It seems that every rock band worth their salt these days, has to have a Symphonic album (KISS, METALLICA, RAGE, SCORPIONS, etc.), whereas said band hires a respected symphony orchestra and a famed classical music conductor to jam with them on stage, adding a fresh approach, and thus creating something new for the fans. At least that is the intended concept. Unfortunately, most of the time it is just these same old groups (like KISS and METALLICA) finding a new way to sell the same songs to their fans. After all, both those bands ran out of originality long ago. Just how many live albums can you release in the lifespan of a top-selling musical act? Ask Gene Simmons; he’ll tell ya. Like tribute albums, Symphony albums are in general a detriment to the music scene. For instance, when an inflated garage band like METALLICA plays Seek and Destroy or Whiplash with the aid of Michael Kamen and a full symphony orchestra; something is just not right. Back when METALLICA was cool and innovative, they at least had a huge amount of street credibility. Today, they are just spoiled millionaires who no longer have a clue what metal is about. While these Symphony teamups with bands like KISS and METALLICA go against the grain of the hard rock format, the Symphonic concept actually works very well with progressive bands such as YES, PINK FLOYD, and DEEP PURPLE. The Symphony album concept actually has its roots back in the 1960s and 1970s when DEEP PURPLE and YES played alongside classical musicians for some truly groundbreaking work. So, its only natural for progressive giants YES to revisit this musical mishmashing in their recent live opus. Eagle Rock’s YES: SYMPHONIC LIVE is filmed inside a cavernous arena of their Amsterdam leg of their MAGNIFICATION 2001 tour .

Veteran members Jon Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitars), Chris Squire (bass), and Alan White (drums) team up with European Festival Orchestra (led by conductor) Wilhelm Keitel, for an ear-pleasing exploration of YES hits, new songs, and catalog favorites:

• Close to the Edge

• Long Distance Runaround

• Don’t Go

• In the Presence of

• Gates of Delirium

• Starship Trooper

• Magnification

• And You and I

• Ritual

• I’ve Seen All The Good People

• Owner of A Lonely Heart

• Roundabout

The music of YES meshes well with the symphony orchestrations, especially the ethereally epic compositions such as Starship Trooper, Close to the Edge, and Gates of Delirium. The musical dynamics of the themes and musicianship come to life and enchant the audience. YES: SYMPHONIC LIVE is a shining example of how an aging band from the 1970s can still get it done today, both creatively and musically. The musical output and live show of YES can be intelligent, delicate, and innovative musical exploration, yet they can seriously rock out when they play their hits like I’ve Seen All The Good People and Roundabout. Guitar great Steve Howe despite his wooden demeanor (he looks like Mr. Scrooge here), exhibits brilliant and stunning fretwork as he constantly switches guitars and even mans the Telecaster on a few occasions. Jon Anderson’s voice seems more powerful than ever, except when he delivers the between-song banter. Chris Squire’s bass resonates with towering precision, providing the needed lows. Squire, the most youthful of the group also has quite a stage presence, and reminds one of VAN HALENS’ Michael Anthony (although Squire is technically better). Drummer Alan White can do it all from keeping time to some truly heavy pounding that would make heavy metal drummers jealous. YES here are also joined by young keyboard wizard Tom Brislin, who adds depth to the sound of the these progressive legends. The European Festival Orchestra is comprised of pretty European women, and the camera lens constantly focuses on these talented young ladies.

YES: SYMPHONIC LIVE was filmed on digital video, and presented in 16x9 enhanced in the 1.77.1 ratio. Though many people say film is superior to videotape for best clarity and detail, for major musical events like this one, I prefer digital video. The image on display here is so good, that it might as well be HDTV; it’s like looking thru a window. The colors are fully saturated and the detail level allows you to see every nook and cranny on the faces of these aging prog rockers. This DVD contains no extras, except for some computer animations that you access via your Multi-Angle button on the remote. Frankly, I’d rather watch the band perform, but these animations at least look good image-wise, and with pleasing colors. Eagle Rock Entertainment includes not only a Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack, but also a Dolby Digital 5.1 and a DTS 5.1 one too. In comparing all three tracks, the DTS one wins in terms of overall depth, sound imaging, and bass response. All three tracks are superb though, in terms of stereo fidelity, clarity, and ambiance. YES has a unique style of music which is done justice in this home theater format. Crank it up as loud as you want, and it never distorts or sounds thin. You gotta hear it to believe it.

YES: SYMPHONIC LIVE is a rare Symphonic event, in that the music of YES naturally combines with that of classical accompaniment. This DVD is produced with adding a new musical element to the YES sound, and is not just done to make a buck. The musical brilliance of Anderson, Squire, White and Howe are on display here and are done in such a way as to appeal to casual listeners and hardcore fans. Eagle Rock Entertainment must have spent a fortune on this disc because the visual presentation and audio quality are top notch. The only weak spot is a lack of supplemental features, though they at least concluded a CD soundtrack to play in your home or car system.

 YES: SYMPHONIC YES is available from DVDEmpire.com