----------------------------------------------------- NOVEMBER 21, 2002 ----------------------------------------------------- Source: Madison Capital Times Yes' blast from past keeps diehards happy By Rob Thomas Yes came to Madison on Tuesday night, and Madison said no. Well, all but about 2,000 or so fans said no to seeing the band, which made for about 8,000 empty seats at the Alliant Energy Center Coliseum. To be fair, the venerable British rock band has been playing 2,500-seat theaters in other cities on its fall tour, so Madison's seemingly poor turnout wasn't that bad. And the fans who did show up were mostly diehards, for whom, as one fan put it, Yes is like their Grateful Dead. As the show started, the fans seemed relieved and excited to find that Yes may look older, but they still have the chops of their younger selves. Or as lead singer Jon Anderson wryly put it, "Music from 30 years ago, and it seems like ... 30 years ago." Yes is the reigning champion of the progressive rock movement of the early 1970s. While their peers either folded (Emerson, Lake and Palmer) or adapted to changing tastes (Genesis), Yes remained resolutely an art rock band. All the musicians in the band's ever-shifting lineup were top-notch and not shy about showing it, making layered, elegant rock music that drew as much from folk and classical music as it did from blues or country, rock's traditional ancestors. Some of it was more than a little cheesy, but you could never say Yes wasn't pushing the envelope. But there was something about Yes' ambition and artistry that ran contrary to the ragged, do-it-yourself spirit of rock 'n' roll, though, and its detractors were as passionate as its fans. Walk into any high school cafeteria in the 1970s and early 1980s, and you wouldn't find any Yes likers -- just Yes lovers and Yes haters. Now, of course, Yes' approach to music is irrelevant to modern popular music. And that makes it seem admirable, almost noble in a way, that they're still investing so much effort into playing it. Tuesday's set completely skipped the band's more radio-friendly and commercially successful music of the 1980s in favor of their more adventurous early material. Most of the songs ran at least seven minutes long, and in some cases stretched out to 15 minutes or more, some like "Close to the Edge" featuring several distinct movements. The phenomenal guitarist Steve Howe and equally flashy bassist Chris Squire, who plays the bass like it was a lead instrument, dueled each other with furious precision for stretches of a song, and then faded back to make room for Anderson's vocals and Rick Wakeman's otherworldly keyboards. Although Anderson's trademark falsetto has a bit of a rasp to it, he can hit all the high notes he used to and had some impressive three-part harmonies with Howe and Squire on songs like "Siberian Khatru." The band closed with a majestic "Awaken," and the encore was a rousing "Starship Trooper" that got the crowd to their feet cheering. The band also made time to showcase some solo performances, the most impressive of which was a gorgeous pair of acoustic tunes by Howe and a fiery jam between the show-offy Squire and drummer Alan White. Yes also played a song from its most recent studio album, and I doubt anyone in the audience will rush out to buy it. But I'd bet good money that most of them will haul out their old vinyl Yes albums, put on the headphones and crank up the volume. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com