The schizophrenic nature of this 50th anniversary concert (one of two different Yes lineups launching celebratory tours) filmed live at England’s 02 Apollo Manchester theatre is reflected in the 12-song split: six hail from the classic Yes era (1969-78) and six from the ‘80s Yes period (specifically 1983-91), the latter dominated by songwriter/guitarist Trevor Rabin. Yes: Live at the Apollo features only two members from the classic Yes days: still-angelic-voiced lead singer Jon Anderson and literally-surrounded-by-keyboards Rick Wakeman (guitarist Steve Howe and drummer Alan White play for the other Yes, original drummer Bill Bruford is retired, and bass legend Chris Squire passed away in 2015). The pair are joined by Rabin, Lee Pomeroy on bass, and Louis Molino III on drums for a set that seesaws back and forth between Yes’s early prog rock classics ("I’ve Seen All Good People," "And You & I," "Long Distance Runaround," "Heart of the Sunrise") and ‘80s pop ("Hold On," "Rhythm of Love," "Changes"), closing appropriately with the biggest hits from the two respective periods of Yes: "Roundabout" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart." Musically, the band sounds very good (although classic Yes fans will wince at Rabin’s choppy guitar—channeling U2’s Edge—on "Long Distance Runaround"), led by Anderson’s amazingly strong voice, Wakeman’s nimble fingers, and Rabin’s blistering fretwork. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, this is recommended. (R. Pitman)
Yes: Live at the Apollo
(2017) 120 min. DVD: $15.98, Blu-ray: $21.98. Eagle Rock Entertainment (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 6
Yes: Live at the Apollo
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