Videos of concerts

[Keef]

Hi All,

Back in high school when I was really into prog I didn't listen to much Yes... I hate to admit it but there it is. I was very devoted to ELP and Gentle Giant. I certianly heard Yes and enjoyed it, but it didn't grab me for some reason... although I have fond memories of the album artwork and mushroom tea Well, that was 35 (or so) years ago. Lately I've been on a huge Rickenbacker kick and have been seaking out Mr. Squire on Youtube. It's bringing back lots of memories and opening up new appreciation for Chris and realizing just how fricken amazing he is, the whole band, and their body of work. I think I listened to Starship Tropper about 12 times in a row today... so crunchy, melodic and punchy! Anyway, I'm rambling...
Are there any great concert videos out there I should try to find? Something from the golden era.
Any recommendations?

Oh, since I brought up Starship Trooper, is he playing through a Leslie speaker or is it some other vibrato effect?

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

tremelo effect. ahhhhh...mushroom tea....remember it well....wait a minute...i don't remember anything !!!

[just_bassics]

Hi Keith,

My opinion - Older, classic video: Yessongs from 1973, newer, but still classic: Live in Montreux, from 2005. I like the Montreux DVD because they perform Fragile almost in its entirety. For the "current' Lineup, they just released a DVD called Live From Lyon. Of course, 9012Live, QPR, Symphonic Live, House of Blues and lots more also have their moments.

[Keef]

Thanks for the tips.

I watched QPR last night... very cool. Will seek out Yessongs next.

I'm curious... what's the deal with ABWH? What happened to our 'ol pal Chris Squire during that period?

[johnallg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_B ... keman_Howe

[Keef]

Hi John,

I read the wiki entry last night, but thanks for the link.
Unless I totally missed something in the description (I wouldn't put it past me to miss the obvious) it doesn't mention why Chris Squire was left out.
AWBH was billed as an evening of Yes music, so it's not like they were trying to go into unknown territory where Squire would hold them back... It was Yes without one of the main founders. Right? Am I missing something?
We all know how difficult it can be whenever you get a group of people together, in a band, at the office, whatever/wherever.... egos can muck things up pretty good if you're not careful.
To me, an outsider who is just now diving into the magic of Yes, it just seems like an awkward and unnecessary moment in the band's history. I guess I was just asking if anyone had any insight into what happened.

[Keef]

Wow, I just watched some of the 1979 tour in the round, and while the sound of the clips I was watching was not great the band was playing fantastic! The camera wasn't very generous to Chris but he was playing his *** off. Cool to see him pull out an 8 string for Roundabout.
Great stuff.

[just_bassics]

The ABWH situation was fairly straightforward. Chris and Alan were, at that time quite happy with the current Yes lineup. Chris and Trevor Rabin are still friends to this day. But Jon felt stifled by Trevor's presence and wanted to "get the old band back together" so to speak. The project went well, IMO, but by the time the second ABWH record was started, the old business practices went into effect and Union was born of the record companies. Not a period any band members ever seem to want to revisit, although Jon still performs "The Meeting" in his concerts with Rick Wakeman.

[pag]

Keith,
The Yesyears DVD will explain most of the background to why the AWBH thing happened.
If you watch the footage of Yes over the years there comes a point where (for me at any rate) things seriously slow down exitement wise
after the Magnification album (was that the last true Yes album?)and tour video.
I went to all the tours from the The Yes Album tour up to recent years and I found myself wishing that the pace would pick up or a special guest from the past would pop in and do something unexpected (Peter Banks era songs,Relayer songs or TFTO!).
Its hard to watch videos of recent Yes stuff without wishing Anderson was at the helm because theres no escaping the pull of Jon Anderson as the main man in Yes.
I really wish the Yes guys would just bury the hatchet,realise none of us lives forever and life is too short to sqabble about
stuff that doesnt really matter and all get together to deliver the mother of all Yes Shows.

[BAD RONBO, KiLLeR DWaRfS]

Wow, I just watched some of the 1979 tour in the round, and while the sound of the clips I was watching was not great the band was playing fantastic! The camera wasn't very generous to Chris but he was playing his *** off. Cool to see him pull out an 8 string for Roundabout.
Great stuff.

squire should be using the 8-string for "going for the one " as well.

[Keef]

Thanks for the tip on the Yesyears documentary. I watched that last night and enjoyed it a great deal.