Identifier6998490
Created AtTue May 23 2023 23:54:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Trades Allowed
Performance
Actuel Festival 1969-10-27 Actuel Festival, Amougies, Belgium
Set 1Yes:

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed (Havens)
tuning problems
Then (Anderson)
It's Love (Cavaliere/Brigati)
Everydays (Stills)
I See You (McGuinn/Crosby)
Something's Coming (Bernstein/Sondheim)

Jon Anderson - lead vocals
Peter Banks - guitar & backing vocals
Tony Kaye - organ
Chris Squire - bass & vocals
Bill Bruford - drums
Set 2Sam Apple Pie:

unknown
unknown
Moonlight Man

Sam Sampson - vocals & harmonica
Mick Smith - lead guitar
Andy Johnson - slide guitar
Bob Renny - bass
Dave Charles - drums
Set 3Pretty Things:

soundcheck / band intro / unknown

Phil May - vocals
Victor Unitt - guitar
John Povey - keyboards
Wally Allen - bass
'Twink' Alder - drums
CommentAnd now for the penultimate day of this legendary festival... I'm sure this is one of the most anticipated performances - a rare early performance by Yes, plus bits from the Pretty Things and Sam Apple Pie sets.

With the exception of "Then", they only play covers, including the rare "It's Love" from The Rascals which extensively features Chris Squire on vocals and bass (there is a version with Steve Howe on the recent live boxed set) - and, already at that point, has Anderson quoting the introductory theme to Stravinsky's "Rite Of Spring" (as he again did on "Yessongs"). The climax of the gig, I think, is the very extended "I See You" which has one of those long, wild guitar/drums duets between Banks and Bruford that Banks has referred to repeatedly but here's the first real chance of hearing what it really was like.

Of course, Yes went on to make great music, arguably better and more accomplished, but there's a wildness and freedom to their early incarnation that was missing in their later, superstar days.