Yes at Westbury, Long Island NY

So, now we're in Long Island, New York State.

If I've told them once, I've told them a thousand times - it's Yes first, Flea Market second.

Now, the very interesting thing about Westbury is that it is a theatre in the round, with a revolving stage.  I've see Yes in the round before in the 90s, but it's a very rare event to see them like this.  

As you can see, we were sitting by what is called on the theatre schematic 'the orchestra pit' - a view through the cabinet of Steve's guitars.  The advantage is that we were slightly higher up and in the eyeline of the band, whereas at the actual front of the stage, you are quite low down.

Steve's guitars.  Don't, whatever you do, touch them.

Here we go!  Machine Messiah...

The stage is not only in the round, but it is also revolving very slowly.  First one way, then the other, like a Disney teacup.  It's a very intimate space, and with the audience all around, it's a very centralised energy that builds up.  It's obviously quite different for the band as well, who have to find each other in different places from usual to catch their eyes for various cues.

I suspect the set up made Geoff slightly uncomfortable.  He said it was fun, but it's quite exposing if you're used to being in your own wee area at the back of the stage.

Jon and Jay.  Jon also said it was fun, keeping everyone on their toes as everyone is in a different place throughout the set.  It's also quite a bear-pit, with all the energy of the audience focussing downwards into the middle.  It's very intense, with faces all around you.

Jon was on a little raised platform in the middle.

Steve on his rug.

It's like they're being abducted by a giant UFO.

Informal footwear from Jon.

Sad preacher nailed upon the coloured door of time... Billy plays the harmonica, just like Chris did, which is a little emotional jolt.

I like these photos because of the way Jon is sitting, watching and listening whilst Steve plays Leaves of Green.

This is the all-hands-on-deck percussive part in Ritual...

...which means glasses-on for Geoff. 

Deploy the special effects!!

It was only with the revolving stage that you could see all the work that everyone is doing that you really don't appreciate from a static front view.  For example, at the very very end of Ritual, think of the drums.  Can't think of any?  Well, Jay is still working away, adding all sorts of delicate texture to the piece.  

There is a huge amount of finesse and performance going on from all of them that you don't even appreciate, which goes to create the fullness of the sound.  And you just don't get any of that from a rubbish recording made on someone's wobbly i-phone twelve rows away and posted on Youtube.  You get it, and the emotional punch which is so integral to Yes music, from actually seeing it in front of you.  When you see it, and all the interaction and complexity going on, it helps you understand it.

 Take a bow...

Have a look at the blogs of my other Yesshows,  - Wallingford Connecticut and Staten Island.

Yes at Wallingford, Connecticut

No Yes, no holiday.

So here I am, back from touring in America with Yes on their US summer 'Album Series' tour, featuring Drama from 1980 and two side of Tales from Topographic Oceans from 1973 (Ritual and the Revealing Science of God).

Drama was a revelation on the UK tour back in May.  The disasterously brittle, punky, shallow disappointment of the Buggles era, complete with mechanoid Trevor and his robotic delivery, was suddenly transformed by Jon Davison who basically reinvented it and gave it a soul.  And lo, Drama became an album of endless delights, of beautiful notes and soaring melodies and grungy bass and sassy drumming.  Hey hey hey! Who knew...?

Here we are at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre, in Wallingford in Connecticut, the state of trees and casinos. 

Here's Steve kicking off in Machine Messiah.

Steve was a bit annoyed with the audience, with their flashlights, their i-Pads and their whooping and hollering, which interferes with his in-the-zone playing.  In fact, at one point (Leaves of Green) he got up and kicked over his footstool in anger.  He was also particularly unchuffed with his poor long-suffering guitar tech.  One of his favourite guitars had been broken and was out of commission for a couple of shows.  Maybe that was making him tetchy.

Having said all that, he then got right into it all, and did an over-twiddle-tastic Roundabout.

Here's Jon, who's ditched the kaftans and it now in nice ordinary shirts.He's having fun, and can hold a note into infinity if necessary.  Boy, can that man hold a note.

 Here's Geoff 'Finally Playing His Own Music' Downes.

'Man in a white car' sings Jon, in the strange little brief White Car.

Giving good seaweed during Tales.  Whilst Revealing was a bit ropy, Ritual had obviously got all the attention during rehearsals, and was blessed with some rather fierce smoke jet effects.

Jay was replacing Alan on the drums.  Poor old Alan was an absolute trooper to have done the UK/Europe leg of the tour, despite being in so much back pain.  Jay did a sterling job, busily counting throughout and playing with some lovely light touches and attention to detail, although his hair did prove to be rather distracting.

Oh look.  It's the Holy Trinity themselves, the 'true Yes' (their words, not mine) who'll be round in a couple of months.   

It's currently $750 for a front row seat here to see them, $650 second row etc.  Back home, it's over £300, and I don't know anyone who's bought one. At this rate, ARW will be staring from the stage into the dark uninhabited abyss, with what audience there is lined up against the back wall.

Wonder how many they sold here?

Anyway, not many photos here - but have a look at my other Yes blogs - Westbury Long Island and Staten Island.

Cute 'n' Funky

Here's those aforementioned cute 'n' funky little Welsh block canvasses, beautifully presented in groups on my grandma's old carpet on the floor of my studio!

How good do they look...!

East Fortune Air Show

Spent a lovely day over on the east coast on Saturday, at the East Fortune Air Show.

There were displays by the Red Arrows, along with historic aircraft and acrobatic displays.

As well as the amazing aircraft, I had a seat on a rug by a rather smashing bit of foreground in front of a field. Luckily the weather was fine, if a little overcast (hence the lack of blue sky).

Now, you must also remember that I only had my little teeny tiny Olympus camera - same one I take photos of Welsh beaches and rock stars with.  But you should have seen some of the lenses on cameras that people had!!  They were like the Hubble Telescope...

Pretty good, even though I say it myself, with my little camera.  

It reminded me of this... The Battle of Britain by Paul Nash.