Current YES tour (Steve Howe & Company)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by rufus t firefly, Aug 6, 2017.

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  1. AndyNicks

    AndyNicks Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    While I think for the most part the current Yes line up has their chops together Downes still struggles significantly with some Wakeman material (he has definitely steadily improved since rejoining in 2011) particularly 'Siberian Khatru' (harpsichord) and they are doing 'Madrigal' as an encore with just Jon and Steve on acoustic guitars. No keys/harpsichord. Which is an integral part of that tune. But hey- at least they're playing it
     
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  2. TVC15

    TVC15 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Wouldn't call the supurb riffing, sorry. They are barely keeping it together.
     
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  3. ModernDayWarrior

    ModernDayWarrior Senior Member

    Whatever happened to Benoit David? I actually preferred him over John Davison. Why did they get rid of him?
     
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  4. vinylphile

    vinylphile Forum Resident

    I saw the Steve Howe YES a few years ago when they were touring CTTE, TYE and GFTO. I thought they were very good. Sure, Davison isn't quite Anderson, sure Alan White had slowed down, sure Downes couldnt riff like Wakeman but on the whole they did the material justice and it was thrilling to see them play Close to the Edge in particular. I really enjoyed the show and defended them in these parts against the naysayers who kept putting them down.

    That said, I have virtually zero interest in seeing that version of the band now. For me it's no Squire, no YES. I realize that he apparently was the one pushing them to continue with Sherwood, but Howe and White were already slowing down a few years ago and Sherwood comes from an era of the band that doesn't interest me. For me, this really has become a YES cover band just going through the motions.

    I would consider seeing ARW, but Howe's YES does nothing for me.
     
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  5. MOB_HRV

    MOB_HRV Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brussels, Belgium
    I was as sceptical as you last year, but in order to honor the memory of Chris Squire and respect one of his last wishes (i.e. that the band continues with Sherwood), I bought tickets to see the new line-up with Sherwood on bass. It was the "Drama + Fragile" tour and Drama was fantastic to see live. Sherwood was great and put more vigor than Chris himself during the later years.

    I saw ARW this year and it's a different thing, with also pros and cons.

    Howe's Yes:
    - pros: great setlist that focus on 1970's albums, with some tracks rarely played before
    - cons: Howe becomes very slow, White had his back problems and Downes is not always great

    ARW:
    - pros: to see Jon and Trevor again on stage is a pleasure
    - cons:
    - "best of" setlist, balanced between 70's and 80's -> no surprise
    - Wakeman makes the 80's song very cheesy (bad arrangements, too much unnecessary keyboards)
     
  6. Blimpboy

    Blimpboy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Walton, KY
    You make valid points on the line ups. I'd rather each band switch the keyboard player and concentrate on the eras they were part of. Seeing Downes play with Rabin would be interesting. I think he would have better energy on the 90125 and latter material. Wakeman would provide the necessary flourishes to the 70's era Yes material that are unique to him.
     
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  7. zen

    zen Senior Member

    In January 2012, Chris Squire confirmed that Benoit David had officially left Yes, due to a respiratory illness.
     
  8. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    I'd say they nailed this one. Not the first ever live version (the original lineup did it), but first in decades, and as they rock up the softer sections, this had a grandeur and drive that the original version didn't.

     
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  9. petem1966

    petem1966 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy TX
    That's all good to hear; I have tickets for the August 23rd show in Houston; I've never seen Yes before, been a fan since high school (early 80s), so I'm really looking forward to it. That and the King Crimson show in October in Austin, followed 2 days later by Tauk in Houston. I'm going to more concerts this year than I have the last probably 10!

    Also appreciate your comment about Rundgren. I'm only familiar with what gets played on the radio, so I think I'll look up his set list and listen to the songs on it to get a bit more familiar with his stuff.

    Useful post, thanks levi!
     
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  10. levi

    levi Can't Stand Up For Falling Down In Memoriam

    Location:
    North Carolina
    That's a great lineup of shows you have in front of you. Rock on, buddy. :cheers:
     
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  11. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    What is with the chin fur that Howe has grown. He looks ridiculous. His chin looks like he glued cotton balls to it.
     
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  12. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Excellent. Post of the day. Steve Howe's band is a YES cover band and really struggling. Howe will never talk to Anderson because he's just a bitter old man. I think that Anderson has mellowed with age and isn't the 'Napoleon' that he used to be. It's too bad Steve Howe has become impossible to deal with as it would be nice to see Jon and Steve together again if even for one last tour. Most people get mellower as they get older and don't hold grudges but Steve Howe has gone in the other direction getting more and more bitter as he ages and being very difficult to deal with. ARW is fun and full of energy while Howe's YES is brutal to watch. I think by next year there won't be any Steve Howe's YES. That's my prediction and the talk of a new studio album I doubt will ever happen. They just don't have any more new good material.
     
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  13. walrus

    walrus Staring into nothing

    Location:
    Nashville
    Unless you can go really cheap or free, save your money. Steve Howe will always be a guitarist worth seeing on some level, but if you factor in that Alan White can barely play drums anymore (and isn't onstage for the full set), outside of the one Drama tune they're doing, no one on that stage was involved in creating anything on their setlist. I saw them once post-Squire (because they were touring with Toto), and it just felt empty, soulless, and a shell of what Yes is supposed to be.

    Save your money and go see the ARW tour if it comes near you.
     
  14. varispeed

    varispeed what if?

    Location:
    Los Angeles Ca
    Jeez.....check your eyesight. That's the harmonica Steve plays when the band covers "Love Me Do" in 12/31 time.
     
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  15. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Follow the history and your quote is simply false. In reality, ARW-YES are the cover band; without any new material released, that should be clear.
     
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  16. gja586

    gja586 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Gogledd Cymru
    Yes played Drama and Sides 1 & 4 of Tales last year and the Youtube clips of the Drama material were generally excellent.

    Despie suggesting that they would be more adventurous, ARW/Yes feat. ARW are essentially playing the Union tour setlist.

    Both groups have their merits for me, though both sadly miss Chris Squire.

    As has been discussed in other threads, among the reasons Howe (and also White and Squire) fell out with Anderson, were his continued refusal to tour or record new material from 2004 to 2008, plus his demands on more than one occasion for a much greater share of the money than the others.

    Anyway, it is what it is. Sadly, people fall out and we'll likely never know the full truth concerning the relationships between the various members of Yes. However, we'll always have lots of great music to enjoy. :)

    Incidentally, in addition to being in Yes cover groups, Benoit David was a member of Canadian proggers Mystery for many years, while Jon Davison sang with US proggers Glass Hammer for a few years.
     
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  17. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    Technically they both are, since neither lineup has released any material of its own. Four of the six people in "Yes" have made an album, but they're not playing it.
     
  18. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Yes Is Now Disgrace :)
     
  19. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    OK at 2:44 tell me if that is a harmonica or Howe's white beard.

     
  20. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Cute. But seriously, when did performing music become a disgrace. They're spreading joy to people who want to hear music. Get your priorities in order man! :)
     
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  21. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Well we'll have to disagree. Still the bottom line is ARW sound great and Howe's YES sounds so-so at best. I'll be 100% honest that I just don't like Davison's voice. He doesn't have a great voice. It's high in pitch but nothing special with no fullness just thin and high. I liked Benoit much better.
     
  22. varispeed

    varispeed what if?

    Location:
    Los Angeles Ca
    Sorry, that's Richie Havens. You must have a faulty video, edited from some really old concerts.
     
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  23. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Just intended as a joke. Seeing them in 2 days.
     
  24. Scottb

    Scottb Senior Member

    Location:
    Nanuet, NY, USA
    Jon was ill and couldn't tour at the time. especially the rigorous tours the guys wanted to do. He had a very valid reason to try and get his health better. As far as him demanding more money then the other players unless you can post a legal contract that states that I don't believe it no matter who says they'heard about that'.
     
  25. zen

    zen Senior Member

    There is nothing to disagree about.
    As I said earlier, simply follow YES' history and you'll see where it went...whether it's good or bad is irrelevant.
     
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