Jon Anderson of Yes
Queensryche's loss is clearly evident on the new CD "Q2K" and sorely missed in the band's live performance. DeGarmo was replaced by Kelly Gray, an old bandmate of lead singer Geoff Tate. Gray never quite takes on the full compliment of leads left behind by DeGarmo. Since this band has always had a dual assault on lead guitar, it is Michael Wilton who seizes the opportunity to shine now that he's out of the shadow of Chris DeGarmo. Wilton handled the lead guitar duties in fine fashion but fell short when attempting to cover the old DeGarmo leads. The power of this band once lied in the fact that it had two strong lead guitarists. Gray just doesn't measure up.
The two guitarists do work well together, complimenting each other and so forth, but for those fans who remember the good old days, it was disappointing. The song selection was poor, based mostly on two records "Operation:Mindcrime" and "Empire", with the requisite songs from the new CD. It was great to hear the new stuff, but basing the rest of the show on Mindcrime was lame. Lead singer Geoff Tate said that it was great to be back in Connecticut and that he knows we love the old stuff, and then he plays Mindcrime! Queensryche had three releases out before Mindcrime and they played a grand total of one song from the pre-Mindcrime era: "Walk in the Shadows". Nice touch but not a novelty. They've played that song at every show we've seen since 1991.
Yes, on the other hand, did make an attempt to cover their vast history in their 2 hour set. They touched on many of their early works, including The Yes Album, Fragile, and Going For The One. This is their second album and tour with the current lineup, and they seem better melded than last time around. The connection between lead guitarist Steve Howe and rhythm guitarist Billy Sherwood is slightly less tenuous than in the past. Although Howe still appears disgusted whenever Sherwood covers any of former singer/guitarist Trevor Rabin's old guitar licks.
Yes showcased much of the new CD, "The Ladder". This CD deserves a listen -- but you'll have to go out and buy it because you won't hear it on the radio! They also played three rarities: the epic masterpiece "Awaken", the thought-provoking "Perpetual Change", and "Hearts" from the hit-driven record 90125. These three songs were definitely the highlight of the show. It's time Yes left out long-time concert staples like "Roundabout", "I've Seen All Good People" and "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and tossed in some songs that their fans crave, like anything from the "Drama" record for starters. Maybe next millennium!
Review and photographs by Steph Perry
1999, 1998, 1997 Rock Notes On-Line - http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/5014/