Blu-ray Concert Review: YES 50th Anniversary Live At The Apollo 2017, featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman

[Bob Rapoport]

Click on the jacket for "Roundabout"



Concert:
Video:
Audio:
Final Score: ​

In 2016, Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman reunited their extraordinary talents for a tour celebrating the musical legacy of YES across the seventies, eighties and nineties. The result, captured live at the Manchester Apollo in 2017, is far more than a simple trip down memory lane. This is a confident, high-energy performance by three musicians who helped define different but equally important eras of one of progressive rock’s most influential bands.

With two versions of YES active at the time, the branding was understandably confusing. Steve Howe and Alan White led the other version of the band, while this lineup placed Jon Anderson’s unmistakable voice, Trevor Rabin’s powerful guitar work and Rick Wakeman’s legendary keyboard artistry front and center. They called themselves “the definitive lineup of the greatest progressive rock band ever.” That's a bold claim, but after watching this performance, it doesn't feel like empty marketing. This band is in superb form.

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The Performance​

The set list does a fine job of connecting the classic YES catalog with the Rabin-era material that brought the band to a new generation in the 1980s. Seventies staples such as “And You and I,” “Roundabout,” “Heart of the Sunrise,” “Long Distance Runaround,” “I’ve Seen All Good People,” “Perpetual Change” and “Awaken” sit comfortably alongside “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Hold On,” “Changes,” “Rhythm of Love” and “Lift Me Up.” Instead of feeling like two different bands stitched together, the performance makes the YES catalog feel coherent, alive and still evolving.

Jon Anderson remains the spiritual and vocal center of the music. His voice is instantly recognizable, and just as important, he looks happy, engaged and completely at home. Anderson’s vocal presence gives this performance its emotional lift. He is not simply revisiting old songs; he is still inhabiting them.

Trevor Rabin brings muscle, melody and modern energy to the stage. His guitar work is fiery without becoming excessive, and his vocals add real depth to the arrangements. Rabin’s voice blends beautifully with Anderson’s, creating a richer vocal texture that became one of the signatures of the YES sound during the 1980s. His playing on “Lift Me Up,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart” and “Changes” reminds us how much he contributed to the band’s later identity.

Rick Wakeman is, as always, Rick Wakeman: a keyboard wizard, cape and all. His presence connects the performance directly to the classic progressive rock era, but his playing never feels like a museum piece. His keyboard textures, flourishes and solos bring color and drama throughout the show, especially on “Heart of the Sunrise,” “Rhythm of Love” and “Awaken.”

The supporting band deserves special attention. Following the passing of Chris Squire in 2015, no bass player could simply replace him. Squire’s sound, tone, vocal blend and musical personality were central to YES from the beginning. That makes Lee Pomeroy’s contribution here especially impressive. He doesn't imitate Squire, but he clearly understands what the music requires. His bass playing is compelling, melodic, powerful and precise, and his voice adds important support to the harmonies. Pomeroy has also been a valuable side-man for Jeff Lynne’s ELO live performances, and that same professionalism and musical intelligence are evident here. Lou Molino’s drumming is tight, powerful and disciplined, giving the performance drive without overwhelming the arrangements.

One of the pleasures of this Blu-ray is hearing familiar songs refreshed without being distorted. “Awaken” has new life. “Long Distance Runaround / The Fish” has real snap and energy. The Rabin-era material sounds especially strong in this setting, proving that the 1980s YES catalog belongs naturally beside the classic seventies work.

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The Video and Audio​

The video presentation is 1080p, and the camera work is one of the disc’s real strengths. Rather than relying only on distant stage shots and crowd cutaways, the cameras move in close enough to let you watch these musicians actually play. You see fingers on strings, hands on keyboards, faces concentrating, and the physical craft behind music of real complexity. That matters. This is not casual background entertainment. These are virtuoso musicians performing demanding material with skill, discipline and commitment. The close-up camera work gives that musicianship the attention and respect it deserves.

The Blu-ray includes both a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack and an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 stereo version. The 5.1 mix has moments where the rear-channel crowd ambience sounds canned and artificial. It may only be obvious on one or two tracks, and it is certainly not enough to keep me from wanting to own this show, but once you notice it, it can become distracting. At times, the rear-channel audience noise is apparent even when the visible audience is sitting quietly. Ignoring that flaw wouldn't be fair to readers who are likely to notice it themselves.

That is why, for my system and my taste, the uncompressed LPCM 2.0 track is the better choice. In stereo, the fake crowd effect is not there to aggravate me, and the presentation feels more honest and natural. The focus stays where it belongs: on the band, the performance and the music itself.

The stereo track is also impressively powerful. Played at a healthy level, this two-channel mix becomes far more immersive than the channel count might suggest. The soundstage is big, loud and coherent, with the band holding together cleanly even at high volume. There is no sense of strain, congestion or breakup. With musicianship at this level, that matters. The virtuosity remains clear, organized and exciting instead of collapsing into noise.

This is also a good reminder that more channels do not automatically mean better sound. A well-recorded, uncompressed stereo track can deliver a more believable musical experience than a surround mix that tries too hard to manufacture atmosphere. In this case, the LPCM 2.0 soundtrack lets the musicianship, vocal blend, instrumental detail and stage energy come through with fewer distractions.

The Bottom Line​

For YES fans, this is an easy recommendation. For progressive rock fans in general, it is a reminder of how ambitious, melodic and emotionally engaging this music can be when performed by musicians who still believe in it. Live at the Apollo is not a farewell lap. It is a strong, vital performance from three defining members of the YES story, backed by a band fully capable of honoring that legacy.

The 5.1 soundtrack has a few moments of artificial crowd ambience, and that flaw is worth mentioning because many listeners will notice it. Fortunately, the uncompressed LPCM 2.0 track solves the problem and delivers a cleaner, louder, more coherent and more natural presentation. Combined with strong 1080p video, excellent close-up camera work and a band performing with real authority, this Blu-ray deserves attention and respect.

Track Listing​

1. Intro / Cinema / Perpetual Change
2. Hold On
3. I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move / All Good People
4. Lift Me Up
5. And You & I: Cord of Life / Eclipse / The Preacher, The Teacher / Apocalypse
6. Rhythm of Love
7. Heart of the Sunrise
8. Changes
9. Long Distance Runaround / The Fish
10. Awaken
11. Make It Easy / Owner of a Lonely Heart
12. Roundabout

Best Practice Playback Note​

For the most faithful presentation, I recommend the uncompressed LPCM 2.0 soundtrack. Although the Blu-ray also includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, the stereo version avoids the artificial rear-channel crowd ambience and keeps the musical image more natural. Set your Blu-ray player to output LPCM over HDMI and avoid unnecessary surround processing modes. This performance is built on musicianship, vocal blend, instrumental detail and stage energy. A clean Direct Path lets those qualities come through.

Specifications:

Video:
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Audio:
English: Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Uncompressed LPCM 2.0

Subtitles
None

Discs
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD-50)

Packaging
Inner print

Playback
2K Blu-ray: Region A

My favorite track from this show is "Owner of a Lonely Heart", it captures the spirit of YES in full flight.

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[Bob Rapoport]

Afterthought: After watching this again, what struck me most is how completely prepared this band was. Music this complex does not simply fall into place because famous musicians walk on stage. The harmonies, transitions, bass lines, keyboard parts, guitar cues and vocal entrances all have to lock together under live pressure. These arrangements had clearly settled into the band’s muscle memory. The result is not just accurate; it's alive. In several cases, I prefer these live versions to the studio recordings because the musicianship, vocal blend and stage energy make the songs feel even more complete.