YES – In The Present Live From Lyon (2011)
Prog Rock legend YES are releasing a new album recorded in Lyon, France, back on December 1st 2009. “In The Present Live From Lyon” includes 2 CDs and a DVD, which offers some excerpts from the live show, interviews, and other behind the scenes goodies. Purists can also secure the live set on vinyl in a three platter gate-fold edition.
This performance features Canadian Benoit David (substituting for Jon Anderson) who has recorded the excellent last studio album with the band ‘Fly From Here’.
Being this show prior to ‘Fly From Here’, none of the new songs is included, but the good thing is that the band is playing live – since a long time – old gems Jon Anderson refused to play in their gigs.
It’s a pleasure to listen great versions of “Onward”, “Tempus Fugit”, and classics “Yours Is No Disgrace”, “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper”.
For the 80’s megahit “Owner of a Lonely Heart” the band offers a long version including a tasteful Steve Howe guitar solo at the end.
New singer Benoit David does a fine job handling his duties really hitting every note perfectly. Of course every track here is extremely tight as I would expect nothing less from this band no matter who is in the line-up.
“In The Present Live From Lyon” is certainly representative of YES in its current form and time. Perhaps what would have made this package even better would be the full concert on DVD.
We get 14 tracks here and several over ten minutes yet it never seems too long, instead it just flows very well and I felt very satisfied with the album as a whole.
What I particularly like is the fact that with a band like YES, you never get the ‘same studio version’ played live. Of course, they maintain the essence of the songs but all the time adding interesting and unexpected twists, extra arrangements and solos.
Very Good.
You’ve seen it first here, at zerodayrock
CD 1 :
01 – Siberian Khatru
02 – I’ve Seen All Good People
03 – Tempus Fugit
04 – Onward
05 – Astral Traveller
06 – Yours Is No Disgrace
07 – And You And I
08 – Corkscrew (acoustic solo)
CD 2 :
01 – Owner Of A Lonely Heart
02 – South Side Of The Sky
03 – Machine Messiah
04 – Heart Of The Sunrise
05 – Roundabout
06 – Starship Trooper
Benoit David: Lead Vocals
Steve Howe: Guitar, Vocals
Chris Squire: Bass, Vocals
Geoff Downes: Keyboards
Alan White: Drums, Percussion
BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Present-Live-Lyon/dp/B0067JMJ8E
