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In The Presence of Their Past A Kweevak.com Rock Report by Rich and Laura Lynch There sure was a lot of Drama surrounding the new YES "In The Present" Tour now playing theaters, clubs and arenas in the Fall of 2008. First, the band announced a 40th anniversary string of dates that was quickly scrubbed when singer Jon Anderson fell ill. Then, YES discovered tribute band singer Benoit David on YouTube and decided to hit the road with him - much to their founding frontman's published chagrin - initially expressing his dismay for the current undertaking through his web page.
 Benoit David - In The Present But, like the 1981 book Getting to Yes about the art of compromise in seeking win-win negotiation the ultimate outcome of this progressive rock soap opera has proven to be mostly positive for all involved - band and fans alike. Formed and founded by Jon Anderson (vocalist) and Chris Squire (bass) in 1968, the band YES pioneered progressive rock. Their music melds complex classical structures with rock in epic arrangements with abstract lyrics. YES has been through many member changes but masterful musicianship and creativity have remained a constant through their four decade history. The classic YES line-up of guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire and drummer Alan White have launched the "In The Present" tour on November 4th in Hamilton, Ontario, marking yet another chapter in the art-rockers' amazing, sometimes contentious 40-year career of legendary live performances. The three are being joined by keyboardist Oliver Wakeman, the son of YES' Rick Wakeman, and taking a cue from Journey's recent success with Arnel Pineda the band has added vocalist Benoit David (to cover for Jon who is on the mend), a Montreal, Quebec, native and singer in several YES tribute groups, who was discovered by the group on the Internet.
 Steve Howe - In The Present YES played at the recently renovated Paramount Theater in Asbury Park, New Jersey on November 15, 2008. This was our first time seeing any incarnation of YES. The crowd was a mix with many veteran fans who have seen YES since the start of their career. Others were checking out the current line-up at multiple concerts and many we met were still buzzing about the NYC show the night before. The Paramount audience was attentive and allowed Benoit David ample opportunity to prove himself. Benoit - out of all the group - is under the most pressure to deliver with the legacy of Jon Anderson looming large. David aptly handled the vocal challenges of the YES catalogue in a cool, collected manner that including slight dancing and swaying during the jams. He missed some lyrics and notes but was solid throughout the night. The other "newcomer" Oliver Wakeman (who resembles father Rick) is the apprentice and heir apparent to the Wizard's throne. During the first few songs Oliver looked very serious but as the set progressed he smiled more and handled himself gracefully. Not quite as commanding as his father, Oliver's concise, clean keyboards (mostly Korgs) added much color to this career spanning concert. Classical music announced the arrival of the band (all smartly dressed) to a stage filled with gear and a hanging three-dimensional Roger Dean creation that reflected the color changes of the stage lighting. YES came out strong with "Siberian Khatru", which featured Steve alternating from guitar to slide. Howe's complex chords melded into cascading keyboards, blending with Chris' bold bass lines and White's wicked drumming. "I've Seen All Good People" featured gorgeous guitar (a Gibson) work from Steve, with the crowd clapping along and Benoit ably handling the versatile vocals. Afterwards, Squire took a moment to introduce the new members of the group before moving into "Tempus Fugit" from Drama a technically tight tune powered by dense drumming and beguiling baselines.
 Chris Squire - In The Present "This next song from Tormato is one I requested", stated Benoit before performing "Onward" a striking song that was slow and sweet enhanced by Steve' s pretty picking. Vocals were at the forefront before flowing into gushing keys with some harmonies. The vocally ambitious piece was well received. "I heard this on a bootleg and liked it," stated Steve before performing "Astral Traveler" from Time and a Word - a potent, progressive piece with punchy rhythms. "Close To The Edge" was colorful with Howe alternating guitars for added textures and tones. Squire's bass was plucky and punchy propelled by Alan's dynamic drumming. White who reportedly was battling the flu was commendable all night. Thus, YES closed the first set with an excellent execution of their epic with all its complex changes and chord structures. After a short intermission, YES performed the free flowing "Parallels", which featured David playing a drum pad towards the end of the tune. Steve alternated between his trusty blue guitar and the slide for '"And You and I". The piece was a pageant with it's parade of changes and elaborate structures. Steve - armed with acoustics guitars, one a Rickenbacker - was super during his solos. Except for a few ardent fans shouting there was silence so that Howe's simple yet succulent compositions could be heard. The band returned to the stage for "Long Distance Runaround" with it's lush leads, bold, bulky bass lines and colorful keys. The classic flowed into the technically tricky "The Fish". Chris - center stage, beguiled the crowd - pulling powerful plunks from the thick strings of his bass. The rest of the band joined in and the jam included a short potent piano solo from Oliver.
 Alan White - In The Present "Soon" from Relayer was stirring and David was strong vocally on this classic. YES closed the show with "Starship Trooper". This spacey, stellar song enchanted the audience who were clapping along and dancing during the extended instrumental parts that were dynamic and dreamy. YES returned for their encore with a rich robust version of "Roundabout" The performance at the Paramount was a retrospective of a contentious yet creative career of a band that was at the forefront of the progressive rock movement. Through the years, YES has had their fair share of drama and Jon's controversial absence from this tour added to this fact. Yet, Squire, White and Howe made the decision to do what they do best - play live by presenting their music to the worldwide YES fan-base. By this resolve they have reconnected with their adherents and have created an option to move forward - should veteran Jon Anderson be unable to return to the outfit. Benoit David and Oliver Wakeman are experiencing their first professional immersion into the world of YES and they're probably having the time of their lives. Finally, fans are experiencing a prog rock core who by all accounts appear energized and revitalized - playing songs not normally heard during a YES concert - to the delight of their admirers. The opening chapter of the band's 2008 tour finds a group who are still writing their story proving that its contemporary line-up can carry the YES classics from the past into the present - and that's an O.K. place to be.
SETLIST:
Related Links
 Oliver Wakeman - In The Present Originally Published: 11/16/2008 on Kweevak.com
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