I don't know if you are aware of this, but last time Wakeman went to Montreal with Yes (Union tour in '91), he had a lot of problems in Montreal with regards to "customs" and he got into it with the customs people at the airport. It made the papers in Montreal.

Interesting note, Jon played Bill's drum set during Chris's solo, The set is WAY to big for little Jon though!!!!

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the UNION show in Montreal. The show was marked by a little controversy: a Montreal paper had reported that some members of Yes had been very rude at the airport customs (who wouldn't?) and that these guys had made anti-french comments. So before the show, a voice on the p.a. said that Yes had never made such comments and that the band was considering suing the newpaper who had reported the story. I don't think they did because I never heard anything about it ever since.

The show itself was great. It was the first time I saw a show performed on a central stage and I loved it! I wish Yes would do it again. Sound quality was superb, considering they had 8 musicians to mix! I was surprised at how much YesWest material was performed (Steve Howe played acoustic guitar on "Hold On" and I couldn't hear a note he played). My only reservation was the number and lenght of the solos. Too many of them... they could have played a song or two instead.

As many people have reported before, the band performed an impromptu encore, 10-15 min. after the lights had been turned on again. After the show, I felt great and sad at the same time: great because the show had been terrific. Sad because I felt it was the last time I would see Yes in concert. I was wrong, of course...

Ok kids, I think you'll like this one...

Saw the Montreal show last night. Not bad at all. A big surprise at the end, but I'll get to that.

Our seats weren't bad. Second level, but close enough to see all the details. I managed to snag binoculars for most of the show. Saw some stuff up close.

First, a few screw-ups: During the bass interlude in the beginning of Heart of the Sunrise, Chris dropped his pick, and missed a few measures. Oh well. Steve did an admirable solo, but did miss a few notes. Then again, playing Mood For a Day on an acoustic is difficult, and playing the Clap period is tough. After 6 years of guitar playing, the Clap is still one of the hardest songs I've ever attempted to play...but I ramble...

Jon had no stage presence whatsoever. He tried talking to the crowd in French, failed miserably, handed the microphone to Bill, who speaks fluent french.

Bill: "Blah, blah, blah blah, City of Love...I mean Rhythm of Love. Sorry Trevor."

Jon attempted to get everyone into All Good People by saying, "I'd like everyone to ah...sing along for this one...um, er...partisipatione...uhhh, let's sing, ok?"

Sorry, but I still think he's a flake! :-)

Jon was at a loss for most of the show.

Overall, the sound quality was quite good though. Blew Philly away. Bill's drums were mixed properly this time and the entire mix sounded much clearer.

Wakeman's solo of course, was the highlight of the show. A wonder that Tony hasn't died of shame yet! :-) It was slightly different from the one he did in Philly, but essentially the same. BTW, my friend Debbie said that Rick's the best looking member of Yes. So there, all you Jon and Trevor fans!!!! Rick was the only soloist to get a standing ovation.

Now the exciting part... they come out for the encore, play Roundabout, then go back in, and the lights come on. But the crowd kept going nuts. The place was vibrating with sound! The lights were on, but no one was leaving. After 10 minutes, of screaming, the lights dimmed and they came back for a second encore. I expected Starship Trooper, but instead they did a cover of "Gimme your Lovin'"!!!! I couldn't believe it! It took me half the song to figure out what they were playing!! After that, they left to a standing O, and the crowd let them depart in peace.

The second time around found me much more relaxed. I knew what to expect and I just sat back and enjoyed to show.

I will always remember My first Yes show. It was during the Union tour, at the Montreal forum. The show was great from the opening notes up to the last chord. The band had quit the stage and the lights were on, but the crowd just wouldn't go. We cheered and whistled for about 15 minutes, and the band finally came back to play another song. We had to wait a couple of minutes because the crew had already begun to unplug Tony Kaye's keyboard and they had to plug it again! (some of you, I know now, would say that it REALLY wasn't necessary to wait for Tony Kaye, but believe it or not, it was worth the wait! :p) It would be extremely difficult to describe the atmosphere in the theater at that moment, but the words that come to mind are pure psychic energy. It was really special to feel the whole crowd turning its collective mind toward a single goal : to hear this incredible band once more before they go.

In Montreal, things of note include Bill Bruford addressing the audience in French (I don't speak French so I have no idea what he had to say), and at the end of the show, all hell broke loose - the audience didn't leave after the second encore and after a half hour of pandemonium the band came back and did a cover of 'Good Lovin'.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you. [Something in French] Montreal. [Something in French] Quebec. [Something in French] Bill Bruford. Bill Bruford.

Bill Bruford:
[Something in French] 'Yours Is No Disgrace'. [Something in French] 'City Of Love..Rhythm Of Love'. Sorry Trevor. Ha Ha Ha. [Something in French] new album 'Union'. [Something in French] 'Shock To The System'.

Jon Anderson:
Yeah. Shock to the rights of mankind. Shock to the politicians.

Jon Anderson:
[Something in French]. Thank you. This next..uh song we started rehearsing it together and we want to play it together. Because it sounds better together by playing it together. The song is called 'Heart Of The Sunrise'.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you. Thank you very much. [Something in French]. [???] It's always a great great pleasure to be here in Montreal. Really fantastic. [???] sound. It's always a great pleasure to introduce, the maestro, Mr. Steve Howe.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Thank you. Thank you. [Something in French]. This..uh next song is a little bit like wine. Goes good. Goes good. Wine always gets better with age let me say. [???] It gets better with age. I like this song. It's always a pleasure to play for you.

Jon Anderson:
Mr. Alan White. Hey. On electronic drums, Mr. Bill Bruford. 'Hold On'. 'Hold On'. 'Hold On'.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Thank you. [Something in French]. Thank you. This kind of a sing along song. Want you to sing along..uh join in, stuff like that. This is for [???].

Jon Anderson:
The original, the dangerous, Mr. Tony Kaye.

Trevor Rabin:
[Something in French].

Jon Anderson:
Woo! The light. Stool. A white guitar. The black and white shirt. Inside of all this. The exciting guitar player [???], Mr. Trevor Rabin.

Trevor Rabin:
Thank you very much. Thank you [???] Thank you.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! The light. Stool. A white guitar. The black and white shirt. Inside of all this. The exciting guitar player [???], Mr. Trevor Rabin.

Jon Anderson:
The amazing bass man, Chris Squire. Here's a new song. You can hear it on the radio. You can hear it on the radio. 'Lift Me Up'.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you. [Something in French]. It seems a long long time ago. Before electricity. Before electricity. It used to be like acoustic stuff. Piano's and stuff like that. Harpsichords and then all of the sudden we started using electric keyboards and [???] people like Mr. Rick Wakeman.

Jon Anderson:
Woo!