Yes - Symphonic Live
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Movie Reviews of Yes - Symphonic Live
Movie Review: Finally, A World Class Production of Yes
Summary: 5 Stars
An Excellent Production, Pure and Simple. The band encountered many obsticles in this Live production, the biggest being the issue of using a different local orchestra for each region or town they played in, and also that Larry Groupe (The original conductor and key person who wrote many of the orchestra parts with the band could not stay for the entire tour). However though I understand that Larry hand-picked the conductor that you see in this production and it all still works very fluidly. Songs like Ritual and Gates of Delerium worked exceptionally well and the sound quality is top notch. Yes is still the only band I know of that will still take the risks for music sake. And may I add on a personal note, that the orchestra had (on this performance night), a collection of rather attractive females in the orchestra that later joined the band on stage for the Roundabout finale. They all danced to the song and brought a nice ending to the show.The DVD itself is full of computer generated landscapes that open the show. This is the first time I've seen a Yes inspired Landscape, (not quite a Roger Dean piece of Artwork, but not intentional either) brought to life vividly in moving digital computer generated animation. I'm also glad they showed some behind the scenes at the Mann Music Center Show in Philadelphia. I was at this show and it left me speechless. This band continues, as I would like to believe, for the music and their fans. I believe Jon Anderson is in his bliss right now. They are again performing epics, and new epics, still realizing their dream. In the age where a two to three minute song is the max for radio airplay, Yes receives Standing ovations each evening for their 20+ minute epics. I remember Jon in an interview mentioning that the idea of making an epic song is to carry the audience and listener on a journey and this DVD will allow you to feel this energy. My hats off to the Band and the hope that the work continues. Yes is extremely underappreciated by the masses, but it is our little secret (the fans)....they know this. There is such a family atmosphere at a Yes show, you pretty much know you can talk to anyone there and most are well versed with the Music and the Band. My best to the Band, their family and the Fans....
David Carlin<BR
Movie Review: This is the "YES DVD"
Summary: 5 Stars
I have purchased each YES DVD currently available. Having grown up with YES in the 70's at their peak, the initial DVD's were a disappointment. However, I came to learn it was not the band, it was mostly my expectations to see 1970's YES on DVD. We all grow older. Coming to realize this, I updated most of my reviews.
However, this DVD is something VERY special. Not only is it the only one that has "Close to the Edge" from the album of the same name, but it contains a
large bundle of their most "known songs by folks that are not even YES fans".
If you grew up in the 70's, you WILL know these songs. For even the Mild YES fan, if you were thinking of buying ONE DVD, this is it.
They have a young Orchestra to back them up, and even they are in to the
music. Steve is at the best I have seen him in years! He even smiles a few times. Jon is just having a great time doing this concert. The bulk of the audience is indeed Late baby-boomers (going from 1942 to 1963 officially, I was born near the end of the boom. You can also tell from Grey and male pattern baldness kicking in :). The audience is having a great time. You can just feel the energy, and I wish to God I was there at that show. The video quality is excellent. No extra video effects, constant switching every 3 seconds (God, do I hate that. Producers just don't get that we want to experience as close to "being there" as possible.). This is indeed produced just like that. I love this DVD, and because we don't know how long they will last, or the DOg could eat it, or Kids get at it, I purchased 2 as I did with Pink Floyds Pulse. Now that is another disk that is just totally Awesome. If you have seen it and agree, this YES disk is the "Pulse" of YES. (O.K. minus the lighting show,
but Pink Floyd was always infamous for their lighting design.).
My reviews sometimes draw criticism as being too harsh. Perhaps.
But that says something about when I make a strong buy recommendation.
If it isn't right, I don't like to buy it. IMHO, everything needs to be
right. The band, the songs, the production video and audio. Yes is class,
and always has been.
Movie Review: Chris Squire on Overdrive!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a review of the concert portion of the DVD. I haven't watched the second disc and probably wont, BUT it is truly a BONUS dic, i.e., we're not really charged for it so...Why would YES even tour with orchestra? I don't think they need it because of the talent of the band. Also I didn't think YES could pull off a world tour with different orchestras at each stop - their music being some long and complicated. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant got it right when they teamed up with folks to take with them. Might have been a little expensive, but the performances were much tighter. I was mainly looking forward to "Gates of Delerium" And "Ritual" because they're great songs and "Gates" is one of my favorites, only being on a few "live" recordings as well as the Japenese release of the bootleg vid from Queens Park Ranger. Anything else would be "gravy" so to speak.
So, a bit apprehensive, we play the DVD...
Wow, gravy galore! Band and orchestra are in sync. Some of the songs are re "arranged" and the show is a success! Chris Squires bass playing in the highlight of the show! (I won't comment on his clothes!) Granted, Chris is a lead bass player like Geddy Lee and Jack Bruce, but he's on FIRE here! A few bass solos were greatly appreciated by me. "Gates" is superb! Unreal! Awesome! Ritual was extended by a percussion interlude and sounded great! Both songs were given new live and added enthusiasm, much obliged! (and there was this really cute bird playing cymbols and tympani).
The lowlight was the PPP that went into placing the dual layer stop frame right in the crescendo of "Starship Trooper". After Steve's solo stuff would have been fine.
Was Jon acting like he was on ecstacy (love, love, love? Of course, but we all have our quirks!) Did Steve want ot play on a Trevor Rabin tune, "Changes"? Nosireebob! (but Chris and Tom Brislin sort of kick him in the... , musically speaking!) Tom Brislin, who played keys for the band, played marvelous for his first tour with the band. Kudos Tom!
Overall great disc, great performance, great experience! The is a close as you can get to a "Holy Grail", i.e., great show, great sound, great mix, great picture! In fact for YES fans, it IS!
Movie Review: All I Can Say Is WOW !
Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, I'm not going to go over all of the excellent points made in all the previous reviews I've read of this absolutely INCREDIBLE piece of art. But I will note a few minor differences of opinion, and give my overall impression.First the latter ... when I first saw that YES was touring with an orchestra, I immeadiately dis-missed it. I had bought "Symphonic Music of Yes" a few months back & while it was nice, I wasn't terribly impressed. So I took a pass when a friend asked me to see the show, which caused him to not go as well.
Flash ahead a few months & the DVD's release. I picked it up, hoping for an improvement over the "House Of Yes" which I also own. And from the first strains of "Close To The Edge" it is clear I was getting all that and more. It is, without a doubt, the best Concert DVD I have yet seen - both visually & musically. The picture s so clear, you'll swear you're there on stage. And the sound is so much an improvement over their previous DVD releases, it's like comparing a CD to a gramaphone. It is THAT startling. Add to that, the incredible set list, and the orchestra, and this is THE DVD to see for YES fans, both casual & hardcore.
Now then, where I tend to disagree with the other reviwewers here. First - Tom Brislin. I'll be the first to admit that I am a HUGE Wakeman fan, and I might be overly rough on other keyoard players because of that, but he HACKED the solos on "Close to the Edge." And seeing as that was the FIRST SONG of the show, I was soured on him from that point on. Luckily, the orchestra filled in enough throughout that it was mostly a non-issue. And I'll admit, he did a better job than Igor did on "House of Yes,"
but that's it. Second - I LIKED the new material, especially "Don't Go." Is it as good as their early stuff ? No. But that doesn't make it BAD.
One final note, and a somewhat politically in-correct one. I have never before seen an Orchestra with THAT MANY attractive women ! I certainly don't remember ANY of the girls in my High Scool Symphony looking like that.
Movie Review: Finally- a great document of Yes' live power-
Summary: 5 Stars
Frustrated Yesfans rejoice!This is as close as we have gotten yet to the magical power of this bands' legendary live prowess,on DVD or VHS(official releases,anyhow!).Although Wakeman-less,the band proves,beyond any shadow of a doubt what a force to be reckoned with they can be,when captured effectively in a live setting.There are very strong versions here, of the epics,in particular.Close To The Edge,Ritual,and Gates Of Delirium...?all in one show?!...these guys are supposed to be aging dinosaurs of the (supposedly!) all-but-defunct progressive rock genre.Here they prove ALL of these assumptions wrong,AND then some!The newer material, too,is represented extremely well- In The Presence Of from the highly underrated Magnification release is a revelation unto itself(possible slight vocal overdubs notwithstanding).When I first saw this,it was a joyous occasion,for it was profound confirmation of what we Yesfans already knew-this IS, & has been,for a mighty long time-The Finest Live Band Upon The Planet.Here Steve Howe shines so brightly(guitar sound quibbles aside-its what he's playing that's important!),it's a wonder his legend hasn't grown any further than he had already accrued in the 70's-his playing just seems to get better & better!Here Chris Squire plays those amazing basslines from Gates in front of our astonished faces.Here Jon Anderson's voice descends from Heaven in a more majestic manner than it ever did,back when we were all young.And,here,finally!-is visible proof of the strength,power and endurance of Alan White on the drumkit(my brother refers to it as "A roomful of drums"-Alan's Percussion Room!),who singlehandedly steals the whole show by never letting up-possibly the single most focused performance by a drummer I have ever witnessed!The Orchestra,too,is fabulous-young,good-looking(mostly female!),and enthusiastically enjoying playing along with this,some of the most challenging material of our time.Completely enjoyable,beginning to end.If you love Yes,THIS is a must!If you don't love them,well,by gosh!HERE is a good place to see what you've been missing!