Great show. My first live show since the Relayer tour…but not my last (if the boys are still willing). Not only was the concert a joy (very special to be there)…but the fans were really great too. This crowd loved the music, and strained to hear the very last string expire before delivering a thundering ovation after Ritual. Jon commented about how attentively we listened to the music.

I have always found Yes music to be very architectural…deliberately constructed…smart. I love the way they overlay simple, distinct forms that blend and interact to produce high level compositions. Yes can take you on a journey – away from the expected path – and make you exercise your mind to follow the things remembered. They build your trust – then test it.

Without a doubt, the orchestra enhanced the features of Yes music that I love the most. In particular, I love the way they condition us with deliberately discordant movements - only to follow with amazingly sweet harmonies. After the battle scene in Gates,the clear melody of Soon is sooo sooooothing (and the orchestral blend was wonderful). Even better was Steve’s guitar lead-in after the powerful percussion movement in Ritual -followed by Jon’s reprise of Nu Sommes. It was like a cool drink after a long walk in the dessert, and the orchestra really enhanced the sweetness.

The set list was perfect, and the venue was ideal for fans (like me) who really want to experience the individual artistry of Jon, Steve, Chris and Alan. I had a perfect seat in the front row of the balcony, far left (Steve’s side). I didn’t see the keyboard player until the curtain call, but that’s okay. He did fine without me scrutinizing him. The guy behind me was also a devotee, and we talked Yesthings for half an hour before the show. This was his 15th or so show (and afterwards he told me it was the best one he had ever experienced – partially because of the intimacy of the venue). I wanted to high five him about a hundred times during the show, but didn't want to distract the other folks behind me.

To Mariano (the guy who found steve’s pre-breakfast demeanor a bit lacking in a review above), I would kindly remind you that “timing is everything.” I learned (from a 20 Yesshow veteran I met on the subway between concourses at the Atlanta airport) that Steve was both friendly and talkative with the stage door crowd - about 90 minutes after the show. And as to that handshake…you can expect the same thing from surgeons. If Steve had spent the last 30 years trading hand whallops with enthusiastic fans – AYAI included – he would not now be ... Steve Howe.

And…I can’t quit without thanking Jim and his lovely wife from Indianapolis for sharing the dinner hour with me. It was re-affirming to meet a normal, healthy 40somethingish couple who share this passion for great music – and a great concert – yet can drive home safely the same night. See you next time sister bluebird!

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you for coming along this evening in this lovely wonderful little place. Great to be with you. We'd like to play a..a couple of..uh new songs. We just finished a new album in fact. We finished it about yesterday in fact today and..uh it's..uh an album called..uh 'Magnification' and..uh like they say in [???] magnify [???]. I'm making it up. I'm making it up. We'll do a song called 'Don't Go' okay?

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. I'd like to introduce to William Straumburg and the symphony orchestra this evening. William. [???]. [???]. I'm telling a joke. Want to hear a joke? [???] I have about seven hundred bucks [???] and I like to watch..uh horse racing. It was the seventh hour and the seventh race and I picked the seventh horse. [???]. I put my seven hundred bucks down. He came in seventh. Thank you. So here we are with..uh sorta adventure into the extremes of music and sound and the orchestra is going to join in with 'Gates Of Delirium'.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. As we've been saying, we spend a lot of time together over the years which is kinda cool. The intensity of the way you listen makes us want to play better each night so thank you so much. We'll leave you now with the guitar wizard. Mr. Steve Howe.

Steve Howe:
Alright. thank you so much. [???].

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Steve Howe.

Steve Howe:
Amazing.

Jon Anderson:
Like..uh like good wine it's just gets better and better. We'd like to do a song now which..uh I think I wrote this one morning on the way to the studio. As I was driving along side of the road. [???]. Okay here's a song called 'Wondrous Stories'.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. Woo! That's a..that's a song we wrote about thirty years ago and I still can't get the words right. It's just..I try my best. Every night and [???]. I've got it written down on this gizmo here. [???]. DVD sorta. [???]. It's very good and I did watch Spinal Tap on it. [???]. Sorry. Here's a song we love to do every night. [???].

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Again we'd like to thank William Straumburg and the symphony orchestra [???]. I'd like to introduce you to our keyboard player here. He's a great guy from New Jersey. His name is Tom Brislin. [???]. We'll sorta jump into the..uh sorta 'Tales From Topographic Oceans' song. It's called 'Ritual'.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Very spaced out. I know I was very sorta on the planet Zongo as I used to say years ago. Still there. We're going to do a song now that you can all sing along and can dance [???]. You people can dance and [???]. In the key of.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Thank you all for coming out this evening. It's been great.