Jon Wilkins

Tuesday, February 9, 2021 4:50 AM

My brother took me to this for my 15th birthday, already a big fan, but didn't know what to expect. We had good seats, left hand side stalls, half way back. Gryphon warmed us up, to me felt incredibly loud (was my first proper concert), they played a good set infront of the stage curtain. But when Yes came on I couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing, with curtains drawn back the stage design was other wordly, a massive back drop screen, strange luminescent fibreglass shapes above Moraz and White, pulsing fibreglass mounds around the stage covering the guitar pedals (all bringing Roger Dean's amazing artwork to life), dry ice flooding the band and front rows, and speaker stacks up to the balcony on both sides. All of this choreographed to the music and movement of the band. I vividly remember Chris Squire's bass pounding inside my chest and the overall assault on my hearing as he prowled and danced around the stage. All the while Jon Anderson's voice floated and cut through the cacophony of sound as he stayed mostly rooted to the front of the stage, moving in his own unique way to the music. This all reached a crescendo with Ritual, stage flooded again with dry ice, lights and mounds strobing, the 'creatures' above Moraz (who danced around his keyboard cave) and White (animated and pounding inside his shelter) now alive and threatening, then the whole band's drum solo with primeval chanting, finally falling away to Anderson's plaintive conclusion accompanied by Howe's solitary melody. The only way I can explain the show now is like an 'out of body' experience that has stayed with me for over 45 years. This was my first venture into the Yes world, the first of many, many more, but probably the one that if I could go back in time I would love to enjoy once more.

Jerry the Singing Bear

Okay. This was a very long time ago. I was 14 years old and it was only the second live gig I ever attended. All I can give you now are impressions. First off, I remember being impressed, if slightly taken a-back by, Gryphon, the support act. Medieval prog! Excellent! They warmed us up nicely for the main event. I vividly recall Stravinsky's 'Firebird Suite' announcing the arrival of the band and then, there they were, from stage left to right: Steve Howe (lank hair and wearing something kimonoesque); Patrick Moraz (on a podium, surrounded by a banks of keyboards); Jon Anderson (all in white and looking slight...a wispy beard too); Alan White (tons of drums) and Chris Squire (yeti legs). To my young eyes, the stage set looked very impressive. Surely, a Roger Dean creation in glowing polystyrene! Loved it! They played the whole of the 'Relayer' album that night, naturally, but the highlight for me was 'Close To The Edge'. Those birdy whistles at the beginning made my heart race. Howe did his solo 'thing' very nicely and displayed some interesting use of steel guitar that I've never come across in any country music since! The set culminated in 'Ritual' from 'Topographic Oceans' followed by 'Roundabout' for an encore. At this point, the well-behaved audience finally got to its feet and me and my mate rushed down to the stage to get the full 'Yes Effect'. The whole thing has left a great impression upon me all these years later. Since then my tastes have changed but I've still got time for the Yes of old. Fun, less complicated times! If anyone knows where I can get a tape of this show, I'd be VERY grateful!