SYMPHONIC LIVE (DVD)

This is quite possibly the best Yes live video available. First of all, the sound quality is amazing. I actually recorded all the songs from this DVD onto a couple audio discs so that I could listen to the music on its own. Second of all, the set list is pretty close to perfect. The setlist is near perfect, as they play almost all of their best epics. One particular moment of magic is Ritual, which has been improved significantly with the orchestra. You also get And You And I played acoustically as it should be played and some great solos from the old boys. And you don't get any truncated versions of these epics here, you get them in their full glory with nice additions from the orchestra. My only complaint is that Steve's guitar was a little too quiet, and the band seemed to play it a bit too safe. Unfortunately, Yes doesn't take as many risks ornamentation-wise as they used to back in their heydey, and in some ways it may be because they didn't want to drown out the orchestra. Still, the orchestra definitely adds more than it takes away, and the songs from Magnification, although not as good as Yes classics, are a definite improvement from some of the other later period Yes songs. And last but not least, the adorable young women playing in the orchestra are pleasant eye candy for when you tire of watching our beloved old farts do what they do best. If you like Yes for their epics, get this DVD.