Yes 35th Anniversary Concert: Songs from Tsongas

Sure, the "classic" Yes lineup of singer Jon Anderson, guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and drummer Alan White are all eligible for senior-citizen rates at the movie theater, but Yes: Songs from Tsongas, the nearly three-hour record of their May 15, 2004 concert at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts, proves the boys still got game on ‘70s classics such as "And You And I" and "Starship Trooper." Granted, some of the "newer" material on this generous near-two-dozen song set doesn't hold up as well—the clunky "Mind Drive," even when sliced in two and used as the bread for a "South Side of the Sky" sandwich, is a momentum buster in the concert's first half. Much more fun, however, is the eight-song acoustic set that begins the second of the two discs as the ol' fellows have a seat, relax, and reinvent their two biggest hits—“Roundabout" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart"—as leisurely shuffles. Presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and stereo, the concert is well photographed from a number of angles, making effective use of both the lighting and the $3 million Roger Dean stage set. DVD extras include a brief interview with Dean. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (M. Moore)[Blu-ray Review—Nov. 4, 2014—Eagle Vision, 252 min., $19.98—Bowing on Blu-ray with DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo soundtrack options, this classic Yes concert officially lists two bonus extras: a performance of “Ritual” (29 min.) off Tales from Topgraphic Oceans (which was included as part of the original show on the DVD release), and a carry-over interview with set designer and longtime band collaborator Roger Dean (8 min.). But the real extra here is the 70-minute bonus concert “Live in Lugarno 2004” featuring 10 songs (although the only unduplicated number is “The Fish”). Bottom line: an excellent Yes concert that benefits from the new DTS-HD 5.1 audio track.]