Yes - Keys To Ascension DVD

I've been looking forward to watching the "Keys To Ascension" DVD for ages, and finally its been released in Britain (it's out on VHS now too). "Keys to Ascension" has always been one of my favourite live albums by any group. It is a class recording. The DVD has a nice menu page, but not much extra content. A few dodgy biographies etc., but it is the concert that counts.

"Siberian Khatru" kicks things off nicely. Musically it is almost perfect, perhaps the definitive version. But the visuals are a bit naff. Close ups of band members are super imposed above a long shot of the band. There's quite a lot of that slow motion stuff which isn't quite slow motion - very poor and old hat. The editor/director/producer misses half of the solos too. Things do improve though.

"Close to the Edge" starts of with the now familiar slow tempo beginning, I'm sure they could play it at the correct speed. ABWH managed it! The visuals are quite nice but a bit "literal". Rick Wakeman is brilliant throughout. He's back to twiddling lots of the knobs on the minimoog during solos, wonderful stuff! It was now I started to think that Jon Anderson's vocals, in fact all the vocals, had been over "sweetened". There were times it sounded like a choir of Andersons! All in all a great rendition of this epic, but no where near the ABWH version which in my opinion is the greatest live recording of anything ever!

"I've Seen All Good People" and "Time and a Word" are great songs and they do them justice here. Steve Howe does wonderful things with an electric mandolin on the latter track.

"And You And I" is a cracking version. Not quite up to the ABWH version but better than "House of Yes" because you can here the bass pedals. A lot. Unfortunately the director is back on with the slow motion gaff, which basically makes the keyboard solos look out of sync. A pity 'cos Rick is on form again!

"The Revealing Science of God". Wow. I can't believe I actually saw them play this on the "Open Your Eyes" tour. What a performance. If Rick Wakeman doesn't like playing Topographic stuff you would never know judging by the way he flies on this track. Just watch him play the piano parts. Awesome!

"Going For The One" is just superb. I've never seen this played live before, and you just have to marvel at Steve Howe's steel guitar work.

"Turn of the Century" is done well, although I do think it sounds a bit too "free form" in the middle. Still good though and the visuals of Sculptor and bint(!) complement the song.

"America" is one of my favourites on the CD and that carries over onto the DVD. Steve Howe is brilliant. Chris Squire and Alan White are so together and Rick just rocks. What a cracking track.

"Onward" was a surprise when I first heard the set list back in '96. This track is so good live, it is so much better than the "Tormato" version. But it is somewhat overshadowed by the enormity of the next track.

"Awaken". I have no doubt that this is the definitive version. I have a version from Wembley in '78 but this is marginally better, probably due to the poor quality of that recording. This version is so much better than the "House of Yes" version for two reasons. The first is the production. You can hear the bass pedals, it sounds excellent. And the second is Rick Wakeman. This is what big keyboards should sound like. Igor is a great player, but Wakeman is the master of the epic. His sound just gets bigger and bigger throughout the song, until by the end when everybody is in full flight he Awakens the Gods! This is what Igor still lacks, he's just not "big" enough in the big moments.

"Roundabout" is a cracking version but we've heard it all before. Although it has to be said its a great performance from all the band.

Until this album, the best live "Starship Trooper" was on "Yessongs". But not anymore. The is the best version I've ever heard, "Wurm" is just amazing. The interplay of solos between Steve and Rick goes on for longer than you would have thought possible. What a great finale to a great concert.

To sum up the audio portion of this DVD, it is as good as the CD so there is no point in going over that. Excellent sums it up nicely. Better than "House of Yes" for sure. I'm still a bit concerned over the vocals and backing vox. They sound over sweetened to me, a bit too good if you know what I mean. There are two many bits where you can hear backing vocals with no one singing!
It's not very well synchronized with the visuals in parts. I think they should ask Genesis how they mange to get it so right every time. It is definitely a better album aurally than "House of Yes", certainly on par with the ABWH live CD. But I would say that the ABWH's "An Evening of Yes Music Plus..." video has the better visual production, even though the latter has less "stunning visual effects". I'm afraid I want to see the band, solos and all, and "Keys To Ascension" doesn't quite hit the mark in that department.
Also, the ABWH concert is just the ultimate in terms of musicianship. It cannot be bettered and probably never will be.

"Keys To Ascension" is a worthwhile companion to the CD, just don't expect to be dazzled by the visual production.

(Copyright David Hopton - 23 October 2000)

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