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Tuesday, April 16, 1991 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spectrum Arena 19,000 capacity 31 years, 9 months and 11 days ago
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Rhea Frankel Thursday, February 21, 2013 9:36 PM I went to this show! I wrote about it on my blog at [Link] Rich Franck Believe it or not, the cool thing about this show is that we were a few minutes late. I went with a group of people who were bent on partying it up before the show. They kept saying, "No concert ever starts on time." I had seen Yes four nights earlier in Atlantic City and knew that the shows were long, included a set break, and actually did start on time. I talked them into finishing their beers on the long walk through the parking lot. Imaging their surprise when we approached the turnstiles and heard the opening of Yours is no Disgrace emanating from the arena. I couldn't resist an "I told ya' so." Of course, several of them wanted to go to the bathroom before making it to our seats. I didn't understand their lack of urgency. I told them to meet me at our seats and I headed in with one of my friends in tow (the one guy in the group, besides myself, who was a true fan of Yes music). Our seats were pretty good, 15 rows out from the stage. We reached the top of the aisle and the security guard directed us to our seats. "Down this aisle to the stage, walk around the stage to the other side, and 15 rows back," he told us. We walked down the aisle, past about 25 rows or so, to the front row. Since the stage was in the center of the floor (in the round), there was an aisle all around it. We started to head over to our seats when we spotted two empty seats on the end of the first row. I looked at my friend and no words needed to be said. We threw our coats on the chairs and stayed there. I fully expected the true owners of the seats to arrive at any time, at which point we would gladly go to our "real" seats. I figured we would enjoy them as long as it lasted. They never showed up! We were able to watch the entire show from the front row! This was the best seating I have ever had for Yes. To see them this close was mind boggling. I only wish I had brought a camera... Jimmy M. As soon as this show was announced I managed to snap up some tickets pretty quickly. What an experience seeing 8 Yes alumni onstage playing in the round! My partner in crime and fellow Yesophile, Larry, and I enjoyed it immensely! It was interesting watching who would play what part on what. Sometimes one or more of the guys might leave the stage for certain songs then return. At that point someone else might leave to take a brief break. The high point for me was seeing all 8 wail away on Awaken! Jon Anderson was right! What a wonderful song! Joseph Shelby I'm surprised so few from NFTE have added comments to this one. This show was the more or less official meeting point for the NFTE subscribers at the time. My friend and I (along with our far less interested girlfriends) drove 6 hours there and back again from JMU in Harrisonburg, VA to see it. The group met down the side of the Spectrum by a garden, near the VIP entrances (VIP guests, not VIP performers -- aka, "Box Seats" for sporting events). Got to meet quite a few NFTE members from the time, plus quite a few lurkers. We split up for the show, then after it some of us went across the river to Camden to a hotel room (after a stop for donuts and coffee), and partied while listening to WYSP's broadcast of Union, then played Yes music (Drama, specifically) and partied until late...though my group had to leave early to get back to the 'burg before too long. My memories are fuzzy about much else. NFTE's policy at the time was to have separate issues on concert reviews, separate from the discussion from concert spoilers for those who didn't want to read them...and those separate concert reviews aren't in the NFTE archives right now. The show was incredible. Full of energy, no major flubs, Starship Trooper (one of the last nights they did this. They seem to like giving that little extra to Philly -- the first ABWH show in Philly in '89 was one of the few to have Sweet Dreams)...I was quite mesmerized by the light show ("snowflakes") for the organ solo section of Awaken. Jeremy Weissenburger Jon said that someone had requested it [I've Seen All Good People], and such Philly is a big Yestown they'd play it for us. Dennis Brennan In one of the 1991 Philadelphia Union shows (I went to all three), an announcement before the "Firebird Suite" declared that some portion of the concert's proceeds would be donated to the "Hero Fund," a scholarship program for the children of policemen and firemen who died in the line of duty. But it wasn't a "benefit concert" per se.
before 'Shock To The System' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:It's time in Philadelphia. Do you want to hear a new song? You wanna hear a new song from the new album? The song's called 'Shock To The System'. Woo. before 'Heart Of The Sunrise' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Thank you so much. Thank you. Woo. Woo. The crazy thing about this next song, when we started rehearsing you know, sort of [???] with rehearsing it, then we [???] eventually no one can play this song. So here it goes. It's a song that I think you all know. before 'Clap' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Woo. [???]. Thank you so much. It's always a great pleasure to be here. It's a great pleasure to introduce you to the maestro -- Mr. Steve Howe! before 'And You And I' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Sometimes you sort-- uh, write a song and, uh, record a song and you think, 'Well, it's gonna be good to play that for a couple of years' and then you find out you're still playing it ten years later. And most [???] to you with the fact that the music is really all that is. And we just impart [???]. And the music has a power all of its own. Especially this next song. 'Cause we seem to want to play this song over and over again. We're gonna get it right tonight. Woooo. before 'Hold On' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:In the blue corner, Mr. Alan White! Woo. In the red corner, Mr. Bill Bruford! Woo. Hold on, [???]. Hold on. before 'I've Seen All Good People' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Thank you so much. Thank you. A lot of requests for this next song. We really need you to sing along, okay? [???] time [???]. before 'Solly's Beard' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Woooo. Thank you so much. This is-- this young man here. This young man with his white guitar. The incredible versatile musicianship of Mr. Trevor Rabin! before 'Kaye Solo' transcribed by: Joff Braio Trevor Rabin:Thank you very much. Jon Anderson: Mr. Trevor Rabin! before 'Changes' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:The original, the dangerous, Mr. Tony Kaye. before 'Long Distance Runaround' transcribed by: Joff Braio Trevor Rabin:Thank you. Jon Anderson: Jon: Wooo. Thank you very much. Here's a-- here's a little story. Very, very short quick short story. I think, uh, it's quite a long time ago since I picked up the guitar for the first time, and started mumbling songs to myself. This, uh, this actual next song we're gonna do actually started with [???]. I'm gonna try and play-- play to you exactly-- let me find the first note. Hold on. (plucks a note 3 times) That's the first, okay? It went something like this. A little bit like this. (strums) Let's find that first note first off. (singing) Ahh. Ahh. (singing & strumming) Ahhh. (talking) Almost. Wrong note. That's right, [???]. I-- I just started playing the guitar, right. So I didn't know much about it. (singing) Laa. (singing & strumming) Long distance runaround, la la, la la la laaa, la laa, la la. (talking) I thought to myself, 'That's not-- that's not a bad song'. So, I took it to these-- to these four gentlemen here. [???] Rick [???] Steve, Bill, and Christopher. And they put it together like this. Woo." before 'Lift Me Up' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:The amazing bass playing of Chris Squire! Woo. Here's a new song. It's on the radio. Lift Me Up. Woo. before 'Wakeman Solo' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Wooo. Thank you very much. Once upon a time, there was no electricity. This is very true. It's very hard to imagine, but they used to, uh, play music on acoustic instruments. In fact, one of the first instruments of the real time was a piano. And a harpsichord, and a piano. And all of a sudden, you [???] a Hammond organ. Then we got Mini Moog. And then, the next invention was Mr. Rick Wakeman! after 'Roundabout' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:Woo. All right! before 'Starship Trooper' transcribed by: Joff Braio Jon Anderson:I think we've got time for one more song. [???] we're gonna come back and see you soon, alright? Woooo. Here it comes. |