YES – PORT CHESTER 2016 (2 CD-R)

Description

Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, USA 12th August 2016

　The highly anticipated new Port Chester soundboard series now includes a YES release! The full live album from their “Albums Tour,” which featured a hilarious recreation of “Drama” and “Tales from Topographic Oceans,” is set for release!!

　This release features a recording of the “August 12, 2016 Port Chester concert,” a soundboard recording making its first appearance. Currently, previously unreleased soundboard recordings of various artists from Port Chester’s renowned venue, the Capitol Theatre, are being released at a furious pace, shocking collectors worldwide. At our store, we’ve been receiving rave reviews every week for unearthed, official-quality masterpieces by artists such as Norah Jones, Steely Dan, The Moody Blues, and Reo Speedwagon, and this week we’re pleased to present the YES edition.

　Another characteristic of this series is that it documents events from the 2010s. In this case, it was the “Albums Tour” held in 2016/2017. The official live album “TOPOGRAPHIC DRAMA: LIVE ACROSS AMERICA” is also symbolic of this tour, but it was released at a slightly different time than this work. To understand the situation, let’s first look back at the overall picture of the tour.

●2016
– April 27th – June 1st: Europe (25 shows)
《Alan White leaves → Jay Schellen joins》
– July 25th – September 4th: North America #1 (28 shows) ←★HERE★
《Alan partially returns》
– November 21st – 25th: Japan (6 shows)
●2017
– February 3rd – 20th: North America #2 (10 shows) ←※Official
– April 7th: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony
– August 4th – September 8th: North America #3 (24 shows)

[A newly discovered official-grade SBD that shines with raw authenticity directly from the mixing console]
　This is YES in 2016/2017. The Port Chester performance in this release was the 12th show of “North America #1”, about half a year before the official “LIVE ACROSS AMERICA”. Each leg of this tour featured a different album as its theme, and “North America #1” included a complete performance of “Drama” plus a partial performance of “Tales from Topographic Oceans.” Another notable point of this tour is that Alan White had to leave midway through due to back surgery. “North America #1” also coincided with the time when Jay Schellen had just joined the band.

　This recording, capturing such a show, is, like previous installments in the series, a vividly raw and “official-quality unearthed” soundboard recording. Steve Howe’s guitar phrases are like miniature paintings, Geoff Downes’ keyboards weave thick layers upon layers, and Jon Davison’s soaring high notes… everything comes flying straight to your eardrums without any obstruction. YES’s lifeblood lies in the complex interplay of each instrument’s texture, and the soundboard captures each note so vividly that you can almost touch it.

[A full show similar to, yet different from, the official LIVE ACROSS AMERICA]
　This superb sound allows you to enjoy a magnificent full show centered around a complete performance of “Drama” and excerpts from “Tales from Topographic Oceans.” It’s subtly different from the official “LIVE ACROSS AMERICA,” so let’s compare them and organize the setlist.

●First half (DISC 1)
– Drama: Machine Messiah / White Car / Does It Really Happen? / Into the Lens / Run Through the Light / Tempus Fugit
– Others: I’ve Seen All Good People (★) / Siberian Khatru (★) / And You and I
●Second half (DISC 2)
– Oceanographic Tales: The Revealing Science of God / Leaves of Green / Ritual
– Encore: Roundabout / Starship Trooper
*Note: Songs marked with “★” were not included in the official “TOPOGRAPHIC DRAMA: LIVE ACROSS AMERICA”.

…and so on. The leg is different from the official “LIVE ACROSS AMERICA”, so the song selection is different from the recreated parts.

　Even more significant is that it’s a complete, uninterrupted live album. While the official “LIVE ACROSS AMERICA” was an edited live album compiled from multiple concerts, this album allows you to enjoy a single stage performance unprocessed and unedited. The real thrill of an album-recreation live performance lies in seeing the studio work transformed by “nonstop live performance,” and the raw, unedited feel is all the more important.

　This is the YES edition of the newly unearthed Port Chester soundboard series. This is a thrilling soundboard album that lets you fully immerse yourself in a special setlist where a complete recreation of “Drama” and “Tales from Topographic Oceans” intersect, thanks to the direct connection to the mixing console. Experience the world of this masterpiece with a rawness that differs from the official “LIVE ACROSS AMERICA.” Please enjoy it to the fullest.

★This is the YES edition of the Port Chester unearthed soundboard series. This is the first soundboard recording of the “August 12, 2016 Port Chester performance,” allowing you to enjoy a live performance of “a complete recreation of Drama + a partial recreation of Topographic Oceans” with unearthed, official-quality sound. The song selection not found in the official “LIVE ACROSS AMERICA” and the raw, unprocessed feel make this a delicious new masterpiece.

Disc 1 (73:49)
1. The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
2. Machine Messiah
3. White Car
4. Does It Really Happen?
5. Into the Lens
6. Run Through the Light
7. Tempus Fugit
8. I’ve Seen All Good People
9. Siberian Khatru
10. And You and I

Disc:2 (74:39)
1. The Revealing Science of God
2. Leaves of Green
3. Ritual
4. Band Introductions
5. Roundabout
6. Starship Trooper

Steve Howe – guitar, vocals
Geoff Downes – keyboards, vocals
Jon Davison – vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Billy Sherwood – bass, vocals
Jay Schellen – drums