Yesshows (1980)
Disc One
1. Parallels
2. Time and a Word
3. Going for the One
4. The Gates of Delirium
Disc Two
1. Don't Kill the Whale
2. Ritual ((Nous Sommes du Soleil)
3. Wonderous Stories
If Yessongs was Yes’s live statement of purpose—the triple-LP monument to their most revered period—then Yesshows, released in 1980, is the slightly messier, less essential companion piece. The concept behind it is actually solid enough: rather than repeat the early-’70s setlists already immortalized on Yessongs, this album focuses on material from 1973–1978. It’s a logical idea in theory, but in practice it’s a reminder that not all eras of Yes were created equal.
First off, don’t be fooled by the relatively slim track list: there are only seven songs here, but it’s still a double album. These performances stretch out in true Yes fashion, with plenty of room for instrumental exploration—sometimes to its benefit, sometimes not. The fact that there’s no overlap with Yessongs is a plus, and for die-hard fans, this becomes something of a companion volume. If you love Yes, there’s a case to be made that you kind of need both. But whether you’ll enjoy both equally is another question entirely.
Some of the problems here are simply a matter of source material. Including Don’t Kill the Whale is, frankly, a headscratcher. It wasn’t exactly an unimpeachable classic in its studio form, and here it’s no more appealing—Wakeman’s synth effects only underline its awkward attempts at relevance. And while it’s admirable they tried to represent Tales from Topographic Oceans, choosing Ritual (Nous sommes du soleil) proves...problematic. It’s a 20-plus-minute behemoth that had to be split across two sides of vinyl on the original release, and it drags even more in this context. Including it makes sense for completeness, but listening to it feels more like homework than entertainment.
But it’s not all bad news. The Gates of Delirium is the highlight here and frankly the best argument for this album’s existence. Drawn from Relayer, it’s an absolute powerhouse of shifting dynamics, ferocious instrumental interplay, and that transcendent Soon coda. In this live version, the band sounds urgent and fully locked in—proof that they could still conjure brilliance when the material called for it.
They do throw in one genuine oldie with Time and a Word, which was a notable omission from Yessongs. Unfortunately, while it’s nice to see it represented, the performance itself is less than ideal. Rick Wakeman’s keyboards are slathered all over it in a way that feels less like interpretation and more like intrusion, drowning out the song’s more humble charm.
Ultimately, Yesshows isn’t a bad live album—it just can’t quite measure up to its predecessor. Yessongs felt like a mission statement, a document of a band at the absolute peak of its powers, delivering their best material with fire and conviction. Yesshows feels more like a mop-up operation, trying to fill in the gaps but weighed down by uneven source material and occasionally uninspired choices. For completists and true believers, it’s still worth having. But for most listeners, it’s hard to shake the sense that this one’s a step down.
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