Yes / Nagoya 2022 / 2CDR

以上、全５公演。東名阪の３会場だったわけですが、この５作品は録音家別に２つに分けることもできる。東京三編『TOKYO 2022 1ST NIGHT（Amity 688）』『同 2ND NIGHT（Amity 689）』『同 FINAL NIGHT（Amity 692）』が同一人物による連作でしたが、西日本編である本作と『OSAKA 2022（Amity 690）』も同一録音家による姉妹作。そう、本作も名匠“西日本最強テーパー”氏による最新録音なのです。
そして、本作のサウンドもまた極上級。ステージを目の前にした３列目というポジションだけに強烈なダイレクト感で、芯の極太感もディテールの細やかさも「まるでサウンドボード」としか呼びようがない。その点では『OSAKA 2022』とも通じますが、本作はさらのソリッド。体験された方の話によると現場の出音は重低音が強すぎたそうですが、本作からはそれがまったく感じられない。各楽器の輪郭も鮮やかに見事にセパレート。それこそIEMsかのようにキリッと引き締まっているのです。
そんなシャープ・サウンドで描かれるのは『危機』完全再現を軸とした最新のフルショウ。セットも基本的に『OSAKA 2022』に通じるのですが、１ヶ所スティーヴ・ハウのソロは「To Be Over」ではなく「Clap」。つまり、東京２日目『TOKYO 2022 2ND NIGHT』と同一でした。念のため、ここでも整理しておきましょう。

●『危機』完全再現
・Close To The Edge／And You And I／Siberian Khatru
●その他
・サードアルバム：Yours Is No Disgrace／Clap（★）／Starship Trooper
・こわれもの：Heart Of The Sunrise／Roundabout
・その他： Wonderous Stories／On The Silent Wings Of Freedom／Does It Really Happen?／The Ice Bridge
※注：「★」印は姉妹作『OSAKA 2022』で聴けない曲。

……と、このようになっています。そして、セット以上に重要なのはバンド自体の調子。今回の日本公演は場数を重ねる毎に調子を上げており、本作ではかなりこなれてきているのです。その理由は恐らく日程。冒頭で後唱歌したように彼らは約２ヶ月のオフを挟んで来日しており、実は久々の生演奏でもあった。それだけに後半になるほどカンを取り戻してきた。しかも、本作は最終日のようなセット変更もなく鉄壁。今週の５作品はいずれも素晴らしい名録音ではあるものの、こと「演奏の充実度」なら本作こそが最高傑作ではないでしょうか。
今週同時リリースとなる５連作はそれぞれに個性的ではありますが、その中でも本作はビビッド・サウンドと絶好調の演奏を兼ね備えた大傑作です。どうぞ、じっくりとご堪能ください。

★「2022年９月９日：ビレッジホール」公演の極上オーディエンス録音。名匠“西日本最強テーパー”氏の最新録音で、３列目という録音ポジションのダイレクト感が強烈。重低音までオンな「まるでサウンドボード」としか呼びようがない名録音です。今回のジャパン・ツアーは尻上がりにバンドの調子が良くなっており、４公演目を真空パックした本作は極上サウンドとがっちりと噛み合ったアンサンブルが両立した名作ライヴアルバムです。
Disc 1 (58:15)
1. Turn of the Century (Alan White Tribute)
2. The Firebird Suite
3. On the Silent Wings of Freedom
4. Yours Is No Disgrace
5. Does It Really Happen?
6. Clap
7. Wonderous Stories
8. The Ice Bridge
9. Heart of the Sunrise

Disc 2 (65:16)
1. Close to the Edge
2. And You and I
3. Siberian Khatru
4. Roundabout
5. Starship Trooper

Steve Howe – guitars, vocals
Jon Davison – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion
Geoff Downes – keyboards, vocals
Billy Sherwood – bass
Jay Schellen – drums, percussion

Amity 69

With the 50th anniversary of the daimyo board “Kiseki”, YES’s Japan tour was realized for the first time in three years. All performances of the latest original recording will be released together!
This time’s Japan tour consisted of 5 performances, and this work is the 4th in a series of 5. It is the best audience recording of the performance “September 9, 2022: Village Hall”. This visit to Japan is boiling with the perfect reproduction of “crisis”, but there were twists and turns until here. Initially, it was planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Crisis” after the “Relayer” complete reproduction tour from 2020, but it was postponed one after another due to the new corona pandemic. In the meantime, the new work “THE QUEST” was released, and Alan White died. As a result, activities resumed from the “crisis” reproduction tour. At our store, we have been breaking news with the live album “ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2022 (Amity 681)” since the reopening, but the schedule is fluid even after that. In order to understand their recent situation, let’s first review the latest status of their activity overview.

● 2022
《Alan White died on May 26》
““Crisis” 50th Anniversary Tour”
・ June 13-29: UK (11 performances) ← *ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2022
・September 5-12: Japan (5 performances) ← Coco
・October 2-November 19: North America (29 performances)
● 2023
““Relayer” reproduction tour”
・ May 7-June 7: Europe (24 performances)

This is the YES for 2022/2023 that has been announced so far. After the “UK” leg reported at “ROYAL ALBERT HALL 2022”, he came to Japan after two months off. Initially, activities in 2022 were supposed to end in Japan, but now they have announced a “North American” tour after that. The “Relayer” reproduction tour is planned to be held in Europe next year.
“Well, this time we’re releasing all of the performances in Japan.” In order to avoid confusion, let’s check the positions of the 5 simultaneous releases here on the schedule.

・September 5 “TOKYO 2022 1ST NIGHT”
・September 6 “TOKYO 2022 2ND NIGHT”
*September 8 “OSAKA 2022”
*September 9th: Village Hall ← This work
・September 12 “TOKYO 2022 FINAL NIGHT”
* Note: “*” marks are the same recording artist collection as this work.

A total of 5 performances. There were three venues in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, but these five works can be divided into two by recording artist. The three Tokyo editions “TOKYO 2022 1ST NIGHT (Amity 688)”, “2ND NIGHT (Amity 689)” and “FINAL NIGHT (Amity 692)” were serialized by the same person, but this work and “OSAKA 2022”, which are in West Japan, (Amity 690)” is also a sister work by the same recording artist. Yes, this work is also the latest recording by master craftsman “West Japan strongest taper”.
And the sound of this work is also top-notch. Only in the position of the third row in front of the stage, it has a strong direct feeling, and the extremely thick core and the fine details can only be called “just like a sound board”. In that respect, it is similar to “OSAKA 2022”, but this work is even more solid. According to the story of those who experienced it, the sound output at the site seems to have been too strong, but it can not be felt at all from this work. The contours of each instrument are also brilliantly separated. That’s why it’s crisp and tight like IEMs.
The latest full show centered on the complete reproduction of “Crisis” is drawn with such a sharp sound. The set basically leads to “OSAKA 2022”, but Steve Howe’s solo in one place is “Clap” instead of “To Be Over”. In other words, it was the same as “TOKYO 2022 2ND NIGHT” on the second day in Tokyo. Just in case, let’s keep things organized here.

– [Crisis] complete reproduction
・Close To The Edge／And You And I／Siberian Khatru
●Others
・Third album: Yours Is No Disgrace / Clap (★) / Starship Trooper
・Fragile: Heart Of The Sunrise / Roundabout
・Other: Wonderous Stories／On The Silent Wings Of Freedom／Does It Really Happen?／The Ice Bridge
*Note: “★” marks are songs that cannot be heard in the sister work “OSAKA 2022”.

… and it looks like this. And what is more important than the set is the condition of the band itself. The performance in Japan this time is getting better as the number of places increases, and it is getting pretty good in this work. The reason is probably the schedule. As they sang at the beginning, they came to Japan after about two months off, and it was actually the first live performance in a long time. That’s why I regained my senses in the second half. Moreover, this work is an impregnable wall without a set change like the last day. Although all five works of this week are wonderful name recordings, isn’t this work the best masterpiece if it is the “sufficiency of performance”?
Each of the 5 series released at the same time this week has its own uniqueness, but among them, this work is a masterpiece that combines vivid sound and excellent performance. Please take your time and enjoy.

★ The best audience recording of the “September 9, 2022: Village Hall” performance. The latest recording by master craftsman “West Japan’s strongest taper”, the direct feeling of the recording position of the third row is intense. It is a name recording that can only be called “just like a sound board” with heavy bass. The band’s condition is getting better on this Japan tour, and this work, which was vacuum-packed for the 4th performance, is a masterpiece live album that combines the best sound and a tightly meshed ensemble.