3/5 Yes - on tour

[PeterG]

JV and I went to the Psudo Yes show on Friday night. Our seats were OK.. about 35 feet from the stage.

It was nice to hear a lot of the old songs; especially the ones that JA doesn't like to sing (Drama... ((the album, not the 'not wanting to sing')) )

See the set list below.

But first a couple comments about this version of the band.

Steve was great... mostly. On the electric he was HOT! Just tearing up the songs. On Acoustic... not so much. Mood for a day... he was so disgusted with the way he was playing it... he just stopped, said " well, enough of that" and switched guitars to play "Clap" (which was excellent)

Alan was the usual AW. Solid playing, big sound. Nice solo, not too long but interesting. An occasional flub, but hey who doesn't?

Chris Was big! As well as the sound, he is just BIG!

Have another donut, buddy!

Also, for a guy your age and size... it is time to retire the form-fitting stretch pants... Zoinks!... it was like seeing Granpa Munster coming out of the shower.

Chris' sound was big, as usual and his playing was spot-on. The Fish solo spot was good, tasteful but hot over-long. (Just Fish... no silent wings excerpt, no Amazing Bass, no tempus fugit (cause the played it). He was Loud... Billy Sherwood has learned well from the master... The bass seemed too loud on many of the songs and the level of the "backup vocals" were sometimes louder that the lead.

Oliver Wakeman played well. He will benefit from playing more shows to get tighter with the band. It is not as much as he was off as, it seems, that he had that "i guess i'm supposed to play this thing here and that thing there". He doesn't have the subtle touches down.

I think that when Rick plays the stuff that he wrote, it is just more fluid. Ollie knows that he has big shoes to fill, and he did it admirably... On the songs where there is a keyboard lead, some space to improvise and cut loose, he did a fabulous job.

Benoit David sang.



As a kid, did you ever buy something from an advertisement in the back of a Comic Book.. and when you finally receive it.. you think... "Oh, I paid how-much for this?"

Benot tried sooo hard to be Jon. He just wasn't/isn't..
If he would just sing the songs, to the best of his ability, and fit into the band as the "i know i'm the fill in guy, i hope you like the show" guy and not the "wanna be, mimic" i think I would have liked/accepted him more.

His arm floating/sailing around the stage... looked SO practiced. ...and the tambourine act was getting old.
Just disappointed. At least with Trevor Horn, he was like "Hi, I'm Trevor and I'm singing this tour... hope you have fun"

Could be better Benoit.




I made and wore a "got Jon" shirt.

I got a few comments. In line (to the mens room) there were a couple high fives and a fist bump. Mostly it seemed that there were "shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place" smiles of agreement. Back at the seat one dude wanted to know where I got it and asked to take a picture.

Had fun seeing the band... didn't want to ruin my streak (since 1976)

Setlist

Siberian Khatru
All good people
Heart of the Sunrise
Tempus Fugit
Onward
Astrial Traveler
Close to the Edge
Parallels
And you and I
Mood for a ... Not in the mood to play
Clap
Long Distance Runaround
The Fish
Aliens are Only Us from the Future <--- WTF a new song. Obviously penned by Donut-boy
Machine Messiah
Soon...
Starship Trooper
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Roundabout



Crappy picture link -- http://web.me.com/gawlocp/Peters_Place/Yes-11_7_08.html

[OverHillandDale(Admin)]

Thanks for the review. Sounds like what I imagined. I may have to go just for the same reason you went.

I tried to look at your pictures, but none came up on that site. I could watch the videos in the other choices, however.

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by PeterG

Also, for a guy your age and size... it is time to retire the form-fitting stretch pants... Zoinks!... it was like seeing Granpa Munster coming out of the shower.

I'm going to have nightmares now.

Originally Posted by PeterG

Benoit David sang.



As a kid, did you ever buy something from an advertisement in the back of a Comic Book.. and when you finally receive it.. you think... "Oh, I paid how-much for this?"

Damn! Those X-ray specs just never provided the view that was touted in the ad.

Originally Posted by PeterG

I made and wore a "got Jon" shirt.

I got a few comments. In line (to the mens room) there were a couple high fives and a fist bump. Mostly it seemed that there were "shook my head and smiled a whisper, knowing all about the place" smiles of agreement. Back at the seat one dude wanted to know where I got it and asked to take a picture.

Had fun seeing the band... didn't want to ruin my streak (since 1976)

I ruined my streak too but then this tour was more like a greasy smear on one of my favorite tie-dyes.

[Rick and Roll]

Comprehensive, amusing, and an excellent review. I've been looking at some footage from the shows but it's great to get a good review. There are so many opinions flying back and forth it's nice to see just a straight review.

I really like the choices of Parallels, Onward, etc.

What you said about Howe on elecrtic and Benoit/Oliver was exactly what I gathered from only a few seconds of footage. Howe looked really into it, and the new guys looked terribly wooden. Excellent line about "being yourself".

[NorCalKurt]

GREAT Review PG, I love the shirt, I may do the same out here when the time comes.

[TheFish]

Sounds like what I expected. Decent set list. I too don't want to break my streak since '76. Thanks for the review.

Now I suppose us Left-coasters have to wait for the 'second leg' tour.

[dinosaur]

Thanks for the review, PG. I'll see this show in a few weeks. I hope the new guys are performing as themselves by then!

[Yesspaz]

Wow, a New song. So they've got that going for them. I like the set list. Now, if just Jon would agree to sing that setlist.

[DamoXt7942]

Excellent review, thanks PG.

Originally Posted by PeterG

Benot tried sooo hard to be Jon. He just wasn't/isn't..
If he would just sing the songs, to the best of his ability, and fit into the band as the "i know i'm the fill in guy, i hope you like the show" guy and not the "wanna be, mimic" i think I would have liked/accepted him more.

Whoa...I hope I could hear the concert and Benot singin'...
PG, do you like real Jon singing with asthma attack, rather than mimic Jon (Benot)?

AKIMAHEN-KA? (Is Benot really not accepted?)

[PeterG]

Originally Posted by DamoXt7942

PG, do you like real Jon singing with asthma attack, rather than mimic Jon (Benot)?

If they (Chris) picked a strong singer... maybe even someone with a different style, who would sing, in his (or her) own voice... and maybe put a different 'flavor' into the songs... I would probably like that.

I like Lana Lanes "Court of the Crimson King... luckily she is not trying to sound like Greg Lake.

[DamoXt7942]

Originally Posted by PeterG

If they (Chris) picked a strong singer... maybe even someone with a different style, who would sing, in his (or her) own voice... and maybe put a different 'flavor' into the songs... I would probably like that.

I like Lana Lanes "Court of the Crimson King... luckily she is not trying to sound like Greg Lake.

Thanks PG.
I consider it's the most important the singer all have their IDENTITY.
Exactly the IDENTITY do let us impressed more and more.

Anyway, Trevor's vocal (in "Drama") had pros and cons.
For the same reason?