-------------------------------------------------- AUGUST 31, 2001 -------------------------------------------------- Source: Danbury Connecticut News Times http://www.newstimes.com/news/today/enter.htm YES visits Ives, with a 50-piece orchestra in tow By Pamela Brown  YES will perform Monday at Ives Concert Park on WCSU’s westside campus.  If you’re looking for a night of rock music with a classical twist, The YES Symphonic Tour at the Ives Concert Park has everything you’ll ever want. This well-known British rock band will be performing Monday night at 6 with a 50-piece symphony orchestra.  YES will showcase selections from their soon-to-be-released CD, Magnification, and also perform their classic hits, including "Owner of A Lonely Heart," "Roundabout," and "Seen All Good People."  It’s an interesting age of music in which many musicians are becoming crossover artists, blending various styles of music. Rocking together for over thirty years, YES has been doing that all along.  Formed in 1968 by lead singer John Anderson, YES survived continual changes in both their lineup and musical expression. The band maintains a loyal fan base and is considered one of the most influential rock bands of all time.  YES has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and their music was recently featured in the hit movie, "Almost Famous." On a recent afternoon, drummer Alan White talked about the band’s history.  "There’s been so many different people (in the band), but I’ve been with them since July ’72. It was the 70s - a very adventurous time. We try to do new music all the time," said White.  An extraordinary combination of rock, pop, symphony, R&B, and jazz, YES has always been on the cutting edge.  "There are no YES clones out there," said White.  YES performed with a full orchestra in 1970 at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Thirty-one years later they are fulfilling their dream of touring with an orchestra.  "For many years people kept telling us and we had it in the back of our minds," White said. "This music lends itself to an orchestra so we decided to do it this time touring and on our new CD."  Magnification, which will hit stores in October, addresses life and love.  "We all wrote songs," White said. "It’s a giant collaborative idea. One of the songs 'Don’t Go' is how people bet themselves up inside and shouldn’t do it. Another one 'In The Presence Of' tells you to look around you and enjoy everything. 'Magnification' is one of the songs. It tells you to take a look at life and magnify things."  When YES started out, the British music scene was in disarray, with bands moving away from a pop-psychedelic sound to more powerful beats as typified by bands such as Cream and Deep Purple. In 1968 YES opened for the latter at their farewell concert that ultimately led to a steady gig at London’s Marquee Club and their first radio appearance. Their career commenced after opening for Janis Joplin in 1969.  Today the band is comprised of White, Anderson, Steve Howe (guitar), and Chris Squire (bass) who excite old and capture new fans with their euphoric 'classic rock.'  Their first self-titled album exemplified their signature style - pure harmony, exceptional musicianship, and a mix of folk, classical, and rock. YES’s music is infused with a uniqueness unsurpassed by rivals such as Genesis and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.  "We don’t get people cloning YES," White said. "Our music is not easy to play. In the ’80s we became more commercial with 90125 and Owner of a Lonely Heart. It was the era for us. In the 90s we started to make more music and its just been developing." Opening for Iron Butterfly coupled with the release of the successful "The Yes Album" in 1971 brought them fame in both England and America. YES made their first U.S. tour that year, opening for Jethro Tull and returning the next year with the J. Geils Band and Ten Years Later. YES stopped production of their follow-up album as band members came and went.  Fragile, their next release, reached No. 7 in England and No. 4 in the U.S.  It contained their first, most successful single 'Roundabout' which hit No. 13 on the U.S. charts.  As White explained, "Some of our music lends itself to dreamy sequences. You have to know the music well. It’s its own element. We always play original material. You can associate it with classical composers."  "At the same time, there’s rock-oriented parts to it," White continued. "YES draws influences from jazz, R&B, classical. It’s complex to play. And every member is known in the band and as a musician within himself."  Each member has released successful solo albums, White included.  Previously, YES was known for its dazzling live performance featuring lasers, revolving stages, and elaborate backdrops. Now, according to White, they emphasize superior sound engineering.  "One of the main effects we’ve always had is good staging and light shows. But our main effect is the orchestra itself."  The band uses a different orchestra at each venue. Their U.S. tour ends at Radio City Music Hall as they gear up for an extensive European tour.  Although the band members are all over 50, White said they still perform as young rockers.  "It makes you feel young. Yeah, 30 years later it’s taxing. But when the band is playing I feel good, better than I did when I was 20 years old. Some bands half our age only do shows for a half-hour and we’re performing one- or two-hour shows."  White, who underscores the band’s positive reputation, says the name of the band came from the original guitarist, Peter Banks.  "YES is the most positive word in the English language," White said.  Monday’s show begins at 6 p.m. at Ives Concert Park on Western Connecticut State University’s westside campus. Tickets cost $45 for a reserved seat, $70 for gold. Adult lawn tickets are $25; $10 for children 3-12. For tickets, call Ives Center Box Office at (203) 837-9226 or Ticketmaster at (203) 744-8100. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com