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Yes

Progeny: Seven Shows from Seventy-Two

Review by Gary Hill

This is a new, massive box set from Yes. It includes seven complete concerts from 1972. It’s certainly for hardcore Yes fans and collectors only, but I’m glad to have it. I’ve always had a dream of owning a copy of every single Yes show ever performed, and this is a nice step in that direction. It’s a cool set, too, in that each concert is presented as a 2-CD set with gatefold CD sleeve complete with Roger Dean artwork. It all comes in a nice box, too. I will say, though, given the fact that each show here is essentially the same in terms of the songs played, and I’ve reviewed all those songs multiple times before, I’m not going to review each one. That would make for a pretty tedious review to read. Instead, I’ll list each song and any comments specific to that performance will be included here.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Maple Leaf Gardens Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 31, 1972

    

CD 1
    
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru

    

I've Seen All Good People
           
Clap/Mood For A Day
             
Heart of the Sunrise
      
And You and I
     
CD 2
    
Close to the Edge
   
Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"

There is a little bit of radio interference at the start of this and Jon Anderson makes a bit of a joke about it. This is definitely a different solo than the one on the Yessongs album in a lot of ways. I swear I can make out a bit of “InnaGaddaDaVida” in it.

Roundabout
   
Yours is No Disgrace
Howe has some particularly tasty guitar soloing on this.
Ottawa Civic Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada November 1, 1972
     
CD 3
               
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru
   
I've Seen All Good People
   
Heart of the Sunrise
                 
Clap/Mood For A Day
   
And You and I
            
CD 4
          
Close To The Edge

The keyboards on the late jam of this song seem to get a little on the noisy side here.

Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"
There are technical problems at the start of the solo this time around, too. It should almost be a surprise when there aren’t problems, though because of the state of Moog synthesizers in the day. They were fragile beasts that didn’t hold up all that well to the rigors of touring.
Roundabout
    
Yours is No Disgrace

  
Duke University Durham, North Carolina November 11, 1972
        
CD 5
  
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru
   
I've Seen All Good People
           
Heart of the Sunrise
             
Clap/Mood For A Day
 n  
And You and I :
   
CD 6
     
Close To The Edge
   
Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"

It’s so interesting to hear this solo shift and change from night to night. This is closer to the version on Yessongs than any of the previous ones. There is no keyboard mishap at the start, either.

Roundabout
    
Yours is No Disgrace

I love what they do with the intro to this, bringing some cool piano and non-lyrical vocals into the mix.

Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, North Carolina November 12, 1972
     
CD 7
   
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru
     
I've Seen All Good People
    
Heart of the Sunrise

This is the same performance of the song that was used on Yessongs

Clap/Mood For A Day
  
And You and I
I like the introduction to this song, telling about the meaning of the piece and such. That said, this particular performance, without that spoken introduction, is the one that was used on the Yessongs album.
CD 8
     
Close To The Edge
   
Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"

Right down to Jon Anderson’s vocalizations, this is very similar to the recording that was used on Yessongs. It’s also quite magical.

Roundabout
      


Yours is No Disgrace

I like the vocalization and jamming on the intro to this a lot. 

University Of Georgia - Athens, Georgia November 14, 1972
    
CD 9
     
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru
     
I've Seen All Good People
          
Heart of the Sunrise
       
Clap/Mood For A Day
   
And You and I
    
CD 10
    
Close To The Edge
      
Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"

Part of this is combined with a section from a different show for the Yessongs version.

Roundabout
     
Yours is No Disgrace

This is the performance that was used on the Yessongs album.

Knoxville Civic Coliseum - Knoxville, Tennessee November 15, 1972
      
CD 11
       
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru

Although they used a different “Firebird Suite,” this performance of “Siberian Khatru” is the one that was used on Yessongs.

I've Seen All Good People
     
Heart of the Sunrise
     
Clap/Mood For A Day
     
And You and I

I really love some of the keyboard sounds on this version.

CD 12
       
Close To The Edge
                    
Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"
                  
Roundabout
     
Yours is No Disgrace
      
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, New York November 20, 1972
      
CD 13
        
Opening (Excerpt From Firebird Suite) / Siberian Khatru

The “Firebird Suite” intro here was used on Yessongs, but (as mentioned earlier) a different “Siberian Khatru” was paired with it.

I've Seen All Good People
                            


Heart of the Sunrise

They have some PA issues on this performance, causing the vocals to be missing at times.

Clap/Mood For A Day
The “Mood for a Day” here is the one they used on the Yessongs album.  
And You and I
      
CD 14

      
Close To The Edge

The PA drops out at one point here losing some of the vocals.

Excerpts From "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII"
The second portion of this solo is paired with one from a different show for Yessongs.
Roundabout
       
Yours is No Disgrace
The opening jam here might be the best one of the whole set. I love the keyboard sounds.
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