Yeschic's Yesstories


"AConcert"

***Please note: All events occuring within are completely fictional and are all in good fun. I do not know any members of Yes (past or present)!***

(Scene: A Yes concert at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 1999.  Michelle, a neophyte Yes fan, 19 years old, is standing at the souvenir booth, practically buying out the shop.  A tall man with mussed hair walks up next to her.  She turns her head towards him, and her eyes grow wide as she realises who he is.)

Michelle: Billy?! Billy Sherwood?! Hi!  :)

Billy: Um, hello.

Michelle: Pleasure to meet you! (she holds out her hand towards him)

Billy: (takes her hand and gives it a firm shake) Nice to meet you, too...um, what did you say your name was?

Michelle: (blushing) oops, I'm sorry, I don't believe I told you my name. It's Michelle.   Michelle Austin.

Billy: Well, it's nice to meet you, Michelle, but I have to go tune my guitar... (he starts walking away)

Michelle: (pays for her numerous purchases and turns to walk to him. She gets close, and calls his name) Billy! (he turns) I'd like to talk to you. If you don't mind, of course...

Billy: Oh, of course I don't mind! I still have some time before we go on...

Michelle: Well, howe do you like working with the guys? It must be great, huh?

Billy: Yeah, it's really cool. They're really nice guys, and all very intelligent. They're really great. I think you'd love them.

Michelle: I already do! :-)

Billy: Wow! You're pretty enthusiastic about us, huh? :-)

Michelle: Oh yeah! Absolutely! :-)

Billy: Well... (a bit wary, but eager to leave and tune his guitar) The reason I was out here was because I have this backstage pass that I was going to give to a friend of mine who wasn't able to come tonight. I was going to see if I could find someone who could use it. You seem pretty interested in us, do you want it?

Michelle: (her heart skipping a beat) You mean it, Billy?

Billy: Well, I figured somebody could use it...

Michelle: I'd love to have it! Thank you so much!  :)

Billy: (hands her the pass and her eyes light up) Well, I really need to be going now.... See you after the show!

Michelle: Yeah, later, Billy! And thanks again!

Billy: You're welcome.

Michelle: Good luck! To all of you!

Billy: Thank you. 'Bye! (He walks away, and she returns to her seat in the pavillion. She tells her friends, Christina and Tara, about howe she met Billy Sherwood.)

Tara: No way, man!

Christina: Hey, what about us?

Michelle: Ooooh...I didn't think about that! You guys wanna wait in the car? No test-driving, Tina! ;-P

Christina: Well, what're we going to do in the car? We'll be bored out of our minds!

Michelle: (whispering) Oh, come on, you've got two whole dime bags of pot on you, man!  Figure it out...one for the concert, one for the car.

Christina: Oh. Um, yeah.

Tara: Dude, my dad's not going to like me coming home smelling like weed!

Michelle: (rolls her eyes) Come on, now! You're at a concert of a rock band who accumulated the majority of their fans in the 70's, when smoking pot was totally en vogue! Last year when I went to the concert all you could smell was cigarettes, clove cigarettes, beer, and pot! Even though half the crowd is over 30, they still know howe to ROCK, man!

Christina: (looks around) Yeah, man, that kinda sucks. When I go see Social Distortion, everybody's well under 30!

Michelle: If you want your punk rock fix, run out and buy Yes's "Drama" album! I'm sure they won't be playing any songs from that album tonight, though...

Christina: (now quite interested) Dude, they play punk?!

Michelle: Relax, man! Jon doesn't like that album too much--oh, he's the lead singer. His voice is awesome, man! You can feel it in your SOUL! You see, Drama is the only Yes album Jon isn't on... (makes a face of deep thought) Perhaps he somewhat resents the fact that he left the band... Or maybe he just can't fathom the band going on without him, and resents the fact that it did. Man, Yes will never die! The people, maybe, but the music lives on! We, the fans, will keep it in our hearts and souls!

Some Guy In The Row Behind Them: Right on, man!

Tara: Whoah, man... You better stop it with those Yes-sermons...

Michelle: Oops, sorry, man. You know howe it is... And after tonight, you'll understand! (Tara & Christina exchange a "She's-Crazy-But-We-Love-Her-Anyways" look. "Firebird: Opening Suite" starts playing, and Michelle's eyes grow wide with anticipation.) It's starting!!

(The band comes on stage and the crowd of devoted Yes fans, including Michelle, rise to their feet as Yes begins playing "Siberian Khatru"-one of Michelle's favorites. The concert goes on with some other Yes classics such as "I've Seen All Good People", "Roundabout", "Long Distance Runaround", "The Fish: Shindleria Praematurus" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart", along with other, less known [except to Yes fans!] songs such as "Ritual-Nous Sommes du Soleil" [another of Michelle's favorites], "To Be Over", "Mood For a Day", "Clap", "Perpetual Change", "Wonderous Stories", and a couple of selections from the newest CD, called "The Ladder". The concert ends with an explosive encore of "Love Will Find a Way", "Awaken", and "Future Times/Rejoice".)

Michelle: (turning to her friends) Well? Did you guys like it?

Tara: Yeah, man! Totally groovy!

Christina: (now higher than a kite after hogging most of the pot) Whoa, man! I could totally feel it, man! I feel so...enlightened.

Michelle: I suppose it helps when you're high.... It took me a little while before I could completely understand what their message is...

Tara: Yeah, I don't quite understand some of it, either... But they sounded GREAT! It was truly amazing! I never thought that music could sound that good!

Michelle: I'm so glad that you've both been enlightened. :-) I feel my mission here is almost complete. (She pulls out her keys, with numerous keychains hanging from it, including one made with picture and letter beads. The letters spell out "YES" and the pictures are of a daisy, a smiley face, and a heart. She throws them to Tara.) Hey man, go back to the car, I'm going to meet the gods of Prog Rock. And soon, oh soon, I'll be there with you. ;-P

Tara: Okay, man! Come on, Tina.

Christina: Okay...

(Michelle goes backstage. She is the only person there under the age of 28, and she oddly feels both out of place and at home at the same time. She is at home, because these people welcome her despite the age difference, not seeing her as "some kid", but as a kindred spirit, one who also understands and loves Yes.)