Yes Reading festival 23rd August 1975
This is probably my favourite Yes show. Not because it was their best performance, although it was pretty good. No, this show just felt right; one of those moments in time that worked. Yes were one of the biggest bands in the UK at the time, Reading was the most iconic festival of the mid-70s, and Yes headlined the Saturday night, which was seen as the “main” night. The rest of the line-up was strong, and the festival sold out in advance, which was unusual.
There was something special about Yes’ set that night. Although I’d already seen the band twice that year, I was still excited about seeing them. The crowd waited in anticipation, for what seemed like a long time; there was an hour or more delay while Yes set up their equipment and apparently insisted on using their own mixing desk, rather than the festival gear, which every other band used. It was worth the wait, although it started to rain, and continued to do so throughout Yes’ set. Yes had a spectacular laser show, the green lights cascading through the rain and across the field. The set was similar to that which they had played throughout the Relayer tour, although I think they played one new song “High Vibration” which was to appear on their next album “Going for the One”. Jon Anderson was amazing, his small figure picked out by the stage lights, and his gentle, sharp, shrill, sweet voice drifting over the field in the cool evening. “Close to the Edge” and “And You and I” we’re classic. Yes played until well after midnight which was the curfew, and their performance was, in the end, cut short. They returned to play a triumphant “Roundabout”. I think they also started to play “Sweet Dreams” but were prevented from doing so.
Robert Fripp of King Crimson was present and in a 1979 interview summed up his evening thus: “I went to the Reading Festival in August, 1975. A band came on stage who were actually friends of mine [I assume he is referring to Yes]. Anyway, we’d been waiting an hour-and-a-half while their laser show was being set up. I went out to the front. It began to rain. I was standing in six inches of mud. It was drizzling. A man over here on my right began to vomit. And a man over here on my left pulled open his flies and began to urinate on my leg.” A typical festival then 🙂
Dave Holmes tells a great story (on Forgotten Yesterday’s site): “Imagine my horror……,.when, at 12:23 as I recall, emerging from stage left, came the small, grey-suited and grey-haired figure of… my Dad! He walked straight up to Jon Anderson, mid-song, actually took the microphone off him, and made some kind of announcement to the audience about having to finish the concert. The rest of the band looked stunned and stopped playing. The stage lights went off, the crowd started booing and throwing cans of piss at the stage. That was the end of the set and the festival for the year. I didn’t know what to do, I was dying of shame…”
Happy days.
Setlist: Sound Chaser; Close to the Edge; And You and I; High Vibration; The Gates of Delirium; Leaves of Green; I’ve seen all Good People; Mood for a Day; Long Distance Runaround; Clap; Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil). Encore: Roundabout
Archive for the ‘Yes’ Category
6 Mar
Yes Reading festival 23rd August 1975
5 Mar
Yes Stoke City Football Club 17th May 1975
Yes Stoke City Football Club 17th May 1975
Support acts: Sensational Alex Harvey Band; Ace; Gryphon.
A month after seeing Yes at Newcastle City Hall I was off to see them again, this time at Stoke City Football ground. I drove down to the concert with my mate, both of us looking forward to seeing Yes again, and the added attraction of the amazing Sensational Alex Harvey Band. As soon as we arrived we found the nearest pub, where we were surprised to meet a bunch of lads from home, who were huge SAHB fans. We then had an argument about the relative merits of Yes versus Alex Harvey and co; such matters seemed very important at the time.
We entered the stadium and found a place on he pitch. First up was Gryphon whose medieval folk amused us; for some reason a lute, a bassoon and a tin whistle made a perfect start to the day. The weather was ok, quite sunny as I recall. Next was Ace, who pleased the crowd by playing “How Long” twice; once during the set, and again as an encore. Then came Alex.
A large Glaswegian contingent had travelled South to support Alex, Zal and the lads. They got very drunk and England vs Scotland scuffles started to break out among the crowd down at the front, close to the stage. Alex was having none of this. He stopped the song, I think it was “Framed”, pointed and stared the culprits and told them “Stop! No violence, or we don’t play any more” and the fighting ceased, just like that. Such was the power that Alex Harvey held over his audience. This was SAHB at their menacing best; Alex in his hooped t-shirt and jeans, scarf around his head, reading his philosophy to us from an old leather-bound book, Chris Glen wearing a jock strap of his jeans, and Zal in his green leotard complete with full evil harlequin make-up. Wonderful. “Don’t make wars. Don’t fight wars. And don’t pisch in the water”. They stole the show.
Other memories of the day: lots of people openly smoking joints. A little guy in the middle of the crowd sitting with a stash of dope selling it to anyone who passed by. A young guy wearing a battered top hat, posing as a member of the drug squad, grabbing hold of people and “arresting them”, then laughing and telling them it was just a joke after all.
There was a long wait before Yes took to the stage, during which time the heavens opened and it started to pour with rain. The stage crew were brushing rain from the stage and trying to cover the band’s gear with polythene sheets. Yes eventually took to the stage, and had lots of problems with the sound, caused by rain on the equipment. Steve Howe, in particular, seemed to suffer a couple of small shocks from his guitar, and was obviously worried about the danger of electrocution. In the end, after soldiering on for 40 minutes or so, Yes abandoned the show, Jon Anderson promising us that they would return and play a free gig (I’m still waiting and still have my ticket stub, guys).
Then it was back into my little old red MG Midget, and up the A1. A great day.
The next time I saw Yes was three months later, this time at the Reading festival. I’ll write about that tomorrow.
Yes setlist (cut short due to rain): Sound Chaser; Close to the Edge; The Gates of Delirium; I’ve Seen All Good People; Mood for a Day; Long Distance Runaround; Clap; Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil); Roundabout
4 Mar
Yes Newcastle City Hall 17th April 1975
Yes Newcastle City Hall 17th April 1975
Support: Gryphon
Yes returned to the City Hall to play three sold out shows in Spring 1975. Patrick Moraz had replaced Rick Wakeman, after the keyboard wizard had departed our prog heroes because of his dissatisfaction with the “Topographic Oceans” epic. I’d seen Patrick Moraz play in Refugee, taking the Keith Emerson role in the band which Lee Jackson and Brian Davison formed after the Nice split. So I knew how good a keyboard player he was. The line-up of Yes was now Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White and Moraz. Yes had just released their seventh album “Relayer”. Steve Howe described Relayer as “very modern, European style of music, and Patrick brought in a South American flavour as well. It was a very international record”.
Support for the tour was Gryphon, a prog-rock band who fused Renaissance music with electric folk, playing medieval and modern instruments. I went to the final concert of the three-night run.
After the marathon performance of “Topographic Oceans” on their previous tour, I was pleased, and somewhat relieved, that this time Yes chose to play a set which consisted of songs from throughout their career. “Close to the Edge” and “And You and I” were becoming concert favourites, and both songs showcased epic performances by Jon Anderson. “Mood for a Day” had replaced “Clap” as a vehicle for Steve Howe’s virtuosity, and “Long Distance Runaround” and “Roundabout” were ( and still are) classic Yes songs. I remember being particularly pleased that “Sweet Dreams” was played as the final encore, although a little disappointed that “Yours is no Disgrace” did not feature. A classic Yes gig, with the band back on form. I saw Yes on two further occasions in 1975, at Stoke football ground and at the Reading festival. I’ll write about the Stoke concert tomorrow.
Setlist:The Firebird Suite (intro music); Sound Chaser; Close to the Edge; To Be Over; The Gates of Delirium; I’ve Seen All Good People; Mood for a Day; Long Distance Runaround; Clap; And You and I; Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)
Encore: Roundabout; Sweet Dreams
3 Mar
Yes and Tales from Topographic Oceans Newcastle City Hall 8th December 1973
Yes and Tales from Topographic Oceans Newcastle City Hall 8th December 1973
The next time I saw Yes was during the “Tales from Topographic Oceans” tour when it called at Newcastle in December 1973. Yes returned to the City Hall for two sold out concerts on two consecutive nights. I went to the first night’s performance, along with a group of mates. This tour was a bold, possibly foolish, move by the band; they decided to play the whole of their new concept album during the second half of the concert. In many ways, this represented the ultimate in prog-rock pomposity and self-indulgence, and was one of several factors that made some young music fans tire of the bands of the time, and which would ultimately result in the emergence of punk rock. The first half of the concert was devoted to a run-through of Yes’ previous opus “Close to the Edge” which is a much more palatable musical piece than “Topographic Oceans”; the title track “Close to the Edge” is lengthy with meandering instrumental parts and several segments, but it does at least have a recurring melody and is actually a “song”. “Topographic Oceans” did not make for easy listening that evening. At the time it confused me.
Was I witnessing a masterpiece, a ground-breaking piece of popular music which raised the level of the genre and truly synthesised rock composition with classical music? I must admit I found it hard going, and it is still one of my least favourite Yes albums. Of course the musical dexterity and technical virtuosity of the players was clear and fully on display that evening, but the soul of the music was lost in that very virtuosity. The day was saved by an encore of “Roundabout” which reminded me that the sharp, bright innovative Yes who astounded me a few years earlier still did exist, and that they could still fuse rock, jazz and pop and blend that mix with lyrics which hinted at hippy ideals and values, and yet at the same time confused me and took me through so many twists and turns.
Rick Wakeman tells a story of how he also lost faith in Yes in the mid-70s and famously ordered a take away curry, had it delivered to the City Hall, and ate it on stage while seated, surrounded by his vast array of keyboards and synthesisers and wearing his customary glitter cloak. This event may well have happened at this concert.
I longed to hear “Yours is no Disgrace”, “Astral Traveller” or “Starship Trooper”. More on Yes tomorrow.
Set 1: Introduction (The Firebird Suite): Close to the Edge; Siberian Khatru; And You and I; Close to the Edge
Set 2: Tales from Topographic Oceans: The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn); The Remembering (High the Memory); The Ancient (Giants under the Sun); Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)
Encore: Roundabout
2 Mar
Yes Live 1969 – 1971
Yes Live 1969 – 1971
I am going to spend a week or so reflecting on the Yes concerts I have attended. I’ve seen Yes 14 times and have always been a fan, although there are times that I lost touch with the band and their ever-changing line-ups. I am going to start with a little self-indulgence by recapping on three Yes concerts that I have already written about, as the band were supporting another act.
I was luckily enough to see Yes in the very early days. The first proper gig I attended was Yes (along with Roy Harper) supporting the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band at Sunderland Empire on 8th March 1969. Yes were simply a revelation for me that night; they fascinated me with their bright, sharp, jazzy mix of rock and pop. And they played some songs that I knew: “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story and The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby”. They also played the excellent “No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed”, the Richie Havens song which appears on Yes’ second album, opens with the theme from the film “The Big Country”, and remains one of my favourite songs to this day. Yes had yet to release their first album, and the line up at that time was Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford, Peter Banks and Tony Kaye. I was impressed by how Jon and Chris were dressed; Jon in a cool cheesecloth smock top and Chris sporting a natty hat and impressive flares and fringed boots.
The next time I saw Yes was once again at Sunderland Empire, supporting the Nice on 1st February 1970. By now they were playing material from their second album “Time and a Word”; the set again included the excellent “No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed”, “Then”, “Sweet Dreams” (an early single which has featured in their set off and on to this day), and “Astral Traveller”. There was an acoustic part to their set which featured the track “Time and a Word”.
I saw Yes again in 14th January 1971, supporting Iron Butterfly at Newcastle City Hall. By the time of this gig, guitarist Peter Banks had been replaced by Steve Howe, and the rest of the line-up was Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Chris Squire (bass) and Tony Kaye (keyboards). Rick Wakeman was to join the band later that year. They were just about to release their classic third lp “The Yes Album”, and the set featured tracks from that new album and their previous two releases. They were just great that night. Their entrance on stage was heralded by the powerful “Also Sprach Zarathustra”. I think they opened with “Astral Traveller” and I also recall “Yours Is No Disgrace”, and “Clap” as highlights. 
I was just blown away by Steve Howe’s performance of the latter song, and was fascinated by the semi-acoustic Gibson, complete with f holes, that he was playing. I remember the whole hall clapping along while he played. The song which most sticks in my mind was their version of Simon and Garfunkel’s “America”, which was simply majestic; almost symphonic. Yes went down well with the crowd; it was very clear that they already had a lot of fans and that they were on the verge of major success.
That major success soon arrived. Later in 1971, Rick Wakeman joined, and Yes released their fourth album “Fragile”. “Fragile” was the band’s greatest success to date, reaching No. 7 in the UK, and included one of their most well-known songs “Roundabout”. Yes returned to the City Hall later in 1971 (thanks to Mitch for the picture of his flyer for that gig); for some reason I missed that gig. The next time I saw Yes was at the time of their 6th album “Tales from Topographic Oceans”. I’ll write about that show tomorrow.
4 May
Yes Newcastle City Hall 3rd May 2014
Yes Newcastle City Hall 3rd May 2014
Yes are back touring the UK again, performing three of their most popular albums in their entirety: The Yes Album, Close to the Edge, and Going for the One. The current Yes line-up consists of founder, and only surviving original member, Chris Squire on bass; guitarist Steve Howe from the classic Yes line-up; long-time drummer and local lad Alan White drums, more recent returnee Geoff Downes from the 80s line-up keyboards, and new singer Jon Davison. It was good to go along knowing that I would be hearing classic songs such as “Yours is No Disgrace,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Starship Trooper,” “Close to the Edge,” “And You And I,” “Going for the One,” and “Wonderous Stories.
“We performed these three albums in their entirety on our North and South American tours, and the fans absolutely loved it,” says Yes guitarist, Steve Howe. “Fans did indeed love it,” states Yes co-founder and bassist, Chris Squire, “and so did we. Plus, we’ll be performing pieces we’ve rarely played live. In fact, I believe the one song we never performed in concert before our three-album tours is ‘A Venture’ from The Yes Album.” Alan White goes on to say, “As with our three-album North and South American tours, this is a great opportunity to share with our European fans the growth of Yes throughout different eras, and to revisit the great memories of those times, as well as create brand new ones. We’re looking forward to touring Europe, performing these albums, and most of all, meeting our wonderful fans. It’s great fun for us, and we think our fans throughout Europe will love the performance as well.”
It’s 45 years since I first saw Yes, and 43 years since I first saw them perform The Yes Album, which was also at a concert in the City Hall, when they supported Iron Butterfly. I wasn’t sure what to expect last night, particularly with another new singer in the band. What we got were excellent versions of all the songs. The new singer fits into the band perfectly. His vocals are spot-on and very close to Jon Anderson’s original recordings, and his performance, vibe and stage presence just seemed to fit with the feel of the band. It took me some time to get used to seeing the last guy they had singing, but this vocalist just seemed “right” from the first few bars of “Close to the Edge”. Of course, I will still prefer to see the return of Jon Anderson, but if that isn’t going to happen, you couldn’t get any better than this Jon as a replacement. But the star of the show last night was, without question Steve Howe, who played as well as I have ever seen him do, and was more animated than I have seen him for many years. The rest of the band all played faultlessly, and Chris Squire plays the role of senior member to precision, making most of the announcements and prowling around the right hand side of the stage. Each album and each song was announced on the screen at the rear of the stage, and the performance was augmented by a neat of set of visuals which included pictures, posters and tickets from “back in the day”. Similarly the tour programme is littered with images of memorabilia from early 70s tours, many of which I recognise. The programme also include the “Fragile” album, which must have featured in some of the US shows. The City Hall was pretty full last night, I would estimate that it would at about 90% capacity, and the crowd clearly enjoyed the show, giving Yes one of the best receptions they have had in Newcastle for many years.
An excellent concert from a band that just keeps on going, and who are as excellent musically today as they ever were.
Set 1. Close to the Edge: Close to the Edge; And You and I; Siberian Khatru. Going For The One: Going for the One; Turn of the Century; Parallels; Wonderous Stories; Awaken.
Interval.
Set 2. The Yes Album: Yours Is No Disgrace; Clap; Starship Trooper; I’ve Seen All Good People; A Venture; Perpetual Change.
Encore: Roundabout.
9 Feb
The Reading Festival 22nd – 24th August 1975
The Reading Festival 22nd – 24th August 1975
The Reading Festival hit its peak of success in the mid ’70s, and the 1975 festival sold out in advance. Although the previous years’ festivals that I had attended all seemed pretty full, you were still able to roll up and pay at the entrance. In 1975 the success of the festival and the draw of bands like Yes and Wishbone Ash ensured the site was completely packed, with hardly any room to be found in the campsites and car parks.
Friday line-up: Stella, Judas Priest, Wally, Kokomo, UFO, Dr Feelgood, Hawkwind. Judas Priest were an up and coming heavy rock band and were gigging constantly, as were UFO. Kokomo were a jazz/rock/funk outfit who were very successful during the ’70s. But the big success of Friday (and arguably the entire weekend) was Dr Feelgood, who were a massive hit with the festival crowd; Wilko and Lee being on red hot form. I was with a couple of guys who had recently become big Feelgood fans; “Back In The Night” had just been released and they were constantly singing it in my ear. “All around visible signs of the Doctor’s now-massive popularity – such as the many home-made banners (“Feelgood”, “Wilko” et al), the rapturous reception, the sea-of-weaving arms” (NME, 1975). “When Dr Feelgood stamped off they had within an hour, transformed this alfresco association into a tiny, sweaty, steaming R&B club. Charisma is too weak a word to describe what the Feelgoods had going for them that night.” (Brian Harrigan, Melody Maker, August 30, 1975). Hawkwind were ok, but it was cold, and they found it difficult to follow the Feelgood’s storming set.
Saturday line-up: Zzebra, SNAFU, Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias, Kursaal Flyers, Thin Lizzy, Alan Stivell, Heavy Metal Kids (billed simply as “Kids” in the programme), Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Supertramp, Yes.
My memories are of Thin Lizzy delivering an excellent set as always; they were gradually building up their own following and would soon break through to become massive; The Heavy Metal Kids being as OTT as ever; and Yes, who were amazing. I must also mention the Kursaal Flyers, who are sadly often forgotten in the history of pub rock; they would hit the charts in the following year with the great pop single: “Little Does She Know” (“I know that she knows that I know she’s two timing me”). Supertramp were on the verge of mega-success; they had hit the charts with “Dreamer” and had a considerable following. I was, and remain, a big Yes fan and their performance at Reading came at a point where the band were at the peak of their success. I recall it being very cold, with epic versions of “Close to the Edge” and “And You and I”, and a great version of “Roundabout” as an encore (very late and off to our tents). A bootleg exists of Yes’ set that night: Sound Chaser; Close To The Edge; And You And I; Awaken; The Gates Of Delirium; I’ve Seen All Good People; Ancient; Long Distance Run Around; Ritual; Roundabout.
Sunday line-up: Joan Armatrading, Babe Ruth, String Driven Thing, Climax Blues Band, Caravan, Soft Machine, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Robin Trower, Wishbone Ash. My memory of Sunday is of Wishbone Ash. Like Yes they were enjoying massive success at the time, and also like Yes they played a set of pure class, with the twin guitars of Andy Powell and Laurie Wisefield soaring through the cool, late Sunday evening.
Our DJs for the weekend were once again John Peel and Jerry Floyd. The weather was cold, with some rain, and the beer can fights were constant throughout the weekend. The festival had always been an organised, carefully planned event, but was becoming even more commercial. The nature of the festival, and its line-up, would transform further in the years which followed; with the emergence of punk and the re-emergence of heavy metal through the NWOBHM (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal). Any elements of the jazz festivals of the 60s had also disappeared.
Thanks to BaldBoris for allowing his image of the festival to be used through the WikiMedia Commons licence agreement.
24 Dec
The Nice & Yes Sunderland Empire 1st February 1970
The Nice & Yes Sunderland Empire 1st February 1970
This was one of the first concerts that I attended, and as a thirteen year old who was just getting into music, it was a pretty big deal for me. This was the second time I had seen Yes, the first time being as support for the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band at the same venue the year before. I think there may have been two shows that evening, as was often the case back in those days. If that was the case, being a young kid, I would have attended the early show. The Yes line-up at the time was Jon Anderson: vocals, Peter Banks: guitar, Chris Squire: bass, Tony Kaye: organ, and Bill Bruford: drums. They playing material from their second album “Time and a Word” and the set included the excellent “No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed” (a cover of a Richie Havens song, with a swirling Hammond organ intro taken from the film “The Big Country”), “Then”, “Sweet Dreams” (which was an early single and has featured in their set off and on to this day), “Astral Traveller”. There was an acoustic part to their set which featured the track “Time and a Word”. Yes were one of my favourite bands at the time, largely as a result of seeing these performances at the Empire, which seemed so fresh, sharp and exciting at the time.
The Nice were virtuoso Keith Emerson: organ, Brian Davison: drums, and Lee Jackson: vocals, and bass. They had just released the album “Five Bridges Suite” and played the Suite in its entirety. The work was commissioned for the Newcastle Arts Festival in 1969, and refers to the city’s five bridges over the River Tyne. I recall Lee Jackson, himself a Geordie, making great play of the local aspects of the work. The album cover features a picture of the Tyne Bridge, and the five movements, which the Nice played that night are: Fantasia, Second Bridge, Chorale, High Level Fugue and Finale. I think they also played their moving interpretation of Tim Hardin’s “Hang onto a Dream”, “Rondo”, and “America”; the latter two songs being showcased for Emerson’s organ playing. Keith Emerson was sensational, pulling his Hammond organ about the stage, stabbing it with daggers, and generally being an amazing showman. The picture on the front of my programme, shown above, sort of sums it up. A great gig by two important and influential bands, which sticks in my mind to this day.
Many thanks to Gerry Rogerson for allowing me to use his photograph which brings back happy memories!
5 Aug
Jon Anderson Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre August 4th 2013
Jon Anderson Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre August 4th 2013
A special solo performance with the frontman of YES – Jon Anderson
Last night I went to see Jon Anderson in solo concert at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. The show was billed thus: “Frontman of one of the biggest bands of all time, Jon Anderson brings his stunning voice and exquisite songs to Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre for this very special solo performance. Expect a magical night that draws from the YES songbook and includes all-time classics such as Owner Of A Lonely Heart, Wonderous Stories, Long Distance Runaround, and Yours Is no Disgrace.” The venue sounded interesting and lived up to its description on the Royal Exchange site: “The Royal Exchange Theatre is a seven-sided, glass-walled capsule, literally suspended from huge marble pillars situated in The Great Hall of the historic Victorian Cotton Exchange Buildings in Manchester city centre. The unique design means all seats are less than nine metres from the circular stage giving views from all angles.” I arrived around 7pm after a uneventful drive down the A1 and across the M62. I parked the car in the Arndale NCP, and found the venue, which is situated right in the centre of Manchester, just up from Victoria station. I had a look around, and took my seat. Although I was in Row G, which was the back row of the lower level, I was still very close to the performance area. In the centre of the floor a carpet was set out surrounded by candles, and a couple of microphones. Behind the carpet stood two guitars and an electric piano. Shortly after 7.30pm Jon walked into the theatre space unannounced to the sound of bird song, with the light still on. It was clear this was going to be a special evening; the venue was sold out, and the setting was perfect for a low-key, friendly acoustic concert. The lights went down and Jon stood in the centre of the floor, a few feet from all of us. I notice that during the show he took care to turn around so that everyone got a good chance to see him.
The set was a mix of Jon Anderson’s back catalogue; mostly Yes, but also some from his time with Vangelis and from his solo career. I recognised most of the songs, but a few were unfamiliar to me, so apologies if I haven’t got the setlist quite right. Jon seemed very relaxed, and pleased to be with us. The format of the show was Jon accompanying himself on acoustic guitar for most of the evening, with a short spell on a dulcimer, a ukelele and piano. Some of the songs were performed in full, while others were snippets of the Yes originals. Between the songs Jon told some stories drawn from his past experiences, and told some (not particularly good :)) jokes. The set went something like this (I am sure that I have missed some): Yours is no Disgrace; Sweet dreams; America (Jon told us how he recently met Paul Simon while he was in Australia); Time and a Word (a reggae treatment); One Love (the Bob Marley song). The next few songs were performed on a dulcimer; Under heavens door; Flight of the Moorglade (? I think). Jon was then back to acoustic guitar; he talked about his first meeting with Vangelis, and how he had originally attempted to line him up as a replacement for Rick Wakeman in Yes. That didn’t work out, so he decided to record with Vangelis himself. This led into Jon singing Find my way Home, and recalling an interesting memory of how he had to persuade Vangelis to play on Top of the Pops (“I am a serious musician”). Then it was back to Yes songs: Starship Trooper; Give Love each Day; Long Distance Runaround; and Owner of the Lonely Heart, brought the first half of the concert to close. After a short interval, Jon resumed the show sitting at the electric piano for a medley of Close to the Edge; Heart of the Sunrise; Marry Me Again; and The Revealing Science of God. He then picked up a ukelele for You Got the Light. It was back to guitar for And You and I; and Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soliel). For the next song “Tony and Me”, Jon took us back to 1963, when he was a young guy playing in a Beatles-influenced band, along with his brother Tony. He told a story of seeing the Beatles at Southport Floral Hall; of playing with Joe Cocker in Sheffield; of smoking a joint with Robert Plant up in a club in Newcastle when Plant was in Listen, and of a Liverpool band called the Undertakers whose singer (I think it was Jackie Lomax?) came on stage in a coffin and how one night he was trapped in the coffin. A couple of more songs led into John Lennon’s Give Peace a Chance; and then he closed the show with Yes favourites I’ve Seen All Good People and Roundabout, with everyone standing and singing along for the last song. He couldn’t leave without an encore, and sang a few more songs: A Day in the Life (back to the uke for a cover of the Beatles song); Sun is Calling; State of Independence; Wonderous Stories; and Soon. The show finished around 10pm, and I was home around 12.15am.
A great evening. Of course if was very different from seeing Yes, but the personal and intimate approach worked well. Jon’s voice was fine, much much stronger than I expected, and he was in good spirits, very chatty with the home crowd. My next Yes event will be seeing the latest version of that band up in Newcastle early next year, a concert which I am looking forward to. I also notice that Rick Wakeman is going out on tour next year with his Journey to the Centre of the Earth album. Now I wasn’t a big fan of the album when it came out, but I must admit I am tempted to go and see the show. The comings and goings of Yes band members remains as complex and confusing as ever, but I guess it was ever so.
18 May
Iron Butterfly, Yes and Dada Newcastle City Hall 14th January 1971
Iron Butterfly, Yes and Dada Newcastle City Hall 14th January 1971
This was the first time I went to a concert at Newcastle City Hall, and because of that, I have pretty strong memories of the evening. I was 14 years old, and very excited at the prospect of going to a concert in the big city that was Newcastle. This was the “Age of Atlantic” package tour, named after the sample album of the same name and featured Dada, Yes and headliners Iron Butterfly. And all this for just 10/- (50p in new money)! DaDa were first up and featured Elkie Brooks, her husband Pete Gage, and her singing partner Robert Palmer. They were a jazz-rock fusion band with lots of members, and a brass section. In a way they were an earlier, jazzier and expanded version of Vinegar Joe, Elkie and Robert’s next and much more successful band. I arrived at the City Hall early, excited at the prospect of seeing a concert there and watched Dada’s entire set, enjoying every minute. Next up was Yes, who I was already familiar with. This was the third time I had seen Yes in concert, the first two being as support acts for the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, and The Nice at gigs at Sunderland Empire. By the time of this gig, guitarist Peter Banks had been replaced by Steve Howe, and the rest of the line-up was Jon Anderson (vocals), Bill Bruford (drums), Chris Squire (bass) and Tony Kaye (keyboards). Rick Wakeman was to join the band later that year. They had just released the classic Yes album, and the set featured tracks from the new album and their previous two releases. I was a big fan of Yes at the time, and they were just great that night. I recall Yours Is No Disgrace, and The Clap as highlights. I was just blown away by Steve Howe’s performance of the latter song, and was fascinated by the semi-acoustic Gibson, complete with f holes, that he was playing. I remember the whole hall clapping along while he played. The song which most sticks in my mind was their version of Simon and Garfunkel’s America, which was simply majestic; almost symphonic. Yes went down well with the crowd; it was very clear that they already had a lot of fans and that they were on the verge of major success. I wasn’t familiar with Iron Butterfly and their material, having only heard In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, and its that song that sticks in my mind from the evening. I remember lots of guitar histrionics and showmanship. Iron Butterfly were good, but for me the best band of the night was Yes. I spent many further nights during the 1970s at Newcastle City Hall. It remains one of my favourite venues; long may it continue to host concerts by great rock band such as these three.
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