Nottingham show thoughts

[highfell]

I approach this evening’s concert with slight trepidation.

The Youtube clips of their other performances so far can best be described as underwhelming.

In my head I have accepted that I will be hearing JD singing versus JA, and for previous tours it has been OK, so that isn’t my concern.

I have watched them since 1978 and since 1996 on multiple occasions on each tour and after every live show have always felt uplifted by what I have heard and I just hope that I don’t feel that they have now reached the point where that ceases to be the case.

On the other hand , why begrudge the fact that I have the opportunity to see them still playing live and with centre based tickets and only a few rows back, I should be in a good position to judge.

We shall see , more to follow.

[Kevin W]

Nothing to worry about. They were great. I loved it!

[Gilly Goodness]

Nothing to worry about. They were great. I loved it!

Care to elaborate? 😘

[Kevin W]

Care to elaborate? 😘

The CTTE songs were the highlights - all excellent. Good long setlist. The band looked like they were enjoying themselves. Jay's drumming was excellent.

so good to still be watching them live after being a fan for so many decades!

[highfell]

SPOILERS BELOW




Well I needed have worried. I had a blast ! I sat 6 rows in front of Howe and spent the evening watching him. And he was in imperious form.

Here is the story of the evening.

Having driven three hours arrived at the venue in good time, used my voucher to got my car parking ticket stamped and enquired about the timings : Yes were due on at 8.40 after a Roger Dean opening act. Went to Wagamama’s across the road and decided against rushing food, missed Roger and got to my seat at 8.30 to discover changed plans and Yes actually started playing at 8.10/15 ; so I missed OTSWOF and YIND, very annoying.

Yes were great.

Billy definitely seemed to be more dominant in the mix and with his playing and was more “showy” coming to the front of the stage during the opening of HOTS on which he was excellent.

Jay was enthusiastic all evening and smashed those drums with gusto

Jon was good, I don’t like his shrill voice but singing live for me it was less noticeable

Geoff was also good,. He never looks entirely at ease and I still don’t get why he faces the wrong way, he can easily be seen over the top of his key boards.

And on to Howe, who I thought was a tour de force and still imperious on those Yes Classics.

CTTE was the highlight, both as the individual song and as the album.

On CTTE itself, the section before In your white Lace, the interplay between Howe, Jay & Geoff in order to create the atmospheric music was fascinating to watch and listen to - a special moment.

On AY&I - Howe’s exquisite use of the slide fender.

And on SK his blistering solo at the end of the song was magnificent

Starship Trooper was excellent to close the show, with strong input from Howe and Sherwood.

Ice Bridge was fun to listen to; Geoff was most at ease here but Dare to Know was poor.

All in all an excellent show; well worth seeing , to anyone sitting on the fence

Now can I find a way to see them again on this mini UK tour?

[Mr. Holland]

SPOILERS BELOW




Well I needed have worried. I had a blast ! I sat 6 rows in front of Howe and spent the evening watching him. And he was in imperious form.

Here is the story of the evening.

Having driven three hours arrived at the venue in good time, used my voucher to got my car parking ticket stamped and enquired about the timings : Yes were due on at 8.40 after a Roger Dean opening act. Went to Wagamama’s across the road and decided against rushing food, missed Roger and got to my seat at 8.30 to discover changed plans and Yes actually started playing at 8.10/15 ; so I missed OTSWOF and YIND, very annoying.

Yes were great.

Billy definitely seemed to be more dominant in the mix and with his playing and was more “showy” coming to the front of the stage during the opening of HOTS on which he was excellent.

Jay was enthusiastic all evening and smashed those drums with gusto

Jon was good, I don’t like his shrill voice but singing live for me it was less noticeable

Geoff was also good,. He never looks entirely at ease and I still don’t get why he faces the wrong way, he can easily be seen over the top of his key boards.

And on to Howe, who I thought was a tour de force and still imperious on those Yes Classics.

CTTE was the highlight, both as the individual song and as the album.

On CTTE itself, the section before In your white Lace, the interplay between Howe, Jay & Geoff in order to create the atmospheric music was fascinating to watch and listen to - a special moment.

On AY&I - Howe’s exquisite use of the slide fender.

And on SK his blistering solo at the end of the song was magnificent

Starship Trooper was excellent to close the show, with strong input from Howe and Sherwood.

Ice Bridge was fun to listen to; Geoff was most at ease here but Dare to Know was poor.

All in all an excellent show; well worth seeing , to anyone sitting on the fence

Now can I find a way to see them again on this mini UK tour?

Great to hear you had such a blast!

It just goes to show you that actually being there is a whole different ball game, than seeing phone clips on YouTube.

[wilsoib]

SPOILERS BELOW




Well I needed have worried. I had a blast ! I sat 6 rows in front of Howe and spent the evening watching him. And he was in imperious form.

Here is the story of the evening.

Having driven three hours arrived at the venue in good time, used my voucher to got my car parking ticket stamped and enquired about the timings : Yes were due on at 8.40 after a Roger Dean opening act. Went to Wagamama’s across the road and decided against rushing food, missed Roger and got to my seat at 8.30 to discover changed plans and Yes actually started playing at 8.10/15 ; so I missed OTSWOF and YIND, very annoying.

Yes were great.

Billy definitely seemed to be more dominant in the mix and with his playing and was more “showy” coming to the front of the stage during the opening of HOTS on which he was excellent.

Jay was enthusiastic all evening and smashed those drums with gusto

Jon was good, I don’t like his shrill voice but singing live for me it was less noticeable

Geoff was also good,. He never looks entirely at ease and I still don’t get why he faces the wrong way, he can easily be seen over the top of his key boards.

And on to Howe, who I thought was a tour de force and still imperious on those Yes Classics.

CTTE was the highlight, both as the individual song and as the album.

On CTTE itself, the section before In your white Lace, the interplay between Howe, Jay & Geoff in order to create the atmospheric music was fascinating to watch and listen to - a special moment.

On AY&I - Howe’s exquisite use of the slide fender.

And on SK his blistering solo at the end of the song was magnificent

Starship Trooper was excellent to close the show, with strong input from Howe and Sherwood.

Ice Bridge was fun to listen to; Geoff was most at ease here but Dare to Know was poor.

All in all an excellent show; well worth seeing , to anyone sitting on the fence

Now can I find a way to see them again on this mini UK tour?

Great to hear you enjoyed it. The YouTube clips I’ve seen from Glasgow don’t come close to showing how good it was. Unfortunately it’s not practical for me to get to another show on the tour.

[Gary Betts]

For me it was an excellent gig. The band in good sprits especally Steve. Low point was Wondrous Stories something wasn't quite right I think somebody missed a beat or something. Dear to Know was good but it has to stand along side Heart of the Sunrise (which is played next) so sounds weak. All in all though it was fabulous evening of Yes music.

[Kevin W]

Interestingly I was sat next to someone who was attending his first Yes gig along with his dad, who had lost touch with the band for more than 30 years. Evidently it was the fact that Close To The Edge was being played that had drawn them in. They both enjoyed the show. I thought it was good to know that some had come to the show because it was billed as the 50th anniversary of CTTE. Most of the chat here when it was first announced was of disappointment that it wasn't Relayer - myself included!

Glad I finally decided I would still go because it was a great show, which is inevitably going to send me back to listening to the whole back catalogue again.....

[Ash Armstrong]

Do the visuals on the screens behind the boys run through every song they play? Are the images/animations all connected somehow to the song being played?
I think the only concert I can remember that had visuals of that sort was Saucerful of Secrets in 2018, and that was just abstract psychedelic stuff and fractals.
I'm not sure I'm keen on it to the extent that Yes seem to be employing it; I'd probably have to keep lowering my gaze periodically if I was there, just listen to the music. I've heard a few bands use them now.

[JMKUSA]

Do the visuals on the screens behind the boys run through every song they play? Are the images/animations all connected somehow to the song being played?
I think the only concert I can remember that had visuals of that sort was Saucerful of Secrets in 2018, and that was just abstract psychedelic stuff and fractals.
I'm not sure I'm keen on it to the extent that Yes seem to be employing it; I'd probably have to keep lowering my gaze periodically if I was there, just listen to the music. I've heard a few bands use them now.

Note sure about this tour, but the last few tours I’ve seen have visuals that fit the song. Typically those visuals are partially based on the album cover.

[Ash Armstrong]

A very nice YouTube review, although he mistakes Heart of the Sunrise, I suspect, for South Side of the Sky.

[Steve983]

^^ It kind of brings the rest of his review into doubt!

[Ash Armstrong]

^^ It kind of brings the rest of his review into doubt!

I don't take that view. A straightforward error, as I see it, and a sincere review.

[highfell]

No videoing was allowed at Nottingham but I managed to get this clip of Billy soloing on HOTS

https://youtu.be/aUrUnBNu03s