Geoff Dunn

To Sidewinder:

>I missed Close to the Edge on the DVD. Why wasn't one of the greatest Yes songs ever not on there?

They didn't include "Close to the Edge" because (going by the audience recording) it was clearly under-rehearsed and there were loads of mistakes. It is one of the least fantastic versions they have ever performed of that piece.

The best versions available on DVD are on 'Yessongs' (with Wakeman, London 1972) and 'QPR 1975' (with Moraz at Queen's Park Rangers in U.K.) Howe's guitar work is phenomenal on that one!!

The rendition on 'Symphonic Yes' is great too but The Holmdel 2000 'Masterworks' version (with Igor Khoroshev) is incredible!

Sidewinder_6

I missed Close to the Edge on the DVD. Why wasn't one of the greatest Yes songs ever not on there? (Thank God they put it on Keys to Acension, otherwise I never would have heard it live)

Job Vink, Schiedam, Holland

Last week I got into buying a concert-DVD. With some holiday-money I got from my mum I went to the local music-store. Now I am a huge Yes-fan, and was already in posession of the Symphonic Tour-DVD, on wich probably the best rock-concert ever being captured and also some early-70's albums on CD and EP (Yes-album, Fragile, Yessongs), so I simply had to buy another DVD of Yes-music. I ended up buying the House Of Yes tour-dvd with high expectations, but after seeing it I have to say it was nowhere near as good as the Symphonic.
Some notes on some tracks in particular:
Yours Is No Disgrace - stunning opening
Awaken - despite the "synced" harp, it is the absolute highlight.
Ritual - this was probably the shortest version of a Yes-track ever. There was absolutely NO audience-interaction and it was over before I could say "Yes". One cannot put the feel, quality, energy and power of a 22 minute Yes-highlight into a 45 second intermezzo. I will skip this track in the future, for it makes me "wonder why I buyed this DVD " too much.
Close To The Edge - why skip the greatest of all Yes-songs for DVD? Was the performance so bad?

Chris - what an extraordinary instrument he plays on Awaken! He plays his basguitars passionately. He is a true showman.
Steve - What is it with him and the 90125 material? It just doesn't seem to work. Overall he played very good, but not outstanding.
Alan - Wonderous playing, i'd say. For me he is the greatest Yes-drummer (sorry Bill).
Billy - It is said he adds great to Yes-music, but I am only partly convinced. I simply cannot recognize his playing well enough to evaluate it.
Igor - I've never seen so many different keyboards and synths being played by one person; I admire that, being a multi-keyplayer myself! On the other hand, compared to Tom Brislin playing I believe only 3 synth's and a digital piano on the Symphonic-DVD, it is only moderately outstanding.
Jon - he was very good, but also not outstanding.

Some others state here that they've seen and heard some lip-syncing and playbacking, especially when the newer material is played. I cannot completely confirm that, for not yet having seen and heard it in detail, but what I do know is that this is not Yes at their very best. I'm sorry to have to say it, but I am far, far more satisfied with the 2001 Symphonic-dvd.

Dian Lau

First appearance of the confetti.

Bob

I was at the show that night, and believe me, if you think the CD makes your hair curl you shoulda heard [Close To The Edge] live!! I involuntarily cringed a number of times, and hoped the person next to me, who was seeing Yes for the first time, had just fallen asleep. After they escaped I get UP I Fall Flat, it improved as you noted, and the ending was enough that the crowd enjoyed it.

But even the band knew right then it had flopped. Steve just looked down and fiddled with his guitar, Chris kinda just disappeared from view for a minute, and Jon looked up at Jane in the balcony, shrugged his shoulders and held his hands out, like "oh, well we tried".

Djp

The DirecTv "Freeview" broadcast of this concert was very well done. My hat's off to the director and crew. Unfortunately "Close To The Edge" and "Hearts" were removed for some reason (the broadcast is slightly less than 2 hours.) I hope to see a DVD of the full show.

Gary Lauer

This was a magnificent and flawless to-a-fault concert! The guys were up for this performance because it was being video-taped. As such, this will become a very important and lasting tribute to one of the greatest musical experiences of the 20th and 21st centuries. Imagine people in the year 3000 and beyond watching and listening to this awesome display of talent that we all participated in on Halloween night, 31 October, 1999 at the Las Vegas House of Blues. I gladly will take the first opportunity that becomes available to purchase a video/DVD/CD recording of this extraordinary concert.

Thank you Jon, Chris, Steve, Alan, Igor, Billy and all of the supporting cast and crew of the fantastic YES organization for making this one of the most special memories of my life. Your intellectually stimulating, emotionally charging, physically demanding, and spiritually "Awaken"-ing music helps to make my life complete -- everyday!

Froy

I overheard Alan talkin to his friends at the show and he said the band was wearing makeup because they were shooting the show in HIGH DEFINITION for DVD release. And as I looked around at the show it was true there were cameras all over and a Westwood One truck out back recording the show.

I saw some of the sound check and noticed Face to Face was being Lip Synced. If you look and listen to every song there is sampling and some backing tapes being used . That's why every song sounded perfect and I say no problem. I would rather hear it perfectly with help than hear a terrible version any day. I think the vocals on Homeworld were double tracked.

And I hate to say it but Jon's harp part [on Awaken] was sampled he did not play it . Look for yourself and listen it's too perfect. At the HOB they had the lights up higher than normal because of the video taping and that's why I noticed it.

Xipe Totec

I also agree the venue sucked! The sound was way too muddy. It also is a shame to see our heroes reduced to playing such a small club when not too long ago they were in the round and selling out arenas! Also of considerable interest is the fact that a friend of mine who WORKS at HoB filming video of shows for in-house told me that at the soundcheck,he noticed that HOMEWORLD was being lip-synced by Mr. Anderson! I was horrified and did not believe him initally. After seeing the tune, it sure looks like he does. I advise all YES fans to study Mr. Anderson during all NEW tunes and see what I'm talking about! This is terrible news! One of the highlights though, was THE MESSENGER! Am I right that they haven't been playing this song on the tour? Was this a rare treat? Also, did I hear Mr. Anderson correctly when he said that this song was about BOB MARLEY? This is probably the end of the road for YES!

Jordan Zimmerman

I loved the show - however I _hated_ the venue. The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas has to be the worst place I've ever seen a show. I spent extra $$$ to buy seats (the lower level is standing only). When I got to my seat I was horrified to discover that you can hardly see the stage!!! What are they thinking! And, this is true for most seats in the house. The only seats where the stage is visible are dead center.

Besides, the sucky House of Blues, I thought the band was great. Starting with Yours is No Disgrace was fun - but I thought they played it a bit too slow. They played a lot of songs from the Ladder (the best ones!). Awaken and Close to the Edge were wonderful. And, Thank God!, no more bass/drum solos (no offense, Chris/Alan, but I'd rather hear songs). A few thirty second interludes of Nu Somme du Soleil (spelling?) and Time and a Word were nice touches. Thankfully, they did a shortened version of Roundabout as an encore. The YesWest song "Hearts" was a nice surprise - I always liked that one. Igor is incredible - I don't miss Wakeman at all.

Cesar Cervantes

I arriced to the House Of Blues at around 7:00 PM. I was surprised they still had plenty of tickets left but only in the standing section or general admission.

After a 15 minute waiting line I got inside following the crowd and ended up right at the stage area. Of course I wasn't sure I was in the right place according to the ticket. It turned out to be the right place at the right time. Ironically the most expensive tickets were in the balcony!!!. Thes is the first time I got this close to the stage, right in the middle, in a Yes concert. I was standing, No way to sit down; but 12 feet from the front line persuaded me not to move and lose my place. When could I get this close to the edge again? So I decided I didn't need to go to get me a beer or even use the bathroom. No sir. I'm freezing right there. No human or natural force will change my location. By 7:45 the place was packed.

Evidently they had sold out this small 800 to 1000 capacity venue. Beautiful and kinda of gothic inside was full.

There were cameras and cameramen all over the place. The tall crane-arm cameras moving above our heads closing up to the stage and then abruptly moving back away over the center, like giant robot arms, only added to the spectacle. Specially with the background music I believe to be Tangerine Dream.

By 8:00 O'clock this lady came to the stage in a black attire and introduced herself as a D.J. for a local radio station and announced that there was some filming of the entire concert taking place for the production of a DVD soon to be aired. Therefore she requested the many attendants in Halloween costumes to minimize them as a form of respect to the band and their movie (?). This came to the point that the most annoying security guards I have ever seen, were pulling peoples hats, masks, and in the particular case of a bunny man, the ears!!!. Seems to me the management and security of the House Of Blues are taking their jobs literally serious and making sure that their patrons will get blue. I wasn't wearing any custom myself but I was ready to explain that this was my real face, given the opportunity, luckily they just looked at me funny, but they passed me by uuuffff!!!

One thing is for sure: I will only come back to the House Of Blues if is strictly necessary and I hope Yes and all my favorites go back to the more pleasant and tolerant Hard Rock.

At 8:13 we started to hear the chords of the firebird suite. From that point on pandemonium turned into heaven:

Oh God! What a Show!

I personalized the whole thing: Jon Anderson was singing for me with a freshness and clarity equal to the first time I was impressed by it back in the 70's and I noticed through the entire performance how concentrated into the music he gets, many times standing with closed eyes like in state of trance, specially during the longs (CTTE or playing harp in Awaken);

Steve Howe deserves only one description: A maestro. He is in the top. Although, Steve projects a frail physical appereance (Is he sick?), He delivers a perfect, almost immaculate performance. He actually pushed me to listen again to his solo albums which I'm doing while typing this.

Now, Mr. Squire, Mr. Showman, blasting bass and pounding play, sharp and alive, he is just like me jumping, dancing and playing perfeccionist, and having trouble with the extra poinds, just like me, after 40.

Alan White holds on his shoulders with the attitude of an atlas the legacy of Brufford and himself to the point of exactitud, no deviation, no hesitation, giving you the drum you know it was there already in your mind. He does not negotiage. He is there and you definetly hear him.

I disagree with certain negative comments about the other 2 new Yesmen: Sherwood is part of Yes and he plays as demanded. He does not fill he completes the sound where the sound needs to be complete, and when you talk about Yes you're talking serious m