I'm not certain I recognise that narrative. Sales seem to have been fairly flat in the years before the pandemic. It's hard to tell what happens now from the current tour leg, with residual COVID fears and just a few UK/Ireland dates, doubly delayed and with a changed focus... plus now lots of strike action. But sales seem similar to 2018?
I've been reading lots of tour reviews, particularly of the show I attended last night. Reviews from people actually there have been pretty positive. I think the band are playing better than in 2018.
I'm confident that Steve Howe with the Yes name will go on selling more tickets than 90% of prog acts. The name alone remains a draw, almost regardless of who's playing or quality!
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Excerpts from reviews of last night. Can you detect a theme?
Well I did manage to get to the Albert Hall, by driving in, and I'm so glad I did. The concert was excellent, much better than I expected based on the low quality you tube clips, and the low quality people comments!
The band was on fine form, especially Steve. When he's still playing this well, why should they stop. Geoff and Jon were great, and I think the best I've heard them. I don't understand the criticisms of Geoff, based on what I saw last night. Yes, Jon D is not Jon A, but he's really grown into the role now, and keeps getting better.I drove up from Portsmouth because of the rail strike, and the show was much better than expected. I was up in the circle, and the sound was clear and powerful, especially bass and drums. Billy has grown into the role, and has so much more confidence now - Does It Really Happen was a prime example. I really liked Wondrous Stories though ! I actually preferred the first half of the set to the second.Brilliant evening! Couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. Wonderful! Thank you Yes.
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
I think you make some great points regarding Downes, as I've said I love his keyboard playing, choice of textures most of the time, and love Drama and FFH.
But the fans WANT the classics, to focus on other material is not gonna happen.
I am happy to read Yes are putting on a great show and performance.
It's good for the fans, and after a rough start, it sounds like they put their big boy Prog Star panties on. lol
Soundcloud page: Richard Hermans, musical meanderings https://soundcloud.com/precipice YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@richardhermans4457
Soundcloud page: Richard Hermans, musical meanderings https://soundcloud.com/precipice YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@richardhermans4457
Has anyone noticed that the end of Close To The Edge has been performed in the correct key for the first time?
Here's video (at the 17:20 mark) from the Glasgow show that seems to confirm it is now in the original key (though I'm no musician, so I could be wrong):
https://youtu.be/enHYAV48TdA
The question now is, if Jon Anderson DOES pull together a tour with Band Geeks, how does that stack up compared to Steve's version?
I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.
When we saw Jon's solo tour pre Covid, a lot of the Classic Yes songs were pretty close, but they did change them up a bit, and I liked what they did, especially Starship Trooper was arranged a bit differently and we loved it. Very powerful,and made the same repetitive, note for note versions we've heard for years from Yes, sound a bit old in the tooth. Having said that, I can put on the album version of the song and never tire of listening to it. But over the years it just became too long and tedious for me(it concert it's way too long and too much of a good thing).
The Geeks have the chops, so it wouldn't surprise me if they play with the arrangements a bit, and for me, that's a good thing.
Soundcloud page: Richard Hermans, musical meanderings https://soundcloud.com/precipice YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@richardhermans4457
I don’t like to be too critical, but I totally concur with the heavy handed keys on I Get Up I Get Down, in fact it is the lightness of touch, finesse and timing that Rick brings to the party that are lacking. Geoff is obviously a good player, but in comparison he comes off poorer. Then again we are comparing different eras and different ages of players, and youth has advantages.
I have to say though that Steve Howe must practise tirelessly to still be so on his game, he is the consummate professional and understand the importance of leading from the front.
The RAH Yes show is now on Dime at http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-d....php?id=732490
Where Are They Now? Yes news: http://www.bondegezou.co.uk/wh_now.htm
Blogdegezou, the accompanying blog: http://bondegezou.blogspot.com/
Drama was my first Yes concert, and my first prog show of any kind. Not old enough to drive yet but we talked one of my close friend's older brother into taking the three of us who couldn't get a license yet. We bought his ticket ($9,75 US at the LA Sports Arena) and dinner after the show because he was five years older and had seen Yes every tour going back to 1976 and was less than thrilled with the new lineup so he was going to skip until our offer. My memory of that night is of first off being in awe of Alan White's drumming and Squire's bass and vocals, especially on the classic material because he was doing his best to fill in the cracks at the higher end of the vocal register that poor Trevor Horn was really struggling to sing. I thought Trevor Horn was fine on the Drama numbers however and they were great live, especially Machine Messiah. The only thought I remember having about Downes that night was that he didn't seem to be trying to be faithful to Wakeman's parts and that this was probably by design. I thought the vocoder sounded cool live. Howe was my hero at that moment in time as guitar (and earlier piano) was my instrument. The older friend who drove us had remarked going in that he thought Howe could be sloppy live at times when he had seen the band, but on the Drama tour that I saw I enjoyed Steve's parts. Another friend that night who was a guitar student thought Howe's soloing bits on Drama were a bit lazy but I liked them then and still do. At dinner we all talked about having enjoyed the show and the new songs live but that it didn't appear that Horn could be a guy who could tour endlessly given his vocal limitations. At that time, we only knew the Buggles in name and had heard the Video Star song a couple of times on KROQ but that was about it. All three of us younger guys who were musicians hoped we would get another studio album out of the lineup. I think Drama is still pretty remarkable, especially when you know its complicated genesis!
Good points Henry. I agree in that as long as Squire was living and playing in Yes there would be little reason for Steve to take the Hackett route. In that same 70's period, I don't believe Howe experienced the 'getting my material on the band records' frustration that Hackett experienced. Genesis and Yes appear to have been very different musical entities in terms of creation in the classic period of the 70's. Hackett's prodigious output over the decades since he left Genesis is a testament to his enduring creativity as a writer. It's only very recently that I read about the ABWH/Union period of Yes history where Director Anderson thought Howe basically all washed up after Asia and GTR. I can't say I thought of him that way at the time although my same musician friends and I who loved classic Yes with Howe in the prior decade we were all pretty disappointed in the 80's material by both. After reading about Howe in the Union period especially, I've been trying to listen with new ears to what he brings musically to the table beginning in 1989 and through 2000, which for me is Yes's dodgiest period on record. I appreciate your website for allowing me to research this topics (and others) more thoroughly.
From the London show, this is a very good performance to my ears
Wow. That sounded great. Everyone seemed to nail their parts.
Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally
It was one of my favourites from the night, and nice to see it up close as I was up high in the circle.
Hurtleturtled Out of Heaven - an electronic music composition, on CD and vinyl
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