----------------------------------------------------- APRIL 27, 1979  ----------------------------------------------------- Source: Milwaukee Journal Rock's 'YES' was Target, but Its Music was a Hit By Daniel P. Kelly The renaissance space elves of rock -- five guys from England known as Yes -- earned some fancy combat pay during a spectacular concert in the Arena Thursday night. A sellout crowd of 11,685 turned out. Performing on a revolving stage in the center of the Arena floor, the fragile appearing musicians served as moving targets for several dozen well supplied Frisbee throwers during much of the show. Apparently disbelieving the relative proximity of the band, some of those without Frisbees improvised. One fan threw a drink on drummer Alan White. When he tried to throw himself over the moat-like barrier that surrounded the stage, however he was ejected. And don't fret too much for the stars. Despite a couple of close calls, they didn't get hit, and a conservative estimate of the take from the sales of $6.50 and $8.50 tickets is $95,000. Most of that surely sent along on the trip to Madison for a concert tonight. Several fans left early at the behest of plainclothes policemen. In one incident, two policemen -- one dressed in a sports shirt and jeans, the other in janitorial clothes -- dragged away three girls in their early teens, apparently for smoking next to an aisle door. When policemen and bouncers and ushers and Frisbees and screaming fans weren't distracting attention, the concert had its moments. The show, part of a 10th anniversary tour by the band, featured more older selections than usual. Live Album Expected If the group's intention was to solidify its rapport with its audience, it certainly succeeded. Playing without a warmup act, Yes mounted the stage at 8:15 p.m. and played its cosmic rock non-stop for two hours. It finally yielded to the demands heard all night and offered 1972's "Roundabout," its only hit single, as the only encore. Most of the band's songs reflected the distinctive blend of the electronic and symphonic sophistication, with vaguely religious lyrics, that defined Yes for years. Best Songs Most of the time, the music swirled in cacophonous waves from speakers hung above the stage and pointed in every direction. Among the most successful songs were "Heart of the Sunrise," "Long Distance Runaround," "Starship Trooper," "I've Seen All Good People," and Steve Howe's acoustic guitar showpiece, "The Clap." The giant bank of keyboards manned by Rick Wakeman lent the group its most distinctive sound and shone brightly on a showcase from his first and best solo album, "The Six Wives of Henry VIII." Singer Jon Anderson, dressed in what looked like lavender pajamas, spent most of his time prancing about on a raised platform in the center of the stage, dispensing the lyrics to songs such as "And You and I" in his impossibly high-pitched voice. Perhaps the most impressive feature of the concert was the lighting. Eschewing such staples of previous Yes tours as lasers, films and flashpods, the group used dozens of colored lights, which poured down from an eight-point star hung over the band. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com