Yes - Manchester Apollo 10th May 2014

This was the final gig for me in a run of five in eleven days and I was beginning to flag a bit. As the band took to to stage to great applause I did wonder if there was going to be sound issues as at first it didn't seem to gel (could have just been me though), however as with other gigs this week the tech crew were obviously on the ball and the sound was very quickly sorted and everything flowed really well after the first couple of minutes. I don't think the sound people get enough credit when every goes right and every gig I've been to lately has been spot on (or adjusted swiftly to be spot on) so here's a big thank you to the people who helped make them all an aural pleasure.

Anyway, back to last night. On this tour Yes have been performing three of their classic albums - Close To The Edge, Going For The One and The Yes Album. The line up is Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Alan White, Geoff Downes and Jon Davison and they really appear to be having a ball on stage.  Davison's voice is brilliant and filled the venue. Every track was warmly received, certainly by those in our immediate surroundings. Some people leapt to their feet after each one to show their appreciation.



Behind the band a screen enhanced the show with trippy visuals and also gave a countdown during the interval so everyone could back in their seats in a timely fashion. It all added to the feel of the show.

I find it hard to pinpoint highlights apart from my obvious favourite tracks which are And You And I and Starship Trooper (probably my favourite Yes song, after all I did name this blog after the opening words).
Awaken was amazing, I think I drifted off somewhere else during that, not in a bad way I hasten to add. Something similar happened during Perpetual Change. The end of both halves of the concert had people rising to their feet en masse for standing ovations.

After the completion of the three album set the band gave an encore of the perennial favourite Roundabout. Took a while for people to get up and dance but it rounded the evening off and off we disappeared into the rainy Manchester night feeling thoroughly entertained and satisfied with the whole thing.

Flickr Set of edited photos
Flickr Set of unedited photos