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jabyes
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Here is a nice review from the 11/24 Albany show......
Yes @ Times Union Center, 11/23/08
November 24, 2008 at 10:52 am
As good as the real deal? Yes
By Michael Eck
Special to the Times Union
ALBANY — Is it Yes? Is it In The Present? Is it In The Present featuring members of Yes?
The marketing of the current, well, let’s just call it Yes tour has been a bit confusing.
Perhaps that’s the reason fewer than 2,000 fans turned out for the classic British progressive rock band’s performance at the Times Union Center on Sunday.
Those that did, however, were treated to a brilliant show that touched on almost all of the important phases of the band’s 40 year career.
Some longtime fans were surely doubtful that without under-the-weather vocalist Jon Anderson in tow the group would sound considerably different.
Pshaw! Vocalist Benoit David – snagged from a Canadian Yes tribute band – effortlessly recreated Anderson’s trademark sound. And he did so with a confidence that suggested he was born for the job.
Rick Wakeman’s son Oliver similarly handled dad’s old gig behind the keyboards, ricocheting snaky lines back and forth with guitarist Steve Howe.
With Anderson at home convalescing, this Yes was free to tackle material from 1980’s “Drama,” the only group album not to feature the founding singer.
“Tempus Fugit” and “Machine Messiah” were actually among the night’s highlights, with the former suggesting that “Drama” may have influenced Rush as that band moved from its own progressive suites into=2 0a punchier, poppier sound.
1970’s “Astral Traveler,” which was recorded even before Howe had joined the band, also reflected elements of other prog pioneers, with a distinctly fractured King Crimson-like opening chord sequence releasing into a Focus-like middle section, which highlighted Wakeman’s keyboards.
Drummer Alan White was featured on a brief and terrific drum solo, too.
Bassist Chris Squire pointed out that many of the evening’s selections, like “Traveler” and “Messiah” were coming out of mothballs for the first time in many years.
“Parallels,” from 1977’s “Going For The One,” for example, is being given its first airing in 30 years on the tour, and David, 42, sang “Onward,” from 1978’s “Tormato (CQ),” which he explained was his own request to the band.
Howe played some of his best – though gentlest – guitar on the latter, leading the tune in with a muted, tick-tocking ballad figure.
All of 1972’s perennial “Close to the Edge” was show-cased, including the crowd-pleasing title track, a swirling 20-minute excursion into harmony vocals, hippie wisdom and instrumental machismo.
“And You and I” and the trippy opener “Siberian Khatru” also came from “Edge,” with “I’ve Seen All Good People” and a sterling rip through “Starship Trooper” being culled from 1971’s “The Yes Album.”
Yes encored with a one-two punch of the band’s best known songs, the 1983 mega-hit “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and the FM radio staple, “Roundabout.”
And David sang them both like he owned them.
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