Geo-Fett

Thursday, October 29, 2015 7:29 PM

I was in attendance at this show and it kicked ass! I will never forget hearing and watching Close to the Edge played live. And yes Anderson did start the concert off by walking down to the stage among the folks signing time and a word.My only other Yes show I had seen before this was at the Big Generator tour at the Oakland Coliseum. I could see by Anderson's body language that something was amiss. He did not seem happy. Little did I know at that time he was having issues with the direction Yes was heading. I am so grateful for Jon Anderson starting ABWH.I was in high school when owner of a lonely heart came out. I really thought it sucked and it was commercial. Being a Rush fan i did not know that Yes had a progressive past.My friend turned me onto to Tormato,Drama, and Relayer. My opinion of Yes completely changed.I thought I would never get to see them perform their best music but thanks to ABWH I did get to see them perform at their prime. I am grateful for this. I must say I did really enjoy the Union concert and album. Even with the 90125 songs being played by all 8 members was very palatable for me. Since then I have seen Yes almost everytime that they appeared in the Bay Area and one time I saw them without Anderson in Michigan. I do like Drama and Fly from Here, I really enjoy those albums. I do not enjoy john davidson. He is a cheap imitation and tries to hard to be someone he is not. I do not approve of him in Yes! Squire is gone now my he rest in peace! Maybe its time for Anderson top start up ABWH and either have Tony Levin play bass or Geddy Lee. I know wishing Geddy would join Anderson is pie in the sky but I belive Lee would be able to add a distinct bass sound and backing vocals for a new ABWH&Lee. Anyway its just a thought.

Steven Shinder

I was happy when the Voiceprint DVD of this show came in the mail last year. The film began with an emotional solo by Jon Anderson. Next, Steve Howe played solos in a Yes film for the first time in nearly fifteen years. Rick Wakeman really amazed me with his solo: His fingers played very quickly on the "Catherine Parr" section. Chris Squire, of course, wasn't on this tour, so they couldn't end "Long Distance Runaround" with a transition into "The Fish". They were, however, able to repeat "To one hundred!" in an amazing way to make way for Bill's incredible drum solo. It was somewhat like Yessongs in that members got solo space. This was, of course, my first time listening to ABWH stuff. I think the best ABWH song played in this concert was "Brother of Mine", which was also very emotional. When I heard "Order of the Universe", I noticed the "do do, do do, do do, do do" sounded like a small part of "The Revealing Science of God". During the credits, a small keyboard bit plays that makes it sound like the end of the show, until suddenly "Starship Trooper" comes on. What was different about this version was that it had the lines "Soon, oh soon the light. Nous Sommes Du Soleil." These days, I wonder what it would be like if "Fist of Fire" was played live...

Carlos Ortega

I went with a few friends to the concert. It was a marvelous afternoon. Suddenly, Jon came singing from the back of the public!!!
He was wearing a funky military style coat. Kind of like Michael Jackson stuff... funny.
Jeff Berling played perfectly, as he always have. He played the solo bass lines from Heart of The Sunrise beautifuly.
I still keep the ticket for that show.
Even though the concert was being taped and broadcast for HBO, We in the audience saw much more than the folks at home. HAs the new VHS / DVD has solved the problem?
Carlos Ortega, Caracas, Venezuela.

Dave Shively

This was the third time I had seen an incarnation of YES. I agree with other reviewers that it was a bit commercialized, but none-the-less, what a wonderful demonstration of musicianship. Jon''s voice was mature and strong, Steve was captivating, and it was my pleasure to hear Rick Wakeman and Bill Bruford live for the first time.

I just got the video of this show and have traveled back in time to a wonderful night of music and memories.

Joel Constantian

If memory serves me, I was calling Pay-Per-View to order the live broadcast of The Who performing "Tommy". The station recording was reciting instructions on what numbers to press for the various upcoming shows and performances. Thankfully it mentioned ABWH at the Shoreline Amphitheater - which I had recently purchased tickets for - before getting to The Who. Had it gone the other way I would never have known it was being broadcast. I was thrilled not only to get a great live video of the band but also to get this one at my first ever Yes show. Though I'd been into the band since "Tormato", I'd never had a chance to see them.

All of the ABWH album material came off very well and was well received by the crowd (though it was clear that it was not well-known by many.) My favorite track at the time was "Themes" which they did a great job on. The audience erupted at the first sounds of each of the old Yes songs. This tour provided a chance to hear the old material as it had not sounded since Bill Bruford's departure in 1972 (particularly as "Yessongs" was recorded almost entirely with Alan White - a god in his own right.)

The whole sound of the band had been updated. Bill had enhanced his kit with some digital pads. Rick Wakeman's sound was also new and improved. Steve Howe's sound hadn't "advanced" as such. As a mater of fact the strides in acoustic amplification had allowed him to be more faithful to the sound of the original studio recordings by using more acoustic guitars where, in past live performances, he had been forced to use electric. Even Jon's sound was newer. He had reached that "mature" voice that he maintains today (with no sign of fading.) Each song, played with authority and polish, contained little golden nuggets all over. Familiar sequences played with new sounds and different treatments continually surprised me. It sounded very "fresh".

It was my first time at the Shoreline and I thought it sounded great. It was nice to see new Roger Dean sets being used. The lights were dazzling as the evening grew darker. (I can still see the sparkle of the flashes going off during the quiet section in "Close To The Edge".) As frontman, Jon was very loose with the crowd. I thought he was funny. At one point during Rick's solo, as he was playing "Catherine Parr", the large video monitors switched to a close-up of his fingertips a'blur. The audience went wild. We were all slack-jawed at the speed he was going. I thought Steve and Bill shown particularly bright on the new cut, "Birthright".

When the live album and subsequent video came out ("An Evening of Yes Music Plus") I was thrilled at having a major release by them of My Show. But I couldn't help being somewhat disappointed. One of the thrills of going to this show was to have been seeing Tony Levin for the first time, too. I was already a big fan of his work with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson. Jeff Berlin proved very effective as a short-order substitute. Quite an accomplishment. As it was, I saw the illustrious Mr. Levin later on Peter Gabriel's "Us" tour. And finally with Bill Bruford in King Crimson on the "Thrak" tour. [ On this tour, Bill and Tony were in a line-up which used a "double trio" format: two guitarists, two drummer/percussionists and two stick/bassists. Musically it was very effective. I often wonder about the "Union" super-group tour. What if Tony had been allowed to participate? The paring of Levin and Squire could have produced as much magic as the pairing of Bruford and White did on songs the whole group did, such as "Awaken" and "Heart Of The Sunrise" - which were astounding. {See Forgotten Yesterdays entry for 8/7/91} They also could have had the ABLWH line-up do more tracks from both of their albums! ]

That I missed Tony doing not only the new material, but also all of Chris's work, remains a sore point for me. Messrs. Squire and Levin are my favorite bassists. And I think if anyone could have done justice to Chris's legacy while still making it sound his own, Tony was the one to do it. My disappointment was furthered when I learned that I had also missed hearing the improvisational duet Tony and Bill were doing on this tour.

In the end, this was the show they released. And it is a great recording. I remember being in the stands, awe-struck at seeing my heros. Shoreline was a watermark for me. Finally seeing these guys live was a unique experience. To further my enjoyment, I was there with several of my closest friends who were all into the band (though not as die-hard as me.) It was great first show. A night to remember!

Steve Sullivan

Berlin was certainly aware of Yes (he once affectionately cited them in one of his old Guitar PLayer columns as an example of a band that didn't swing) but I doubt he had many of their songs at his fingertips when they called him up. In fact, in the PPV ABWH 'pre game' show, he made a point of mentioning that he'd had to learn the whole set cold in a few days. (Anyone remember the idiot interviewers on this? The guy that talked about 'Bill Buford'? Berlin was justly excited about having accomplished his 'save' on short notice, but the interviewer essentially brushed him off. He was more interested in visiting Jon Anderson's teepee.)

Biffy the Elephant Shrew

BTW, speaking of audience rudeness, Yes audiences here in the San Francisco Bay Area really work at pushing the envelope in this regard. The last time I saw ABWH, at the Shoreline (Mountain View) gig, people were throwing things--I was struck by assorted flying objects (cups, pens, lighters) while my wife was conked on the head by some idiot's binoculars (the idiot in question was doing a flailing "dance" with his binocs in his hand). You don't get to see any of THIS in the video!

Unknown

The two hosts of the ABWH pay per view were Jack Blades and Jim Ladd, a DJ from L.A. .... he also used to do the Innerview interviews in the 70s.

Smatt

I do remeber the pre show interveiws! What a joke! The interveiwers were idiots. Andersons teepee was a riot, to think he drags that thing around to all the shows! Do you remeber Jon walking backwards into that metal door? Ha Ha. The whole thing was pretty cheesy, till the music started, then it was only 1/2 cheesy!

Unknown

I was just watching my Shoreline Aphi. PPV tape of ABWH, and I must restate my vows to Yes . . . they are BRILLIANT! I just watched the solos, and I have a hard time sitting still while watching! I just want to be as close as possible to them! WOW!

Dennis Alstrand

I'm writing because I had the great luck to be working at the Shoreline on the night ABWH played there. It was my natural assumption that it was just one of many of their concerts but since that time I keep seeing references to it, i.e. the showing of Heart of the Sunrise on the ABWH video.

ABWH did finish the first set with Your Move/All Good People and did not, unfortunately, play Siberian Khatru at all during the concert, or the encore. I love that song.

As a bass player, I grew up on Chris Squire - along with a few otheres - and found myself amazed at really enjoying the show even without his playing. Berlin's playing (please Chris don't be reading this!!!!) didn't get in the way of the songs at all. I know this is blasphemy, and I STILL LOVE CHRIS, but the songs really came out. I always listen to Chris first, but now I listened to the songs - and loved them even more than before.

Beginning the second set my ushering duties were over and I was allowed to sit fully appreciated, just knocked me out. The other (non Chris) musicians really came to the fore and that song. . . I still get a rush thinking about it. I've seen Yes almost every tour since Fragile and never have I been as stricken. Rick was right there, like always. I know it's no big thing, but I recall Rick having to stretch his fingers out getting ready for his solo toward the end. It made me think of an Olympic champion preparing for a major event. Corny yes, but it was my image. I've never heard the song the same again and have wished ever since that I could hear that one particular version of Close To The Edge again. And now I have the chance! YES!

By the way, opening the show with Jon walking through the crowd singing Time and a Word would have made Donovan jealous - he pulled it off beautifully.

ABWH live at Shoreline gave me the best feeling for a concert I've ever had.

Frasier Crane

I recently got _An Evening of Yes Music +_ and I hafta say I'm slightly dissappointed. This really feels like little more than pure product to me. I do applaud Wakeman's and especially Bruford's solo as well as most of the ABWH tracks, but almost everything else can be heard elsewhere, in renditions that are at least as good or better.

Dave Scidmore

I have listened to the ABWH live version of _Close To The Edge_ now a few times and I have to say this is by far the definitive live version of this song. I get the impression that this is a group of musicians so comfortable with the song and in their own musical ability that they are freed to take off and do improvisations on their parts throughout the whole song. I have seen Yes enough times to get a little tired of hearing _Close To The Edge_ live, but this version is so energetic and filled with fresh changes to the old lines that it is a true treat to listen to. In fast for anyone curious about this album it is an excellent album filled with the better ABWH material combined with refreshing new takes on old Yes tunes.

Levine

The concert starts by showing Jon just before the show by his TeePee (thing) and has the little box up in the corner telling people that they have just minutes to order the show off of pay-per-view. Non of the intermission chatter is shown.

Erdogan Kemal Slater

During the ABWH tour, Jon Anderson, now a "student of Hopi Indian culture" lived in a wigwam of sorts, which he built and decorated himself. I saw this on the preview/teaser of the Pay-per-view production of the concert. If you're wondering, the concert is identical to all the rest in the ABWH tour

The only difference, the bassist was Tony Levin. A balding, extra-articulated bass player, friends with Bruford. Evidently, he got quite ill after August 7th and the tour was in jeopardy. On the video of the concert, held in California, I believe, Levin is replaced by another famous Jazz bassist, who's name escapes me. I guess he is as good, but he didn't run through the 'jam' with Bruford. Evidently he learned all the material on VERY short notice.

Moonlit Knight

Jeff Berlin of Bruford's 78-80 fusion band fills in on bass, having learned the seriously ill Tony Levin's parts in two or three days (the pay-per-view date could not of course be rescheduled). Given this fact and Bruford's new kit and even more schizo approach, the rhythm section is very different from the Close to the Edge of Yessongs. The beginning almost put me off because Howe sounded alone rather than the tight interplay of Squire/Howe yesteryear. But I warmed to it -- it's such a different approach to the song, though the notes are almost all the same (there are a couple definite changes). There is something very unforgiving yet exciting about the clarity of the recording in contrast to the fuzziness of Yessongs. It's hard to explain, but it's very postmodern.

Berlin does nicely in a difficult situation, not only learning the parts but also trying to simulate the Stick on the ABWH songs with moderate success. It's interesting -- sometimes he uses something of a wah sound that Squire used in extremis on Tormato; sometimes he tries a sound more typical to jazz/fusion.

Your Move/All Good people came at the end of the first set after And You and I (typically).

Jeff Smith

I'm not sure what the question is concerning the orchestral music on the live ABWH album. If the questioner is just unsure about interpreting the title, yes, it's a selection from The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, composed by Benjamin Britten. If he wants to know which recording was used, I don't know that. There are a number to choose from.