26 years, 5 months and 15 days ago Saturday, June 20, 1998 Quebec City, Quebec Hippodrome de Québec 40,000 capacity
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Sylvain Gaudet I'm very amazed that there is no much quotes about this show! This show was one of the biggest they ever did! There were 40 000 people at that show! It did front page of the newspaper the next day ! There were more people at that show then the nigt before in Montreal (35 000)! So we can officially say that Quebec is the Yestown in america ! (ask Chris about Quebec city !) The show was just amazing, it was outside, there were two parts before the Yes show : Oukoum ( a local band) and the alan parson's project. So the show started at 3:00 pm in the afternoon and it was sunny. So by the time Yes appeared every body got a sunburst! Just as the band began to play , the sun when down, the weather came to 13 degrees (celsius, I don't know in farenheit but very cold) ! So everybody were stick together to keep a little warm rather than jumping in extase! I hope the band was aware of that otherwise I'm sure they would have tought that the audience were boring! The sad thing about that show is that Yes had less than two hours to perform because of the other band before who took too much time for there sets! Anyway the marking points of that evening were: 1) When Jon sang "nous sommes du soleil" in front of a fantastic sunset telling us that song was written by Steve and him for the people of Quebec... He seemed to have a lot of fun and peace. He said that it was so cool to play that song in front of a beautiful sunset ! It surely was ! 2) Steve set on acoustic with surface tension, clap and leave of green with a super big mexican hat ! He also seemed to have a lot of fun (he did the front page of one of the newspaper the next day)! 3) The big thing of the night was certainly the majestics solos of Chris and Alan! Chris with his newlook he have now, made me think of a grand king from an Excalibur story! He looked and act like a very Shakesperian personnage ! Super powerfull solo and then turn back got on his knee, arms in the air, imploring the power of thunder! And what a thunder it was! The big drums of Alan were overwhelming I'm that was one the greatest solo he did live ! Just ask him! But the bad thing was that time was running out and Chris had to lead this solo to an end but it was so cool! Anyway Alan had to stop his solo. He was so frustrated that he got out of his drum place very very upset, when toward Chris on the stage with his fingers pointing his face and told him something like:" you never do this thing to me again, I'm I clear enough" and Chris was mad, he showed him is wrist-watch explaining that time was runnig out and then Alan return to his drum! In fact at 11:00 pm light went up and the show wasn't finish Chris couldn't believe is eyes that the municipality decide the show was over! So he looked at Jon and said something like "let's do another song and Jon looked at him like " I don't take the responsability on that" with his hand on the air like "ha! It's not me it's you who decide for that! And Chris with all his convictions that led Yes over thirty years pomped the guy to play "yours si no disgrace" ! It was like all the pressure when to him, but he got the situation like a king! After this shortest version of "YIND" I've ever heard, they left a bit frustrated that the light went so fast ! They were so in big shape for a superb concert that night plus in front of 40 000 fans but nobody excerpt the municipality was to blame! So thank you Chris Squire for your conviction! That's what I learned that night as the 40 000 people where leaving like a big topographic ocean moving slowly , just to see that was something to see! Pierre Ouellet I had the chance to assist to the Quebec city's concert last saturday. I've been impressed by the band's tremendous energy. For those who say's Yes is a group of "has been", well... you don't have a single idea of what thes guys are doing. I'm anxious to see which band of the 90's will play in front of 40 000 persons in 2020... Anaway, in a purely artistic perspective, Squire is actualy in a wonderfull form. He has a total control on the band's performance on stage. Pretty remarquable for a bassist, in rock music. I hope he still inspires many bass players... |