This past weekend marked my 20th official concert by progressive rock legends Yes. I’ve spent the last 30+ years watching my favourite band morph through different line-ups, and it would be understandable for you to think, What haven’t I seen them perform? Amazingly, after all these years, the band has more than a few tricks up their proverbial musical sleeves.
In 2025, Yes finds themselves on The Fragile Tour 2025, performing their classic 1971 fourth album that includes some of their most iconic and enduring material, songs like “Roundabout,” “Heart of the Sunrise,” and “Long Distance Runaround.” The last time the band performed Fragile in its entirety was more than a decade ago on a tour that didn’t come around Toronto. Rather than miss out again, my fellow Yes fan, Tim, and I decided to drive nearly 8 hours to York, PA, to see the show. The trip itself was lovely, as we found ourselves on interior highways, driving through mountainous regions, under trees whose leaves were changing colour. Spending more than 16 hours in a car with someone can be a dicey proposition if it’s not the right person, but Tim and I have been doing these trips together for nearly 30 years. From politics to movies and music, we always have something to talk about, and when there’s silence, it’s never uncomfortable. Our soundtrack, as you’d expect, was full of Yes albums, including 1980’s Drama, 1987’s Big Generator, and the band’s latest, 2023’s Mirror to the Sky. Along the way, we also listened to Rush 50, the multi-disc anthology celebrating Canada’s favourite trio’s history, as we discussed Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson’s upcoming tour without their fallen comrade, Neil Peart.
The question of bands carrying on in the absence of core members has long been a subject of debate among classic rock fans, and Yes always comes up in those arguments, often with degrees of venom not seen for other bands. Yes, performing Fragile, is ripe for the rabble rousers, since guitarist Steve Howe is the only current member to have recorded the original album. My stance, which I’ve had since I became a fan back in 1991 and that remains unchanged, is that Yes is Yes; it has experienced countless line-up changes throughout its nearly 60-year history, and is bigger than any of its members. As it stands, the current version of the band, featuring Howe, keyboardist Geoff Downes, singer Jon Davison, bassist Billy Sherwood, and drummer Jay Schellen, has been more consistent and together than any other lineup, marking 10 years in a row. This is Yes, and judging by the enthusiastic response from the near sold-out audience gathered at the Appel Center for the Performing Arts, lots of fans agree with me.
What made this show special for me was, along with the guaranteed Fragile performance, where I heard “Cans and Brahms” and “Five Percent for Nothing” live for the first time, the band put together a unique set list, consisting of songs not typically played in concert. Following the opening “Siberian Khatru,” Yes played a mini set from their 1978 album, Tormato, delivering a scorching version of “On The Silent Wings of Freedom,” a lovely “Onward,” dedicated to bassist/founding member Chris Squire, 10 years gone, and a gorgeous take on “Madrigal.” I’d never heard “On the Silent Wings of Freedom” and “Madrigal” in concert, so this long-time fan was thrilled with their inclusion.
The most poignant moment of the show occurred as the band performed “Soon,” the soft conclusion to Yes’ 1975 epic song, “Gates of Delirium.” On this tour, a portion of “Gates…” is performed first, something I hadn’t heard the band do before either. As “Soon” began, an image of John Lodge of The Moody Blues, who had died just one day earlier, appeared on screen. Not only was Lodge a friend and former tour mate of Yes, sharing the stage with them on 2019’s A Royal Affair tour, but Yes’ lead singer Jon Davison is married to Lodge’s daughter, Emily and frequently toured with his father-in-law. No doubt a difficult night for Davison, the singer delivered not just “Soon” but the entire evening with heart, as he does with every performance. Since I first saw Jon Davison live in 2012, I’ve said he’s the perfect singer for Yes, and Saturday night’s concert once again proved it.
Throughout the night, one thing I noticed was the joy this version of Yes shares on stage. I’ve noted in previous live reviews just how much Steve Howe smiles now when he’s on stage, and Saturday night in York, PA was no different. Whether interacting with his fellow Yes veteran Geoff Downes or giving nods of approval to Billy Sherwood, Jon Davison, or Jay Schellen, Steve was clearly happy to be performing this music. As a Yes fan and an audience member, actually seeing the musicians you’re watching enjoy themselves makes a good show even better.
Speaking of Downes, he has now become the most consistent keyboardist in Yesstory, having been in the band for 14 years straight. He nails all the classic parts from previous Yes players, but at this point, he’s his own man. Meanwhile, Billy Sherwood has been in the band for his second go-around for 10 years; like Downes, he’s his own player, but he also does a meaningful job paying tribute to his friend and mentor, Chris Squire, especially when recreating The Fish’s iconic bass parts in “On The Silent Wings of Freedom” and “Long Distance Runaround/The Fish.”
It’s worth mentioning that I also really noticed Jay Schellen’s work at this show, and how he wasn’t just playing the parts created by both Bill Bruford and Alan White, two of rock’s most formidable drummers. As someone who’s been listening to this music for a very long time, I could see and hear Jay honour the spirit of the music without being a slave to each and every fill. It makes a difference, in my opinion, and gives musicians the chance to be creative.
Every Yes tour has its own flavour, and The Fragile Tour is no exception. For this fan, I’m so glad that I made the trip to see it. Playing a classic defining album is a crowd-pleasing choice, but adding in a helping of the unexpected, including Mirror to the Sky‘s “Circles of Time” and an encore cover of The Beatles’ “The Word” that no line-up had ever done before, demonstrated once again that Yes isn’t resting on its laurels. With a new album on the horizon for 2026, it’s clear there’s more to come from the band.
As you can expect, I can’t wait.
