Steve Tee

Saturday, August 31, 2024 7:19 AM

My first Yes concert, went with my buddy Bob who just finished basic trialing for the Navy in Great Lakes, and wow what a show. The stage was lit with multicolored plastic shapes of crab and other Roger Dean like shapes, very cool. Seats were good, sat about halfway in the venue so sound was mixed well and could see all in the band carrying on. Howe and Moraz were especially amazing, at the peak of their game during Gates and just a tremendous show.

Nick Kokoshis

This show, on the 4th of July 1975, was the first Yes concert I ever saw. I had been sort of drifting away from YES, having not bought the TALES album in 1974. But in 1975 I had got my music junkie dream job at a ticketron/record store, and my boss GAVE me front row center seats for this YES concert. I quickly bought RELAYER and TALES to get ready for the show. Relayer impressed me immediately-- Sound Chaser was influenced by the jazz fusion movement, To Be Over was beautiful, and GATES was a killer epic. I was rushing to try to get to know TALES, but unfortunatley had not gotten to RITUAL because that was the only track they performed from the album.
Being the 4th of July, American kids went all out with the fireworks at the beginning of the show, during the recorded intro of Firebird Suite. I remember turning around and seeing all these dangerous fireworks going off and reports later indicated that a lot of people were injured. I turned back toward the stage and Jon looked visibly worried as he walked backward away from the crowd. Fortunately, it ended as the show began.
I was so close to the stage that a lot of sound was blowing past me-- I remember not being able to hear Moraz' parts, except the acoustic solo. I was practically right in front of Squire. I later saw a picture of Jon at the concert in Triad Magazine (an underground FM radio station's program guide) that looked like it was taken exactly from where I was sitting. The drawback was that I was so close I couldn't really see the staging- you needed some distance from it to see the effects. The Stadium was huge, and the fact that YES could fill it was a testimony to their popularity at the time. However, the hall's acoustics left much to be desired.
My memories of the show are basically like the LIVE AT QPR video. The band played all of RELAYER, RITUAL (which completely bewildered me because I didn't know it), and a smattering of tracks from other albums that I knew by heart. I distinctly remember Moraz' acoustic solo during the acoustic set-- it convinced the guy sitting next to me that someone could replace Rick. Sound Chaser was one of my favorite tracks.
The result of the show was that I became a devout fan of YES, and even more so in 1976 after I got into mysticism and started getting into the band on a whole other level. -=-=-=-= om-=-=-=- Nick (SoulQuest7@aol.com)

Peter Piraino

07/04, 1975 Chicago appearance was at the Chicago Stadium, Chicago. This grand old building was torn down two years ago [1994] to build the United Center (home of the Chicago Bulls) across the street. The one-hit-wonder Ace opened the show (How Long Has This Been Going On?).