bass parts, and his voice is only a tad ragged on the high notes. Also glad to see he has dropped some weight, he was looking a bit unhealthy there for awhile.

[keyskat]

Enjoy! What an awesome band more than the sum of their parts...My first show was 1976 at jfk.The last and best was 2004 I believe and at the spectrum! Howe and Wakeman dueling it out on Close to Edge...never saw anything like it from them on any previous shows! It was like they were 19 again and it smoked!!! Howe came over to Rick and it was Gibson versus Minimoog model D unbelieveable...Decided that was it for me that was how I wanna remember them haven't bought a ticket for them since.

[Tusker]

The last and best was 2004 I believe and at the spectrum! Howe and Wakeman dueling it out on Close to Edge...never saw anything like it from them on any previous shows! It was like they were 19 again and it smoked!!! Howe came over to Rick and it was Gibson versus Minimoog model D unbelieveable...Decided that was it for me that was how I wanna remember them haven't bought a ticket for them since.

 

+1

Saw this tour in Dallas with a guitar player buddy of mine. (We cover some Yes tunes occasionally.) We both agreed it was the best post 70's show. Good feelings and smiles all around. Rick was clearly enjoying his mini again. (It was only one mini on this tour.) They were at the top of their form.

[Markay]

My apprehension taking into account some of the above comments was unfounded.

 

The sound was pristine, almost Steely Dan perfect. Played Close to the Edge then 2 new songs followed by Fragile. Fragile was the highlight for me every thing seemed to lift a notch including the lighting and dynamics. If there was anything that was less than note perfect then I missed it.

 

Geoff and Chris must be reading this thread because Geoff was dressed in black and Chris dark blue.

 

The pace did not slacken during the night.

 

The 2,700 true believers applauded loud and long many in the stalls were on their feet towards the end and everyone was on their feet for the closing song I See No Good People.

 

I am always impressed that these guys put together 2 hours of intense music that is highly structured and about as far from Verse, Chorus rinse and repeat as is possible.

 

So another excellent night.

 

BTW the venue is a Heritage listed grand theatre in the middle of the city that has withstood redevelopment pressure for many years. Some idea of the inside in one of the vidcaps below. More on this link State Theatre

 

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p694/kkramm/P1010233MainStageupcloselo_zps51c3c4bd.jpg

 

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p694/kkramm/P1010235Mainstagecloserlo_zps1a571882.jpg

 

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p694/kkramm/P1010253desklo_zps1ece45ee.jpg

 

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p694/kkramm/Yesvidcaptheatre_zpsbf7ae97e.jpg

 

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p694/kkramm/WP_20141115_012endlo_zps6a4bb2dd.jpg

 

 

 

[Jim Alfredson]

I saw the Yahoo live stream from San Jose in August and thoroughly enjoyed it. The new singer sounds great and the band seemed very inspired.

[Daniel Heslop]

I have been underwhelmed by Downes in some youtubes I've seen, but without exception, every person I've talked to who has gone to the shows with this lineup have said it was great.

 

I'm a bit of a no Jon no Yes sort, but actually I think Jon Davison is quite good, and It seems unlikely Jon Anderson can tour to the degree Yes want to.

I have to admit though I prefer Davison's vocals with Glass Hammer over Yes.

I also wish Oliver Wakeman was still with Yes.

 

That said I think Downes is very strong on the new album, however it is not one I will listen to often.

 

For myself, Unfortunately I never saw Yes in the 70's. I saw Jon Anderson solo (with David Sancious on keyboards) in the early 80's and it was fantastic.

 

I saw Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe and enjoyed it though for some reason I don't remember too much of it (and I was not partaking of anything) I remember being surprised at there being a second keyboard player (and guitarist) on stage, but otherwise it was quite enjoyable from what I remember. Jon Anderson is a singer I find to sound much better in person than on record, and I am a huge fan of his.

 

I saw the Union tour and loved it! Funny an earlier poster called it a joke. The album sort of was, but many Yes fans say it was one of the best tours the band did. I found it to be incredibly good. It didn't hurt that I was in the second row and the band was revolving so I got fantastic close up views of everything. Awaken in particular I remember being phenomenal!

[SVG]

I'm the one who called the Union tour a joke. And in the next sentence I said that I enjoyed it. It's a joke because of the rea$on the 8 people were thrown together as well as what it destroyed in the process (ABWH). I've never even heard the album and I don't have any strong desire to.

 

After watching videos of Jon Davison performing with remnants of YES, I got an even stronger appreciation for Jon Anderson. He has incredible depth and power, passion and grace, and most importantly, he lives and breathes his music. Mr. Davison doesn't convince me that he's anything other than a passable Karaoke singer on a slow night. I guess that puts me in the 'No Jon, no Yes' camp. Except for the fact that I really appreciated what Trevor Horn brought to the vocal chair. Drama almost sounds like a Yes album. OTOH, anything with Rabin in it is total crap in my book, Jon or no.

 

Still, it's heartening to hear so many of you guys enjoying the show. Please don't let this old curmudgeon dampen your enthusiasm.

 

Stephen

 

 

 

 

.

[hurricane hugo]

^ Well, Union pretty much was the 2nd ABWH album, with 4 added songs from the Rabin-lineup Yes.

[Losendoskeys]

Saw them on Cruise to the Edge in '13, the beginning of their year-long "three album tour", was thrilling especially CTTE. Geoff Downes was amazing I thought although I don't know who dresses him, his stage getups I thought were ridiculous and not vert flattering, but anyway you will have a blast I'm sure,

 

This^^^^ We should have met up Rich!

I thought the whole gig on the ship was excellent and nailed the original studio versions - unlike Hackett who made virtuouso nonsense out of some of the Genesis tracks.

I loved the vocals and if you closed your eyes it WAS Jon Anderson.

[Song80s]

I

I saw Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe and enjoyed it though for some reason I don't remember too much of it (and I was not partaking of anything) I remember being surprised at there being a second keyboard player (and guitarist) on stage,

 

Could have been Billy Sherwood. also has done some very good CD's/albums.

 

He teamed up with Squire created a band named Conspiracy. Cut 2 CD's, the first was the best, IMO