Yes - Tavistock Review

Seeing a bigger band perform in a venue which is significantly smaller than they would usually book is always a treat. It does not happen very often, but when it does the night is often a very memorable one. The most recent example for me prior to this past Monday night was when Diamond Head appeared at The Junction in Plymouth as a warm-up for their slot at last year's Bloodstock Open Air; but this was trumped in the band/venue ratio stakes on Monday when the progressive rock giants Yes rolled into the Devon town of Tavistock for a show at The Wharf. In truth, Yes had actually rolled into Tavistock a week or so prior to the show - as they had been using the venue to rehearse for their upcoming UK tour. As part of the deal, the band agreed to play a warm-up show at the venue - which unsurprisingly attracted a healthy crowd. Whilst Yes might not headline the sort of venues that they did at their commercial peak, the band are still a big draw. They are regulars in the country's plush theatre-type venues, so the small confines of The Wharf would have certainly taken the band out of their comfort zone. For me, though, this gig came at the right time. I have been significantly expanding my love of progressive rock over the past couple of years, and Yes are one of the bands which I have been listening to a lot more. I have been a casual Yes fan for years, and even saw them live in Leicester back in 2014, but I have been making much more of an effort with their catalogue of late. The fact that I have finally gotten into Genesis properly over the past couple of years has made me re-evaluate a lot of progressive rock music beyond a handful of long-time favourites, so the opportunity to see Yes again was one that I was not going to turn down. If the show was not local, though, I doubt that I would have gone. I have passed up on every Yes tour since 2014, but I was not going to miss them at The Wharf - which is the venue that I have probably visited the most in my life. The biggest band that I had seen at the venue prior to Yes' show was Uriah Heep, but I would say that Yes' profile in the UK is generally higher than that of Uriah Heep's. I had tickets to see the original line-up of Asia at The Wharf too a number of years ago, but that show was sadly cancelled. Yes were certainly not to be missed, then, and many others clearly thought so - as the venue was packed despite the high ticket price for a venue of The Wharf's size. The band were never going to have problem pulling a crowd, though, despite the fact that many Yes die-hards are very critical of the band's recent line-ups and output. For me, though, Steve Howe (guitar/lap steel/vachalia/vocals) is important enough to Yes' success and legacy to be able to lead the band, despite him not being an original member. A number of the other members of the current band have been associated with Yes for a long time at this point, too, so for me Howe's Yes is very much a legitimate entity.

Yes do not tend to have support acts at their shows, and this was also the case in Tavistock. The show did not get off to the start that was planned, however, as the artist Roger Dean was supposed to kick the evening off with a Q&A - but he was not well enough to travel. It was also announced prior to the show that the band were unable to fit their touring lighting rig and video backdrop on the stage - which surprised no-one in attendance. It seemed a strange thing to make a point of considering that everyone was expecting a very stripped-back Yes show. Those of us who turned up came for the music in any case, and the band certainly did not disappoint on that front - playing set that was over two hours in length and that included a complete performance of 1972's Close to the Edge album to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The setlist itself contained a good mix of material - from all-time classic staples to some new material and deep cuts. Perhaps the biggest surprise came right away, as the band opened with the hard-hitting On the Silent Wings of Freedom. It was not a song that I was familiar with prior to the evening, but it made an impact. It was a great showcase for frontman Jon Davison, and the song's cinematic vibe was enhanced by a crystal clear mix. The live sound was generally excellent throughout, even if Jay Schellen's drums were a little overpowering in a handful of spots - but on the whole the mix was such that it allowed the band's complex music to shine. There were a couple of moments that showcased a bit of ring rust, too, but that was to be expected. It was the band's first live show in almost three years, and billed as a dress rehearsal. These moments were rare, though, and in my opinion the band sounded tight - which their complex music requires them to be. After surprising everyone with On the Silent Wings of Freedom, the band returned to firmer ground with Yours Is No Disgrace - an all-time classic track. In truth, though, the crowd greeted every track with the same level of enthusiasm. Everyone was there to have a good time, and it was not just a case of waiting for the hits. Nearly everyone around me was singing along to every word, and Yours Is No Disgrace in particular saw lots of singing thanks to its hooky refrain. The somewhat more stripped-back No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed showcased the band's early period, before an early highlight in the form of Does It Really Happen? was wheeled out. The song was a real showcase for Billy Sherwood (bass guitar/harmonica/vocals), who opened the track with his swaggering bass playing, and also for Geoff Downes (keyboards) as it came from 1980's Drama - his first album with the band.

The band's set was generally high-energy, but there was a brief period of respite following Does It Really Happen?. The rest of the band departed the stage to allow Howe to perform Clap, before he was re-joined by everyone else for a run-through of the delicate ballad Wonderous Stories. This song showcased how well Davison can sing the classic material, before the spotlight was shined on his era of the band with two songs from last year's excellent The Quest being debuted. The Ice Bridge was up first, and the song is one of my favourites that the band have done in recent years. It was another song that also pushed Downes into the spotlight, too, as it contained lots of melodic keyboard playing and most of the song's main hooks came from him. The song's instrumental mid-section came across really well, too, with both Howe and Downes delivering impressive solos. The more laid-back Dare to Know followed, with more of a vocal presence from Howe, but the crowd really erupted for the following number - Heart of the Sunrise. The lengthy track has always been a fan-favourite, and it is one of Yes' classic varied epics. Parts of the song allowed for some rocking out, whilst other sections were more delicate. It went down a storm as predicted, and it set up the set-closing suite nicely - as it was after Heart of the Sunrise that Howe announced that they were going to play Close to the Edge. He did the vast majority of the between-song talking, and Yes is very much his band now. He very much dominates the stage too with his jazz-influenced playing, but the rest of the band still shine too - and the Close to the Edge suite was a perfect opportunity for all to do their bit. The album's title track is a real favourite of mine, and it was great to hear it live again. Despite its length, it is filled with melodies and Davison really brought them to life - as he also did during the somewhat more low key And You and I which featured more acoustic playing and subtle textures. The main set then came to a close with the hard rocking Siberian Khatru, another regular favourite that always goes down well. The riffs throughout the song were some of the evening's more harder rocking moments - and it was a great high-energy moment to end things with. I assumed that only one song would be played as an encore, but there was time for two more. Up first was Roundabout, which was arguably the best-received song of the night. Everyone was singing along to its catchy chorus, and the keyboard soloing from Downes throughout was great. It was left to Starship Trooper to bring the whole evening to a close, and it was another song that really brought the house down. If Downes shone during Roundabout, then Howe shone during Starship Trooper - and his soloing was a fitting way to bring the curtain down on over two hours of varied progressive rock. The setlist was:

On the Silent Wings of Freedom

Yours Is No Disgrace

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed [Richie Havens cover]

Does It Really Happen?

Clap

Wonderous Stories

The Ice Bridge

Dare to Know

Heart of the Sunrise

Close to the Edge

And You and I

Siberian Khatru

-

Roundabout

Starship Trooper

Whilst I still am not a die-hard Yes fan, and there are plenty of others more versed in the catalogue than me, I really enjoyed my time with Yes in Tavistock. Seeing them perform in such a small venue was a real treat. The mix of songs played was great, and the performance was a powerful one despite the long break between live shows. It has certainly inspired me to continue on with my Yes journey, as there is still quite a bit more for me to discover. I am sure that I will only enjoy the band more the further that I investigate - and the Tavistock show will be one that I look back on and remember for a long time.