Once the boys all made it to the stage and strapped on their instruments, they opened with an incredible version of "Going For The One". I was not expecting to hear this baby, but it was a great surprise. Next up was a song I was not familiar with, because the oldest Yes album I own is The Yes Album. They decided to go all the way back to their sophomore album Time And A Word and played "Sweet Dreams". Another nice surprise for the fans. The always great "Your Move/All Good People" really got the crowd pumped up next, but was nothing compared to when they launched into "South Side Of The Sky", the fan favorite, but often neglected rocker from the great Fragile album. This song definitely elicited the most enthusiastic crowd response, and deservedly so, because it was the concert highlight. Awesome! "Close To The Edge" easily kept the momentum going, and seemed to fly by like a five minute song, instead of the album-side epic that it is.
Steve Howe began an extended acoustic set with a rousing version of his acoustic guitar classic "The Clap". When the rest of the band took the stage, Wakeman had moved over to a small piano set up on the opposite side of the stage from his massive keyboard ensemble. He had changed into a pair of tails, Chris had put on some dark sunglasses, and Alan was wearing a kilt. They seemed to be having a lot of fun, and it definitely rubbed off on the crowd. They then launched into a wonderful acoustic rendition of "Long Distance Runaround", continued with "Wonderous Stories", a very bluesy remake of "Roundabout", and finished with a surprisingly effective arrangement of "Owner Of A Lonely Heart". This completed the acoustic set. I was very disappointed not to hear the electric version of "Roundabout", especially with Wakeman in tow to play his jaw-dropping solos, but I guess I can't really complain.
"And You And I" was another highlight of the evening. I had forgotten just how great this song is, and this was perhaps the finest version I have ever heard. Prior to the song John talked to the audience about what it was like to write that special song way back when, and how a lot of his inspiration had come from smoking some good weed. "And You And I" led nicely into the epic masterpiece "Awaken". This long performance featured some interesting elements such as John playing the harp, and the stage being adorned with several large "fake torches" (not sure how else to describe them) that simulated huge flames blowing in the wind. It was a neat looking effect that fit the mood of the song perfectly. This was another simply amazing performance, and was the show closer.
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