YES: Symphonic Live

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Submitted by Dennis Russo on Wed, 02/11/2026 - 07:53

Yes Symphonic Live is a 2 CD / 1 DVD set from Mercury Studios of YES’ 2001 concert in support of their then-new album, Magnification.

While also available on vinyl, the set reviewed here is the CD/DVD version. It is a very nice deluxe set that comes with five glossy picture cards that are very New Age/Prog-looking, featuring stills taken from video clips used during several of the songs on the DVD. There is also a two-sided fold-out poster with similar imagery, a very nice booklet about the music, and of course the media itself — with all discs housed in nicely designed sleeves. All of these fit neatly into a small box whose dimensions are just large enough to hold everything perfectly.

Before listening to the CDs, I started with the DVD. The CDs and DVD contain the same songs in the same order, with the DVD also including two bonus features: the “Dreamtime” documentary and the “Don’t Go” video.

From the very start, you are whisked away from this world, treated to a visual and instrumental excursion from a distant planet into some faraway universe, culminating in a large “YES” that dissolves into the stage and audience as “Overture” begins.

The overall visual presence of the concert has an ethereal blue hue that is very pleasing to the eye and fits the music beautifully throughout. The color doesn’t distract or cloud the clarity at all — this video is filmed in absolute crystal clarity. The camera pans between the band members, the audience, the orchestra, and the powerful culmination of all of them together.

On the first song with vocals, “Closer To The Edge,” Jon sounds in great voice. He has one of the most unmistakable and iconic voices in all of rock — Prog or otherwise — and it was wonderful to hear him in such strong form at this concert.

The concert was filmed in Amsterdam, and the band’s lineup for this show was comprised of Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, and Alan White, accompanied by the European Festival Orchestra conducted by Wilhelm Keitel.

Watching the concert and listening to the CDs quickly reminded me what an amazing guitarist Steve Howe is. Seeing and hearing him play both electric and acoustic guitar throughout the concert was almost like attending a separate concert within the concert — especially during his acoustic solo on Track 7. It was sublime, transformational, peaceful, and ethereal. In a word… stunning! When he needs to switch guitars mid-song, he doesn’t hand one off to a roadie. Instead, he has the next one pre-mounted on a stand and, with the first guitar still around his shoulders, simply steps over and starts playing. Brilliant!

The concert was exceptionally well recorded and mixed. While the sound on the DVD was excellent, the CDs sounded noticeably better on a dedicated high-end stereo system. This difference may vary depending on your home theater setup, but it was a minor inconvenience and did nothing to diminish the enjoyment of the concert.

The audience remains seated for much of the show, yet stands and applauds after every song. Beyond watching the band perform, you also get to see the orchestra members having an absolutely wonderful time playing alongside them. Some of the arrangements are quite complex, yet they smile through it all — and seeing them move and react to the music is simply a joy to watch.

The songs are given as much time as needed to fully develop into beautiful works of art — some running as long as 20 minutes. This concert runs 2 hours and 48 minutes, and every song keeps you engaged whether it was something from the new album or a classic.

When they launched into “I’ve Seen All Good People,” it instantly brought back decades of memories. The audience went wild, clapping and singing along, and even orchestra members joined in the spirit of the moment.

The DVD also includes two bonus features: the “Dreamtime” documentary — a making-of feature with interviews and behind-the-scenes clips — and a music video for “Don’t Go.” Both are welcome additions.

While the extras are nice, it is the music that is the true treasure. This set captures one of the truly great Prog Rock bands of all time in excellent form — sounding great and playing great music.

Once again, Mercury Studios knocks it out of the park.

So yes, to this album set?

Yes… yes… YES!!!