9012 LIVE (DVD)

This video features the worst line-up Yes ever had - touring in support of their worst album ever! The good thing about this new DVD re-release of this recording from the 80's is that it features the show both with and without the (horrible!) special effects made for the original release. The DVD also includes a documentary and a bonus track (Roundabout) from the same tour.

Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe are, of course, nowhere to be found on this recording. They are replaced here by Tony Kaye on keyboards and Trevor Rabin on guitar. Tony Kaye was a member of Yes in the very early days but was replaced by Wakeman for the Fragile album. Kaye's playing is nowhere near the ability of Wakeman and that becomes painfully clear on this recording. Rabin is better but he does certainly not come anywhere near Steve Howe's playing. In their defence I must say that neither Kaye nor Rabin tries to be Wakeman or Howe, they are aware that they are inferior players and they do have their own (though significantly less interesting) styles. (If you want to see Tony Kaye in great shape I recommend the much better recent DVD by new Yes-spinoff band Circa).

The setlist features almost exclusively material from the then new album 90125. One of the reasons for this is probably that the new musicians in the band would have been unable to play the difficult and complex music of earlier Yes albums. The only classic Yes songs they preform here are I've Seen All Good People, Starship Trooper and, as a bonus feature here, Roundabout. Especially on Roundabout it becomes painfully clear that Rabin is not Howe and Kaye is not Wakeman. The new material, as you all know, is considerably less demanding. The best performance here is by drummer Alan White.

The picture and sound quality are good but there is not much you want to see. The clothes they wear are among the worst things I have ever seen in my life! Chris Squire is dressed in a white doctors robe, with something supposed to look like a beating heart attached to his shoulder!? Very weird and very bad taste! Jon Anderson looks like he is about to go jogging! The stage set is also quite strange.

The possibility to see the concert without the horrible special effects is very welcome, but the most interesting thing on this DVD is the documentary which features interviews with the members explaining and commenting on recent Yes history - about the recent line-up changes and what happened after their previous albums Tormato and Drama.

Thanks to the bonus features this DVD is worthy of three stars.