The Catskill Chronicle

By Jason Dole

This Friday, Yes and Peter Frampton will kick off the concert season at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. So you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Am I ready for Yes?

Well, are ya, punk?

If you are a punk (in the literal, musical sense of the word) then, no, I bet you aren’t ready for Yes. Historians give the punks partial credit for the downfall of progressive rock bands in the late-70s. But that was three decades and several comebacks ago for Yes. They’re still going strong in the year 2010, and I’m psyched they’re coming to Sullivan County.

I know a bunch of local people who are similarly psyched. Their tastes in music are as diverse as their ages. They go from people like my parents, original Yes fans who were teenagers in 70s and late 60s, right down to current teenagers — all itching to get their prog on. Yes fans are coming out of the woodwork for this show. Our numbers are legion. If you’re one of us, then the following info will help you get ready for the show.

The Lineup

Yes is known for many things: ace musicianship, long-ass songs, high-pitched vocals, cool album covers, and endless personnel changes. Here’s who’s in the band this time around.

First, you have the trio of “Classic Yes” members: founding member Chris Squire on Rickenbacker bass, Alan White on drums (rounding out one of the best rock rhythm sections of all time), and Steve Howe (pictured at left – who’s celebrating 50 years in music) on a bouquet of guitars and stringed instruments.

Do you remember how Spinal Tap went through a lot of drummers? Well, in Yes, the revolving-door position is keyboards. This time, they’ve filled it in a unique way. Following keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman’s retirement from large tours and stateside performances, his former bandmates recruited his son, Oliver, for the position. Oliver Wakeman has released a number of progressive solo albums and collaborations with folks like Clive Nolan and Steve Howe. While I haven’t heard much of his playing with Yes, I have seen his photos with the band. It’s strange…like the rest of the band got old while Rick Wakeman stayed young.

Rounding out the 5-man team is Benoit David on lead vocals. David is a Canadian who fronted Yes tribute band Close to the Edge for 14 years (they’re currently in hiatus). His “day job” is (or was) an upholstry business for cars and boats. After seeing him sing Yes tribute songs on YouTube, Chris Squire & Co. recruited David to front the real thing. Once again, the internet makes the dreams of a young-ish rock fan come true while extending the career of an old-ish band (see also: Arnel Pineda of Journey).

Wait, No Jon Anderson?

No, and I could write a whole other article on this subject…

Here’s the basic story: On the eve of the band’s 40th anniversary tour in 2008, Jon Anderson fell seriously ill. With no clear idea of when he’d recover, the rest of the band moved on without him, bringing in Benoit David. Now, David is still in Yes and Anderson is still out. Jon Anderson is currently working on his own project, including a small tour of England with Rick Wakeman later this year, but I don’t think he’s happy with the Yes situation.

Look, Jon Anderson is the voice of Yes. Out of 19 studio albums, only one features a different lead singer. Though I still feel bad that he’s not with the band, I felt even worse back in 2008. I ignored the Anderson-less Yes… for awhile. A couple of things changed my mind.

First, I recalled when when Jon Anderson performed Yes songs with the young School of Rock All-Stars a few years ago. I saw two of those shows. So, if I can support Jon Anderson singing Yes without any Yes members, why should I ignore Howe, Squire, and White playing those songs without Anderson singing?

Second, Benoit David sounds good. Though their voices aren’t identical, David is similar enough to Anderson to complete that magical Yes sound. If you know the songs, you’ll be singing along and it’ll feel just like it did in 1972 (or ’76, or ’84, or ’91, or 2004 – whenever it is you last saw Yes).

The Setlist

Well, I won’t give that away, but it’s not hard to guess what most of the songs will be. At this point in its career, Yes is primarily a “nostalgia” act. They’re not trying to promote new singles like they were in the 80s and 90s (although Squire says they are working on their first new album in 9 years). The 80s-era 90125 crowds are gone, and the guys will be playing their classic progressive stuff .

So, if you know Yes, you know the “hits.” We’re going to hear “Siberean Khatru” somewhere near the beginning of the show. “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper” will fall somewhere near the end. In the middle, we can expect “Heart of the Sunrise,” “And You And I,” and “Your Move (All Good People).” Maybe we’ll hear a certain re-discovered fan favorite from Fragile (“South Side of the Sky”), and I’m sure there will be some selections from Drama (see below).

Beyond that, a fan can hope. I’d love to hear “Perpetual Change.” “Going for the One” would be cool, but the vocals on that are a nightmare for anyone to try (I once heard Jon Anderson remark that even he doesn’t know how he sang it the first time around). It would be great if the band went nuts and did “Close to the Edge.” Or they could go super nuts and break out the Richie Havens cover “No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed” in honor of playing at the original Woodstock site.

Pre-Show Listening

Drama (1980) – As the only Yes studio album without Jon Anderson, this is a good album to revisit before you see the band. The material is sure to pop up at the show. Also, following the departure of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman, it captures Howe, Squire, and White at a creative and energetic peak.

The thing that finally won me over to the current Yes lineup was hearing a recording of “Machine Messiah” from a gig in London in November of last year. With Benoit David on vocals, it kind of sounded like Jon Anderson singing (as opposed to the original version, sung by Trevor Horn). This is wild for Yes fans since, as far as I know, Jon Anderson has never performed any of the songs from Drama.

“The Silent Wings of Freedom” from Tormato (1978) – Tormato is one of the less-beloved Yes albums, even among fans. Yet, it has some great moments. This track shows that even as the band as a whole was beginning to unravel, the musicians were on top of their game. It’s an especially high water mark for the rhythm section.

Magnification (2001) – After seeing Yes in 1997, I kind of drifted away from the band. Their newer material wasn’t hooking me, and there were plenty of other things to listen to. Then, sometime around 2003, I heard a copy of Magnification, Yes’ last studio album to date. It’s the album that brought me back to the band. Magnification is proof that, late into their careers, the guys in Yes still have lots of beautiful music to make.

Peter Frampton

I know I’m kind of ignoring Peter Frampton, half of Friday’s show at Bethel Woods, but what can I say? I’m a Yes fan!

Here’s what’s up with Mr. “Comes Alive:” I saw Frampton on Lopez Tonight a couple of weeks ago, and he was looking and sounding pretty good. He’s promoting a new album, Thank You Mister Churchill.

Having played some stadium shows together in 1976, Yes and Frampton are no strangers. Now, they’re “co-headlining” a 2010 tour. But what does that mean? Who closes the show? How long are the sets? Maybe they’re trading off between who closes and opens from date to date. All I know is, the Bethel Woods show is being billed as “Yes and Peter Frampton.” That says to me, Yes is the headliner for this show, so I expect they’ll be closing. The Yes fans demand it!

Yes performing “Yours Is No Disgrace” in Switzerland, 2004:

 

Benoit David singing with tribute band Close to the Edge:

 

 

For tickets and info on the June 18 Bethel Woods show, visit: http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/

For more on Yes, visit: http://www.yesworld.com/

For more on Peter Frampton, visit: http://www.frampton.com/

For more on Jon Anderson, visit: http://www.jonanderson.com/