Yes - Live in Philadelphia DVD ?

[Trevor Walker]

I've just seen this advertised on Amazon UK to be released August 26, 2002.

Anyone know anything about this ? Which tour is it from ?

[RobAdams]

I've seen it in the store (one day when I had no money). It is from either 1978 or 79. The cover art resembles the CLASSIC YES album cover.

[Trevor Walker]

Thanx Rob.

I was puzzled that the release date said August 26, 2002. Thought maybe it was from current tour but as there are no tour dates in Phillie was even more puzzled !

This release may be a re-master of the 78/79 recording.

[rhammill]

There has been a rumor for some time that the UK release will include special features and/or be a longer version of the show. I don't know if this will be available worldwide, or just in the UK.

Randy

[Trevor Walker]

Wooooo Hooooo !

Thanx Randy.

Do you have the track listing ? I'm going to get it on UK release anyway but it would be great to know what to expect.

[DaveG]

Hi.

This is my first post to this site.

I have loved Yes since 1973.

The Live in Phildelphia DVD is very very disappointing. It suffers from very poor production and audio/video quality.

That is, compared to the new dvd or even HOB live, or even KTA.

I don't want to sound negative, but that title is one that needs major rework to make it acceptable.

Look for it used.

Now, that new DVD is absolutely incredible. That release shows how great YES really is, with out any gimmicks or nonsense.

Anyway, take it easy and long live YES!

Dave

[Original_Shifty]

Welcome to the site Dave.

Thanks for your thoughts on the dvd's out there regarding Yes. I've been thinking of picking up the QPR one myself. Do you have that one?

Hope to keep hearing your thoughts in other threads too.

[Starship Trooper]

If DaveG thought that Live in Philadelphia 1979 was bad, QPR Live 1975 is a joke. The Philadelphia recording is brilliant compared to that.

The picture quality and video production is pretty good, better than LIP, but the sound is a complete disgrace. It almost sounds like somebody purposely sabotaged it, like a toddler did the audio production. I almost wept after I tore the plastic off the DVD and popped it into my player only to hear it, and I can't for the life of me understand how it could be the finished product.

The mix is ridiculous. Everything is muffled, one of Patrick Moraz' keyboards is incredibly loud while you can't even hear the others, Jon's occasional guitar strumming drowns out Steve at times (even when he is playing some lead licks!), you can't hear Chris much at all, and almost all of Alan's extracurricular percussion (bells, vibes, chimes, etc.) are inaudible even though the camera often shows him playing them extensively, like during I Get Up, I Get Down in Close to the Edge.

It's such a shame. I'll bet the show was great to have heard it in person the way it really sounded! It sure as heck didn't sound like the QPR recording, I'm sure! The more amazing thing is how such a comical recording could be made of a band that was as big as Yes was during that time, probably their peak in popularity. It's not an exaggeration to say that if you took your VCR camera to a local bar and videotaped some lame cover band that it would sound infinitely better than QPR Live 1975.

But if anybody loves Yes out there as much as I do and was too young to have seen them in their prime in the 1970's, you could buy it anyway. At least you could see what a show from that time looked like.

The best DVD they have ever made by far is the latest one with the symphony. That is awesome and blows House of Blues completely away. It's too bad that it's taken them 30 years to finally get a great-sounding concert video out on the market.

[Martin Riley]

I saw that tour in the UK at Stoke but not at QPR. However the QPR gig was broadcast in truncated form by the BBC at the time and I'm sure there must be a better (and possibly even complete) version in their archives. The BBC never destroys anything.

[rhammill]

Several things:

Live in Philadelphia 1979:
The UK release with extras is just a rumor at this point - I have not seen any verifiable info, other than the band was looking at expanding it as reported on YesWorld. The listing that you have could be that release (that would be cool) or it could simply be the same release as here in the US.

The show was originally from a TV broadcast. The sound is relatively poor, because at the time TV was not broadcast in stereo, so the DVD is in mono. I would imagine that someplace there is a master taken from the board which could be used to remix the soundtrack. I also imagine the rest of the show was video-taeped (including 'Arriving UFO, the DVD only has the drum solo from the middle of it). These are assumptions on my part. I actually doubt that that particular one has any extra features, simply because the band hasn't had time to work on it, although they probably would not be directly involved.

QPR 1975:
This is, as far as I know, only available from Hong Kong and Japan. The Honk Kong version is region-free, the Japanese is region 2 (I believe). Both are NTSC, I don't believe a PAL edition exists. This DVD, as well as the previous VHS and Laser Disc editions, were released without the band's knowledge or involvement. A product of the differing copyright laws from country-to-country.

The show is great. The stage presentation is a little different, because it is an open-air show and it starts when it is still light. The masters have the show as the audience heard it to the best of my knowledge. It was a bad mix for about the first third of the show. It is resolved fully by the acoustic set, and the remainder sounds very good. My best guess as to the problems was an issue with cables or the mixer channels on Steve's and Pat's instruments. Most of these are resolved a bit at a time, but not completely until the acoustic set, when they sould have been on different channels. Patrick's rig in particular would have been more difficult to resolve because of the number of channels that it would use.

Other information:
There is another thread about the ABWH DVD being available from Brazil. 9012Live is available as well. There are lots of copies of 9012Live on eBay, only a few of the ABWH ones. I ordered a copy of the ABWH one by following the link in the other thread. I have not received it yet, but including shipping it was abound $30.00 (US dollars). On eBay this is going for a lot of money because people may think it is one of the out of print versions.

The reason why these are appearing in Brazil is another variation on copyright laws. In Brazil, a recently discovered loophole says that the company who owns the right to the video (VHS) can release it on DVD as a straight video transfer. No remastering, no extras, and they also have to provide their own cover art (which is why 9012Live and Yessongs have different covers). I have the 9012Live one. It is nothing special, but at least it's on DVD. Yes has acquired the rights for 9012Live in the US and UK, and plans on releasing it themselves, possibly with added footage and extras.

Recommendations:
I would get the QPR show first. Despite the mixing issues, it is a great recoridng, the entire show, and the best footage (legitimate or otherwise) from that era. It includes rareties like Gates, To Be Over, Sound Chaser, the Acoustic set, Ritual and Sweet Dreams. The QPR UK TV broadcast started at the acoustic set (I think) because of the mixing issues, I assume. I used to have a Japanese boot which started at teh same point, but included Japanese subtitles.

The 1979 show is OK, but remember it is a TV special from 1979. Similar to the ELP show from Montreal, 1977. In addition, it is edited, missing what would have been some of the best parts of the show.

9012Live is the same as the video, just on a different format.

One thing to check out, as well, is the Best of Musikladen. It is short, but the No Opportunity... segment is great.

To fill in the blanks:
Yessongs is available everywhere.
Union 1991 is available in Japan only, region 2, NTSC.
YesYears and Greatest Video hits may have been released in Japan as well, region 2, NTSC or maybe on VCD - I have only seend passing references to these.
Keys to Ascension, everywhere (crappy special effects, though)
House of Blues - everywhere (great, too)
Symphonic - everywhere - spectacular!

Rick Wakeman also has a whole bunch out, and there is one Steve Howe one as well.

I don't think I missed any.

Randy

[Trevor Walker]

Wow !!

You guys are the best !

Plenty of things to think about here.

I really would like the Union DVD as everyone said the concerts were brilliant and I've heard it was the best DVD until HOB and of course the magnificent Symphonic.

I think I will hold fire for a while. The QPR and LIP DVDs don't seem worth a look - at the moment.

I will also look out for the re-release of 9102Live.

Thanx again everyone - and, Randy, that's the second time you've helped me this week. Much appreciated !

Hey............and welcome DaveG - stick around it's great fun being part of this YES family !

[DaveG]

Thanks for the warm welcomes, folks.

My passion for YES is very, very strong. I always tell people they are my "favorite" band, which is generally true.

I got hooked on them at the tender age of 13, about a million years ago.

It's sometimes difficult to write how much I love their music and how influential it has been at times.

And I'm one of those who happens to like Trevor Rabin era as much as the "classic" lineup.

Hell, I even love Drama and Tormato!

And "Talk" speaks for itself!

But I way love Close to the Edge and The Yes Album, too. And TFTO is a masterpiece.

Randy, your post on the video is excellent. Very good and valid information.

The ABWH show on VHS is very good and might be easier to find than the DVD. I don't own the dvd but have seen it, it is good quality.

I have not seen any of the Brazilian "dubs" as I like to call them, nor have I seen the QPR shows. I bidded on the QPR's on laser on ebay many times but they fetch high dollar.

I'm thrilled with the new Yessymphonic dvd. It's the best yet!

Regards -

Dave

[Trevor Walker]

I'm a Yeswholist too. I've been with them since the early seventies, and like you they have had a profound influence on my life. I don't mind admitting to shedding the occassional tear listening to the sublime musicianship.

I have the limited edition ABWH video and CD combo and one day will probably upgrade to thr DVD - especially if it has any 'extras'.

The YesSymphonis is simply the best music DVD/video I have ever seen. I have it in my computer all the time and play it thru at least twice at weekends as well as the occassional GoD, Ritual or Roundabout during the week !

As Yes now have the rights to some of the earlier recordings I sincerely hope they get involved in producing some DVD's of quality. I know you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear but surely re-mixing or other post-production work can help to imrove the overall quality.

It really is hard to believe that there are no top quality video/film recordings of whole concerts of Yes at the height of their popularity.

Let's wait and see what comes out.

[Koko]

Originally posted by Starship Trooper
If DaveG thought that Live in Philadelphia 1979 was bad, QPR Live 1975 is a joke. The Philadelphia recording is brilliant compared to that.

The picture quality and video production is pretty good, better than LIP, but the sound is a complete disgrace. It almost sounds like somebody purposely sabotaged it, like a toddler did the audio production. I almost wept after I tore the plastic off the DVD and popped it into my player only to hear it, and I can't for the life of me understand how it could be the finished product.

The mix is ridiculous. Everything is muffled, one of Patrick Moraz' keyboards is incredibly loud while you can't even hear the others, Jon's occasional guitar strumming drowns out Steve at times (even when he is playing some lead licks!), you can't hear Chris much at all, and almost all of Alan's extracurricular percussion (bells, vibes, chimes, etc.) are inaudible even though the camera often shows him playing them extensively, like during I Get Up, I Get Down in Close to the Edge.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's such a shame. I'll bet the show was great to have heard it in person the way it really sounded!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Hi Starship Trooper ! Yes it did sound 'Good' on the day I was ther...however the weather that day was very changeable...was quite windy all day especially by time time Yes came on..the wind had really picked up...and was sweeping across the football ground...and kept 'carrying the music/sound away'....

A real pity because (even though I stayed stone cold sober/straight for the Gig...always do for Yes, so's I can remeber the details when I'm old and infirm etc.and telling my Grandchildren about the Original line-ups...compared to the Yes line up they are going to see with Jade on Vox, adam wakeman on keys,...Dylan on drums etc)......coz I would have purchased one...knowing me I still might.....

.




.


Thanks Guys Starship Trooper & Dave G for the feedback (no pun intended!) though!

K.

[Nick Green]

Play.com is now showing running time of 1 hour 38 mins - this is double what I have seen quoted before - also quoted is dolby 5.1 sound - could we be in for a nicely revamped package?

[Martin Riley]

Amazon.co.uk Review
The classic Yes line-up (Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Rick Wakeman, Alan White) playing some of their finest music: that's the good news about Yes--Live in Philadelphia, 1979. The bad news is that the picture is mediocre, the sound is awful and the content is a 50-minute TV programme (minus credits) edited from a complete performance. The concert opens with the barnstorming "Siberian Khatru" from Close to the Edge, before the lightweight "Circus of Heaven" (from Tormato) offers a delicate contrast, and the pace changes again as Alan White unleashes a powerful drum solo. The packaging claims the next track is "The Ancient" from Tales from Topographic Oceans, but it's actually a two-minute extract followed by a fade to black.

The remainder of the disc is essentially Yes' standard encores: "Starship Trooper", "I've Seen All Good People" and "Roundabout", though it would have been nice to have seen the show which preceded them. Yes are in fine form and offer a spectacular light show to match their musical pyrotechnics, but with the gig cut to shreds and the appalling technical quality of the disc it's hard to recommend this to any but the most die hard of collectors. Try the much more recent Yes--Live in Amsterdam instead.

On the DVD: Yes--Live in Philadelphia is a concert filmed for a 1979 TV programme cropped to 16:9 ratio, so that even anamorphic enhancement can't compensate for the butchered visual compositions. One of the purposes of DVD is to present everything in its original ratio, not to reformat old programmes to fill widescreen TVs. The picture also looks soft, lacks detail and often displays a shimmering rippling effect right across the screen. The sound claims to be Dolby Digital 5.1 and perhaps, technically, it is, but if so it is the same mono TV soundtrack fed separately to each channel. Not only that, but it is harsh, metallic mono with no depth, definition or bass, reducing Yes' complex multi-layered arrangements to an indigestible sonic hash.

Notably, no one from Yes has lent their name to this DVD, so rock journalist Chris Welch provides an introduction and commentary. Unfortunately he struggles to say anything that isn't obvious or banal, lapsing into silence for considerable periods. --Gary S Dalkin

Video Description
DVD Special Features
Introduction and optional track-by-track audio review from rock journalist Chris Welch.
Main Feature: 90 minutes
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 16.9

[Olias_01]

I received the 1979 Philly dvd last weekend along with the Symphonic dvd....

Fortunately I watched the Philly dvd first....I was hoping to be able to judge the size of the crowd as I understand there were a lot of people there. Unfortunately you cannot see the audience at all. The production is terrible. The only reasons I am glad I purchased it are: The Alan White solo and Circus Of Heaven....

I then put the Symphonic dvd on and fortunately I have a full cinema set-up at home. I went straight to Ritual and actually cried......

This recording in DTS is so powerful, so clear, so wonderful, so, so, so so, I am lost for words....It is the most amazing recording I have ever seen by anybody ever......so there you have it..You just MUST buy this. If ever you wanted to convert someone to Yes music just show them Ritual from this dvd.....job done...

[jacksmelad]

caught a scrap of the qpr dvd off winmx-sound poor,pictures ok,memories brought back incredible!(ie Stoke 75)