Yes Live: 'Talk' Date 08/26/1994 At Philadelphia Spectrum Arena / 'Purple Haze' As Encore

Here is audio from the 1970s British Progressive rock group Yes at the Spectrum Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (replaced by the Wells Fargo Center in 1996) on August 26, 1994 during a date on the tour supporting their album "Talk".

The tour featured American Billy Sherwood (who assumed the role as Yes bass player upon Chris Squire’s passing in 2015) as a supporting musician on additional guitars, keyboards, and bass on certain dates.

The sect of Yes fans known as Generators (admirers of Trevor Rabin’s era as the YesWest band’s guitarist who take their moniker from the 1987 ‘Big Generator’ album) will enjoy this recording of a Concertsonics broadcast to the audience.

The Rabin-inspired Concertsonics, which was fully developed by Clair Brothers Audio, was a quadraphonic sound system that allowed people seated in selected seats to hear the concert's soundboard mix with headphones and a personal radio by tuning into a specific FM frequency.

In a set list very supportive of the 1994 record, every track except 'State Of Play' from the new album was played at this August 26, 1994 show.

This concert had the last ever live performance of “Where Will You Be”. It was played 48 times from the June 18 Summer 1994 North America Tour opener In Binghamton, New York through this August 26th Philadelphia date before it was dropped from the setlist with eight shows remaining in the campaign.

Four other tracks from the ‘90125’ and ‘Big Generator’ albums were played at this Philly Spectrum show with only five songs included from the band’s pre-Rabin years catalog.

Provided below is the setlist with the original record noted for each song performed and the stamp of its start time.

According to Yes fan and concert attendee Tom Lorenz who sat a few seats left of the lighting board:

"The lights were absolutely amazing. The bulk of them were attached to three hexagonal platforms suspended over the stage. Like the 90125 tour lights, these could be raised and lowered. They could also be separated into three different units. And this show was the only place where I saw a mirrored disco-ball used to great effect. It showered the entire arena with starlight. And whoever invented the Vari-Lite deserves to be canonized. These things are extraordinary! "Endless Dream" really proved its arena-worthiness, thanks in no small part to the lighting."

"Probably the greatest part of the lighting that night occurred during the latter half of "All Good People". To achieve a random-looking effect to the lights, the lighting guy brought in a 7-year old kid to bang around on the board. Seriously! A little kid was working the board! At the end of the song the lighting guy took over, thanked the kid, and sent him back into the audience. Very cool!"

Taper Notes are provided at bottom.

SETLIST:

1. Perpetual Change (excerpt) (The Yes Album)
2. The Calling (Talk) (3:15)
3. I Am Waiting (Talk) (10:25)
4. Rhythm Of Love (Big Generator) (18:30)
5. Hearts (90125) (25:40)
6. Real Love (Talk) (35:50)
7. Changes (with Tony Kaye intro) (90125) (46:40)
8. Heart Of The Sunrise (Fragile) (56:30)
9. Make It Easy (Yesyears) (1:08:55)
10. Owner Of A Lonely Heart (90125) (1:10:30)
11. Rabin Piano Solo (1:17:50)
12. And You And I (Close To The Edge) (1:21:00)
13. Where Will You Be (1:33:25)
14. Your Move / I've Seen All Good People (The Yes Album) (1:39:35)
15. Walls (Talk) (1:46:50)
16. Endless Dream (Talk) (1:54:00)

ENCORE:

17. Roundabout (Fragile) (2:13:45)
18. The Star-Spangled Banner / Purple Haze (2:20:15)

Jon Anderson (Vocals)
Tony Kaye (Keyboards)
Trevor Rabin (Guitars)
Billy Sherwood (Guitars)
Chris Squire (Bass)
Alan White (Drums)

TAPER NOTES:

Recorded and Processed By Keith Litzenberger
Recorded from Floor Section 104 Row 2 seat 21 (17th row on center aisle)

Schoeps MK4's / Reutelhuber preamp / Sony TCD-D10PROII

DAT MASTER: Sony TCD-D10PROII / Sound Devices 744t / Soundforge Pro 10 (Fades, Sample Rate Conversion with Isotope 64bit SRC at highest setting) / CDWAV / FLAC

[charlesnolan]

I was at this show.
It was my 21st and last YES concert at the Spectrum
( 12/14/1974- 8/26/1994)

[dcwarden]

The last ever performance of Where Will You Be - if the incessant chatter in the background here is anything to go by audiences (sadly) were not interested in the new material so perhaps not surprising it was dropped. Wonder if they considered dropping other Talk tracks around that time instead of Hold On and City of Love?

The end of an era in many ways, Yes would never play most of a new album again (other than a few Fly from Here dates) even though they did seem confident in the Ladder until its poor chart entry. Sadly I think most Yesfans at this point had decided a greatest hits band was what they wanted.

For what it’s worth I’d say this Endless Dream solo is top 10 but not up to the standard of the best ever (IMHO) which came two days before. What a shame that song was never played again after this tour.

[COLLYMANVIDEOS]

...AWESOME !!... THANK YOU for posting !!....

[geoffreymason]

Lovely show! Thanks for sharing the recording!!

[MakinaMotze]

It was indeed a great show. Happy to have been there.