An Evening of Yes Music and More

An Evening of Yes Music and More was a worldwide concert tour by the rock band Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, formed by lead vocalist Jon Anderson, guitarist Trevor Rabin and keyboardist Rick Wakeman, all former members of the English rock band Yes. Launched ten months after the group officially announced their formation, the tour visited theatres, halls, and arenas across North America, Europe and Asia.

The name of the tour is a reference to ''An Evening of Yes Music Plus'', a 1989-90 concert tour by Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, ABWH, an older band which also consisted of former Yes members, and of which Anderson and Wakeman were members.

The tour is documented on a live album and DVD.

Overview

The tour began on 4 October 2016 under the name ''Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman'' and ran until the end of summer 2017. The band started using the new name of ''Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman'' on the early 2017 tour leg, and then launched the new name in April to promote the North American summer tour.

Additional touring musicians were bassist Lee Pomeroy and drummer Lou Molino III. The tour marked the first time the three former Yes members performed together since Yes' List of Yes concert tours (1980s–90s)#Union Tour, Union Tour of 1991–1992. The tour saw two songs dropped from the set after only one show: "Tales from Topographic Oceans, Leaves of Green" and "Starship Trooper". Other songs were steadily added to the set as Rabin's confidence in his voice improved; the song "Lift Me Up (Yes song), Lift Me Up" was added for the second show on 7 October 2016, and a fan favourite, "Changes (Yes song), Changes", was added to the show on 22 October 2016.

Personnel

Yes featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman
*Jon Anderson – lead vocals, lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, acoustic rhythm guitar, Celtic harp, percussion
* Trevor Rabin – lead guitars (acoustic and electric guitar, electric), timpani on "Awaken," backing and lead vocals
*Rick Wakeman – electronic keyboard, keyboards, synthesisers

Additional musicians
*Lee Pomeroy – bass guitar, bass, backing vocals (except Japan)
*Lou Molino III – drum kit, drums, percussion, backing vocals
*Iain Hornal – bass, backing vocals (Japan only)

Special guests
*Grouplove, Ryan Rabin - drums on "Owner of a Lonely Heart" (22 November 2016)

Setlists

Pre-tour speculation

In an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, Anderson stated that the band would perform classic Yes songs like "Awaken (Yes song), Awaken" and "And You and I" as well as some songs from ''Talk (Yes album), Talk'' (1994), ''90125'' (1983) and ''Big Generator'' (1987). Anderson also hinted at the songs "Perpetual Change" and "Starship Trooper" to be played. He also assured that the setlist shouldn't fluctuate from night to night, stating: "It's like a movie to me, a play. Once you've got [the setlist] right, you stick to it since it'll only get better. If you start changing it you finish up a little bit confused."

In a separate interview with ''The Prog Report'' Rabin stated that "Shoot High, Aim Low" was due to be performed on the tour as well as "a lot from ''90125''".

Setlists

Setlist 1 (4 October 2016 – 22 July 2017)

The currently known setlist (all songs are by Yes unless otherwise noted):

#

Intro: Classical arrangement of the "Perpetual Change" theme
#"Cinema (Instrumental), Cinema"
#"Perpetual Change"
#"Hold On (Yes song), Hold On"
#"I've Seen All Good People"
#Drum solo / "Lift Me Up (Yes song), Lift Me Up"
(added on 7 October 2016; not played on 27 November 2016 due to Rabin being too unwell to sing.)
#"And You and I"
#"Rhythm of Love (Yes song), Rhythm of Love"
#"Heart of the Sunrise"
(originally played between "The Meeting" and "Awaken"; moved to this position from 22 October 2016 onwards)
#"Changes (Yes song), Changes"
(added on 22 October 2016; not played on 27 November 2016 due to Rabin being too unwell to sing.)
#"Long Distance Runaround"
#"The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" (tribute to Chris Squire)
(From 30 November 2016 this was extended to include excerpts from "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" and "The Revealing Science of God".)
#"Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (album), The Meeting" (Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, ABWH song)
(Dropped from 27 November 2016 – 25 March 2017.)
#"Awaken (Yes song), Awaken"
(originally played before "Long Distance Runaround"; moved to this position from 7 October 2016 onwards.)
#"Make It Easy" / "Owner of a Lonely Heart"

Encore:
#"Roundabout (song), Roundabout"
(originally played after "The Fish"; moved to this position from 7 October 2016 onwards, replacing "Starship Trooper" as the encore.)

; Other songs
* "Tales from Topographic Oceans, Leaves of Green" (excerpt from "The Ancient")
(originally played after "Rhythm of Love")
(only played at the first show on 4 October 2016 i.e. dropped from 7 October 2016 onwards)
* "Starship Trooper"
(originally played as the unique encore)
(only played at the first show on 4 October 2016 i.e. dropped from 7 October 2016 onwards)
* "Hatikvah"
(National anthem of Israel. Performed by Rabin on guitar on 7 March 2017. Played between "Heart of the Sunrise" and "Changes")

Setlist 2 (26 August 2017 onwards)

On 26 August 2017 the band changed their set list. The new set list was as follows:

# "Cinema"
# "Perpetual Change"
# "Hold On"
# "South Side of the Sky"
# "Lift Me Up"
(Until 9 September 2017)
# "And You and I"
# "Changes"
(From 9 September 2017 onwards)
# "Rhythm of Love"
# "Talk (Yes album), I am Waiting"
# "Heart of the Sunrise"
# "Awaken"
# "Make It Easy" / "Owner of a Lonely Heart"

Encore:

# "Roundabout"

Tour dates

On 5 October 2016, the band announced, via their official Facebook page, that the original shows scheduled for 6 October and 12 October were to be cancelled. The show on 6 October at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was cancelled due to a Hurricane Matthew, hurricane warning and has been rescheduled for the same venue on 12 October. The original 12 October show at the Heinz Hall in Pittsburg has been cancelled due to an orchestra strike in the city and has been rescheduled for 30 October 2016 at the Byham Theatre. On 12 October 2016, ARW announced a second London show.

On 19 October 2016 Wakeman announced, via his personal blog, that an Israel show has been booked for 7 March 2017 and Japan dates for April 2017 before returning to North America in the summer of 2017.

References

External links

* Official website a
yesfeaturingarw.com
* Official Facebook page a
Facebook.com/YESfeaturingARW
* Official Twitter account a
Twitter.com/YESfeaturingARW

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2016 concert tours
2017 concert tours
Yes (band) concert tours