Favorite Veune For Yes

[kkleinschmidt]

What is your favorite venue to see Yes, or the venue you would most like to see Yes but haven't? I've been lucky enough to see shows all over the world in some of the most fantastic venues imaginable, including Radio City Music Hall, Ryman Auditorium, Royal Albert Hall, and the Pompeii Amphitheater. But there is one venue that stands out from all of the others in my mind that I would dearly love to see our favorite band play, and that is Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison Colorado. According to setlist.fm Yes has played there three times, including the Fly From Here and 35th Anniversary tours, but the show that jumps out most to me is the show they did there for the Talk tour. Here's the set list from that show, and as far as YesWest goes this is pretty much as good as it gets...

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/yes/1994/red-rocks-amphitheatre-morrison-co-7bdf1e80.html

Red Rocks is a great place to go even when there's no music happening. On a normal day people are allowed to walk all around the venue, including on the stage itself, which is really good fun. The locals use it as a workout area running up and down the stairs.

Why am I bringing this up? Simply because I really want to see Yes there especially playing Relayer or even CTTE. Come on guys make it happen!

[Soundwaveseeker]

I would like to have had Yes play in Ocean City, MD on one of those makeshift stages near the boardwalk but facing out towards the beach around the time of evening when the sun is all orangey and everybody is laid back. They could play Perpetual Change, Into The Lens, the Remembering, To Be Over, Tempus Fugit as an encore and that's all. And I'd be satisfied with that 5 song concert.

[kkleinschmidt]

I didn't even think of temporary stages! Here in Madison Indiana they have a stage that they put up in a nice spot along the Ohio River that's had all sorts of good music over the years that would be awesome for a Yes show. They would have to drop the fancy light screens but that's fine for a situation like that.

Then of course there's the time the Grateful Dead did an impromptu performance in Yosemite Valley. And how about when they played the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt?

[soundchaser09]

ive seen them at the Demontfort Hall, Leicester and Birmingham Symphony Hall, both great venues.

I got front row seats for the three album tour at Leicester, seeing Chris with his triple neck was quite the experience!

[OB1kenOB]

My first Yes show was in this building, Indiana University Assembly Hall in 1979, it has a suspended roof with no obstructed views. The round stage was where you see the black circle over the Indiana map. There is a black X where our seats were. Front row above the floor with nothing between us and Yes except a hand rail where we could rest our feet and look (while seated) over the top of even the tallest person on the floor. Right at eye level with the band. Also saw them at Experience Music Project. Also saw them aboard the MSC Divina and MSC Poesia. Those are some stand out venues for me. I've also seen them at a zoo, in a bowling alley, and at Sea World. but never seen them open for a puppet show.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Those are some stand out venues for me. I've also seen them at a zoo, in a bowling alley, and at Sea World. but never seen them open for a puppet show.[/QUOTE]

I've seen them play at a Yuppet show. 😄

[Gilly Goodness]

Those are some stand out venues for me. I've also seen them at a zoo, in a bowling alley, and at Sea World. but never seen them open for a puppet show.

I've seen them play at a Yuppet show. 😄[/QUOTE]

That was just Jon and his veneers 😉

[Somis Sound]

What is your favorite venue to see Yes, or the venue you would most like to see Yes but haven't? I've been lucky enough to see shows all over the world in some of the most fantastic venues imaginable, including Radio City Music Hall, Ryman Auditorium, Royal Albert Hall, and the Pompeii Amphitheater. But there is one venue that stands out from all of the others in my mind that I would dearly love to see our favorite band play, and that is Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison Colorado. According to setlist.fm Yes has played there three times, including the Fly From Here and 35th Anniversary tours, but the show that jumps out most to me is the show they did there for the Talk tour. Here's the set list from that show, and as far as YesWest goes this is pretty much as good as it gets...

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/yes/1994/red-rocks-amphitheatre-morrison-co-7bdf1e80.html

Red Rocks is a great place to go even when there's no music happening. On a normal day people are allowed to walk all around the venue, including on the stage itself, which is really good fun. The locals use it as a workout area running up and down the stairs.

Why am I bringing this up? Simply because I really want to see Yes there especially playing Relayer or even CTTE. Come on guys make it happen!

WOW! You really have been all over the world at some amazing venues! I have never been to Red Rocks but that RAH and Pompeii are on my bucket list...

I'd have to say my favorite venue that I saw Yes play was The Greek Theater in LA. Other great shows were at Universal Amphitheater (which is now Harry Potter land ) and The Forum for the Union Tour. But The Greek is open air, pine trees, great acoustics, preshow picnic/party area with bbq's and benches, and them $15 Coors Lights LOL

[Bingleyhall1977]

Birmingham Symphony Hall is a fabulous venue. Enjoyed the outdoor concert in the grounds of Powderham Castle in 2004 .

[Olorin]

Yeah, Red Rocks would be fabulous. U2 filmed a concert there many years ago, and it was quite spectacular. The Moody Blues filmed one there too. But really, any outdoor venue is good. They seem to get a much cleaner sound. I saw YesF 50th Anniversary tour at the stately Ravinia venue in Chicago. The oldest part of Ravinia was built in 1904, so the venue features lovely Arts and Crafts font on its signage and logo, etc. Not sure when the summer shed part of it was built, probably in the 1930s, which may may it the granddaddy of summer shed venues, at least in the US. I know you Europeans have your ancient Roman venues that would edge out Ravinia for age, LOL.

My first Yes concert, the 90125 tour in 1984, was at the late lamented Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. It was torn down many years ago and a different venue stands there now. Kiel had an adjoining structure called Kiel Opera House. It's still there but has a different name now (because of course). I saw Tina Turner there in 1985. Happy memories...

[Davy]

Yep, love outdoor venues when the weather is nice! There's something about the outdoors that seems more appropriate for Yes music than theaters or arenas. The nicest one I've been to is Wolf Trap in Virginia.

[Mr. Holland]

I've seen them in arenas like Rotterdam Ahoy and Wembley Arena, but I much prefer the smaller, more intimate venues. So my favourite I've seen them is where they played for the OYE tour, Ladder tour and the last two tours in 2016 and 2018 and where they'll play for the Relayer tour next year: Tivolivredenburg, in Utrecht, the Netherlands. It's got a very good set up and very good acoustics.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Yep, love outdoor venues when the weather is nice! There's something about the outdoors that seems more appropriate for Yes music than theaters or arenas. The nicest one I've been to is Wolf Trap in Virginia.

That's a nice venue. Saw the Yes Symphonic show there in 2001 and also ARW Yes in 2017, both memorable evenings. Yes music does fit the outside venues well.

For indoors, first show I saw was Yes Big Generator show at the Capital Center in Maryland - very basic hockey arena, but for some reason had the magic. Many a Rush show there. Only saw Yes there the once, oddly enough. They were always playing somewhere else afterwards, and now the Capital Center is gone - bulldozed to build one of those boring 'Town Center' deals. I'll take a cozy, dimly lit enclosed mall over a town center or strip plaza any day of the week.

[Olorin]

The discussion about outdoor venues has gotten me thinking and I realize I've seen Yes at outdoor venues quite a few times. In addition to having seen YesF at Ravinia in Chicago as mentioned previously, I saw ABWH at Poplar Creek in Chicago; the Union , Masterworks , and Classic Yes 2002 tours at Riverport Amphitheatre in St. Louis; and the Talk, OYE, and Masterworks tours at Deer Creek Amphitheatre in Indianapolis. Those of you who live in the US Midwest will recognize that I'm using the original names of these venues and not what I call the corporate whore names (naming rights ...is that even a thing outside the US?). I saw Natalie Merchant once at Deer Creek when it was no longer called that. She referred to it as Deer Creek and said it would always be that to her, which got a roar of approval from the audience.

Digressing slightly further, how do other folks keep track of the concerts they've seen? I've seen 151 concerts. I of course keep all the ticket stubs (crammed into an old checkbook box in my desk) but also I keep a log or diary in Word. I record what artist it was, the date, the venue, what tour the group was on, who went with me (if anyone), and my observations/review of the show. I typically write my review within a week or so after seeing it, but sometimes as I'm looking back over the list, I'll add to summaries of older shows...sometimes ones from decades ago. Setlist.fm has been a great find, as periodically I'll work my way down my list, looking up the shows and copying the setlist to my document if it is on setlist.fm. All in all, it is I suppose a silly little hobby but it's fun, and it helps keep these memories alive. Sometimes I also think about making some sort of collage out of the ticket stubs, but I haven't done so yet. If I ever finish the basement and do the media room, I probably will do it then.

[Davy]

That's a nice venue. Saw the Yes Symphonic show there in 2001 and also ARW Yes in 2017, both memorable evenings. Yes music does fit the outside venues well.

For indoors, first show I saw was Yes Big Generator show at the Capital Center in Maryland - very basic hockey arena, but for some reason had the magic. Many a Rush show there. Only saw Yes there the once, oddly enough. They were always playing somewhere else afterwards, and now the Capital Center is gone - bulldozed to build one of those boring 'Town Center' deals. I'll take a cozy, dimly lit enclosed mall over a town center or strip plaza any day of the week.

That was my first show, too!