Yes in Nashville!

[2400wattman]

Just got back from the concert tonight(3 hour drive for me) and was worth every damn cent! They played at the Ryman Auditorium ( The Grand Ole Opry..the original one) which has an odd set up seating wise. Mind you this use to be a church so they still have the pews but more than 80% of the floor seating is covered by the balcony seating. Fortunately for me my seat was on the floor, on Chris Squire's side and about 20 feet in front of him!! All that glorious tone hitting me was just fantatsic. Alan White played well but looked tired and Steve Howe was impeccable. I love how he uses volume swells on lap steel and what a tone as well overall. Rick Wakeman's son Oliver played keys and was killing up there. Gee wonder where he got it? This tour is sans Jon Anderson(due to respiratory infection) so his stand in (from a Yes tribute in Canada) is Benoit David. This gentleman did all the songs complete justice. More of a suitable replacement/stand- in than Trevor Horn, I.M.H.O.
Here's the set list
1.South Side of the Sky
2.I've Seen All Good People
3.Tempus Fugit
4.Astral Traveler/drum solo
5. Onward
6.Close to the Edge
7. Steve's solo Spanish guitar piece, Chet Atkins song, The Clap. This was a special night for Steve to be playing in Nashville where a lot of his influences are from, cause he told us so.
8.And You And I
9.Only Eyes to the Future? did'nt know this one at all.
10.Long Distance Runaround
11. The Fish, oh yea get down for Chris' solo!!
12.Machine Messiah  
13. Starship Trooper
14. Roundabout.. the encore piece
 What a night, what a night. This is one that I'll remember for a while. Damndest thing is I could've taken in my camera but I figured that I could'nt, like all other shows. While waiting for them to go on an announcement is made that you can take pics from you seat only! aaaarrgghh!!  Still happy though and what a night!

[speicky]

Great review, Adam, I'm sure you had a blast... I'm jealous :-) have a fine time,
 
your friend Christian

[davr35]

Great set list. I have always loved Yes.
 
Hey Adam I see you are playing in my neck of the woods( New Orleans) I'm making plans to go
 
Dave

[jacko]

Thanks for the review Adam. I've been watching the yesworld site for a while hoping they'll announce some UK dates. I've been a huge fan since '74 through many personal changes so Oliver and David won't be anything new (and for what it's worth, I even enjoyed seeing them in the horn/downes incanation). I truly believe their music transcends the musicians, except Squire of course - ABWH were good but not 'that'good ;-) (with apologies to tony levin and jeff berlin)
 
Graeme

[bigbadbill]

Chris is my favourite bassist and has arguably my favourite bass tone; I love his playing. Strangely I'd been playing Rickenbackers for a couple of years before I found out he used them, the opposite to many!

[white_cloud]

Well, Geddy Lee was hugely influenced by Chris Squire and was subsequently suitably inspired enough to use a Rick 4001 for many years - and that just about says it all about Chris Squire for me!
 
John.

[3rd_ray]

Adam, last Friday I was in about the exact same position as you in Greensboro, NC at the Carolina Theater. This was my 3rd time seeing Yes, but I've never been so close to the stage and right in front of Chris Squire. It was definitely a great show, Chris made the bass lines look easy! Benoit David was a great stand-in for Jon Anderson. And I was thinking what an awesome gig that must be for Oliver Wakeman, to jam in his father's band with some of the world's best musicians. You can tell he learned a lot from his father. Looks like we had the same set list as you, except for the encore we had Owner of a Lonely Heart and Roundabout. I have to say that seeing The Fish up close was the highlight of the show.  
 
Edit: I was thinking the same thing as you about the camera. I was kicking myself because I could have had some great shots.  
 
Mike
 
(Message edited by 3rd_ray on December 11, 2008)

[artswork99]

YES!

[2400wattman]

Guys, this was a rare opprutunity for me since my schedule is off the wall. It was rather disappointing that the venue was not even nearly sold out. But I think that since there was a standing ovation after every song(not kidding) it made up for the lack of attendance.  
Chris played his signature Rick of course and another on Machine Messiah in which the finish looked like his solo record Fish out of Water. He broke out his Electra (with built in effects modules on the back) for Tempus Fugit and a Lakland p style bass, and for all the different basses it did'nt really matter too much. Chris still sounded the same but KILLER!  
To think that I got to hear them play, play extremely well and play songs you don't always hear was quite an experience and one of the best ones ever!  
The light show was perfectly beautiful. One that WORKS with the music to make the show one flowing artform.  
Now I hope they tour again with Jon Anderson so I can witness that magic.

[white_cloud]

I was lucky enough to see Yes on the magnification tour complete with Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White and a full symphonic orchestra - wow!!
 
Awesome show that will live in my memory forever.

[georgie_boy]

I remember (just) when I had hair, and was walking in Rose St. in Edinburgh when,     out of a clothes shop came blasting...............Your's is no disgrace!!
 
Will live forever in my memory..............my girlfriend at the time  didn't see what all the fuss was about
 
Silly cow
 
G

[David Houck]

Great review Adam; thanks!