Okay, the other Yes "Heaven and Earth/Summer Tour" thread is on page 107. How about one for just reviews? I'm going to see them at the Ryman in Nashville on the 28th!
Thanks!
Okay, the other Yes "Heaven and Earth/Summer Tour" thread is on page 107. How about one for just reviews? I'm going to see them at the Ryman in Nashville on the 28th!
Thanks!
I'm going to see them at the Tower Theater in Philly this Saturday. Can post a review when I get home on Monday.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
I will be seeing them in Chicago on the 26th.
Progeezer, Lady Kay, and myself will be at the show next Friday night, the 25th. (Thanks, strandediniowa for the ticket. ) I eagerly await the performance of my two all-time favorite Yes albums, Close to the Edge and Fragile (if I'm not mistaken) in their entirety. Stay tuned...
'The smell of strange colours are heard everywhere'- Threshold
Anyone going to the show in Nashville on the 28th at the Ryman?
Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA, 07/19/2014
Setlist:
Siberian Khatru
And You & I
Close to the Edge
To Ascend
The Game
Roundabout
Cand & Brahms
We Have Heaven
South Side of the Sky
5% for Nothing
Long Distance Runaround / The Fish
Mood for a Day
Heart of the Sunrise
Encore: I’ve Seen All Good People, Starship Trooper
*note: I looked at Howe’s setlist and the word “OWNER” was clearly on it. Thank God they didn’t play it.
I’m not familiar with Syd Arthur’s repertoire (an error I now intend to correct) so I can’t name particular songs – no titles were announced from the stage – but they played 5 short songs and what sounded to me like an impromptu jam to end the set in an all-to-brief half-hour opening gig. Raven’s multi-instrumental skills and Liam’s homely charm helped lend the band an endearing stage presence, and the group’s unclassifiable sound drew a very warm response from the appreciative crowd. The group’s jazzy swing, swirling psychedelia, a dash of Floyd, trippy wordless choruses all filter through a sort-of modern Canterbury aesthetic to produce an idiosyncratic jamming style that I’ll be exploring more fully. Only negative was a rather muddy sound mix which I put down to their sound guy not being used to playing theaters of that size, as YES didn’t have this problem.
One of the main reasons I wanted to see YES in Philadelphia (I live in Buffalo) was that the band, as Chris Squire announced from the stage Saturday night, has long considered Philly their second home. Being that I was in town anyway and visiting some Yes-head friends, this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. We sat 4th row directly in front of Steve Howe.
Staging is quite minimal, with 3 parallel video screens as the main focus, playing old video clips (the Yessongs video heavily featured) album covers, various Roger Dean artwork as well as closeups of the band members playing live. I last saw YES two years at an outdoor show (Lewiston, NY) so I knew what to expect from the Davison-era band. Davison continues to grow even stronger and more confident in his role. Simply put, if Jon Anderson can’t be in this band, I don’t think there’s anybody on the planet better qualified to front YES than Jon Davison.
Chris Squire was more subdued than I think I’ve ever seen him. I’m not trying to be snarky but I do wonder if all that extra weight he’s carrying is sapping his energy level. Still, he seems to have a lot of fun with Jon D. on stage and he engaged in his usual mirthful repartee with the packed crowd at the historic Tower Theater in Upper Darby. Squire’s arsenal was noticeably reduced, as he stuck heavily to the Rick, with a bit of Fender and that curly-Q custom thing on 2 numbers. No plexiglass string basses or the like on this tour.
Steve Howe (who continues to be the worst-dressed man in classic rock – I love ya Steve, but get some fashion advice, my man!) is also toting a reduced array of axes – does this newfound minimalism tie in with the new B & W logo? Howe continues to over-rely on the dammned Variax and it continues to sound like shit on the intro and outro to “Roundabout” but he did haul out a genuine acoustic for “Mood for a Day.” Howe’s slide playing was especially strong Saturday night and the audience went nuts for him as they always do. Overall Howe was not as on fire as he was when I caught them last time around, but still a solid B+.
Mr. Downes, who could also use a gym membership these days, turned in the same performance he always seems to turn in since returning to the ranks. Solid, unspectacular, gets the job done. Downes added cowbell to “The Fish” (more cowbell!) and hauled out the Keytar for “Starship Trooper.”
Alan White was Alan White. Like Downes, he gets the job done. I did note that when the band took their curtain calls, White appeared to be thoroughly exhausted and one has to begin to wonder how much longer he can do the tour grind if it’s taking this kind of physical toll on him.
Jon D. was in fine voice and added all the old Anderson sound-colorations capably enough on acoustic guitar and various jangly percussives. As the initially dubious Brooklynite seated behind me said after “CttE,” “I gotta admit, this guy nails it.”
The group played the CttE album in reverse order, then “To Ascend” and “The Game” which were, well, nice enough I guess. They made for a pleasant break but made nowhere near the impact on the show as the entire FFH suite did last time. Then came Fragile, including what I now conclude to be pointless and momentum-killing versions of “Cans” and “5%.” The concept of playing the entire albums sounds great in theory, but those two really added nothing to the show and could easily be dropped.
High points included a storming “Heart of the Sunrise,” a heart-warming audience singalong on “ISAGP” and a very nice “Starship Trooper.”
Merch table was decent –to-meh. I liked the tye-dye shirt but went with the H & E cover art tour shirt.
Now I’m off to find out what that first song Syd Arthur played is called. Of all the songs I heard Saturday night, that’s the one that’s stuck in my head.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
This was the best played and sounding Yes show I have seen in 20 years.
Thanks for the reviews! Keep em coming! 5more days!!!!
I don't know how you expect to be taken in the remotest bit seriously with your review of the Philly show to be honest. Because largely, it has nothing to do with music. The majority of your review focuses on the physical appearance of each band member.. Squire's overweight, Downes needs the gym, Howe needs a tailor, White needs some sleep bla bla bla.... Ask yourself the simple question - what has that got to do with the music? All very funny I guess in your own little world - Ha fucking ha! - But word of advice...don't give up your day job to be a standup comedian - it won't even pay the rent for ya buddy. But hey, are you so bloody perfect yourself with a toned body of a 20-year old Adonis, dressed sharp as hell like a Versace male model, and blessed with an enormous talent talent for music! If so, let's see the evidence pal. I for one would be most interested to meet such a huge star in the making. Conveniently though in your little world, you forgot mention the fact that the crowd was on its feet the whole time giving standing ovations after every song. There was a lot of love for the band and a great atmosphere from the few thousand fans from where I saw it. So, maybe don't you feel a wee bit of an idiot for posting such a rather silly so-called 'review'? I know I would!
I feel your frustration Geoff. Sadly even prog fans on prog websites don't seem to want to focus on not the most important thing, but the only thing-the MUSIC. I have been a YES fan since 75. I am and always have been a big JA and RW fan. I got to see both of them on their solo tours in 2003/2004 and they were both amazing. Even though I was on the front row for YES in 2004 and the setlist was stellar, the band seemed a little laxadazical and disjointed at times. In 2009 with Benoit and Oliver, the show was pretty tight, and hearing Machine messiah and astral traveller made it a good show, but something still was missing. I've been a big fan of JD from his work with glass Hammer, so I already knew He was a great talent, not just a JA sound-a-like. And I've been watching the youtube clips from the last two tours, and I feel like you guys are firing on all cylinders. The emotion and spiritual enery in the music seem to be back full force. Yes, i miss Jon and Rick, but my greater thrust is the music-and the journey it takes me on. Yes music is the soundtrack of my life! the highs and lows! And I get to share it with my wife in Nashville next Monday night!-which will be another highlight of my life! Thank You for hanging in there and not being way-laid by the naysayers!. P.S. I like H&E alot, but yet to hear it on a good sound system yet. P.S.S. Please put a bug in the guys ears to play OOALH-for my wife. Her favorite YES song. Thanks, David.
I stopped reading at the point where the sarcastic comments about weight started. It's pathetic, and slightly strange, to write a review of a gig and concentrate more on the weight of the band members and their attire than the music. Do people get some sort of kick out of making these insults? It's almost like the way schoolyard bullies used to show off in front of their mates by bashing the weaker kids. I bet you wouldn't say it Geoff Downes in person if you met him? You'd probably find a keytar up your arse if you did.
Honestly, I cringed at the "physical appearance comments," too, but given the scope of the whole review, I can see how it fits. IPR talked a little bit about every aspect of the show, right down to the merch table, so including those comments didn't really seem out of line, IMO. And I understand Mr. Downes' points, but, like others have said, thicker skin might be helpful.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
Damn, and I really enjoyed the show too. And I'm a fan of Geoff's work.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
Hey Geoff, you know how much I spent to go see you play? $1200.00. USD including airline tickets
I'm not a wealthy rock star you know. That's a shitty way to speak to a fan who just blew the rent to see you play. Since when did rock stars get so thin-skinned and petty as to attack an ordinary moron like me? An ordinary moron who has spent a pile of dough on your music over the years, besides.
And I was one of your defenders on the other, now closed thread. Thanks for appreciating that.
Last edited by ItalProgRules; 07-24-2014 at 10:42 AM.
High Vibration Go On - R.I.P. Chris Squire
Take a little responsibility for posting things that made GD get defensive in the first place. To call the band out on being fat, old and poorly dressed and then have one of the band show up and call you on it is a product of the 'net age.
So you don't think you said anything to inspire Geoff's reply?
Saw the Radio City show a few weeks ago-had a great time and the band can still clearly deliver. To be honest, I wasn't as overly thrilled as some when I heard it was going to be a 'CTTE/Fragile' show in their entirety, as most of those 2 albums are always played by the band anyway, but it was kind of cool to hear the shorter tracks from Fragile. Jon Davison for me was the highlight-long been an admirer for his work with Glass Hammer, and he fits in with Yes very well. He's got great stage presence, and his vocals really nailed that JA vibe quite nicely. The rest of the band were spot on, as they always are. Howe's rendition of The Clap was impeccable. I guess part of me wished that Geoff Downes was a little more 'flamboyant' in his keyboard style-he's a very good player, but I guess we've gotten spoiled by guys like Wakeman or Moraz over the years who have a somewhat over the top style. Geoff plays for the song more, as he also does in Asia, which is fine, but I was just looking for maybe a tad more, as I know he has it in him. Really enjoyed the new song they played from new CD, and the audience seemed to warm up to it as well. Overall it was a great show, and it was nice to see Yes again after about a decade, as I had decided to take a break from the band live after seeing them so many times in the '90s.
I wish people would focus on the music. But let's face it, when you aspire to play rock shows in big venues, you're in the entertainment business, where appearance makes a big difference. I think Geoff needs to stay out of debating these things with fans, especially on the internet. That's a no-win for any performer.
The Mighty Megalosaurus
Tree Pusher, WESAYSO Corp.
If the posting on setlist.fm is correct, they played Believe Again & The Game last night in Ohio...can anyone confirm?
Is the new album available at the shows now that it's out?
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
"Henry Cow always wanted to push itself, so sometimes we would write music that we couldn't actually play – I found that very encouraging." - Lindsay Cooper, 1998
"I have nothing to do with Endless River. Phew! This is not rocket science people, get a grip." - Roger Waters, 2014
"I'm a collector. And I've always just seemed to collect personalities." - David Bowie, 1973
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