Yes - Radio City Music Hall, New York City 9/8/01 (video)
My perspective of Yes is that they really haven’t written anything great since the 70s, although I’ll make an exception for the hit 90125, which is basically a different band altogether. However, Yes are nearly always good live, and while a few shows seem to have gotten the need to see them out of my system, I find myself slightly lamenting that I hadn’t seen one of their Symphonic Yes shows, because if this video is any indication, it must have been quite an impressive tour.
For one thing, the symphonic accompaniment is very light, for the most part, accentuating all of the music without dominating any of it. You’re still left with the impression this is a rock band and in a way the accompaniment leaves the band feeling a bit rawer as a side effect. Tom Brislin on keyboards make you wonder why they didn’t just move on with him as he covers both Wakeman and Moraz keyboard lines with confidence and a bit of flair (alas, no cape). Alan White seems in particularly good shape, this is some of the best drumming I’ve heard from him and it’s great to see Steve Howe as active on the steel guitar as he is here, possibly the most active since the Going for the One tour.
While the latter material stands out like a sore thumb and gives one time for side errands and bathroom trips, the 70s music sticks to the epics with a surprise or two. “Gates of Delirium,” in particular, is amazing, accentuated beautifully by the orchestra during some of the heavy middle parts. “Ritual” even benefits from the accompaniment, although I’ve never seen the Topographic material being in the same league as trusty suites like “Close to the Edge” and “And You and I.” So except for the disposable newer material, which only makes me wonder why they bother, Yes are still looking pretty good decades after their relevance.
Hella - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco 4/15/03 (video)
Hella’s from my home town Sacramento originally, although the musicians seem to be working on various projects from all over these days and have augmented themselves from their original guitar and drums line up. This clip, from the original duo as far as I could tell, is pretty short, and I almost didn’t notice it went by except to note what is becoming a rather typical style these days, sort of a post-Don Caballero math rock, played for complexity more than catchiness. The musicians may be talented, but generally this is rehearsal intensive writing that is both impressive and forgettable at once.