YesWorld: The YES Online Service

July 22, 2009 Innsbrook Pavilion Glen Allen, VA, US return to tour page
	Sound Chaser	Ivar
In response to a number of reviews of previous gigs on this tour, the sound was fine. Both Asia and Yes sounded better than they did in previous stops in Richmond (June '07 and November '08, respectively). Benoit and Oliver have the chops to play in the band, so get over not seeing Jon and Rick. My one complaint was the play list. The concert(s) were, with the exception of one new song per band, a Reader's Digest Condensed version of their previous stints in town. Asia has a BRAND NEW FREAKING AWESOME ALBUM, and we have to listen to them cover a Crimson tune that Wetton never played when he was with that band? With apologies to all the stoners in the audience (and there were several, given the extinguished joints in the portajohns), those of us who cut our teeth on Drama and Big Generator don't need to hear All Good People, Roundabout or Starship Trooper in a concert, like ever again; it would have been great to hear the band take us through Sound Chaser, Homeworld, On the Silent Wings of Freedom, Turn of the Century or Mind Drive. On balance, it was a great night of music, but if either band comes back to town I'm checking out the playlist before committing to a ticket... and if they tour together, let Geoff play keyboard on the Drama tunes.
	Yes! Asia Rocks!	Lance Dutton
ASIA Asia opened, and as a huge Asian fan I was delighted to finally see them. (My first Asia Show) They played for about an hour with the big highlight being "Heat of The Moment". Wetton is an incredible talent. Carl Palmer must be in his 60's and rocks like a teenager! One of the best all-time rock drummers was on his game and seemed to enjoy every second of it. Downes and Howe were great. YES For reference tonight was my 7th Yesshow, I started with the GFTO tour in 1977. It is a bit sad to see our heros get old but with added youngsters Oliver Wakeman and Benoit David the band looks more relevant than in recent years. Wakeman is amazingly talented and is a complete keyboard player. He is a bit of a technician not a showman. That's OK...it's the sound that matters...the music. Oliver is great! Benoit David is a great front man and carries the legacy forward. I am a huge Jon fan and have strong mixed feelings here. I believe that 30 years from now Yes will still be playing. I think the music is too important for any individual. The music tonight was great. Several times I closed my eyes and I was back in 1977. The sound was simply great. Howe and Squire were ridiculous as usual...incredible talents playing together as one. Alan White was spot on as usual but looked his age tonight in the summer heat. Drama tracks "Tempus Fugit" and "Machine Messia" were a great addition...Astral Traveler was cool too. It was as if the old guys were making the young guys respect it all, and learn it all, if they are going to be "in the band". To all Yes Fans that are skeptical of the new line up I say...close your eyes and you will be blown away...it's the sound...it's the music....I would like to see this line-up cut an original studio album...one can only hope...
	Tony	Edwin Walker
ASIA: "Soul Survivor and Wildest Dreams" were the highlights. Nice to see Carl Palmer play again. John Wetton's voice was up to par and Steve and Geoff were showing plenty of energy. I was a little disappointed they didn't cover "Time after Time" but seeing how they had limited time as the opening band then it makes sense. The Crimson tune was OK..Steve was impressive on the guitar tracks, but they should have covered a later Crimson song when John was in the band. Fanfare for the Common man showcased Carl's drumming and Video killed the Radio Star was a nod to Geoff. Steve, of course, didn't need any previous covers as he would be doing Yes material. Good to see all top-notch musicians in a opening band. Yes: Surprised me alot! Steve still had plenty of energy left for the main-act. Chris was awesome as always and Alan kept the beat down tight. Benoit had Jon Anderson's voice range down perfect and was very energetic. Oliver played the keys superbly, although it did seem to me like there were technical difficulties with his volume coming through a few times. The setlist is as expected for Yes and the two Drama selections were the highlight of the show for me, especially my first live "Machine Messiah/I am the Camera song...great tune. As a sidenote: I really enjoyed Steve's acoustic warm-up while waiting in line for the gates to open. Glad I made the trip from Norfolk for the show.
	Asia & Yes @Glen Allen	Chuck Daniel
A great night and a great show ! Steve Howe carried both bands IMHO, while Carl Palmer "King of the Kit" proceeded to beat the krappe out of his drums & gongs. Both bands were in fine form, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well Mssrs David & Wakeman have acclimated themselves into the fold. My first time seeing Yes live, and it was all that I could have wanted...Jon & Rick have stepped-aside, so it's time Yes fans embrace the new lads. I had the pleasure of seeing Asia on its maiden US tour Norfolk Scope 1982, and I must say THEY HAVE NEVER PLAYED BETTER!! I would humbly request that the Asia guys consider adding "Go" or "Voice of America" or "Hard on Me", or even "Countdown To Zero" or "The Heat Goes On" or even "Days Like These". ROCK-ON GUYS !!!
	heart of it all	JIM WALKER
After all of these years I finally totally dug Heart of the Sunrise. The whole night had that soft poetic nuance that makes Yes music unfold with visual artistry. As well, And You and I was stunning beauty, compositionally loose but intact.
	WOW	John Wells
A great night. I had never seen Asia before. John Wetton has one the greatest voices in rock. Highlight of their set was Fanfare For The Common Man and Soul Survivor. I've seen Yes at least 10 times. 1st time was the Going For The One tour. This was one of my favorites. I thought the new guys really held there own. Oliver was businesslike, though he cracked a smile a couple of times. Benoit was enthusiastic, loved his energy. The core 3 were phenomenal. Even tired old chestnuts like Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise sounded better than they have in a long time. If you are a fan don't miss this show. The best $20 I ever spent.
	hmmm	Chris Geen
I must say that I am tired of hearing the same songs every time Yes comes around. It's nice that they included Astral Traveler, Machine Messiah & Tempus Fugit but those were included on the last tour. I feel like they should retire the classics. How about a tour where they only play songs that they have not played in over twenty years or have never played at all? I leave with the impression that they are just doing it for the money. I'm thinking that the real die-hard fans make up the core of the audience so please give us something new to look forward to. I saw the Chris Squire Experiment in CA back in the nineties and it was hands down one of the best shows I have ever seen because they played all new music. Having said all this, I will say that they played well. ASIA too. John Wetton sounds great. Just please, make it interesting.
	better than in years	Lewis Falwell
I saw Yes & Asia on their last tours, and will see them on their next one.Oliver & Benoit are getting more comfortable with their performance. Both are clearly able to fill the roles. I want a new album with the new lineup. I have long admired JA & RW, but the music must be kept alive. CS,SH, & AW were their usual great selves. The band showed more "life" than in years... Long live the King. John Wetton looked better (Thank God), and had never thought Geoff Downes is a telented keyboard man as he showed to be. I always thought his talent was in writing and production. Carl Palmer is as good as ever. Asia's new CD is quite good. I am thankful both bands came here. It enabled people in our part of the world to appreciate their huge talents. Deja vu, again. Thank you again.
	YES/ASIA SPECTACULAR	Tim Wills
A beautiful night in Glen Allen VA (Richmond) for a night of music by Yes and Asia. I knew the audience would be a great night of vocals and instrumentation. Asia opened. John Wetton looked like he had lost quite a bit of weight since his heart surgery. He had cut his hair some also. His voice sounded great. Anything off the first Asia album is always a treat to here. The highlight for me was Fanfare for the Common Man, especially the interplay between Geoff Downes and Steve Howe. It is such a treat to hear such quality music. Carl's solo was impressive as well. The band seemed to be having a great time and Carl was grinning from ear to ear - he looked like this wasn't a chore - just a celebration of great music. Yes came out to the familiar Firebird Suite followed by Siberian Khatru. With Jon Anderson not on this tour, most of the speaking duties fell to Chris and Steve. Chris was an absolute monster, playing vicious bass lines and melodies. He was really in control. Steve and Alan were very consistent. Benoit and Oliver did their parts with no problem. Benoit was very energetic. The highlights for me were Tempus Fugit, Machine Messiah and Astral Traveller - songs I had never heard live. All were played superbly and were a joy to hear. I was also pleased to hear probably my favorite of the old standbys - Heart of the Sunrise. Still such a great song. I understand some of the old fans wanting more of the back catalog but events like this are set up to showcase some of the hits people know and throwing some bones out for the hardcores. The sound was superb - which certainly aided in the enjoyment. I hope both bands keep going and thanks to both for coming to Richmond!!!
	Front Row Perspective	Jimmy Preston
I drove 600+ miles from Murfreesboro, TN to see this prog rock show and was thrilled to be able to sit in the front row directly in front of Steve Howe. I sacrificed sitting in a sweet spot to hear the mix in order to see a master instrumentalist at work... the bonus was hearing bits and pieces of his solo work while standing in line during soundcheck. Asia was great!. The setlist was predictable... and that's fine with me. Asia played with enthusiasm and energy and I enjoyed every note. There was a technical problem at the beginning with the sub cabinets, but that was quickly resolved thanks to a technician who came on stage in front of John Wetton. Yes played an abbreviated setlist due to Steve's double duties. During Steve's acoustic solo of Vivaldi and Ram, several people screamed, and after the solo set, Steve cautioned the audience that Vivaldi would not appreciate screaming during a performance. Steve seemed tired... even while playing with Asia. He was much more energetic and spoke more to the audience on the Winter Tour 2008 at the Ryman in Nashville. Chris' and Alan's energy, Benoit's faithful vocal renditions and Oliver's attention to detail really made for an impressive show. I'm not totally upset with the setlist... I never get tired of any Yessong, but I agree with Steve in a recent interview that at the very least Yes should play another Rabin song such as Changes instead of Owner. Never thought I would read that statement, but that shows Steve's commitment to keep performing Yes music. Yes played rare gems such as Gates, Ritual and South Side on tours earlier this decade. It was a gamble traveling this distance to an outdoor venue in the middle of a business complex, but I feel blessed since the weather was excellent and I experienced a double bill of prog rock bliss. I hope the engineer sitting next to me got home safely.
	Nice job	Matthew Scott
Not a big fan of Asia. The musicians were great, the material is forgetable. Yes was very solid. I've seen differing opinions of Beniot David at lead, but I think he was terrific. So people may not have even noticed that it wasn't Anderson up there. He is very convincing. Squire, Howe and White are fantastic. Howe looks emaciated, like he has been exclusively tube fed for the last 6 months, but he still dances up and down the fret board like it's nothing. Oliver is not as crisp as his dad, but he also doesn't seem to be a primadona like his dad either. Highlight numbers for me were Starship Trooper (always), Roundabout (what a blast that must be to play and it doesn't sound the tiniest bit dated) and And You and I. Siberian Khatru was REALLY slow compared to what you're used to. Didn't care for that.
	asia/yes-wow	Robin W. Carlysle
The wednesday nite show in Glen Allen was terrific. Five years is way too long to wait for Yes to return, but having my two favorite bands on the same show was just great. Asia was superb, with great playing from all and a real strong voice from John Wetton--he looks like he lost considerable weight since I saw him last-doctor's order no doubt. Steve Howe looked rather tired to me but he's doing double duty here and sounds great as always. Yes was in fine form as well. Benoit sang well with much energy. I'm always amazed at the vocal and bass lines that Chris Squire does (at the same time), and he and Benoit are great together vocally as well. I commented to my friend Debi that Benoit's dancing and spinning in the show reminded me of Donny Osmond somehow and she laughed so hard, and couldn't focus on him after that. Also I believe at the end of Machine Messiah, Benoit did what appeared to be a spoof of a typical Spinal Tap ending, with acoustic guitar aiming and moving at the audience. Did anybody catch that? It looked very comical to me and I found myself missing Jon a little. My heart goes out to all who attended the next show thursday nite in Md. It was a lightning and rain filled nightmare by all accounts, with damage to band equipment for Yes. Luckily no one was hurt and everyone got to see Asia at least. The heavens owe all Yes fans a big one!
	Excellent Show	Blackadder97
Thoroughly enjoyed the show. Brought one of my friends and his two teenage sons to the show and they had a great time too. Fifth row, Oliver's side. Asia were excellent and there were a fair amount of Asia fans there (Shout out to my two new friends from Raleigh!) - and as mentioned above, sound WAS JUST FINE - congratulations to the sound team who have been getting a lot of abuse on this tour. Highlights for me were AYAI and MM - but the whole show was really solid (IMHO, HOTS and ST provide a better balance to the set than CTTE - as I was lucky enough to catch the previous tour in Myrtle Beach in December). A privilege as always, Edmund.
	Glen Allen review	Tom Holliday
Last minute decision to go to this one. Saw Yes at The National (Richmond, Va.) in the fall. Looked like set list had not changed. However was I ever glad I changed my mind! Yes was incredible! Howe was dead on (and even added a few subtle changes). Loved the 5 second tribute to 5% for Nothing! Better than in the fall, Benoit is very much in command of the stage and his voice is ready for the studio and recording some new tunes. Highlight from Asia was Fanfare, this one was fantastic. Loved Carl Palmer's solo, every bit as animated as anything he did on the 70's tour during Karnevil 9. If you get the opportunity to hear this band on this tour, do yourself a favor and check it out. Their energy is as high and their playing is as tight as they have ever been! Thanks to the band for "moving forward"!
	Boo to the Naysayers	Tom Muniz
As a seasoned fan I have to say Boo and go away to all the naysayers in the previous reviews I have read. Of course the band is not the same without Jon and Rick, but how about the others, still able to tour and sound great after all these years and play OUR songs. Alan was great on the drums, maybe because of the grief he was getting in the reviews. Oliver did great and from the second row and DID show life. I think like his father that the importance of the music and trying to get it right makes up for any perceived lack of stage presence. Remember how dependent they are on the sound engineer. Benoit did seem better last year when I saw this tour but is still adequate. As much as Jon has contributed to the music and emotional themes of the band the others still get to play us this timeless music. I think Chris is the front man now, he was spectacular. Steve was great, and although he played great with Asia, when YES arrived his music jumped a notch. All in all I hope they can bring us their music for years to come, and I appreciate them.
	painter31	robert dillon
Thankyou just Thank you for the memories washed over my life the tears and the smiles
	<No Title Given>	DEBBIE SAMSKY
LOVED THE SHOW!!! HAD VIP PASS & MET BAND MEMBERS AFTERWARDS
	#YES FAN!	DEBBIE SAMSKY
LOVED THE SHOW!!! HAD THE VIP PASS & MET BAND MEMBERS AFTERWARD. CHRIS, STEVE, & ALAN WERE TIRED & JUST WANTED TO REST, BUT OLIVER & BENOIT WERE DELIGHTFUL & CHATTY! DO AGREE THAT IF THEY RETURN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PLAY A NEW LINE UP OF SONGS, "RHYTHM OF LOVE" BEING MAY ALL-TIME YES FAVE!!!
	# 1YES FAN!	DEBBIE SAMSKY
LOVED THE SHOW!!! HAD THE VIP PASS & MET BAND MEMBERS AFTERWARD. CHRIS, STEVE, & ALAN WERE TIRED & JUST WANTED TO REST, BUT OLIVER & BENOIT WERE DELIGHTFUL & CHATTY! DO AGREE THAT IF THEY RETURN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM PLAY A NEW LINE UP OF SONGS, "RHYTHM OF LOVE" BEING MAY ALL-TIME YES FAVE!!!