Like most of you, I have seen my fair share of Yes concerts over the years. I've only known Yes has existed for 15 years and quickly got burned out on their tours. I decided to check out this tour because it's been 5 or so years since I've seen a Yes (or related) concert, and I'm glad I did.

Sure, the setlist was mostly the Yes hits, a few solo tracks and a few covers. The Yes Album and Fragile were played almost in their entirety. But the exciting part about this concert was the Paul Green Rock Academy. It's a high school of rock. There were 30 or so teens, and about 15 accompanied Jon at any given time. There were a couple of drummers, anywhere from 2-6 guitarists, a bass or two, 6-8 singers, 1-2 pianists, flute, 1-2 saxes, an electric cello and probably some other things I forgot. Most of the people who weren't dedicated singers would play one instrument one song then another the next. The whole thing was very impressive, even if the sound got muddy and out of rhythm on more than a few occasions.

Check out this tour if you get the chance. The novelty is worth the ticket price.

Hi,

It's all strange to me ... the only thing that was out of place for me, is Jon. The kids, even by themselves were excellent, and the saddest thing? The cameras did not do the kids justice at all.

I'm not sure what our critical ideas come from that the original was best ... Stravinsky conducting Stravinsky was not the best version of anything, and it showed in the 60's with some outstanding recordings by various conductors. But for some reason, we think that no one can do the Beatles better, and I disagree, as many have done various songs of theirs and had outstanding moments with them. Maybe not the same kind of recognition with out fake-purity about these things, but it's like we have to go see/listen to Chuck Berry do his songs, when the best of these were never done by him, but by others who were able to express the reality of the songs better than the originals!

I suppose that it will be hard to find a replacement voice for Mick, and some other singers, but all in all, there are many folks that have done some nice stuff off the Stones as well, up to and including one of the oddest of them all .. .Robert Wyatt ... and it still sounds fine.

Honestly, I do NOT want YES again! I want to see what the new kids on the street can do with this music, that gives their future a hint of their ability ... why are we so bad at giving the kids the credit they deserve. Take Jon out of there, and you have some outstanding work in music and someone really knows how to put together something that does not sound off kilter! In my book, it just makes the life of the music itself even longer and shows how just how good it really is!

I half agree with you on this. Remakes often out shine the originals unless they are cookie cutter versions.

Dylan and Springsteen are good examples of this. I was never really into them, but I love some of their songs that have been done by others.

Of course there are bands that I haven't heard better versions of by others, including ELP & Gentle Giant just to name two.

Hi,

Hmmm ... You should really check out Rachel Flowers doing TARKUS on the piano ... it shows a magnificent piano concert, that should be listed tops in the 20th century ... were it not known only by rock fans and ignored otherwise! There was no way that Keith would have been able to present a piano concert at that time and place without getting laughed at and thrown off the stage. The kinda thing that eventually killed him, thinking that he was not understood or appreciate for his composition skills, which were better than the majority of rock folks out there!