Following the outstanding success of their 2019 American tour, progressive rock legends YES will release "The Royal Affair Tour: Live From Las Vegas" through BMG on October 30. Eager fans will be able to get hold of the physical formats from October 2 if ordered exclusively through the YES store.
All YES concert tours are special events for their legions of fans and "The Royal Affair" tour was no exception, conceived as a wonderful celebration of the best of British progressive music. Guests on the tour were ASIA (with YES keyboardist Geoff Downes and a special appearance by Steve Howe), John Lodge of THE MOODY BLUES and Carl Palmer's ELP LEGACY featuring Arthur Brown.
Of "The Royal Affair Tour" album, Alan White says: "'The Royal Affair' tour album, being released in October, is a welcome new chapter in the wide expanse of YES live recordings. I hope you enjoy it."
Steve Howe adds: "Having the opportunity to bring together the band members in the development of a well-refined set of songs that captures the bands true potential is simply an honor for me."
The show features many classic tracks across the period 1970 - 1980. The set opened with "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed", the Richie Havens cover from YES's second album "Time And A Word" (1970). "Tempus Fugit" was taken from "Drama" (1980), Geoff Downes's first as a member of YES, while "Going For The One", "I've Seen All Good People" and "Siberian Khatru" are from some of YES's iconic mid-'70s albums. The set included a rare live performance of YES's cover of Paul Simon's "America" and John Lodge shared vocals on YES's cover of John Lennon's "Imagine". Soon-to-be YES drummer Alan White played on the original studio recording.
"The Royal Affair Tour" live set and album, recorded at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in July 2019, reaches a climax with two of the best-loved YES tracks "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper", always a high note on which to close the set.
YES is Steve Howe (guitar), who joined in 1970; Alan White, drums since 1972; Geoff Downes (keyboards), who first joined in 1980; vocalist since 2011, Jon Davison; Billy Sherwood, who played guitar/keyboards in the 1990s and was the late Chris Squire's choice to take over bass/vocals in 2015. Jay Schellen played additional drums.
"The Royal Affair" tour also featured an exhibition of original art by Roger Dean whose artwork is synonymous having designed the iconic YES logo and the band's best-loved album covers. Roger Dean recently painted "The Royal Affair" tour album artwork live on Facebook while also fielding questions from fans.
"The Royal Affair Tour: Live In Las Vegas" track listing:
01. No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed
02. Tempus Fugit
03. Going For The One
04. I've Seen All Good People
05. Siberian Khatru
06. Onward
07. America
08. Imagine
09. Roundabout
10. Starship Trooper
