Last fall in New Brunswick again after Billy is featured in some song (I can't recall) when the song is finished Jon begins some talking about what the next song will be(couldn't hear his speaking voice too well). Billy walks over and whispers something to Jon. Then Jon realizes that he was supposed to introduce Billy at this point. He motions to his head, like 'geez I'm losing it' or 'oh yeah, you again' and then gives the "..Mr. Billy Sherwoooood..." introduction. It was sorta funny.

Just a couple things about the State Theater show. Well, they didn't play 'Gates of Delirium'. Someday maybe. I was twelfth row, in front of Billy(Despite the fact that I asked to be in front of Steve when I ordered tickets). That's OK though. I was pretty much watching Steve the whole show though, and I didn't see much chicken-necking at all compared to all the other shows I've seen. Not that he wasn't playing well, he just didn't seem as fired up as he has in the past. He barely moved at all during his solo part of Yours Is No Disgrace. When I saw him play the State Theater last year, he was jumping up & down and making all sorts of faces. He seemed to be very low in the mix, but this might be because I was on Billy's side and they had Steve coming out of the left speaker?? Plus the overall volume didn't seem loud enough. Especially in between songs. I didn't understand a word Jon said. Partly due to the fact that so many Yes fans apparently love to hear themselves talk, sometimes in the middle of songs, too.

At the end of Roundabout, they continued to jam something for about a minute. I don't know if this has been a regular thing lately or not. They definetely didn't do it when I saw them in Tampa last month.

Also, there were two guys videotaping the show in the second or third row, but one of the crew came over and made them turn off their cameras after about 45 minutes. Mental note to all videotapers: cover up the video display on the camera...you can see it a mile away.

Another note....this was the eighth time I've seen Steve live and the first time he didn't play 'Clap'. Not that I necessarily wanted to hear that particular tune, but come on...$55 for a ticket to one of the shortest concerts I've ever been to?(especially if you don't count the huge gaps in between songs) Yes, it was worth it, but why not play for an extra 10 minutes? or longer.

Just a few words on yesterday's New Brunswick sold-out show:


It was EXCELLENT! The energy in the theater was at such a HIGH! I think it registered an 11 on a scale of 1-10.
Steve's playing was tremendous but he didn't seem to be having much fun. I thought he'd at least crack a smile when Squire wandered over to him but he pretty much acted as if he wasn't there. IMHO!
I keep hearing about howe Igor is not in the mix but In The Balcony where (so close to Eddie J.!???) they ALL sounded fine.
And EVERYONE took turns (it seemed) walking on/off the stage during songs where their part wasn't "needed" (like Awaken for example); so people, don't read anything into this about members fighting, etc...
I thought the light show was really cool. Was a little lost during Awaken trying to make a connection with the song and images of a bird-creature and a flower spewing some sort of globular balls. Pass me a doober, I guess! :=)

I was at the opening show in Myrtle Beach and again last night in NJ. I am not the type to complain about little sound gliches et al: "Igor was turned down a little low etc" but the sound was not great. I could not hear one thing Jon said between songs and it was not from the obnoxious NJites. One problem I sensed last night is that the fans were cold as ice - there were many people outside who likely did not get in, yet around me there were "youngsters" who not only were clueless to the ladder but seemed clueless to songs like AYAI. I was my usual singing and hand motioning fool but its a bit draining when everyone around you is a dud. This was not the case in Myrtle Beach. Cant there be some kind ot test pre buying tickets ex: name 3 Yes albums? :-) As for the band they seemed the same "greatest band in the world" to me. This nonsense about Steve being mad etc is so silly. The guy is serious about his playing and he rips. Highlights were Awaken of course, IWBAGD - quickly becoming a 90's fave. And Hearts was good, I love Steves slide version of the guitar action on that. Whats with opening the encore with Surewood, that just left a sour feeling in my Stomach like them saying: This will be the future - ugggh God forbid! Off to the beacon in NY next week.

I'm not looking to rekindle any old flame wars but last night's show was really disappointing.

I gave Billy a chance to do all this great stuff I've been reading about but he stuck out like a sore thumb. He looked like Don Johnson and whenever he played anything audible it was a sloppy mess. When he was introduced by Jon he recieved a lukewarm response at best. I'm 25 & I've seen every tour since Talk (the worst concert I've ever wasted my money on) & Sherwood's involvement in YES makes about as much sense to me as firing Norm MacDonald from Saturday Night Live, or David Letterman not getting the Tonight Show did.

Jon seemed less than thrilled but he is still THE VOICE! Alan was Alan. Mr. Meat & Potatoes he is & he kept it together just like he has for the past 1/4 century +. Chris went through the motions. The Fish has become the Whale. Steve's playing was outstanding although it was VERY obvoius he wasn't pleased with the current YES scenario. He'll be the first to go after the tour.

Igor however played like he's been with YES for 20 years! Full of enthusiasm even when playing those crappy '80's & Ladder songs. Not a single mistake. Whenever his time with YES ends expect big stuff from him. His & Jon's percussion work during Owner was a particular highlight for me.

It was great to see YIND, Perpetual Change & Awaken but the rest of the show seemes stale as hell. The new songs lack and the same old shit is THE SAME OLD SHIT! I left during Roundabout.

Happy Holidays

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you for coming along to this beautiful, beautiful building called 'The State' but tonight it will be called the house of Yes.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Steve Howe on guitar. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. 'Perpetual Change'. You know it's quite amazing that twenty years later to play that song again and realize what were we thinking at that time. It such [???] piece of music. Thank you for listening. Here's a couple of new songs from..uh the new album 'The Ladder' and..uh. Thank you. Here's one of the songs and it's sorta..uh [???] sorta real big feel to it. Sorta, when your making an album you a lot of different songs and all of then sudden there it is on the record. It's kinda funky. Here is a song about the idea that lightening strikes you and how you react. Probably [???] or a martini.

Jon Anderson:
Chris Squire on bass guitar. Thank you so much. Thank you. We're making..uh the album up in Vancouver with a great, great producer called Bruce Fairbarin and..uh he really told us how Yes music has changed his life and music and..uh made us feel very comfortable about making this record and he asked me one day, he said "Why don't you write about somebody who really influenced you as a singer and songwriter and so forth" So I thought of..uh instantly I thought of Bob Marley. So..uh I just remembered my children singing me Bob Marley songs [???] singing it to me and I already knew that it was beautiful. So here's a song called..uh 'The Messenger'. Here we go.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Thank you. Thank you. A little dedication to the beautiful and wonderful Melissa Squire who's having..uh a baby, Chris's baby. Chris. This is a dedication to her.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. I'd to introduce you to the 'International Keyboard Player Of The Year'. Mr. Igor Khoroshev

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. I'm just getting ready [???] jump up song and..uh rhythms, great rhythms [???] Mr Alan White on drums here. Woo! We started, we started writing a song and..uh all of a sudden it jumps at us a sorta central African groove sorta.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. New Jersey. It's so wonderful that you stayed with the band for such a long time. Really, it's amazing. We really, really truly appreciate that very, very much. It's kinda amazing to me, going into the twenty-first century to the year 2000. It's amazing isn't it? Here's a song that we..uh we recorded it fifteen years ago. What? I had the nice, three beers, one at a time, [???] Steve had only a martin. Three beers, [???] and tonic, a martini and a ginger ale. Here's a song about how children really teaches everything we want if we listen hard enough you'll hear some great stuff. [???]. It's one of those songs we started doing when we were rehearsing and thought 'Let's try this song, we haven't played it for fifteen years, let's try to play it you know you never know. [???]. It's sorta [???] cool thing to do, here we go [???]. Happy Thanksgiving. That was it, I knew there was something. Happy Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for. It's unbelievable America is truly unbelievable. We were very fortunate to travel. Listen to me. Listen. Just listen to this, I just gotta say. This, these keyboards are screwed up so we can't start, right? So I'm just rambling along. Okay listen. I just [???]. Is he on ecstasy or is we're all on ecstasy and he isn't. It's one of the three. So we went down in Peru and believe me, people that live in Peru have a tough life. It's amazing but they still love Yes music. They came and see our show and..uh it's amazing to [???] because they don't have a future. It's really bizarre down there and you came back to America and realize how beautiful, beautiful this place is. It's wonderful, wonderful [???].

Jon Anderson:
Mr. Billy Sherwood on guitar.

Jon Anderson:
Thank you so much. Thank you. Woo! Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Alright here's a song we can all sing along to and halfway through get up and start dancing [???] the way that people dance here in New Jersey. Halfway through this I want to see you dancing halfway through this song okay? Again, thank you for being so supportive throughout the years. It's amazing. Into the year 2000. Have a great and wonderful time.

Jon Anderson:
Woo! Alright. What I want to say is that have a great holiday when it comes next month. Have a great new year. It's been great being with you. Thank you so much.