YES – The Royal Affair Tour (Live from Las Vegas) (2020)

Recorded during the YES headline North American tour in the summer of 2019, “The Royal Affair Tour” was a must-see best-of-British-rock show and featured support by ASIA.
The YES performing line up was Steve Howe (guitar), Alan White (drums), Geoff Downes (keyboards), Jon Davison (vocals since 2011) and Billy Sherwood (guitar/keyboards), the late Chris Squire’s choice to take over bass/vocals in 2015).
YES performed songs from their storied career, one of rock music’s most prized bodies of work, and their set was in honor of the memory of YES’ members Chris Squire and Peter Banks.
Continuing the ‘British’ theme, the set featured the band & Alan White tribute to John Lennon performing his iconic song “Imagine”. White was the drummer on Lennon’s solo material.

YES comes out blazing on the opener “No Opportunity Necessary No Experience Needed,” a breakneck rocker driven by drummers Alan White and Jay Schellen (who played additional drums) and current bassist Billy Sherwood. Howe is his usual spectacular self on guitar and Davidson glides smoothly over the top of it all.

“Tempus Fugit” from 1980’s Drama album is as brilliant as ever and features more fired-up fret work from Howe and Sherwood. “Having the opportunity to bring together the band members in the development of a well-refined set of songs that captures the band’s true potential is simply an honor for me,” Howe has said and it’s audibly obvious on these recordings how happy he is to still be with the group that introduced him to the world.
YES’ level of musicianship has always been incredibly high and fans will be happy to know nobody involved has lost a single step.

“I’ve Seen All Good People” is one of the most popular YES songs of all time and this live Vegas version is stunning. Davidson hits original singer Jon Anderson’s target dead on and lights up the entire room. The spirit of the band’s classic 70s period is present in every second of this performance and their energy is impressive to behold.
The show also contains covers of Paul Simon’s “America” and John Lennon’s “Imagine,” the original studio recording of which Alan White played on.

The show concludes with two of Yes’ most enduring tracks, “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper.” “Roundabout” was the band’s biggest radio hit back in the day and still packs a punch. Billy Sherwood handles Chris Squire’s signature bass parts with style and grace and pushes the band into the zone.
“Starship Trooper” is among the greatest prog cuts of the 20th Century and remains an artistic beacon in the present day.

This YES line up is as good as any other in the group’s long history and diehard fans are going to love every bit of this show. ”The Royal Affair Tour, Live From Las Vegas” is a strong showing from one of prog rock’s creators and gives us all the happy news that YES is nowhere near done defining greatness.
Highly Recommended

01 – No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed
02 – Tempus Fugit
03 – Going For The One
04 – All Good People
05 – Siberian Khatru
06 – Onward
07 – America (Paul Simon cover)
08 – Imagine (John Lennon cover)
09 – Roundabout
10 – Starship Trooper

Steve Howe (guitar)
Alan White (drums)
Geoff Downes (keyboards)
Jon Davison (vocals)
Billy Sherwood (bass, vocals)
Jay Schellen (additional drums)

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