It was a steamy night Sunday at the Bergen County Performing
Arts Center in New Jersey, but not just because the AC in the building was out
of order. Yes was on stage and they were
smoking hot. Musically speaking, this
was one the best performances I’ve seen in ages. There is no question the band has taken heat
from fans over the last couple of tours for slower tempos, inconsistent vocals,
and what some perceived as tepid performances.
However, the Yes I saw on Sunday was tight, cohesive, energetic,
well-rehearsed, and practically combustible.
Musical sparks were apparent from the start. Steve Howe smoldering solo in Yours is No
Disgrace was a model of tension-building and pyrotechnical fretwork. It is hard to think of a more dexterous,
inventive, or spontaneous-sounding guitarist.
Howe lit the match, but the rest of the band was just as explosive.
Newcomer vocalist Jon Davison is going to impress most Yes
fans. His appearance and stage presence
conjure up images of a younger Jon Anderson.
Comparisons to a legend like Anderson would be unfair, but Davison has a
terrific voice and an ability to handle high notes with ease. With Davison at the helm, this line-up
sounds very much like the Yes of yore.
The set list was well-chosen and satisfying. With Geoff Downes back in the fold it makes
sense to revisit the Drama era, which the band did with a blistering version of
Tempus Fugit. This is a song that
requires a heart-pounding pace and pinpoint instrumental precision, but Yes
managed to find the right balance between finesse and firepower.
It was great to hear Yes perform the quirky Paul Simon song,
America. The song first appeared on the
compilation album, Yesterdays, way back in the mid seventies. The tune has always been something of an
oddity in Yes’ catalogue; it is not quite an epic, but it is fascinating to
hear Yes take someone else’s folk song and use it as the basis for an extended
progressive rock workout. By this time,
it was clear the band was firing on all cylinders.
Fly From Here is the band’s is longest epic ever. To my mind, Fly From Here does what Yes’ best
music has always done: it takes listeners on a musical journey. The production on the studio album is
terrific, but hearing the piece performed live in its entirety made me
appreciate the band’s achievement even more.
There were many shining moments in the set (Steve Howe’s sublime steel
pedal work near the end of Sad Night at the Airfield comes to mind). But none were more satisfying than Chris
Squire’s understated bass interlude, which seemed to me to perfectly convey the
feeling of repose Squire must feel at having steered the band through stormy
seas to create such a truly fine musical work at this stage of their career.
The magic continued with Wondrous Stories, one of Yes’ most
concise and beautiful songs. Once again,
Davison shined on vocals, particularly during an effortless high note during
the coda. Heart of the Sunrise followed
and it gave drummer Alan White and Squire a chance to show that they are one of
the most dynamic, creative, and accomplished rhythm sections in rock
music. However, the highlight of the
evening was the spellbinding version of Awaken.
Here, the pagan ferocity of Howe’s fretwork was perfectly matched by
Downes’ celestial keyboard work. Suffice
it to say, the standing ovation Yes received was well-deserved.
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