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YES - Still Vital After 35 Years
By Scott Baker For
the legendary prog-rock kings Yes, the group turned the tables on any
pre-conceived notion for the Detroit music fans at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Perhaps those expecting the obligatory Roundabout, Heart of the
Sunrise, or Owner Of A
Lonely Heart,
on Saturday, May 8, can now say they've seen about it all. For
the 35th Anniversary Tour with the legendary line-up of vocalist Jon
Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, drummer
Alan White, and keyboardist Rick Wakeman, Yes reinvented
itself.
Touring behind a celebration of their history, as well as a new three-CD
retrospective (Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection), the band has
decided to finally mix up the set list nearly every night and include an
acoustic set for the first time ever as well. Throwing the rulebook out the window (as the band has done so well doing the past 35 years), the audience knew they were in for a unique evening as soon as the band hit the stage while Firebird Suite played over the P.A. announcing their arrival. One
difference immediately was Howe did not put on a guitar and opted to stand
behind his pedal-steel to slide the band into 1977's title track opus Going
for the One. The non-typical move brought the arena to its feet, singing
along with each word. As
soon as the track came to an end, Howe threw on a red Fender Stratocaster (not
his standard guitar) to flow into Sweet Dreams, a track found on the
band's second album Time and a Word, from 1970. Due to Howe not joining
Yes until their next record (The Yes Album), this was another unique
track selection and one rarely played in recent years. The one two punch of
hearing the atypical songs set the pace throughout the evening, as the band
tossed many curveballs out. The
first of a few popular tracks surfaced for the third song when the band played
I've Seen All Good People, keeping the sing-along and air-guitarists busy
with delight. Dancing in the isles at the Palace is pretty much the sign of a
good time, especially when it is only the third song of the evening.
Taking a turn to more modern sounds, Wakeman's long-awaited return to the group
in 2002 cued the band for an interesting ride with a dynamic song from their
last reunion in the mid-90's, with Mind Drive. The song was split into
two, featuring two newer live gems in between like one long musical jam. With
each song played its entire length, the fan favorite from Fragile, 'South
Sound of the Sky' and the rare folk-ish trackTurn of the Century,
from Going For The One were highlights of the evening pinched perfectly
in between Mind Drive. The rhythm team of White and Squire sounded as good, if not better than ever. The interplay between the two musicians throughout the night was the threading ebb and flow of the entire show. Before the intermission, the band played Yours Is No Disgrace, in which the groove was so apparent at the end; it enabled Howe and Wakeman to take turns in a solo-jam duel, unlike any version performed before. The
openness of expanding the tunes and allowing the spontaneous creativity was
another breath of fresh air for the fans and was surely fresh for the soloists
who showed their ability to improv was as perfect as their ability to create the
perfect studio track. Over the top like never before, this band continues to get
better and grow. With the piano rolled out, a mini-drum set, and acoustic guitars and basses tolled, Wakeman began solo soon to be joined by Anderson for The Meeting, placing their Anderson/Bruford/Wakeman/Howe era into its rightful Yes place. The duo had the arena on pins and needles when something happened in the front row sparking Anderson miss a lyric and quit singing and start laughing during the touching song.
One of the most amazing pieces of music Yes has recorded in recent years was the next acoustic selection. No weird time signatures, not a long track, and a simple statement voiced, \Time Is Time (the last track on Magnification) was the perfect selection to put the audience in a thankful, listening mood;
"Time has saved/as time has moved/
Between Anderson's voice and Howe's crying lap-dobro slide, the short tune was
like a gift to the fans. Conjuring up another idea, Squire told how he and White wanted to change Roundabout around. White turned it into a 'Detroit blues' version, which is an added bonus on the current Ultimate Yes set. Performing the overplayed track as a blues selection not only brought the band back to their roots, but shook the song-up into an interesting sing-along that was fun for everyone, band included. The
new track Show Me was next, very similar in delivery and effect as
Time Is Time, and also from the new Ultimate Yes set. It was yet another
amazing near tears highlight of the night. Howe played a solo piece as the crew tore down the acoustic setting on the stage which led to the final trip of the evening. Throwing on his Strat once again, Howe stood next to his amplifiers where he never budged from during the performance of the '80s-Trevor Rabin-era of Yes for Rhythm of Love.
Taking all eyes off of the obviously not-so-happy guitarist, Anderson jumped
down to the main floor to sing the song while going around the venue shaking
hands and collecting roses. While the track did ring in as tribute to the
popular '80s Yes, it was the only one played during the evening from then. Howe
took the end of the song to create another jamming outtro along with Wakeman who
was having a blast with the track. For the audience, And You and I has always been a sentimental Yes staple and from the amount of fan reviews on the website, it is in large agreement that the version performed at the Palace may have very well been the best ever.
Catching a breath between Wakeman's fleeting fingers and Howe's guitar
interchanges, Anderson and Squire worked a flawless route throughout the songs
lyrics and timbre. White's sound was mixed perfectly equal with Howe and Wakeman
during the song for a balance fans weren't prepared for. This was the torch song
for the night and another unforgettable batch of musical minutes. The
show could have very well ended there, but this was a marathon Yes show
three-hour celebration and they had a few more tricks to unveil. A song played during their Masterworks tour a few years back, the near-half hour track Ritual' Nous Sommes Du Soleil was performed in its entirety. Taken from their epic four song-four sided (vinyl that is) Tales From Topographic Oceans, complete with the percussion breakdown of White along with Anderson on pads and Squire playing tympani, the selection was the 'long song' chosen for the night and one of the most prolific songs in the legendary group's repertoire. With
fans singing each word and on the edge of their seat, the piece was every bit as
amazing as the original. This is the type of song for the die hard fans, the
ones that believe in the group and stand up for the band in every situation.
Ritual is inevitably what makes Yes, Yes. The band made their exit at the
end of the song leading to the encore which was yet another unique treat. The first BBC single the band had was a cover the Beatles Every Little Thing and the band decided to perform that to kick off the encore and tip their caps to where they began.
Having not needed to perform covers obviously in about the past 33 or so years, the song was as revved up and vicious as the versions heard from the early days. Wakeman took the song's ending and blended it into the delicate Soon, a vocal and moving piece from 1974's Relayer album. The
balance of Anderson's voice, Howe's volume swells and the omnipresent dynamics
of the rhythm section with Wakeman, Yes eased their way to the ending of
the evening, waving goodbye in celebration to their Michigan fans, thanking them
for 35 years of amazing music. In a roundabout way, it was mirrored in return two-fold.
Photos by Scott Baker
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