Last week I went to see "Yes Please", a tribute band to the English rock band "Yes".
The tribute act market is growing as our favourite singers and bands stop touring. My general rule is that I don't see a band or singer if I can still see the original version, but as the version of Yes that currently tours is a heavily diluted version of the classic lineup of the band - that is one remaining member!- then this seemed acceptable.
I've seen various "tribute"acts over the years, the best ones seem to be the Pink Floyd tributes where looking like the band is largely immaterial, sounding like them and if budget allows delivering a stage and light show that looks like Floyd's is essential and in my experience both "The Australian Pink Floyd" and "Brit Floyd" do that very well. Both tour extensively and their shows sell out, which is the best parameter of what they deliver. I've seen iterations of Queen, U2, Led Zeppelin and now Yes. All sounded like them and U2 and Queen even looked like them, although with Queen the guy who sang like Freddie Mercury also played guitar like Brian May, no one likes a show off!
Yes Please were excellent but guitarist, Oliver Day, was in a category of his own. Yes music is challenging to play at the best of times and some of the songs are fiendishly difficult in both chords and time signatures. Steve Howe, the Yes guitarist is a virtuoso and he never holds back in making things complicated, especially in th early days of the band. That Oliver replicated to the note what he played was outstanding and was the highlight of the evening. The sound of Yes also involves complicated keyboard parts and Rick Moller played those top a high standard too, albeit from where I was sat was a little down in the mix. In Close to the Edge, however, the church organ part suitably thundered and the organ sole thereafter sounded like Yes keyboard player, Rick Wakeman, at his best. The bass player also had a tough act to follow, as Yes bass player, Chris Squire, was one of rock's most advanced bass players, using his bass as an instrument with harmonics etc rather keeping the band in 4/4. Nick Letellier made what was a difficult job look remarkably easy. The drummer, who I think was a late call up, didn't sound like he hadn't played every gig, so top marks there too.
In Jon Anderson, Yes have a lead singer with one of the most distinctive voices, as he's an alto tenor. Very hard to replicate and lead singer, Richard Marshall, didn't try to do this but sang "in the style of" but with a lower register.
The set was mainly classic Yes, with "The Gates of Delirium" and the aforementioned "Close to the Edge" particular highlights. Mainly 70s material, although "Owner of a Lonely Heart" the bands biggest hit (from the 80s) gone a run out as expected.
Hanger Farm in Totton, where they played, is a lovely venue and well worth a visit too.
All in all a great evening.
