Terry W.

I tried to post the other day and it seems that post did not make it, so here goes. I was sitting second row right in from of Steve Howe, how cool is that! The show was awesome. I loved how they mixed up the set list to include songs they have not done lately (Onward, Astral Travler, etc. The showmanship of this group is ageless and timeless. Even though Jon was not with them, David did a great job, and Oliver took up where his dad left off. As Joseph pointed out there was one man who did get on Steve's nerves by yelling at Steve. One comment he made was, "We love you Steve", to which Steve replied, "So does my wife." I believe that gentleman was asked to leave because one minute he was there and the next he was gone. YES is a band that has stood the test of time and I hope they will be around a while longer. Mean while, I eagerly await thier next tour!

The Remembering

if I was yelling at a show, and Steve Howe told me to shut up. i'll take my 100 bootlegs and throw them at him. Then I would tell him that i'll shut up when you start playing the like you did 6/30/79.

Joseph Chapman

Great show with friendly staff. I had some issues getting my press pass and the staff got things worked out quickly.

Benoit was excellent. I got to meet him before the show and next to Oliver, he is the nicest guy I've met on tour. Chris really picked two great guys to replace Rick and Jon.

Some things I noticed:

There was this guy who wouldn't sit down for most of the show. Steve was pissed! Chris's wife was sitting one row in front of him and had to explain to this guy that Steve hates stuff like that. There was some cheering in part of "And You and I" and Steve bluntly said "Shut up."

The two-song encore was great. A lot of people got up and went to the front and it was a grand time.

Roger Dean's set I think was one of the best.

Doug Calnek

Show number 14 for me and my son's (who's 24) first. My first was QPR London in 1975 (I was 15 at the time). I do not have a favorite show, except maybe QPR, but this was one of the best. Chris, Alan and Steve are starting to show age visually but aurally do not seem any different than in '75! Incredible musicianship.

As stated in previous posts, the venue was perfect. The sound was great, the staging sublte, the music superb. Not a bad seat. My son and I were 8 rows back on the right in front of Oliver. Even off to the side as we were, the sound was excellent.

I had seen the set-list so there were no surprises. I was very happy to hear all songs from CTTE, but would love to hear Sound Chaser again. But no complaints.

Mr. David was spot on all night. Although I miss Jon, Benoit brought great energy and it was clear he was enjoying himself. I noticed the early entrance in Machine Messiah(?) but it did not phase him. Chris smiled at him and all was right with the world. This shows they have reached a comfort level which bodes well for future.

Oliver played great. Sound selection and voicing was superb and closely followed choices his Dad made. He is very talented and fits well with the band. He seems very serious and stoic at most times. However, during solos in ST and Roundabout he rocked and totally got into it. This seriousness seemed to distance him from the rest of the band visually, but if you closed your eyes, it made no difference. It is the music that counts.

A truly memorable experience!!

Brian B

I agree with the others - awesome show! After four long years, it is good to see the boys again, sounding as polished as ever.

Pros:

- Tiny venue. I was in row K, and this is the closest I've ever been to the stage for a Yes show! The small, 1000-seat Carolina Theater had wonderful sound. When Chris kicked in with the bass pedals (Moog Taurus perhaps?) it literally shook your insides. Wow!

- The trio of Howe/Squire/White is unparalleled in modern music, IMHO. Squire/White provide such tight, complex, driving rhythm, and Howe is just amazing as always. Those of us that are not only fans but musicians can fully appreciate just how difficult it is to play what they are playing...

- Tempus Fugit and Machine Messiah from the Drama album...never really thought I would ever get to hear them live. Absolutely flawless performances, sounded just like the original. I was in amazement.

- Beautiful stage set. Roger Dean's simple fabric "arches" made for a wonderful, colorful (but simple) visual show.

- Benoit David did an excellent job on vocals. Anyone who says otherwise is just bitter about it not being Jon. Benoits vocals were powerful, with dead-on pitch. He and Squire really locked in vocally. I was very, very impressed with the young man. I hope Jon recovers and returns as we all do, but if he is unable to, Yes will survive (and thrive?!).

- Aliens (Are Only Us From the Future). This new Squire tune worked well for me...simple, pretty melody, nice piano background, haunting mood. Nice.

Cons: (not many at all, really. Great great show.)

- Benoit had two little mistakes (not bad for a 2.5 hr set!). One one of the Drama tunes, he came in singing a little early and had to stop, and he missed the first words in Owner Of A Lonely Heart. (So I move him down from A++ to just an A+ !)

- Can we all chip in and buy Chris Squire a looser-fitting pair of pants? His body shape, combined with the loose shirt and those spandex pants, made him look a bit like the Grinch...(lol!). But I loved his stage antics, his strutting, his showmanship. You'll never hear a better bass tone than what we heard last night -- growling, driving, thundering Rick tone! Shweet!

- Merchandise pricing. I realize the guys aren't selling as many albums as the old days, but $40 for a T-shirt? Really? I'm as diehard a fan as they come, but even I have my limits. Baseball caps were $30, posters $15, zipper hoodie $75! That's some pricey stuff... (Maybe I'm just cheap! ha)

All in all, a magical & memorable Yes evening. Well worth the 3-hr drive!

FrenchToast828

Great Show! I was in the mezzanine but it was so intimate. I agree with the others. It was a bit shorter than other shows."Owner" was herky jerky. It seemed like Benoit came in late to start the vocals. I would have loved to have heard Wakemans monitors because in some places he was really down in the mix. "And You and I" was right on and powerfull. I hoping to catch Howe do "Masquerade". That said absolutely no complaints here. How fortunate I was to have seen a Yes in a 1000 seat theater. Awesome venue and acoustics. Catch them if you can!

schizoidman

Great show. Was really impressed with Oliver. The tapes I've heard don't do his playing justice. We were sitting right in front of him and apparently getting some of his monitor mix. He is truly a chip off the old block although, not as animated as his dad.

We got what appears to be the new shortened setlist. No Parallels or Soon. Also, no intermission.

I thought Howe's solo was quite interesting for the fact he played Australia and then started with He Ain't Heavy(He's My Brother) before Bareback. I wonder if he was thinking of his brother who lives in Australia?

Anyway, a very entertaining night in probably the most intimate setting you'll ever see these guys.

And by the way, no firecrackers!

Schizoidman

SquireIsBuzzard

Awesome show tonight. Benoit David has a remarkably similar voice to Jon Anderson. Steve Howe was more animated than he was 10 years ago on the Open Your Eyes Tour. The only dodgy bits were "Australia" (Howe seemed under prepared to play this piece) and Owner of a Lonely Heart which was a bit herky-jerky. This was the only time the band did not seem in sync with each other. The highlights: Close To The Edge (Squire said he was afraid the people at the tables in the orchestra pit were going to disappear in the fog), Tempis Fugit, and Starship Trooper.

schizoidman

There are a great number of bars and restaurants downtown Greensboro within walikg distance of the Carolina Theater. The downtown has been revitalized in the last few years and it's really great now. We met at Jack Astor's in '04. Not close to downtown and sadly, now gone. But, on that April day in '04, it was the coolest place to be if you were a YES fan. Looking more forward to tonights show now that it's getting close.

howehead

Don't know where you were near the coliseum in '04 but a good spot that is about 3 minutes walk from the theatre is Natty Greene's on South Elm Street.

ken

I saw Yes in Greensboro on the 35 Year Anniversary Tour and we met at a bar before the show that was a common Yes Fan meeting place before shows. Does anyone know where it was or if it is close to tonite's show?

Howehead

My wife and I saw Three Dog Night here in '04 and it's a wonderful venue. It's an old renovated movie theatre. Concessions are your standard theatre fare of candy, soda and popcorn at theatre prices not "gouge you while we can" concert prices. Beer, wine and liquor was served at Saturday night bar prices and not steep concert prices that you would pay at the barns and outdoor ampitheatres. If there is a set change between bands or one band with a set break they will let you go out into the area between the theatre and the next building over to smoke. Security was older people that volunteer their time. I never made it up to the balcony that night but I think that dancing up there could be possible as long as you did not distract or obstruct the other patrons. Also a note about cameras: Theatre policy is that if it's OK with the band it's OK with the venue for use of non-flash and non-video cameras. With all the great pictures that I've seen online of the current tour that are obviously not taken with stealth cell phone cameras I would like to think that Yes has given the approval. Good luck and above all have a great Yesshow!

Wred

I have floor seats but I want to dance. Anyone know if I will be allowed to go up to the balcony and groove without any problem from security?

Howehead

This show sold out last night. I am very pleased to say that my wife and I will be two of the only 1,075 present to see this fine band. This has to be one of the smallest venues on the whole tour. What a treat it will be to see them in this intimate setting!