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Hieronder de trailer van de souvenir DVD met impressies van de Autumn Tour 2011 van YES in Cambridge, Brussel, Nijmegen en Bielefeld. Members only.

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YES in Melbourne 11 april 2012

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WE CAN FLY - 1 april 2012 New Zealand

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Ben Vos was erbij:

Yes, Vector Arena Auckland, 1st April 2012

It depends on how you look at it, but I think this is the 10th incarnation of a long history of Yes, with Jon Davison as the new lead singer. He’s not the first ‘young dude’ to take stage along with his fellow Yes band mates who all could (theoretically) be his granddad: co-founder Chris Squire on bass, Steve Howe on guitar and Alan White on drums. Ex-Buggles Geoff Downes is on keyboards, like he was in 1980 when he replaced Rick Wakeman, and his Buggles mate Trevor Horn replaced Jon Anderson. Chris, Steve and Alan are the ‘oldies’ who know how to rock&roll and who know how to make up a good show. They’re the guys once you see them play live that remind you like ’Oh, so that’s what it’s all about’ when it comes to Rock.

I’ve seen Yes 8 times before (from several other incarnations), and I never thought they would actually make it up to the New Zealand stage. They were in Australia two times before (in 1970 and in 2003), but now they’re here for their first time ever, and I feel quite blessed to be part of it by getting to the show. The Vector has a capacity of 12000 max, but it was on low key this time, my estimate there were 1000 people in the audience tonight. Really cosy and intimate, with the audience at an average age of about 50-ish of (I’m relatively young here, my nephew Dan must have been the youngest). Many people were purchasing Yes T-shirts at the merchandise tonight; I was the only one wearing a Union tour shirt from their world tour in 1991 (that was in Rotterdam).

The show opened with a different tune then the ever used opening of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, buggered if I knew what it was, but it was quite uplifting. When they got on stage, I could see Chris and Steve were quite keen on putting up a good show. They hadn’t been on stage for a few months so one could sense the adrenalin.. After their opening with Yours is no disgrace and Tempus Fugit, Chris admitted ‘We finally made it’; I shouted them ‘Welcome to New Zealand!’ (from the 8th row on the floor). Steve was playing his solos (introduced by Chris ‘I will leave you in the very capable hands of..’): Solitaire and following his ever amazing Clap, he said he was pleased to play these tunes here in New Zealand. Young Jon Davison was quite a bit timid (what would you expect if you were to be the front man aside of your own heroes...), and he was doing harmony singing with Chris who overpowered him a bit (Chris was in particular good shape&voice tonight). The first couple of songs it was difficult to distinguish who was singing the main vocal, and actually during the first half of the entire show, the whole band sounded a bit messy – not exactly what I am used to from the many times I’ve seen them. Mind you, it was a try out for the whole band, because this was Jon’s very first gig with the band and this was the first time ever in NZ. I once heard a record producer tell that in the music business you never really ‘made it’; you will always have to re-invent yourself. So Yes had yet to gain the kiwi audience’s favour, which created an interesting chemistry, with band versus audience checking each other out, which no doubt also happened during their very first gigs at the Speak Easy club down in Soho London 1969.. The result was: fresh, new and crisp; with Yes being veterans, l they know how to nail it.. Unique to witness this dynamic.. And I reckon they nailed it..

After the intermission, Geoff played the opening intro to the Fly from here suite (he’s the one who wrote it back in 1980, with his fellow ‘Buggle’ mate Trevor Horn – I reckon it does have a Buggles sound). You can hear they love playing this new material and they’re chuffed with it. This is the Yes I know: strong, powerful, uplifting, rich, in control, pure, tight, strong musicianship... Magic sparks... The boys must have told Jon during the intermission he was doing great... I think I was the only one who could sing this stuff along (been listening to it quite a lot). Even Bumpy Ride (fly from here Pt IV) sounds fantastic live, as I knew it would. Next on the list was Wonderous Stories, one of those Jon Anderson classics. Geoff introduced that nicely, Steve picked it up on his Portuguese acoustic guitar (that he once got from his sister as a gift); the audience loved it. This was Jon Davidson’s test, and he did an amazing job: humble and honest, not missing a note and yet in his own style; I shouted ‘Well done Jon!’ Then Yes’ 1972 classic Heart of the Sunrise was the highlight of the show, the ultimate signature Yes song according to Chris. Fantastic, no one missing a note, Jon with his gained confidence nailed the vocals.

After this, Steve introduced how the Yes history got them into record Owner of a lonely heart, and this was the first time ever I heard him do the opening guitar riff with the correct distortion and he played it on a Fender Stratocaster. I know this song is not his thing, but he played it respectfully. He even ...

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