Yes (February 2000)


Date of Performance: February 2000
Venue: Various: including Sheffield City Hall, Manchester Apollo, London Royal Albert Hall

The Promise Will Come When The Promise Is Made
A Review Of Yes In The UK - February 2000

It was their promise all along: Yes were going to play into the Year 2000. Jon had been rattling on about hitting the next century at times when it didn't look like the band would be capable of hitting next week Or even hitting anything other than each other. But after over thirty years of turbulence and changes, that band which still goes under a temporary name (they never did find a better option!) returned to the UK to start the European leg of their "Homeworld" tour. What follows is a review based on seeing seven of the shows, travelling the length of the United Kingdom, staying in various dodgy hotels, and dancing very badly...

The rising strains of Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" through the PA and the dimming of the house lights brought the audience to attention and usually to their feet. This classic beginning to Yes concerts was enhanced by the projection of films and stills from all eras of the band onto the white screen at the back of the stage. Throughout the night an array of projected lights, computer generated sequences, fractals and archive clips would supplement the standard stage lights. However, the sight of Yes walking on stage dwarfed by the display of archive footage was a special image for many.

"Yours Is No Disgrace" replaced the traditional "Siberian Khatru" at the end of "Firebird," with all members of Yes laying their cards on the table from the opening chords. Steve Howe was looking sulky but playing like a man possessed, and by the end of this first track it was clear to many that he was going to steal the show. Certainly he didn't look too happy on stage (to the point of prompting rumours amongst the fans that he was about to be replaced by Trevor Rabin for the next album!) but the music did the talking far more eloquently than any interpretations of body language.

Chris Squire, the "Keeper of the Flame", was also the keeper of a pint pot filled with a substance that bore a very close resemblance to brandy, and the wearer of three quarter length white loon pants. His bass playing was still everything his dress sense is not, and his athleticism gives not an inkling of his age and lifestyle. (Neither, for that matter, does that fact that he's just become a father once again!)

Jon Anderson, his voice recovering from an illness that left some of the USA gigs suffering, had his usual array of percussion to play with, a passion he shares with latest Yes keys-man Igor Khoroshev. The main man of Yes percussion is of course Alan White, whose own array of sparkly tops and tight cycling shorts gave the fashion critics something to marvel at.

Yes - The LadderA brief snippet of "Time And A Word" performed by Jon and Igor allowed instrument changes for the first new track of the night, "Homeworld." For a band often accused of relying totally on past glories, Yes were doing a damn good impression of having some superb new material. The fans received the latest compositions with open arms: it seems that in the aftermath of a sequence of flawed if promising releases, The Ladder has entered into the fans' perceptions as a piece of classic Yes. Chris's boundless energy was much to the fore, and Jon sealed the beauty of the acoustic closing section (shades of "Gates Of Delirium"?) by embracing his wife Jane at the foot of the stage.

"Perpetual Change" threw the band back into the early material again, giving Steve another chance to jump up and down on his rug while playing at a frightening pace. The Tony Kaye era cuts also gave Igor a chance to demonstrate his organ skills: His ability to produce large swirling walls of Hammond comes as naturally to him as the intricate solos which Wakeman used to define Yes music. When he first was mentioned as the new Yes keyboardist, you couldn't move for doubters. Now two tours and one and a half albums later, there seems little doubt that Khoroshev is the man most suited to being in Yes at this point, and is worthy to stand shoulder to shoulder with Wakeman, Kaye and Moraz as an integral part of this band.

In case we were beginning to suspect that this was going to be another "oldies but goldies" tour, two new songs brought us back into 2000. "Lightening Strikes" is a piece of fun that shows they've still got a sense of humour. Encouraged by the late, lamented Bruce Fairburn to explore new directions in the studio, this calypso oddity emerged. Far more effective live than on record, it was nice but not exactly immortal Yes music. The same cannot be said of "The Messenger": Lyrically a tribute to Bob Marley, and musically a tribute to Chris Squire's ability to play loudly, it has all the hallmarks of Yes thought the aeons. Again better live than on record, the catchy groove and full arrangements were a highlight of the show. Another instrumental break gave Steve further time to shred a solo to the universal approval of the audience, and even trade some lines with (usually inconspicuous) Billy Sherwood.

A tantalising snippet of "Nous Sommes Du Soleil" allowed further roadie action in the background, before old standard "And You And I" was wheeled into action once again. While this is a classic track, and played with an unfailing level of passion, one has to wonder why it's never rested. It drew a standing ovation as usual, from this reviewer included, but with such an extensive back catalogue of great music to choose from... maybe it's time to give a couple of such standards a rest?

Two more new songs followed: "It'll Be A Good Day" is a very Anderson-style track that would sound at home on one of his own solo albums. Chris chose this moment to unveil his Ranney 8-string bass, which provided a mellower sound than his usual Rickenbacker twang, but no less powerful. "Face to Face" was introduced by Jon appealing to the audience to get on their feet (which they did) and dance (which they did in the way that only Proggers can do). Once again it was reassuring to see how many of the old guard Yes fans were digging this frantic bluebeat knockabout piece. However they were usually glad to sit down afterwards.

An unexpected high spot was the power of "Hearts" - a track from Rabin-era Yes much overlooked in some quarters. Again Igor took the chance to recreate Kaye's bombastic organ attacks, while Billy took over the role of lead guitarist and briefly also lead vocals. Steve took the opportunity to disappear for a swift yoghurt (or whatever), briefly reappearing to add some lap-steel to the chorus, before shuffling off again. In truth he looked uncomfortable, as he would later playing the solo for "Owner Of A Lonely Heart." However it was an excellent version, heavier and more intense than the 90125 line-up dished out.

A Yes concert is not a Yes concert without "the epic", and this time round it was the turn of "Awaken" to get the "Oh my God I can't believe they're going to play it all... am I dreaming or is this really 1976?" treatment. Observers had ventured, when Wakeman left the band, that this was once composition they would never attempt as Rick's inimitable playing is all over it. However from Igor's opening piano burst it was evident that Yes in 2000 were more than capable of carrying it off. Chris' appearance shortly into the song wearing the legendary triple-neck Wal bass (replica) drew a ripple of applause and a host of stupid, drooling smiles at most venues.

The harp/organ middle section progressed throughout the tour, gradually taking shape as Igor developed his own keyboard lines, in the spirit of Wakeman's original but without being a carbon copy. Surreal imagery projected onto the backdrop (including computer generated mutant humming birds that will haunt the dreams of Yes fans for years to come) added to the atmosphere without distracting or detracting from the music. And when Steve finally re-emerged to play his searing Telecaster solo there was little doubt that this was a true version of "Awaken." This was not a band going through the motions... The clinching moment had to be the shower of confetti that fell from the arena roofs as the final chords hit home, quite often prompting a tear-fuelled standing ovation before Jon had a chance to sing the closing lines. "Awaken" was the undisputed highlight of the shows, and definitely the song most commonly talked about as the audience filtered into the cold February streets, usually looking for the nearest hostelry.

"All Good People" was the inevitable closer of the main set. Once again there is no doubt that this song is entombed in Yes folklore, but really guys... isn't it time to give it a rest?

Steve Howe always looked happiest on stage during the first encore, mainly because it was his solo and he had the entire stage to himself. Omitted for a while along with all the other solo spots, Steve's five minutes of glory were reinstated to the setlist. Rumours abounded that it was a trade-off for the band playing Rabin-era songs without him on lead, but whether that's true or not nobody seems to comment. For all but one night Steve knocked out his trademark "Clap," the one exception being Nottingham where he surprised everyone by playing the more relaxed "Mood For A Day" instead. Once happy with his adulation, Howe toddled off leaving the stage free for the Squire/White/Khorochev/Sherwood quartet to punch out a rocking version of "Cinema." Again Igor's interpretation of Tony Kaye's parts cannot be praised enough, while Chris seemed content to be make a lot of noise on his Elektra bass.

In another somewhat inevitable move, Jon's return heralded "Owner Of A Lonely Heart," with an extended outro allowing Steve and Billy to trade solos. Quite probably the only weak point in Howe's performances, he looked and sounded out of place. Everyone else seemed to be having a ball with it, and the versatility of latter day Yes has to be admired. Their ability to carry off a twenty minute symphonic Prog masterpiece and a wonderfully intelligent piece of eighties pop with the same conviction should not be overlooked...

"Roundabout" (again, brilliant but maybe time for retirement?) brought down the curtain after two hours and twenty minutes of virtually flawless live Yes. Presented in its edited form (sans acoustic guitar) it now came complete with frantic percussion from Khoroshev, whose enthusiasm for hitting cowbells and waving tambourines from the keyboard riser increases by the day.

In the history of the Yes band there is no critical summary that has been able to fully sum up their extremes, their power, their importance to the genre, and the legacy that they will leave behind them. So I'm not even going to attempt it. Into the next century with a bang... the promise was made and the promise has finally come.



Compiled with reviews from: Sheffield City Hall - 10 Feb, Manchester Apollo - 13 Feb, Liverpool Empire - 14 Feb, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall - 16 Feb, Glasgow Clyde Auditorium - 17 Feb, and London Royal Albert Hall - 19 & 20 Feb.


Added: February 26th 2000
Reviewer: Tony Emmerson

Artist website: yesworld.com
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Language: english
  

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