9012 LIVE (DVD)

I'm still not quite sure why I got this release, but I guess it was just a grim curiosity to view Trevor Rabin butchering Yes classics. I got what I expected, and was even more dissapointed than I thought I would be.

First off, the wardrobe. Wow. Take a look at Squire, the perfect 80s pop star stereotype. 70 lbs of hairspray, jumpsuit.. the boots. There is a haze of dignity in the image, which was leaking from each of the band members after performing in those clothes. But hey, I can't blame them fully, who didn't dress like that back then. Whoops! They were mostly 40 somethings, especially Kaye, gotta love the gray hair and the sparkly vest.

Sure, I shouldn't be picking on clothing on a music DVD, but unfortunately the music aspect of it doesn't redeem its value. The same old stale, unimaginative playing present on 90125. Rabin comes out with a few typical 80's "Guitar hero" solos that are really sloppy and basic. The rest of the band generally sticks to their "script" to speak. Anderson is in the middle of his schoolgirl vocal phase, which is generally high pitched and annoying.

Maybe if you liked the 80's albums, you would enjoy this DVD. Coming from a progressive point of view, this is completely REgressive, and a disgrace to Yes. Avoid like the plague!