fferraz

I was just a 15 years old kid when I went to see this Yes concert, but I'll NEVER forget that emotion! It was simply perfect from start to finish. I remember the audience going crazy many times, specially during I've Seen All Good People and Roundabout, during which Olympia almost came down hehehe.

I bought the "Open Your Eyed" cd outside the show and I remember hearing it a lot during the following months.

I hope they come back some day! ;)

Eduardo Paulo

-Last Yes show in São Paulo... around Olympia, a gigantic line up to enter and to see another YES show!!!

22:10... thousand peoples (5000 approximately) wait to see YES... some people faint for want of air and space inside Olympia... at the first chords of "Firebird Suite", Olympia almost came down... and now, I'll tell you, at every turn, this wonderful Yes show!!!

Siberian Khatru - Howe gives a private show on this song... with many solos and improvisations, followed by Igor and Chris... bringing audience at delirium.

Rhythm of Love - the audience still stunned by SK... sing with Jon Anderson... vibration all over Olympia... the apotheotic end, with fair Igor's solos, Billy and, principally, Steve Howe... the audience stand up and clap a lot!!!

America - Howe shows that this is HIS night... prove all his guitar versatility and technique... while Jon Anderson is follow up by audience that get up and sing along America...

Open Your Eyes - moment to present a new Yes work... with excelent Squire's backing vocal together with Billy Sherwood, at this moment, Billy is presented to the audience that claps a lot!!!

And You And I - like the two other nights, this is one of the most touching moment in the show... all the audience sing along with Jon Anderson...with Steve Howe showing all his technique and followed by magnificent Igor Koroschev.

Heart of the Sunrise - hallucinating... Olympia almost fall down...Squire convince us why he is one of the best bass players of all the times... a showman, brings audience at delirium... again Igor squanders versatility and emotion, not like Wakeman, and vibrate in all Yes songs... jumps like crazy at the keyboards... Jon squanders voice and charism... again, 5500 peoples sing along with Jon Anderson.

Steve Howe solo - here, Howe is complete with the audience... talk, play and also sing, fans at delirium, that clap through five minutes.

Wondrous Stories - a journey to 1977's year... what deliruim!!! The audience sing along with YES... a detail, the majority audience that sing, is under twenty years old... when Wondrous Stories was recorded, most of this people haven't born yet!!! Is this the third generation of YES fans????

LONG DISTANCE RUNAROUND - YESSSSSS... Howe razes with his guitar, again, Olympia follow Jon Anderson... all people singing along, entering Squire and White solos.

Whitefish - one of the most awaited moments by all Yes fans... Squire turns into a monster, the audience at delirium, when Squire go through Tempus Fugit, Soundchaser and Alan White, in an unforgettable solo, call together all the audience to share a RITUAL... unforgettable!!!

Owner of a Lonely Heart - excellent version... Howe plays a long solo at the end of the song, remembering Wakeman at 1991's Union Tour.

I've Seen All Good People - once more, Olympia brings YES at delirium too... singing along with Jon Anderson... that, touched, thanks for the moment...

THE REVEALING - Yesssssssss... Jon Anderson in a moment of too much emotion, dedicate the song to all the people that follow them those three nights... finally, the Chris Squire promise turn into reality, YES is playing the song... maybe one of the last chances to see this song, because it will not be known in the next USA-tour setlist... 24 electrifying minutes, when I see YES, follow by all South American Khatru...this song bring too much people at tears... in this moment, YES wave their hands to our boxes, where all South America Khatru were... this is probably the more touching moment of all São Paulo shows.

Roundabout - the YES farewell of São Paulo... with promises that, in 1999, YES will come back to realise your next probably work named "Two Minutes To Next Millenium"... and I wish too much health, luck and peace to YES...and in next year we'll find ourselves again!!

My sincere wishes of love to Jon, Chris, Alan, Steve, Igor a

Emerson Yasunaga

Comments:
About the venue: Friday we had a full house; this Saturday we had many more people, so that it was almost impossible to walk among people on the floor. It was the very final day of Yes in Sao Paulo. Many preferred to stay out at the entrance hall, just hearing their music or watching the screens. Today there was a high vibration going on at the audience during the show. People near the stage jumped, singing as open hearts were calling, shouting with open eyes. Far below from the stage, where I was, people smiled like children, attuned as one to the majesty of the music. The greatest meeting I have ever watched in my life, not for the number of people there but by the involvement of each one who was at the auditorium, like a first meeting of more than 5,000 friends who never met themselves before then. That encounter was sparking a true fruition. That was harmonic convergence. I would have waited all my life for this. And I just can't believe that I could feel it.

About the band: I was too far to see them, but they were very well disposed and made the best of their 3 shows in Sao Paulo tonight. Two additions in the setlist: Steve Howe sang a blues in his solo ... and Revealing Science was finally played. Starship Trooper was dropped, but who needs starships after heaven's reached ?

About Jon's speeches: Jon Anderson didn't talk much today, also. He told again about the earlier years with Eddie Offord, making cigarrettes, before playing And You And I. And he finally cut the word "changes" off the speech. He presented Igor saying that "the band is in a constant change." (Would someone be able to remember "Firth Of Fifth" now ?) *Read my reviews from the previous shows ...

About The Revealing Science of God:

I arrived late at the venue and during the show I was walking from side to side, trying to get the best sight I could. I watched the show from the left corridor, from the right corridor, and from far behind, the only places where it was possible to walk. I was far behind when they ended Owner of a Lonely Heart. Then, Jon started went to the percussion and he touched those magic bells... I got desperately upset for a second, thinking "what am I doing so far now ?"

That song was simply part of my history ... Eight years ago, when I was 18, I was learning the piano and knew most of Yes albums, when bought their "Yes Complete" songbook. I stopped to read the lyrics of Topographic Oceans, because I never heard or saw this album here, it wasn't released in CD yet, and it couldn't be found in LP anymore. I got surprised with a lot of things I found on those many pages, they didn't even seem like other Yes songs. Songs and music which never ended. Mystic and religious themes. Tonatiuh, Qurax, Gunes, Grian... I liked the first verses of The Remembering, but as I didn't read that "Moderately slow" on the top of the page, I played it fast and in an octave higher, like I imagined Jon should sing it, so my version seemed like Rick playing Long Distance Runaround.

And that vocal introduction of RSoG seemed to be very interesting at the first sight on it, this was a very clean melody, and at the piano I could imagine very clearly how this song was. I got the CD only 3 years later, and felt a strong impact hearing it for the first time ... that capella voices were impressing, and the first chords played by Rick Wakeman are something to be never forgotten. I learned RSoG lyrics very easily,for I liked too much to join them each time they did that choir.

So, 8 years came back to my mind on that calling ... Jon like an angel calling us with those bells, asking if we were ready to live a special moment in our life, for all we who had that song in our hearts. I was sad to be so far, but then something came to tell me it wasn't time for so small feelings, it was the right time to live that moment the best way I could. So I stayed there to sing Dance of the Dawn as a last voice of

Marcelo Gomes

There we were, my girlfriend and I, again for a second night. And what! They changed the mix a bit and the band sounded even better.

Steve was very relaxed this time, after all his trouble in the previous day, everything was running smooth and he was really enjoying the concert. He started his solo with Dowland's Galliard, and 'Mood for a day', both in his Kohno spanish guitar. Then, he even sang along while playing an arrangement à la Chet Atkins of an old time boogie. He just loves that Merle Travis guitar picking style. He then played 'The Clap' in an accelerated tempo. Incredible.

Steve plays an impressive array of guitars. From his trusted Gibson 175 (he carries it himself everywhere), through 2 other Gibsons, a Telecaster, one of those headless Steinbergers, the Danelectro Sitar-Guitar and the Lap steel. The acoustics include a mandolin, the Khono, 2 Martins (6 and 12 string) and a 6 string cut-away (a Taylor?). Chris used his white Rickenbacker all the way through, which gives him a powerful, deep sound. He only put it aside briefly in 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' , when he used a custom-made bass.

Near the end of the concert, the band rang the opening chimes of the 'Revealing Science'. Well, that was really thrilling. The hardcore Yes fans just went crazy, singing along. The band was incredible, playing and singing with emotion. They seemed to enjoy every single note of this great piece as they played it. Chris had a big smile in his face.

The encore was shortened this time, with no 'Starship Trooper'. They had to get something out to fit the 'Revealing Science' in. It was almost 1 a.m. when the last chord faded out in the ears of an ecstatic audience.

We had the chance of meeting the band again afterwards, and they were all very relaxed and happy, knowing they had given a real outstanding performance that night. We were very pleased to see lots of teenagers there, running after autographs. These kids weren't even born when "Yes Album" was first released. It is a proof that Yes music is timeless - and is alive as ever.

So, here's my advice to you. If Yes is coming to your city, by all means go see them. Bring the one you love along, and make sure you kiss her/him as they sing "We must have waited all our lives for this moment".