Summer Tour

[ajish4]

I saw them last night..July 2 @ The Warfield...fantastic show...1973 Ric 4001 Got signed and met CS for the first time. He got us in along with some reminiscing on my lady's part.

Hey RIC,

You lucky stiff!

That's too cool, SO GLAD you got to mee CHRIS....he is an AMAZING guy.

I truly am amazed at just how down to earth the guys really are.....they are so HUMBLE, it blew me away.

They are just a CLASS ACT, period. WHY don't we EVER hear the GOOD stuff about our hero's in the news?

When I met the guys in Miami in December, I felt like I was with family.

RIC, can you give us some details about the meet?

[harrek]

Hey Brian, got anything special to have signed by Chris?

I've got a few items in my bag of goodies to be signed by Chris. Really looking forward to talking with him. Hopefully some nice pictures to come after the concert (which is July 20). Jut wish my tickets were on Chris' side. But I can complain too much about being 2 rows in front of Steve though.

Any Detroit area members going to the concert?

[cheyenne]

Hey Dane! How was the show??

[aceonbass]

Asia and Yes put on a great show. Asia's set was highlighted by In the Court of the Crimson King, Video Killed the Radio Star and An Extraordinary Life, which is from their latest album. Yes's set included Astral Traveller, Tempus Fugit, and Machine Messia. I've seen Yes 13 times and have never seen them play those songs. Benoit David's voice is a little different than Jon's, but I soon forgot about that and just enjoyed the heck his performance. Unlike Rick Wakeman, who I think connected with an audience and the band better, Oliver was quite stoic. He still did a great job of filling the old man's shoes musically though, and actually did studio accurate covers of many of the keyboard parts. I took a ton of pics and posted them over on my FaceBook page.

[ajish4]

Thanks for posting Dane,

MUCH appreciated..

ANYONE else see the show?

I'm really excited about this one, I can't wait to see SOMETHING ON DVD from this tour....

Does anyone know if they are filming this time around?

[revolver323]

Saw the Yes/Asia tour in Pittsburgh on 7/21, and it is worth the trip for anyone if they come near you. Benoit David does an excellent job of covering Jon's vocals, including the last high note in "Heart of the Sunrise," which ends the main part of the show before the "Starship Trooper" encore. Chris was in fine form, using his RM Rick, an all-black Rick, a Lakland Bob Glaub and an Electra. I saw two Ampeg cabs with some kind of slanted horn or cabs on top and a Marshall cab nearby. "And You and I" was a highlight of the show. Here's the set:

Firebird Suite
Siberian Khatru
I’ve Seen All Good People
Tempus Fugit
Astral Traveller
And You and I
Steve Solos (one by Chet Atkins)
Owner of a Lonely Heart
Machine Messiah
Roundabout
Heart of the Sunrise
Starship Trooper (encore)

John Wetton still plays and sings great for Asia -- using a white Zon, I think.

Lots of 60-something women doing Woodstock twirl dancing in Pittsburgh.

[just_bassics]

We were at that show, Dave! It was great! Soon I'll tell the whole story, still on cloud nine at the moment...

[revolver323]

We were at that show, Dave! It was great! Soon I'll tell the whole story, still on cloud nine at the moment...

I was on the non-Chris side of the stage, but only 20 rows back. Haven't seen Yes since 1979, Asia since 1982.

[harrek]

Better a bit late than never. But those who didn't see this tour really missed out on things.

While I didn't get to sit right in front of Chris as I would have liked, it was a real treat to be able to watch Steve Howe in action the whole Yes and Asia show. He makes his incredible playing look so very ordinary and simple. He also looked like a light breeze would blow him away!

Some pictures of Yes:
http://web.me.com/bkondalski/www/Yes_2009.html

And of Asia:
http://web.me.com/bkondalski/www/Asia_2009.html

And lastly of the items Chris was kind enough to sign at the Meet and Greet after the concert. Would have loved to had an evening to listen to his stories and experiences over a beer:
http://web.me.com/bkondalski/www/Squire.html

Brian

[ram]

Thanks Brian! Great shots and congrats on the signed pick guard!!

[aceonbass]

The first "custom pickguard" signed by Chris is one I made for Brian where I tried to duplicate the unique shape of the upper front edge above the neck pickup where the original had cracked and been re-shaped long ago.

[harrek]

The first "custom pickguard" signed by Chris is one I made for Brian where I tried to duplicate the unique shape of the upper front edge above the neck pickup where the original had cracked and been re-shaped long ago.

And I believe that he caught something odd and familiar about it when he signed it, especially when he looked at the standard one after that. Seems like he would have talked more, but just too many people wanting a moment of his time and I had to move on to talk to the others.

As I said, love to get an evening in a pub with him just to talk. Seemed very personable (was quite active when each person took a picture with the band) and seems like he really wanted to talk more.

[johnallg]

Chris is genuine.

[ajish4]

Chris is genuine.

There is NO DOUBT John, never a truer word spoken, Scotty is as well.

There isn't a "ROCK STAR" persona about them at all.

They have a warm, "genuine" feeling about them. I too only met them very briefly, and felt as if I've known them for years.
It just blew me away. Just being with them for moments, makes you want to come back for more.

[mrs_brown]

Oh do tell Tony..