YES - 50 Live released July 19th

[Steve983]

I was lucky enough to see the Symphonic tour 3 times here in the UK and they played Gates on each one. I think that tour, The Ladder tour and the Open Your Eyes tour in '98 were Yes at their peak post '70's. 2003 was good too. Sadly though I think we are now heading towards the end.

I have always been a huge Steve Howe fan, he has always been the most important member of the band for me but now his playing is becoming very shaky. I'm pleased that many people enjoyed this years US tour, maybe he has good nights and bad nights but on close listening to Yes 50 Live, I just don't think a lot of it sounds right, the keyboards are the other big problem too. I hate to say it but maybe next years Yes tour should be their last with this line up. Just my opinion of course.

[abhorsen]

I last saw Yes in July of 2002 on the Full Circle tour, their first full fledged tour with Wakeman since 1979. I remember thinking after the gig that if I never see Yes again, I'm good. After seeing them every tour since Drama, this was by far my favorite show. The gig was extremely well played and my non Yes fan best friend who I brought along loved it. He's a musician by trade and commented afterwards how much he appreciated the playing of White and Squire. Had Yes played more of Fly From Here on that tour or Heaven and Earth on that tour I would have gone since I appreciate both of those albums. Listening to Steve butchering the Awaken solos on Yes 50 kills my heart and ears. I just can't do anymore at this point. I'm ok with a band slowing the tempos as the members reach into their old age for a semblance of their old selves, but to just plain flub the notes even at a slower pace I didn't expect until I listened to Howe's latest Yes live album. Is the rest of the album this bad? I won't comment on Downes introduction to the song.


set I
Siberian Khatru
America
(Simon & Garfunkel cover)
In the Presence Of
South Side of the Sky
The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)
Leaves of Green
The Little Galliard
(Steve Howe song)

set II
Show Me
Keyboard Solo
(includes "Wonderous Stories")
And You and I
Heart of the Sunrise
Magnification
Don't Kill the Whale
Whitefish
(with "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" snippet)
Awaken

Encore:
Roundabout

[JJ88]

I've never delved into bootlegs of latter-day Yes. However I do like the official DVDs from the early-mid 00s- Symphonic, Montreux, Tsongas (which grew on me). Quite a strong period for them as a live act, I'd say.

Have never heard a single one of the live albums post-Anderson and don't plan to change that. I've watched many YouTube clips of the lesser-played songs. I don't need to hear them doing 'Roundabout' etc. again.

[Progatron]

I last saw Yes in July of 2002 on the Full Circle tour, their first full fledged tour with Wakeman since 1979. I remember thinking after the gig that if I never see Yes again, I'm good. After seeing them every tour since Drama, this was by far my favorite show. The gig was extremely well played

Right there with ya. July 2002 for me as well, in Toronto. Not sure if your set list is incomplete, but my show also included We Have Heaven before South Side, and Yours Is No Disgrace in the encore. Fourth row seats in front of Squire/Wakeman. It was mesmerizing. They were so tight, and songs like Revealing Science and Awaken were transcendent. It remains one of the best shows I've ever seen, and to compare that to what I heard when I popped the 50 Live CDs in, well... there IS no comparison. Of course, only one member out of five is the same as the band that I saw (not counting White's partial performance). And as hard as it is to believe, my last show is 17 years ago now. So a 70 year old musician now was only 53 then. Sometimes these things have to be put in perspective, I guess...

[Steve983]

Listening to Steve butchering the Awaken solos on Yes 50 kills my heart and ears. I just can't do anymore at this point. I'm ok with a band slowing the tempos as the members reach into their old age for a semblance of their old selves, but to just plain flub the notes even at a slower pace I didn't expect until I listened to Howe's latest Yes live album. Is the rest of the album this bad? I won't comment on Downes introduction to the song.

I will comment, Downes intro to Awaken is BAD. Its a major fudge. It's shocking that this is released and deemed 'good enough'. I suppose the show will go on all the while promotors still keep booking tours but Yes 50 Live is not a good advert for the band in concert. How long can they keep on pretending? As I said before, I love Yes but maybe its time that someone either in the band or close to the band says 'this doesn't sound right'. I guess its a brave person who says to Steve Howe 'you can't cut it anymore' and unlikely to happen unless Howe realises it himself. I have to say I dont want my favourite band to go on embarrassing itself like this for much longer. Sorry.

[bondegezou]

I was lucky enough to see the Symphonic tour 3 times here in the UK and they played Gates on each one. I think that tour, The Ladder tour and the Open Your Eyes tour in '98 were Yes at their peak post '70's. 2003 was good too. Sadly though I think we are now heading towards the end.

I have always been a huge Steve Howe fan, he has always been the most important member of the band for me but now his playing is becoming very shaky. I'm pleased that many people enjoyed this years US tour, maybe he has good nights and bad nights but on close listening to Yes 50 Live, I just don't think a lot of it sounds right, the keyboards are the other big problem too. I hate to say it but maybe next years Yes tour should be their last with this line up. Just my opinion of course.

Best Yes tour I saw was Masterworks, but I've only been seeing them since the Union tour. That said, I've enjoyed myself every time I've seen Yes, ARW, Anderson, Howe, White, Squire, Downes, Bruford, Banks, Horn, Kaye or Sherwood live (with one exception, the end of the second Anderson Wakeman tour, when Jon's voice was gone). They are older now, those that are still with us, but I still saw great shows by Horn (as I recently reviewed) and Howe (solo) in the last 12 months. There's not going to be that many more chances to see most of these people live, so I'll take my chances and catch them whenever they're playing locally.

Henry

[Sean]

"I last saw Yes in July of 2002 on the Full Circle tour, their first full fledged tour with Wakeman since 1979. I remember thinking after the gig that if I never see Yes again, I'm good."

I felt the same about that tour too. I've seen them a lot of times since, but nothing matches the mojo of that particular lineup. It's still a really enjoyable night out though..... This music is still majestic live.

[JJ88]

Revealing Science

I don't think any of the official releases documented this track being played on this tour. A pity. Indeed I think the only representation of this line-up playing the song live was the doctored Keys To Ascension release.

[happytheman]

I don't think any of the official releases documented this track being played on this tour. A pity. Indeed I think the only representation of this line-up playing the song live was the doctored Keys To Ascension release.

I didn't realize they played RSOG in '03 or '04.. I know with Igor '97 tour they played it.. Ritual was '04 as documented on Tsongas

[Progatron]

I didn't realize they played RSOG in '03 or '04.. I know with Igor '97 tour they played it.. Ritual was '04 as documented on Tsongas

Played in summer of 2002 Full Circle tour. It was amazing too!

[happytheman]

Played in summer of 2002 Full Circle tour. It was amazing too!

Right you are.. Looks like they switched out RSOG for CTTE later in that tour.. I misunderstood which tour he was referring to..

[per anporth]

So, this thread sent me back to the Symphonic dvd.

Things that stood out for me: how much joy there was on stage (band & orchestra); just how much "soul" there is in the "playing" of, in particular, Anderson & Squire; how, even then, Howe seemed to be wholly focused on playing the right notes, in the right order - for much of the time, his playing seems to me to lack dynamism. I would say that, on dvd, the orchestra doesn't add much to the intensity of the sound - for the most part, they're *backing* the band (was it different live? - did people get a "hit" from the orchestral sound in the concert hall?). Finally - the version of Ritual is glorious - Yes reaching the very peak of what they, collectively as much as individually, were able to attain as a band...

[MudShark22]

I saw the Full Circle show at Radio City in August 2002.

Best Yes show I saw (started at 90125 tour).
My wife's first Yes sbow.

No tired AGP, Trooper or Roundabout. Closed with Awaken, encore is YiND. Sheer bliss.

Vowed never to see another Yes ahow as to maintain its perfection.

I have kept that vow.

[bondegezou]

Vowed never to see another Yes ahow as to maintain its perfection.

I have kept that vow.

I find this an odd approach to life.

Henry

[JJ88]

The orchestra, I'm indifferent, really. It's the set-list which was impressive. I thought the then-new songs from Magnification didn't disgrace themselves, with the obvious exception of 'Don't Go'.

The Masterworks tour (basically focussing on longer songs) from 2000 was not documented in album form, though I believe a few recordings came out as bonus tracks and the like.

I liked the Tsongas show more over time, although one does wish they were running the cameras at the previous show at MSG which was a historic performance. (Famous venue, the long standing ovation during 'And You And I', the truly infamous Divine Mother Audrey interlude). Nevertheless I enjoy the acoustic set in the Tsongas show, a very different, loose vibe about that.

[Progatron]

No tired AGP, Trooper or Roundabout. Closed with Awaken, encore is YiND. Sheer bliss.

Vowed never to see another Yes ahow as to maintain its perfection.

I have kept that vow.

My show did have Roundabout as the second song of the encore with YIND. I guess it wasn't in every show though.

I find this an odd approach to life.

Henry

He didn't say it was his approach to life.

[aith01]

I saw the Full Circle show at Radio City in August 2002.

Best Yes show I saw (started at 90125 tour).
My wife's first Yes sbow.

No tired AGP, Trooper or Roundabout. Closed with Awaken, encore is YiND. Sheer bliss.

Vowed never to see another Yes ahow as to maintain its perfection.

I have kept that vow.

I don't see how seeing a later show would diminish the quality of the one you already saw and felt was perfect. Even if a subsequent concert wasn't as good, you would still have the memory of the 2002 show.

[MudShark22]

My show did have Roundabout as the second song of the encore with YIND. I guess it wasn't in every show though.



He didn't say it was his approach to life.

It turned out that it was the only show without Roundabout that leg.

As for approach, reasoning etc.
seeing a poor reflection, no matter how noble the attempt, always diminishes the memory of better times.

Those 5 guys walked off stage after crushing it in front of a sellout RCMH.

I choose to remember them that way in full glory rather than get upset with muddled solos and crawling tempos.

Simple really.

[Progatron]

It turned out that it was the only show without Roundabout that leg.

Well if there was one song to cut from the set, you lucked out.

I really loved everything else about show (Roundabout was fine, of course). The two Magnification tracks had a strong live atmosphere. America was fiery and overflowing with energy. Don't Kill The Whale was the quirky, odd rarity choice (at that time, anyway)... what a show.

[arturs]

I saw the "classic quintet" Yes lineup 3 times in 2003-2004. I must have missed 2002 because I know I have not seen RSOG since 1997. Those 3 shows plus Symphonic in 2001 are definitely the highlights of my lifetime of Yes concerts. My very first Yes show in 1980 was more impactful on my life, being the first, but for technical virtuosity and energy level those new millenium shows can't be beat.

The current Yes has not played near me for years so I can't judge from any concert attendance. The boots I have heard are mixed in quality but there are still a lot of good performances. I enjoyed the 2019 cruise boot with a loopy but appealing CTTE. I'm listening to 2018 Wellmont Theater/Montclair as I type this and the CTTE was not so hot but things have really picked up. Very nice HOTS and PC. Two more tunes until Awaken. I hope that one will exceed expectations.,

[fiberman]

When I want a good Chris memory(and there are many), I watch Symphonic Ritual, for some reason after all these years, this one really does it for me. Tom Brislin was very lucky to have been on this tour. They should have kept him in the band.

[abhorsen]

Tom Brislin was the most pleasant surprise from the Symphonic tour. Incredible player who fit in well with the band and orchestra. I think they could have made a pretty great record with him in the band. That was a fun tour. I saw that out in the shed in Concord CA. If memory serves, Kansas opened for Yes. Doesn't Brislin play with them now?

[calyx]

Kansas opened for Yes on the Masterworks (2000) tour, not Yessumphonic (2001).

[abhorsen]

That's it! Did Igor play with them on the Masterworks tour? I remember him from the Ladder tour. Will have to look that up. The Ladder tour was a bit of a disappointment for me as I wanted more of the album played. At the time I thought it was a strong release except for the song Finally. As others have said, the Magnification tracks worked very well sans orchestra on the Full Circle tour. I like what Wakeman brought to those songs.

[bondegezou]

That's it! Did Igor play with them on the Masterworks tour?

Yes, being sacked at the end of the tour.

Henry