SYMPHONIC LIVE (DVD)

This DVD covers Yes in performance in 2001-- with 33 years of experience in the bag of the band. Among the 15 tracks, there were three new songs-- Don't Go, In the presence of and Magnifications. Except for these three, all the other songs are great-- bearing the marks of the test of time. The three new songs do not have anything special to offer and I have nothing to recommend about them. Yes had always been good on stage. All its past live albums show that Yes is not just a studio band; it can play live what it had recorded in the studio. Its really breath-taking to see complicated master-pieces like Gates of Delirium, Ritual or Close to the Edge being performed. The additional spice here is the orchestra. Overall, the live performance is stunning-- specially for a band full of old rockers. Anderson was still in tune and Howe, Squire and White have proved that their energy defies aging. I was very impressed with the Keyboardist and the enthusiasm of the orchestra. My criticism is the sound recording. The voice of Anderson is little bit higher than what it should be while the sound level of the orchestra is lower than what it should have been. Otherwise this is a neatly performed concert, a must for all Yes collector to have and highly recommended for anyone interested in a live overview of Yes music. The addition of orchestra makes it a masterpiece!