------------------------------------------------------- MAY 17, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Lowell Sun http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1413,105~4838~2153726,00.html It's affirmative: Yes delivers By Ed Hannan Suffice it to say that Yes showed Saturday night why they call the format classic rock. After a three-hour tour de force that should be required viewing for all up-and-coming rock bands when the Tsongas Arena concert comes out on DVD later this year, all that can be said is, "Wow." And while various incarnations of the quintet (Yes is known almost as much for its chameleon-like lineup as it is for its ethereal music) have played in Massachusetts throughout the years, including numerous times at the Boston Garden in their 1970s heyday, Saturday night's show marked its first venture into the Mill City. It won't soon be forgotten by anyone in the near-sellout crowd. http://www.lowellsun.com/Stories/0,1413,105~4838~2153726,00.html#  There were so many highlights during the show, the final performance in a North American spring tour to commemorate the band's 35th anniversary, that it's hard to note them all. From the uplifting "Sweet Dreams" early in the show to "Yours Is No Disgrace" at its conclusion, this was a night of spot-on performances across the board. When you think of Yes, chances are you think of Jon Anderson's vocals and Rick Wakeman on the keyboard. Neither disappointed Saturday night, but longtime cohorts Steve Howe on guitar and Chris Squire on bass also had plenty of room to shine. After thousands of shows performing together in some form (as was mentioned earlier, the band rarely plays with the same lineup from one tour to the next, although the current lineup features perhaps its best-known members), the unit remains musically as tight as ever. With more than a half-dozen cameras on hand to preserve the occasion for posterity, Yes was up to the challenge and then some. Braving a sweltering Tsongas Arena (Anderson remarked on more than one occasion that someone forgot to turn on the air conditioning) that evoked memories of long-ago concerts in the climate-uncontrolled Garden, they brought the goods. Early highlights included the classic medley "Time Is Time/I've Seen All Good People" (which makes little sense lyrically other than promoting peace) and "Foot Prints." After a 30-minute intermission, Yes embarked on a seven-song acoustic set that dragged on too long and included too many of their hits, including "Long Distance Runaround," "Wondrous Stories," "Roundabout," and "Owner of a Lonely Heart," all of which felt a bit too watered-down and plodding with the unplugged arrangement. Things perked up again when they plugged in again for the final hour of the show. Late highlights included '80s hit "Rhythm of Love" from the Big Generator album, where Anderson made his way around the arena to a small stage in the middle of the floor, and a 30-minute version (yes, you read that correctly) of "Ritual," which included enough tempo changes, pauses, and interludes to where it felt like a concert unto itself. Around this point, the evening became a spectacle. A two-song encore featured the Beatles' "Every Little Thing" (which Anderson said was one of the first songs Yes recorded in 1968) and "Loneliness Is a Power" that brought the evening to a fitting climax. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, inquiries, corrections, or additions, contact yitp@yesservices.com