------------------------------------------------------- SEPTEMBER 5, 2004 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Allentown Morning Call http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-5yessep05,0,5663600.story\?coll=all-newslocal-hed Contributed by Donna Hayes Yes rocks Allentown crowd of thousands with '70s hits and varied musical styles By Geoff Gehman The Yes show Friday night at the Allentown Fairgrounds grandstand was more than a little like the set, which was more than a little like an inflatable Martian aquarium. The nearly two-hour concert for 6,753 was fun, wondrous and, in one case, more than a little inflated. This tour is advertised as Yes' 35th anniversary party. On Friday the quintet celebrated by playing only songs from the 1970s, its glory decade. Three of the 11 tunes were fairly short and tight: ''Going for the One,'' ''Sweet Dreams'' and ''Don't Kill the Whale.'' Every other selection, including the encores ''Starship Trooper'' and ''Roundabout,'' was a long, complicated suite. After an overly grandiose introduction, ''America'' became a snappy sampler of American popular music. Guitarist Steve Howe led the way, smoothly switching between country, funk, jazz and Southern rock. ''South Side of the Sky'' broke into a blistering call-and-answer-and-raise duel between Howe and keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Bassist Chris Squire patrolled the middle with loin-buzzing notes, treating his instrument like a sledgehammer. ''And You and I'' soared higher than usual. The second section, one of Yes' most inspiring compositions, was mesmerizingly slow, reverent and sweet. All in all, the performance evoked the giddy feeling of riding a Ferris wheel at night. Everyone was in fine form. Jon Anderson's pinched, feathery voice was welcoming and endearing. Squire was that rare bassist who combined the skills of a drummer, a guitarist and an organist. Howe turned quick contrary voices into clean, racing duets. Wakeman excelled at astral honky-tonk. Drummer Alan White played beefy beats and nimble flourishes. A few quibbles: ''Don't Kill the Whale'' was too standard, too earthbound, for such an intergalactic concert. It should have been replaced by something feistier (like ''Changes'') or something more uplifting (i.e., ''Wonderous Stories''). ''Awaken'' sounded anticlimactic after ''And You and I,'' which was more dynamic and dramatic. ''Awaken'' was also weighed down by a heavy ''Arabian Nights'' interlude, although it was enjoyable to hear Anderson on a small harp and Squire on a three-headed bass. Dream Theater, which cites Yes as a role model, opened with a fascinating, frustrating set. The five musicians mastered the elements of operatic heavy metal: marauding riffs, quicksilver chases, machine-gun stops. Bad habits upset the band's Swiss-watch precision. Way too many obvious transitions simulated endless warmups. As a result, majestic jams became merely urgent. Singer James LaBrie spent too much time preaching and too little time coaxing. He made everything sound like an anthem on trial. Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, inquiries, corrections, or additions, contact yitp@yesservices.com