YES Sheffield City Hall

Anyone go last night?

I thoroughly enjoyed it (although it would have been good to have heard Long Distance Runaround/The Fish).

It wasn't until I got there that I realised that this was the same line up as the last time I saw YES with the exception the lead singer wasn't Trevor Horn!

Benoit David was a very good 'cover' for Jon Anderson although he did struggle a little with Wonderous Stories

Not sure of the new material...but, for me, their last great album was Relayer so my opinion probably won't mean much.

I went. I thought Benoit David did very well and sometimes you could close your eyes and imagine it was Jon Anderson. I did miss Jon's presence though. I saw a fairly classic line up several years ago of Anderson, Howe, Squire, Wakeman and White and they were good. This was in Birmingham at a larger venue (NEC I think, around 2004). I was confused because I thought Rick Wakeman's son was going to be on keyboards, then I realised it was Geoff Downes from the Buggles era. I also kept feeling, well they need a front man. Benoit David hung back because of Squire and Howe being the classic established band members, but neither of them is really a front man. Basically Jon was missing. Actually, these days, Jon doesnt hit all the notes on some songs and in some ways Benoit David was more like the old Jon Anderson than the one I saw a few years ago.

A good night though. I dont know why or what it was but I thought there was excessive vibration from the bass. I dont remember this last time and I wasnt sure if this was the "poor accoustics" of the city hall that many bands complained of in the 70s. I would have loved to hear "America" as second encore, but when they played "You and I" I got very emotional, and didnt know if to cry or jump up and down. I knew "Starship Trooper" would be the encore somehow and I was on my feet by that time. I am not sure if I will buy the new stuff but I didnt dislike it. I thought the venue size was more suited to Yes than the huge arenas though. I felt quite privileged to be there.