Ok, let me preface this review by stating that this was the 17th time I have seen YES in concert, and the sixth time for Styx. Part of me was pleased beyond belief that these two powerhouse groups were on tour together, but I was hoping they would have jammed on stage at the end of the show. The warm up act featuring Shane Alexander was perfunctory, but I had also hoped they would have picked a progressive singer like Neal Morse.
Styx owned the stage, and played their strongest material; songs like Lady, Come Sail Away, Working Man, Grand Illusion, Miss America, etc. They are the tightest progressive American band on the circuit today, and their showmanship is impeccable.
Yes is in my top three favorite list, along with ELP and Genesis. I own nearly every album or CD, plus box sets, live DVD’s and a signed copy of Tales from Topographical Oceans. So if I seem critical here, it is because I have been a fan for almost 40 years. The addition of Geoff Downes on keyboards was disappointing, specifically on Starship Trooper. That song has a wonderful keyboard solo that Wakeman Junior and Senior pull of with abloom, as do many of the other keyboard maestros in the Yes legacy. Mr. Downes was left wanting.
Likewise, I get the feeling that Alan White is tired of touring. He is able, precise, and knows the tunes, but the fire is just not there like it used to be. Steve Howe and Chris Squire are still at the top of their game, and I like Benoit David as the current lead singer.
But the set list needs to be re-worked. Please play something from Tales, Relayer or Keys to Ascension. I love the Yes Album, Fragile and Close to the Edge, but there is so much more material that never gets played live. That is the true beauty of Yes, not the line up per say, as that changes over the decades, but the music itself. Yes has a rich lexicon of masterful progressive works that are truly mystical in nature, and these need to be shared with a live audience.