Anon.

Sunday, July 9, 2017 10:17 AM

Correction to Steve Howe solo: listening to a recording it would appear he played: 'Ram', 'Cactus Boogie', 'Meadow Rag', 'The Valley Of Rocks' and 'Clap' ('Australia' was not played).

Simon Barrow

Wednesday, September 9, 2015 2:22 PM

What an enthralling concert. My first gig on ‘The Ladder’ tour, and the beginning of my third trip across the pond to see Yes in the USA. This time, it kicked off by meeting up in Florida with a couple of people I’d connected with over the past couple of years through alt.music.yes – including Steve Sullivan, who now runs Forgotten Yesterdays. A really good Yes holiday with great people.

I have mixed feelings about The Ladder as an album, but this well-balanced set list mixes in the best of the new with some timeless classics and (as Steve Sullivan has said) the ‘hits’ placed where they should be, at the end. Tonight I was thrilled to hear ‘New Language’ – my favourite cut – live for the first time, along with ‘Homeworld’ (which works well live), the hazy ‘It Will Be a Good Day’ and the beautifully simple ‘Nine Voices’, where Chris Squire’s late-entering bass peddles produce a perfectly deep, rich and harmonious ending. Of the other new songs, the South African township inflected ‘Face to Face’ is a lively stomper. ‘Lightning Strikes’ is a little bit too twee for me, but not unpleasant.

Predictably, ‘Awaken’, one of my favourite Yes pieces ever, was a highlight. Igor Khoroshev handled the keyboard parts very well indeed. Fantastic to hear ‘Perpetual Change’ too, after the teaser at the beginning of the Talk tour left many of us wanting more. Five years later, the wish has been granted. Good seats in the front stalls on Steve Howe’s side made for a powerful musical experience.

Steven Sullivan

Actually, the abbreviated 'Clap' was preceded not by an 'inside out' version but by a delightful medley of fast-pickin' Howe tunes, mostly from 'The Steve Howe Album' but also including 'Ram' and at least one tune from the later albums.

Mike Lippe

Yes has the most adoring fans! It was such a positive energy high to see, hear and feel how much this band's fans love them. I went with three dear old friends from High School...class of '76... and one of them was just incredibly touched by the obvious and intense affection "we" have for Yes. Funny...I always knew that, but when he pointed it out mid-concert it was palpable.

Chris and Jon seem to really like Igor. Chris would get up close to the keyboards now and then and "jam" with Igor, similar to how he did with Alan last year. Also, lot's of hilarious clowning around on stage during the good-byes and bows. Tuesday night Igor was first in front of the stage to bow and did this sort of grandiose gesture towards the audience...at that point Jon sort of genuflected at him...then suddenly blocked Igor's face with his hand and then...made a mock gesture of slapping him!! Very cute. Then, as they exited...Chris tried to kick Igor in the butt on the way off stage...with those big shit stompers he was wearing. All in good fun and quite enjoyable to see them joking around.

Lastly...there is simply no other band like Yes. I've said it before...(among other things, good and bad) but, they are the best live act rock has ever seen. Period. Always have been.

Rob S

The merchandise was well stocked there Rene.

Zipper down sweatshirt $60.00

New Yes logo jean shirt $50.00

Programs $15.00 Pics of the last tour and one page with new pics. It also has the one where they are all in black on Yesworld, but nice. Lots of history in it like the Yesyears booklet.

Also mouse pads and mugs both $15.00

The black ladder Tee on Ticketmaster and a white one with The Ladder logo Yes that looks like its on fire with the tour dates on the back both $27.00 and a Tye dye Yes tee.

Both shows were very good and identical except for Steves solo was different both nights. They also played The leaves of green the second night.

The first night Igor and Alan signed auotos till everyone had one. Igor hung outside for about 45 minutes just chatting with everyone who wanted to talk get an aouto or take a pic.

The second night we got everyone except for Jon who only sighned a ladys painting and said good bye and Billy Sherwood must have gone another way out. Got my pic with Chris and Alan. Steve drove up to the crowd of us and signed autos from his Mercedes. Very cool and didn't leave till he signed everyone who wanted one. The same with Chris and Alan the second night.

Very cool place for a show. Tampa was cool but alot of empty seats in the back and up top for such a small venue. Regardless it was 2 more great Yesshows.

Rick

The stage:

The stage is rather small...or crowded just a bit, but everyone has enough room. On either side, there are the 6 Homeworld symbols. Each is about 2-1/2 feet in diameter, painted silver and black, spaced out over 20 feet lighted by a spotlight, usually purple just underneath them. The Yes box logo, probably around 7' x 7' and in 3D, comes down as a backdrop halfway through he show and goes up and down maybe three times. Projected on a floor to ceiling solid white curtain are several different light shapes, blobs, ect. Moving rocks, rain falling, some grey and some color mixed in from time to time. The Ladder album cover, complete with the words "The Ladder" also is projected on this curtain for a few minutes during a song or two and then at the end of the show. Shameless plug, but who cares! The band is in their usual places with Jon's percussion gear located between Alan's riser and Igor...complete with a small keyboard and half sized gong. The amplifiers are covered with a thin white cloth that matches the front of the drum riser and Igor's riser. Same equipment for Billy, Steve and Chris as last year. Different light effects were used on Tuesday's show. More color also. The falling rain sequence looks hauntingly moody at the end of "Awaken." Great use of frontal lighting which always highlights Steve, Jon and Chris, with minimal spots on Billy and Igor, unless they were soloing. I have no idea why they do this as Billy is mostly bathed in red at the far side of the stage. Overall, the lighting is very good... Tuesday's performance was sharper with more overall color. Some small use of a medium speed strobe at one point. I have seen Yes over the past 26 years so this light show is OK, but not the best I have ever seen from them. No complaints, though

The Songs, The Band and Other Things:

The complete set lists have been posted before. The opening of the Firebird Suite with a montage of Yes pictures, old Logos, footage from old shows, still clips taken from past videos shown on the backdrop as the band approaches the stage is sensational! It is emotionally thrilling with Jon waving, Alan from 25 years ago...one, maybe two clips each of Trevor, Trevor, Geoff, Peter, Rick...then a few shots of Billy and Igor at the very end. Great addition to a Yes show. The history is so evident just as they walk on stage. The Ladder mixes well with the older material. "Yours Is No Disgrace" and "Perpetual Change" are good testaments to the early style that yes was working on in the beginning. They both have aged well with "Perpetual Change" evoking many great yes memories for me personally. "Saying we have the whole world in our hand!" Jon soared here.

After "Homeworld," Jon does an audience sing along chorus of "Time and a Word." He also does the "We love when we Play" part from "Ritual" acapella. This was an emotional part of the evening for me. I could feel a lot of love surrounding me. OK, no tears just yet! On Tuesday evening, he also sang "The Leaves of Green" vocal part from "The Ancient." His voice cracked slightly at the beginning of it, but he recovered quickly. I though that Steve was going to play along a few chords with him, but Igor jumped in instead. It seemed unplanned. Steve soloed on Monday with a version of "Clap." He played a funny "inside-out" version of it, then about 2 minutes of the actual song. On Tuesday, he came out with his classical Martin and played a beautiful piece, reminiscent of "Classical Gas," then segued into "Mood For a Day." Here Steve's guitar sound, without the aid of special effects proves, without a doubt, that great guitar sound needs only to be amplified for a live show. Both nights, I believe Steve's solos were to give Jon a break. They were written into the songlist for both nights and not just a spur of the moment thing. Steve Howe is a master guitarist and should never be missed in a live performance. Has he ever played for the Queen of England?