1.01 Firebird Suite (3.19)
1.02 Close To The Edge (19.32)
1.03 And You And I (11.14)
1.04 Siberian Khatru (10.07)
1.05 Going For The One (6.57)
1.06 Turn Of The Century (8.26)
1.07 Parallels (6.36)
1.08 Wonderous Stories (4.20)
==============================
2.01 Awaken (17.44)
2.02 Yours Is No Disgrace (11.56)
2.03 The Clap (4.03)
2.04 Starship Trooper (10.50)
2.05 I've Seen All Good People (7.33)
2.06 A Venture (3.42)
2.07 Perpetual Change (11.13)
2.08 Band Intro - Roundabout (11.15)
==============================

LDB Master Series #332 (Metro Cubo is back to US!!!)

Out of my 7,000+ shows and radio broadcasts, I have many concerts that were special for some reasons: the setlist, the musicians, the venue or unexpected events. These are the ones I'd like to propose you. Most of these come from my cassettes collection, so they will be released at a slower pace than my Master Series! But you won't be disappointed!
I will try to gather the most unusual things I have in my collection and, as always, your feedback and comments will be my reward for all the work involved in this project.

DO NOT share this music on mp3, just convert it for your own use. Sharing mp3's is the right way to make me stop sharing music here.

Finally, some notes about your truly ldb: I have been a fan of live music since I was 9 years old (that is where I attended my very first show, a PFM/De André gig at Milano's Palalido) and my first taped show was at 11 using a crappy portable cassette player with embedded microphone. I become more serious about taping in 1983 when I started to record every show. In 1991 I acquired my first Sony Professional and in 2000 I moved to MiniDisc to finally settle on R-09 in early 2008.

I have seen nearly 500 shows in my career. Most of them were taped but for others bad luck struck and I could not record it: on top of my mind there's a Paul McCartney show in 1993 in Milano where I was caught by the security or Porcupine Tree in Roma in March 1999 when the DAT machine would seem to work but listening back to the tape there would just be a long bunch of silence. Or during a Y.Malmsteen show where I got so annoyed that I left halfway through the show and erased the tape and finally on a PFM show in Milano in 2007 where I had to leave before the encore because the baby-sitter had to leave early that evening. Some other times I was very close not to tape or had to do it in extremely difficult situations: for the four Peter Gabriel shows at Earls Court in 1987 security was checking tapers with metal detector; at the David Gilmour comeback show in London in 2001 at RFH I had the security guy sitting next to me but I managed to tape the show without checking one single time my MiniDisc!

There was a time I was travelling anywhere in Europe to see shows, especially if there was no touring in Italy: I remember Rush in Paris in 1992 when the trio did not even know what Italy was. I have seen shows at stadiums (Genesis at Wembley) and in places with 30 people (Porcupine Tree in Milano in 1997); bands that would later become huge (Pearl Jam in a free show for 150 people) and masters of jazz (Miles Davis or Sarah Vaughan). Shows I will never forget (Pink Floyd at Versailles castle) and some I would rather forget (no comment...).

I truly believe that live music is what keeps music alive, what make us enjoying it together, what allow us to have deep feelings and transmit it to others. Studio records are nowadays 'commodities': you can buy online as anonymous wav files and listen in your iPod or at home. Live music will always imply an effort to buy the tix, travel to the venue, see the show, think about it when coming back home.

YES
Los Angeles, Orpheum Theatre
March 6, 2013

1.01 Firebird Suite (3.19)
1.02 Close To The Edge (19.32)
1.03 And You And I (11.14)
1.04 Siberian Khatru (10.07)
1.05 Going For The One (6.57)
1.06 Turn Of The Century (8.26)
1.07 Parallels (6.36)
1.08 Wonderous Stories (4.20)

2.01 Awaken (17.44)
2.02 Yours Is No Disgrace (11.56)
2.03 The Clap (4.03)
2.04 Starship Trooper (10.50)
2.05 I've Seen All Good People (7.33)
2.06 A Venture (3.42)
2.07 Perpetual Change (11.13)
2.08 Band Intro - Roundabout (11.15)

TT 148:53

Lineage: CA-14 (omnis) > Edirol R-09 > HD (via USB) > Sony SoundForge 7.0 > CD Wave (FLAC plugin - level 6)

Jon Davison - vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussions
Alan White - drums
Steve Howe - guitars, vocals
Geoff Downes - keyboards
Chris Squire - bass, vocals

Yes indeed, metro cubo is back to the US one year after recording the great ZPZ performance featuring Allan Holdsworth. This time I was lucky enough to capture Yes in one of the first dates of the Spring Tour 2013, featuring the entire performance of three historical albums: Close to the Edge, Going For The One and Yes Album. I was really looking forward to see it.

Going to shows in the US is somehow a weird situation for any europen and this gig was no exception. First, trying to purchase a ticket on the infamouse Ticketmaster site. It took me no less than 4 attempts before being successful. Most of times the site was not available or was on maintenance. Some others it only gave you the possibility to buy at least two tickets where I just needed one. Finally, I managed to purchase one only. Second, the huge price for the tickets where the minimum value was somewhere around 70$ but you could end up spending over 200$ if you wanted the super VIP which even allowed you to watch Chris Squire while he was in the toilet :-)

Anyway - on march 6th I left to LA and arrived one hour before the show. The Orpheum is a very nice theater but the nighbours do not seem so secure and I could not find a decent restaurant to grab something to eat within one mile. So I ended up having a low-quality burger at Carl´s which seems to be quite popular over there.

I entered the theatre among the first ones and noted that the Ticketmaster struck again by assigning me a seat not very far from the stage but completely on the left side. Luckily the sight was ok and the sound excellent on all the hall, so I could make a good recording. A few photos I enclose here will give you an idea on where I was located.

Another thing I will never understand is why the american folks do not stay quiet during concerts. They somehow feel so excited that they have to shout, scream, stand up not really caring if their neighbours would like to listen to the music or not. That evening I had tons of people standing up to find food and drinks back and forth which I am not really used too. In addition the nasty people from the venue were bothering those who have moved for a better seat after the concert had started, ending up in endless ticket checks and discussions because the guy did not want to come back to the seat he was originally located...weird...

Regardless, the concert has been a joy and the band in very good shape. You could see that they were still in the early phase of the tour because they did quite a few mistakes and Downes´ performance poor if compared to what Wakeman used to do on tour. Last time I had seen Yes was ten years ago when Jon was still in the band and missed completely the Benoit David tours (I had tickets for both tours and both times I could not go) but enjoyed very much Jon Davison performance. It seemed to see the current Yes with a 25-years old Jon Anderson from the time of the Fragile album :-) His singing was excellent indeed and without mistakes.

Two and half hours of great music and the show was over. I will be back to the US again!!!!

Enjoy the music

ldb