I am a diehard follower of the classic rock group Yes. I was a big fan of the band in the late 70's, but wasn't old enough to attend my first Yes concert until 1984. Four years later, I went to see them again at the Philadelphia Spectrum, and I haven’t been the same since.
"One down, one to go, another town, one more show"
--lyric from the Yes song "Leave It."
Non-Yesfans wonder why I go to so many shows. "But don't they play the same songs every night??" People ask me this all the time.
For me, touring is more than just attending a bunch of concerts. I love being on the road. I enjoy seeing the many "Yesfriends" and acquaintances I've met over the years, in cities all across the U.S. and Canada. And I always love meeting new people who understand (you know who you are). Really, Yes fans are some of the coolest people around.
And the music... It has spoken to me and moved me over these past twenty years. It sounds corny, but it has been the soundtrack to my life. I once read a quote from a fan, "Yes music is the rhythm to which my blood flows through my veins." This is a statement to which I keenly relate. And hearing the music performed live by these wonderful musicians is a magical experience.
Good music, good friends, good times... This is what Yes means to me.
Here's a listing of all the shows I've attended.
90125
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 4/30/84 -- Cool 3-D laser projections over the audience. Ticket
Big Generator
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 11/29/87 -- Ticket
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 2/7/88 -- And You And I totally blew me away... the beginning of it all. Ticket
ABWH
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 8/3/89 -- There was an in-store appearance by the band earlier that day. Ticket Advert
Merriwether Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD 8/5/89 -- First time I ever traveled to see a show. Ticket
Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, BC 3/12/90 Ticket
Chiles Center, Portland, OR 3/14/90 -- First time backstage. Ticket Pass
Paramount Theater, Seattle, WA 3/15/90 Ticket Pass
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 3/19/90 Ticket
Wang Center, Boston, MA 3/20/90 -- A standout show. Ticket
Constitution Hall, Washington, DC 3/22/90 Ticket Pass
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 3/23/90 -- Jon invited his daughter Jade on stage. Ticket
Union
Etess Arena, Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, NJ 4/12/91 -- Opening night of the tour. Ticket Button Display
Etess Arena, Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, NJ 4/13/91 -- Just for kicks, we climbed a Taj billboard. Ticket Billboard
Meadowlands, E. Rutherford, NJ 4/14/91 Ticket
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 4/16/91 Ticket Advert
Centrum, Worcester, MA 4/17/91 Ticket
Civic Center, Hartford, CT 4/18/91 Ticket
Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 4/20/91 Ticket
Skydome, Toronto, ONT 4/23/91 -- Yes playing in a baseball stadium. Weird. Ticket
Forum, Montreal, QUE 4/24/91 -- A one-night-only encore performance of "Gimme Some Lovin." Ticket Advert
Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY 4/25/91 Ticket
Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY 4/26/91 Ticket Ticket2
Wings Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI 5/3/91 Ticket Pass
Nutter Center, Dayton, OH 5/4/91 Ticket Button Sign
Assembly Hall, Univ of IL, Champaign, IL 5/5/91 Ticket Pass Sign
Rosemont Horizon, Chicago, IL 5/6/91 -- This show was postponed from 4/30, due to Jon having laryngitis. Ticket Sign
Desert Sky Pavilion, Phoenix, AZ 5/11/91 Ticket Pass
Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV 5/12/91 Ticket Advert
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 7/12/91 -- Lots of folks were in town for YesFest, which I missed. Aaarrgghhh! Ticket
Talk
Broome County Arena, Binghamton, NY 6/18/94 -- Opening night. Man was it HOT in there! Sign
Fairgrounds, Allentown, PA 6/21/94 Ticket Stage shot
The Gorge, Quincy, WA 7/10/94 -- Beautiful venue literally overlooking a canyon. Ticket Gorge Gorge2
[I had a ticket for Vancouver 7/11, but the show was cancelled at the last minute.] Advert
Concord Pavilion, Concord, CA 7/13/94 -- Why do I have three unripped tickets? Ticket Advert Sign
Cal Expo Amphitheater, Sacramento, CA 7/14/94 -- Mercury hit 105, plus we were all outside standing on a TARP... Signs
Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountainview, CA 7/15/94 Ticket Advert Sign
Hilton Hotel Amphitheater, Reno, NV 7/16/94 Ticket Flyer Sign Airport sign
Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, LA 8/5/94 Ticket Signs
Civic Center, Pensacola, FL 8/6/94 -- Pass With Trevor
Blossom Music, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 8/20/94 Ticket Pass Tour laminateAdvert
Orange County Fairgrounds, Middletown, NY 8/21/94 -- "Muddletown"... mud, mud, mud everywhere (from the rain). Ticket
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 8/26/94 Ticket Advert
Classic Amphitheater, Richmond, VA 8/27/94 Ticket
Merriwether Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD 8/28/94 Ticket
Great Woods, Mansfield, MA 8/29/94 Ticket
Canada's Wonderland, Toronto, ONT 8/31/94 -- It's not everyday you get to see Yes at an amusement park. Ticket Sign
Forum, Montreal, QUE 9/1/94 Ticket
Colisee, Quebec City, QUE 9/2/94 Ticket Advert
Garden State Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ 9/7/94 Ticket
Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY 9/8/94 Ticket
Coliseum, New Haven, CT 9/9/94 -- Last two shows of the tour coincided with YesFest. What a blast! Ticket
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 9/10/94 Ticket Sign Photo
No, I didn't go to SLO. Don't remind me.
Open Your Eyes
Meadows, Hartford, CT 10/17/97 -- Opening night. Ticket Pass Sign Photo
Orpheum, Boston, MA 10/18/97 Ticket
State Theater, New Brunswick, NJ 10/19/97 -- "Counting the cars on the NJ Turnpike" (from "America") got a cheer. Ticket
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 10/24/97 Ticket Marquee
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 10/25/97 -- Jon's birthday. Ticket
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 10/26/97 Ticket
Hershey Park Arena, Hershey, PA 10/28/97 Ticket Pass Sign
Beacon Theater, New York, NY 10/29/97 -- Geez, those Beacon audiences were loud. Ticket.jpg Marquee
Beacon Theater, New York, NY 10/30/97 Ticket
Landmark Theater, Syracuse, NY 11/8/97 Ticket Flyer Marquee
Mid Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY 11/9/97 -- Lots of balloons... Jon even headed one back to the audience. Ticket Sign
Rosemont Theater, Rosemont, IL 11/14/97
Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI 11/15/97 -- We had to drive to Milwaukee in a snowstorm. Tticket Pass Marquee
Union Hall, Phoenix, AZ 12/5/97 -- Old wooden auditorium... I can still feel those floorboards shake. Ticket Pass
The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV 12/6/97 -- Cool venue. Love those casino gigs! Ticket Sign
Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA 12/7/97 Ticket Signs
Civic Theater, San Diego, CA 12/9/97 Ticket Pass With Billy
Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA 12/11/97 Ticket
Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA 12/12/97 -- These shows coincided with a Roger Dean exhibition. Ticket With Jon Marquee Poster Dean exhibit photo courtesy Eddie Lee
Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA 12/13/97 Ticket Pass
30th Anniversary
Parc des Iles, Montreal, QUE 6/19/98 -- Free show sponsored by Budweiser. 50,000 people in attendance. Billboard
Hippodrome, Quebec City, QUE 6/20/98 -- Another Budweiser festival. 40,000. Pass Newspaper cover
PNC Bank Center, Holmdel, NJ 6/26/98 Ticket Pass
Sony E-Centre, Camden, NJ 6/27/98 -- Coincided with Yestival in Philadelphia. Ticket Pass Advert1 Advert2 Advert3
GM Place, Vancouver, BC 7/17/98 Ticket
The Winery, Seattle, WA 7/18/98 -- Another lovely venue... with 300 of Alan White's guests backstage. Ticket Photo
Woodlands, Houston, TX 7/31/98 Ticket Advert Tour laminate
Backyard, Austin, TX 8/1/98 Ticket
Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX 8/2/98 Ticket
Mud Island, Memphis, TN 8/4/98 Ticket
Starwood Amphitheater, Nashville, TN 8/5/98 Ticket Sign
Chastain Park, Atlanta, GA 8/6/98 -- I'll never go back to this place again... yuck. Ticket
Performing Arts Center, Tampa, FL 8/7/98 Ticket Sign With Alan
Coral Sky Amphitheater, West Palm Beach, FL 8/8/98 -- Last night of tour. Ticket With Jon With Igor
The Ladder
House of Blues, Myrtle Beach, SC 10/15/99 -- Opening night. Ticket Sign
The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA 10/16/99 Ticket
House of Blues, Lake Buena Vista, FL 10/22/99 -- Seeing Yes at Disney... what could be better? :) Ticket
[I was supposed to go to the Phoenix show 10/29, but I missed my flight by three minutes. AAARRGGHHH!] Ticket
Sun Theater, Anaheim, CA 10/30/99 Ticket Flyer Marquee
House of Blues, Las Vegas, NV 10/31/99 -- Halloween night show that was broadcast. First appearance of the confetti.Ticket Advert Sign
House of Blues, Hollywood, CA 11/2/99 Ticket Banner Signs
House of Blues, Hollywood, CA 11/3/99 Ticket Pass
House of Blues, Hollywood, CA 11/4/99 -- Dan Aykroyd was backstage (along with, I THINK, Steven Spielberg???). Ticket Pass
Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA 11/6/99 Ticket Advert Sign
Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis, MN 11/12/99 Ticket Marquee Advert
Milwaukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, WI 11/13/99 Ticket
State Theater, New Brunswick, NJ 11/26/99 Ticket
Oakdale Theater, Wallingford, CT 11/28/99 -- My 100th show. Ticket Flyer
F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre, PA 11/30/99 Ticket
Beacon Theater, New York, NY 12/7/99 Ticket Marquee
Beacon Theater, New York, NY 12/9/99 Ticket
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 12/12/99 Ticket Advert Pass With Igor
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 12/13/99 -- Last night of tour. Ticket Pass Marquee
Masterworks
Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA 6/23/00 Display Ticket
Blockbuster Pavilion, Devore, CA 6/24/00 Ticket Pass
Riverport Amphitheater, St. Louis, MO 6/30/00 Ticket
Sandstone Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS 7/1/00 Ticket
Post-Gazette Amphitheater, Pittsburgh, PA 7/5/00 Ticket
Blossom Music, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 7/6/00 Ticket Pass
Polaris Amphitheater, Columbus, OH 7/7/00 Ticket
Sony Entertainment Center, Camden, NJ 7/18/00 Pass Ticket Advert1 Advert2
PNC Bank Center, Holmdel, NJ 7/19/00 Tcket
FleetBoston Pavilion, Boston, MA 7/21/00 Ticket Sign
Meadows, Hartford, CT 7/22/00 Ticket
YesSymphonic
Konocti Field Amphitheater, Kelseyville, CA 7/28/01 Ticket Pass Sign
Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA 7/30/01 Ticket Pass
Chronicle Pavilion, Concord, CA 7/31/01 Ticket Pass Sign
Queen Elizabeth Theater, Vancouver, BC 8/2/01 Ticket Sign
Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Woodinville, WA 8/3/01 Pass
Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 8/10/01 Ticket
Palace Theater, Columbus, OH 8/11/01 Ticket
DTE Energy Theater, Clarkston, MI 8/12/01 Ticket Sign
Interlochen Center, Interlochen, MI 8/14/01 Ticket
Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, OH 8/16/01 Ticket
Mann Music Center, Philadelphia, PA 8/21/01 Ticket Advert
PNC Bank Center, Holmdel, NJ 9/6/01 Ticket
Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY 9/8/01 -- Last show of North American tour. Ticket Marquee
Classic Yes
Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland, WA 7/16/02 -- Final rehearsal gig. Ticket
Paramount Theater, Seattle, WA 7/17/02 -- Opening night of tour. Ticket Pass Marquee
Konocti Field Amphitheater, Kelseyville, CA 7/19/02 -- Yescapade II was held that day. Ticket Sign Yescapade photo
Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA 7/20/02 Ticket Marquee
Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY 8/5/02 -- Rick plays the Wurlitzer! Ticket
PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ 8/6/02 Ticket
Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ 8/8/02 -- On the officially proclaimed "Yes Day" in Philly. Ticket
Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD 8/9/02 Ticket
HiFi Buys Amphitheater, Atlanta, GA 8/13/02 Ticket
Cynthia Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX 8/15/02 Ticket
The Backyard, Austin, TX 8/16/02 -- Elvis tribute: Jailhouse Rock! Ticket
Smirnoff Amphitheater, Dallas, TX 8/17/02 Ticket
Classic Yes: Second North American Leg
After heavy touring the past few years (almost 90 shows since 1997), I decided to take a little break. I went to my two hometown shows only.
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 11/8/02 Ticket Advert1 Advert2
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 11/9/02 Ticket
Full Circle Tour
Didn't make it to Hawaii. :(
Arrowfest: Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine, CA 10/4/03 -- With Eddie Money, Cheap Trick, Foreigner and Journey. Ticket
35th Anniversary Tour
Key Arena, Seattle, WA 4/15/04 Ticket Pass Signs
HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA 4/17/04 Ticket Sign
Cox Arena, San Diego, CA 4/18/04 Ticket Pass Marquee
The Pond, Anaheim, CA 4/20/04 Ticket Pass Sign Photo1 Photo2 Photo3
Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV 4/21/04 Ticket Sign Photo1 Photo2 Photo3 Photo4
Office Depot Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL 4/30/04 Ticket Pass Sign
(I had a 5th row seat for the Tampa show but couldn't make the rescheduled date.. Bummer... all for a stupid HOCKEY GAME that never happened.. LOL)
Wachovia Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 5/10/04 Ticket Pass Photo1 Photo2 Photo3 Photo4 Photo5 Photo6
PNC Bank Center, Holmdel, NJ 8/27/04 Ticket
Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY 8/28/04 Ticket
In The Present Tour
Hershey Theatre, Hershey, PA 11/11/08
Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY 11/14/08
Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ 11/15/08
Sovereign Performing Arts Center, Reading, PA 11/18/08
Event Center, Borgata Casino & Spa, Atlantic City, NJ 11/21/08
Capital One Bank Theatre at Westbury, Westbury, NY 11/22/08
2009 Tour with Asia
Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ 7/26/09
Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA 7/28/09
2010 Tour with Peter Frampton
Tower Theater, Philadelphia, PA 6/15/2010
Here are all the Yes solo and related-artists shows I've seen.
Jon & Kitaro
[I flew from Philly to LA for the 10/16/92 show, but due to a delayed flight, delay in getting the rental car, and getting lost on the freeways, I arrived at the theater just as the concert was ending... &*#@*!!] Advert
Greek Theater, Berkeley, CA 10/17/92 Ticket Advert.
Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY 10/21/92 Ticket Poster
Jon Anderson
Luis Vigoreaux Theater, San Juan, PR 4/16/93 -- What a weekend. Tickets Sign
Luis Vigoreaux Theater, San Juan, PR 4/17/93 -- Photo Article
The Shell, Trump Marina Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, NJ 1/9/04 Ticket With Jon
Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA 1/10/04 Ticket Marquee Program
Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ 1/11/04 Ticket Marquee
The Barns at Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA 1/13/04 Ticket Program
Whitaker Center, Harrisburg, PA 1/14/04 Ticket
B.B.King Blues Club, New York, NY 1/19/04 Ticket Marquee Poster
XM Satellite Radio Studios, Washington, DC 1/23/04 -- Invitation-only taping of performance that was broadcast at future date. Pass
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, UK 10/7/05 -- My first time to Europe in 25 years.. just to see Jon! Ticket Flyer1 Flyer2
Grand Opera House, York, UK 10/8/05 Ticket Sign
Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, UK 10/10/05 Ticket Marquee
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, UK 10/11/05 Ticket Photo
House of Blues, Tropicana Casino, Atlantic City, NJ 11/11/05 Ticket
Theater Of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 11/12/05 Ticket With Jon
Theater Of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 11/13/05 Ticket
Count Basie Theater, Red Bank, NJ 11/18/05 Ticket Poster
Mongo’s, Grover Beach, CA 6/6/09
B.B. King Blues Club, New York, NY 4/11/10
Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 4/13/10
Jon Anderson & School of Rock
Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA 2/15/07 Program Marquee
B. B. King Blues Club, New York, NY 2/18/07 Poster Marquee
Scottish Rite Auditorium, Collingswood, NJ 4/18/07 Ticket
Trocadero Theatre, Philadelphia, PA 3/4/08 Ticket Poster
Steve Howe
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 12/16/93 Ticket
National Museum Of American History, Washington, DC 1/28/98 (with Martin Taylor) -- Unique gig, at the Smithsonian. Article
Club Bene, Sayreville, NJ 10/27/00
The Downtown, Farmingdale, NY 5/22/04 Marquee Flyer
Rick Wakeman
Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia, PA 5/21/93 (with Adam Wakeman) Ticket With Rick
Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ 5/22/93? (with Adam Wakeman)
Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA 10/29/03 Advert
Bill Bruford
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 3/11/92 Ticket Advert
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 5/11/99 (with Earthworks) Ticket
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 5/20/02 (with Earthworks)
Trevor Rabin
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 12/1/89 Ticket
Asia
Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 6/22/82 Ticket
Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia, PA 11/21/92 Ticket
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2/24/93 Ticket Pass
Trump Marina, Atlantic City, NJ 8/31/06 Ticket
Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ 9/12/06 Ticket
Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA 9/13/06 Ticket Program
Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA 6/22/07 Ticket
Trump Marina, Atlantic City, NJ 6/23/07 Ticket
State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ 6/28/07 Ticket Postcard
Scottish Rite Auditorium, Collingswood, NJ 4/10/08
Great Adventure, Jackson, NJ 7/26/09
Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA 7/28/09
Patrick Moraz
Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, PA 9/6/97 (with Annie Haslam)
Tony Levin
Theater of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA 5/19/00 (Tony Levin Project)
Here are some other things I have attended over the years:
ABWH in-store at record store in Northeast Philadelphia 8/3/89
Steve Howe and Bill Bruford on Regis & Kathie Lee, New York 11/11/93 With Bill
Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin at WMMR studio, Philadelphia 3/25/94 Jon With Trevor With Jon
YesFest, New York, NY 9/9/94-9/10/94 Tickets/flyer
Jon Anderson in-store to promote Change We Must, Tower Records, Philadelphia 11/27/94
Fox After Breakfast, live on 5th Ave, New York 10/29/96 Photo
Band in-store to promote Keys To Ascension, HMV, New York 1996?
Press conference at Hard Rock Cafe, New York 4/28/98 Banner
Yestival, Cherry Hill, NJ 6/27/98-6/28/98 Ticket Banners
Yescapade, Kelseyville, CA 7/28/01 Photo
Yescapade, Kelseyville, CA 7/19/02 Photo
Yes Day ceremony at City Hall, Philadelphia 8/7/02 Photo
Okay, so I'm a nut. Hey, my (Pennsylvania) license plate doesn't say "Yesfan1" for nothing. (Here's my previous car, with the same tag in New Jersey.) Hi to all my friends and touring buddies. See you on the road!
