CD/DVD Review: Yes - Union Live (From The Bolton News)
By Martin Hutchinson
YES have been at the forefront of Progressive Rock for over 40 years, yet in the eighties, despite their
continued success, there were in effect two versions of the band in existence.
This concert was filmed on August 8th 1991 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California
and was originally only released in Japan on video and laser disc; making this footage much sought after
amongst Yes aficionados.
Musically and visually, this is a treat (if you can ignore the stage clothes!), all the members of the band(s)
appear to be on top form and enjoying themselves.
There are also some vintage solo spots with the Rick Wakeman solo following Chris White's tour-<le-force
on the bass guitar.
Steve Howe entrances the audience with his guitar pieces Oabelled as Clap / Mood For a Day.
The rest of the set is made up of songs from the classic Yes-years (although there are a couple from the
90125 album also).
Running at almost two hours, this captures the band at the height of the tour, when everybody seemed to
be getting along.
The concert is available as a DVD and a double CD - both equally as good.
Musical history was being made here, and it is about time that it was available.
Yes are quite rightly considered one of the leading lights of the progressive rock scene, a position they have held for more than forty years now. The band is still led by founder member Chris Squire and performed to large audiences in 2008 and 2009 both in America and the UK. Releasing albums such as Close To The Edge, Tales From Topographic Oceans, Relayer, Going For The One, 90125,The Ladder and Magnification to name just a few the band have survived to celebrate their fortieth anniversary and beyond. At one point at the start of the nineties the band managed to gather eight former and then current members together for the album Union and subsequent tour. This tour was captured on film and also recorded at the final leg of the tour before the line up slimmed back down to the Yes line up that recorded both 90125 and Big Generator. The line up may have changed many times over the years but one thing Yes can always be guaranteed to provide and that is hugely memorable and well played music that crosses all barriers of genre and defies categorization. This double CD contains the edited performance captured at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in August 1991 during the hugely successful Union tour of the world. The album is now available as a separate entity from the recent limited edition package that also featured the DVD performance. The DVD includes many Yes classics including Yours Is No Disgrace, Rhythm Of Love and many more.
