Nostalgia isn't what it was

[owen]

So yesterday I had a whole day of wallowing (open eyes) in nostalgia. First I went to Anfield, to watch Liverpool legends vs Real Madrid legends, played for charity in front of a nearly full house (55000ish). It was fun, it was gentle, the old heroes showed their chops, Liverpool won 4-3 (having been 4-0 up with 10 minutes to go) but I wouldn't do it every day. Even Steven Gerrard is over the hill. Still...

I then drove through the bloody awful Liverpool traffic, the M62 and it's roadworks and through the bloody awful Manchester traffic to see a bunch of has beens Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman, to go through the motions of a few lovely old songs and I would be happy.

Except no one told ARW, who decided that they weren't remotely interested in  going out quietly and went at it hell for leather. They've got a fab rhythm section with tons of power, Trevor Rabin who is still a rock god, Wakey, who's just remembered that he is famous for being a bastard keyboard player (though he looks like he going produce triplets any day now!) and, best of all, 72 year old Jon Anderson, who's singing could pass for 32. Power, chops, emotion, humour, I don't remember Yes playing anything like this (I didn't see them until the early 2000's), even when JA & RW were in the band. Absolutely loved it. And they seem to have the energy to move forward with things (unlike the legends) which is even better.

Wasn't expecting that. Just shows, you can't keep an old dog down. Or something.

PS I took some pics and looked at them and realised why we need Mike Evs. 

[Trapezium Artist]

Quite a day, indeed.

Am certainly jealous of the Anfield trip: my Dad's family are all from Liverpool and I have been a Red since the early 1970s, but I've never once been inside the ground or see the team play live. That may change finally next year, as the annual European Week of Astronomy & Space Science meeting will be in Liverpool and I accepted an invite to be on the scientific organising commitee in return for a Liverpool home game ticket (or at the very, very least, a trip to Anfield). 

As for ARW, well, I did see Yes a bunch of times in the 1970s when they were at their very finest. I'm sure I've said this before here many times, but if you want to know why they were one of the very biggest bands of any genre at that time, go and get this recording of one of their 1978 "in the round" shows at the Wembley Empire Pool. It was broadcast as the very first Friday Rock Show with Tommy Vance and still utterly blows me away: I was there, and this recording (scroll to the bottom for a recent link) takes me right back:

http://yesshows.blogspot.nl/2012/10/10281978-wembley-uk-wembley-arena.html

So while I wouldn't say that ARW came close to that, I did think the Sunday show at the Apollo last week was excellent 40 years on, most notably for Anderson's voice, which was amazing. I know that not everyone on this forum likes his voice (hi, MikeEvs  ), but if you're a fan, then it's so heartening to hear him still singing so well.

Wakeman played as he does, and there's nowt wrong with that, but I do wish he might smile now and again, and engage in the obvious pleasure that Anderson and Rabin bring to the stage. (And yes, the cape is now a partial paunch concealment device).

That said, I wasn't wholly convinced by Trevor's playing, partly because I'm an avowed Trooper rather than a Generator, and thus prefer Steve Howe's work (sorry, JM: I know that won't sit well with you), and partly because, well, Trevor seemed under-rehearsed and simply missed a bunch of notes.

For me though, to even be in a crowd of true Yes fans again after so many years, so many gigs, so much musical wonder, and with Anderson singing like that, simply brought goosebumps. Jerry Ewing of Prog was sitting next to me throughout (and hey, a sitting gig? jeez), and having seen them play the night before too, he kept looking over at me to see if I was enjoying.

Yes sir, I most definitely was 

Glad you enjoyed too, Owen.

[rogerg]

Great to read the reviews, guys!

I'm a big Jon fan, but I've wondered whether they still do the songs in the original keys?

[owen]

I'll be honest I don't know. Although if true they wouldn't be alone: including a band you may have heard of, according to Nathan

[Trapezium Artist]

Great to read the reviews, guys!

I'm a big Jon fan, but I've wondered whether they still do the songs in the original keys?

Not sure if I flagged it here, but I did post a recording of the second half of "Awaken" as played at the Apollo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueERg7hVueA

One of the comments says it's in the wrong key, but I don't have perfect pitch and haven't compared. Quite possibly so to allow Anderson to sing it still?

[MikeEvs]

PS I took some pics and looked at them and realised why we need Mike Evs. 

Why thank you, I probably could have blagged my way in to the Cardiff gig to take photos but it was on the same night as Devin Townsend Project in Bristol and given the choice of photographing DTP or ARW there was only ever going to one winner.

Oh and I went to see the DTP again in Hammersmith the night before ARW played there and didn't even cross my mind to stay an extra day and see ARW, as TA points out I'm not a fan

My mate Kevin Nixon did photograph the Hammersmith gig, you'll see his photo in Prog.

[owen]

By the incredible scientific method of listening to what some bloke posted on youtube and the link that TM gave (thank you, much appreciated) I don't think that there's any great difference, at least for Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround. Same key and I don't think it's been detuned any

[rogerg]

> Quite possibly so to allow Anderson to sing it still?

exactly what I was wondering.

and thanks, Owen.  Quite amazing that he can still sing them in the original keys!

[Mikey]

I was there also, thought it was only a blast along the motorway for me after a days slog in the garden.
I've only seen Yes once before, so I had seen the excellent Mr. Poms more than the Yesmen put together, & I can't remember if Anderson was the vocalist at the time I saw them.
When the first set finished I was disappointed at what I thought was only an hours music, when I looked at the time it was 2+ hours.
For a bunch of old men, they ain't arf bad.

& yes, I thought Rabin missed a few of the gazzillion notes that he should have played.