Yes: Symphonic Live Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Yes: Symphonic Live Blu-ray Movie Review

In 2001, legendary progressive rockers Yes went on a tour to support their symphonic album Magnification (their first studio album without a keyboardist and their last with Jon Anderson). The band was accompanied by the European Festival Orchestra, conducted by Wilhelm Keitel, and American keyboardist Tom Brislin, who was hired to assist with the performances of their classic songs.

Filmed in high-definition in Amsterdam, Holland, Symphonic Live features a total of thirteen songs plus a short overture. In addition to the new songs from Magnification, Yes also performed classic hits such as "Starship Trooper", "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", "Close To The Edge", and "Gates of Delirium", all with surprising new arrangements.

These new arrangements are in fact what makes Symphonic Live such a curious concept show. While the core melodies have been preserved, there is entirely new material (with some great extended solos) that makes songs such as "Gates of Delirium" and "And You And I" sound very different. For the majority of these songs there is also filmed footage which is projected on a giant screen behind the band.

The European Festival Orchestra adds excellent symphonic color to these classic songs but does not erase their progressive qualities. The strings, in particular, blend exceptionally well with Jon Anderson’s unique voice and never overpower Steve Howe's guitar solos (listen to the funky "Don't Go").

The standout performance in this near three-hour show is a wonderful acoustic set courtesy of Steve Howe. He performs the Largo (2nd Movement) from Antonio Vivaldi’s wonderful Lute Concerto In D Major, as well as "Mood For A Day", which first appeared on Fragile, an album Yes released back in 1971.

Symphonic Live was filmed in high-definition with multiple cameras that offer good looks at the band and the orchestra. The quality of the footage is first-class and the editing convincing.

Yes are: Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitars), Chris Squire (bass), Alan White (drums).

Starship Trooper

Yes: Symphonic Live Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080i "live" transfer, Yes: Symphonic Live arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eagle Rock Entertainment.

Shot in high-definition in Amsterdam, Holland, in 2001, Yes: Symphonic Live looks great. As the cameras follow the band and the orchestra, detail remains consistently pleasing. Clarity and contrast levels are also stable. Colors are natural, though occasionally some of the blacks look a bit soft. Motion-judder is not a serious issue of concern and there are no shadow issues to report in this review. Compression is good, but there is some extremely light background noise that occasionally pops up here and there. However, this light noise is well within the limits of what I would expect to see in a live show recorded ten years ago. Finally, there are no purely transfer related anomalies to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Yes: Symphonic Live Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, LPCM 2.0. and Dolby Digital 5.1. For the record, I opted for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

Balance is handled well. The strings and brass blend very well with Jon Anderson's unique voice and never overpower Steve Howe's guitar solos. The drums occasionally stick out but quickly settle down. The venue is quite large and the hall effect is certainly felt, but the sound never drops - it is always full and well rounded. Also, I did not detect any distortions to report in this review.

The LPCM 2.0 has a fairly good dynamic amplitude but it lacks the fullness and roundness from the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The strings are also not as easy to identify (listen to "I've Seen All Good People"). Still, this LPCM 2.0 track is far better than the one from Pretenders: Loose In L.A. Blu-ray.

I tested only one song with the Dolby Digital 5.1 track, "Owner Of A Lonely Heart", but needless to say the audio is incredibly underwhelming.

Yes: Symphonic Live Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Dreamtime" Documentary - in this documentary, directed and edited by Bob Cesca, the members of Yes discuss what inspired them to do Symphonic Live, the new arrangements for some of their classic songs, the preparation process for the show/tour, etc. The documentary also includes raw footage from the band's stops at various cities. In English, with optional English, Spanish, and French subtitles. (32 min, 480i).

• "Don't Go" - music video for "Don't Go". (5 min, 480i).

Yes: Symphonic Live Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In 2001, Rick Wakeman was reportedly very close to joining Yes for Symphonic Live but backed out at the last minute (though he did rejoin the band for their 2002/03 Full Circle tour). As sacrilegious as it may sound, I don't think Yes missed him much. Symphonic Live is an expertly produced and executed concept show that more than likely would have looked and sounded quite different had he joined the band.
If you are interested in classic progressive rock, I strongly recommend picking up Symphonic Live. If you have always been a fan of Yes but haven't had the chance to check out this show, now is the time to do it. The guys did some terrific arrangements for their classic songs and really sound quite different here (in a good way). I am convinced you will be very pleasantly surprised. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.