Steve Howe - Solo show, 2008 in Canada

Steve Howe

2008-10-02
Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto, Canada

Setlist:
Set 1:
01 - Masquerade
02 - Australia
03 - The Ancient
04 - Corkscrew
05 - J's Theme
06 - Pyramidology
07 - Classical Gas
08 - Concerto In D, second movement
09 - Little Galliard
10 - Mood For A Day
Set 2:
Sadly could not be recorded.

Encore:
11 - Soon (with steel guitar)

In 2008, besides touring with Yes and Asia, Steve Howe played gigs both with his Steve Howe Trio and alone, playing wonderful tunes mostly on acoustic guitar, doing a real one-man show, with tunes from Yes (including the sometimes forgotten Masquerade, from Union) and various solo albums (Beginnings, Natural Timbre, Turbulence).
Little Galliard is a lute piece from 17th century that he recorded on Natural Timbre.
Enjoy!

Links on comments!

Reuploaded: 1978 - Wembley Arena

10/28/1978 Wembley, UK
Wembley Arena (evening show)

This is probably the most bootlegged show in Yes history. There were multiple radio broadcasts, and portions of this show were released on various compilations. So check out before downloading, you're very likely to already have this bootleg.

It was really one of the best shows the band ever did. All of the band members has his moments in this great concert, and they sound incredibly tight, a group completely united together. This can be heard in Heart of the Sunrise and especially in the big medley they created for this tour, perhaps to commemorate their 10th anniversary, which begun on their second album, Time and a Word (with a great arrangement of the title song, featuring Steve and Rick making us glad that they replaced Tony and Peter), went for Fragile, came back to Yes, passed quickly by Tales, came to The Yes Album and finished with Relayer. I really love this arrangement, The Fish sounds terrific with the whole band playing, and they change it to Perpetual Change and then to Soon in exciting ways. This was the band's fifth concert in three days, but they're not even slightly tired!

After two songs from Tormato that I prefer live than on the original, and a powerful rendition of Starship Trooper, comes my favourite part of the concert.

These versions of Awaken and I've Seen All Good People are the best live ones I've ever listened. Awaken features a stunning work by Mr. Squire, his bass is very loud and much more present than on the original version. His backing vocals are also very good, his voice sounds more natural than on Going For The One. But I really lose myself listening to his slide bass lines accompanying Anderson. The rest of the band sounds very good too, Howe with burning guitar solos, and Wakeman with his grandious middle section

I've Seen All Good People is another killer. Alan White plays with a great energy, the whole band sound so together... and what makes me love this version better than any other is the last part, where Jon presents the band and each member plays a short 4-bars solo, all of them sounding amazing and very representative of the musicians' styles.
There's still Roundabout to give a perfect end to a perfect concert.

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Siberian Khatru
Heart Of The Sunrise
Future Times/Rejoice (Yes played it but no tape with this survived)
Circus Of Heaven
Time And A Word/Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)/Survival/The Ancient/Perpetual Change/Soon
Don't Kill The Whale
Clap
Starship Trooper
Madrigal - On The Silent Wings Of Freedom
Rick Wakeman solo (Six Wives & Journey)
Awaken
I've Seen All Good People
Roundabout

If you'll download just one Yes bootleg, this is the one to pick!

Links on comments!

2008 - Rick Wakeman and Orchestra - Merlin the magician

Rick Wakeman did a couple of concerts in Chile, playing only piano with orchestra and choir. Several videos can be found at Youtube. This one is from December 6.

2008 - In the Present - Bloomington, 11-30-08

November 30, 2008
Bloomington, Illinois, USA

Chris Squire - bass, vocals, harmonica
Steve Howe - guitar, vocals
Alan White - drums, vocals
Benoit David - vocals, percussion, guitar
Oliver Wakeman - keyboards

After two weeks playing together, this new Yes seems better rehearsaled as they get to know each other well. Tempus Fugit is again fresh as it was in 1980, while Aliens remains a good moment to go to the bathroom.
Notice that Steve Howe plays different solo numbers at each concert.

Setlist was a bit shortened, maybe due to the weather, and features:
01. Firebird Suite
02. Siberian Khatru
03. I've Seen All Good People
04. Tempus Fugit
05. Onward
06. Astral Traveller
07. Close to the Edge
08. All's a Chord
09. Laughing With Larry
10. And You And I
11. Long Distance Runaround >
12. The Fish >
13. Aliens (Are Only Us From The Future)
14. Machine Messiah
15. Starship Trooper
16. Roundabout

Links at comments!

In The Present Tour - Hampton, New Hampshire, USA Friday, November 07, 2008

Here is a bootleg from one of the first shows of the new tour. Surprisingly good audio for an audience record, this one captures a band having some problems to play their song (have the rehearsals been enough?).
I can't stand people who say this band is not Yes. If Banks, Kaye, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe, Rabin can be substituted by other musicians, why can't Jon Anderson? Is he a deity or what?
So this is Yes. Good Yes? Perhaps.
Oliver Wakeman seems uncomfortable here, but I'm sure this will be solved with time, as he'll get used to the band. A friend of mine was mad at him for spoiling Heart of the Sunrise (listen to the 9th minute and you'll get what he means). Benoit may not be Jon, but he hasn't disappointed most people who watched their shows.
Good surprises: Astral Traveller (I already commented it on another post) , Machine Messiah (wonderful to hear it again) and Close to the Edge (Oliver delivers his father's solo perfectly, and Benoit's voice really fits this song)
Bad surprise: Tempus Fugit (The band seems unfamiliar with this song, after 28 years without playing it. It lacks energy and feeling), Aliens (new song, doesn't deserve the names of Chris Squire and Steve Hackett)

Setlist
Disc 1:
1. Firebird Suite (2:52)
2. Siberian Khatru (10:00)
3. I've Seen All Good People (7:29)
4. Heart Of The Sunrise (12:34)
5. Tempus Fugit (6:15)
6. Onward (5:29)
7. Astral Traveler (7:32)
8. Close To The Edge (20:45)
Disc 2:
9. Parallels (6:47)
10. And You And I (12:10)
11. Steve Howe Solo: Mood For A Day (aborted) / The Clap (5:38)
12. Long Distance Runaround/The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus) (7:25)
13. Aliens (Are Only Us From The Future) (6:02)
14. Machine Messiah (10:55)
15. Soon (7:25)
16. Starship Trooper (13:40)
17. Owner Of A Lonely Heart (6:12)
18. Roundabout (9:28)

Links on comments!

Astral Traveller - Now and Then

Steve Howe said, to a magazine from Argentina, in 1999:
A fan once gave me as a present a tape of us playing Astral Traveller, back in 1971... I ran to Jon and Chris and said: "Let's play this!" This song has nothing to do with me, but I started listening to Time and a Word (the album), and loved it, I admire Peter Banks a lot. He helped to design Yes' guitar style, in which I entered as it had been meant for me. It helped a lot that the guy before me wasn't a heavy metal guitarrist, but Peter, a clever man with different ideas.

After waiting 9 years, Howe finally had the chance of playing Astral Traveller again, in their new tour! He's clearly happy when he announces the song. And the new version also features a short and awesome drum solo! (good to hear Alan White playing faster again...)




Howe's approach to Astral Traveller from 1971 shouldn't be missed either. The Yes Album line-up played this song live not many times, and this is the only good record of Astral Traveller, including Bill's frantic drumming and Howe improvising very well. Link to the 71 Astral Traveller on comments!