They were so stinking tight back then. The meter in the middle of this thing, the battle scene as it were, still baffles me. Every time I try and count it out, it comes out differently :-) Amazing stuff. I really wish they would've done more with Moraz. He was a breath of fresh air.
This is a 1976 live recording, after the 5 musicians have all provided solo albums. I'm sure they learnt from their experience as artists so much that this is the result. Ritual, from the same gig is astonishing. Thinking that they will make Awaken, their ultimate masterpiece, after this is unbelievable. And I will never understand why Wakeman dislikes it.
I remember listening to this song back in 81 or 82 when I was 14 or 15 years old and praying to whomever that I would meet a girl who would get this music, we could listen together and not need to say anything. I'm 55 now and never met that girl. But Yes' music has always been there for me. There's nothing like listening this or Ritual and looking at the stars on a clear and cold winter's night...
The first time I heard this was July 19 1975. It was the third song after Sound Chaser and Close To The Edge to open the show that night. Needless to say, I saw YES 35 more times until 2014. Chris passed in 15 ✨️🎶🙏🎶✨️
When this was first released I don't think many of us young ones were cognizant of the level of virility going on in a performance like this one. The band reveals in 'Yes in their own words' that they constructed the composition in the studio like collages and then learned to play 'the collage'. (!) The studio version is special because it has a depth of field in the recording, that very few rock records had investigated up until then. The tonal colors and effects are unforgettable; nothing sounds like them even today. However in Cobo Hall, Howe's pedal steel comes alive in a shattering way. The amplification and the room make his searing glissandos sound like the Horn of Time, the Horn of Eternity, which is absolutely absent in the studio. Yes were almost always ethereal, reaching to the Heavens, pointing to God. Even in the lyric appears the prayer "Help us now". Anderson said they were asking the hard question about war: do we really want to do this again? A unique performance document from 1976, a tour which featured several dates with 100,000 plus attending. Not many groups touched such heights, then or since.
RELAYER was an aberration, Yes had reached for the stars, pushing the boundaries of exploration to the max, and playing with a cohesiveness that was beyond impressive, beyond comprehension. "Gates of Delirium" is ProgRock's ultimate masterpiece... For that brief moment in time Yes had been Galvanized in Molten Titanium. The hardest and most adrenaline-pumped they would ever be. At the same time, the sublime beauty of 'Soon' transcends this earthly realm and transports the listener into the ethereal mists of spiritual bliss. Why Steve Howe never gets recognition in most Top 10 guitar solo rankings is pure ignorance. This one album alone can surpass the lifetime achievements of most other guitarists.
In the UK and the US in the 1970s, Steve Howe was close to or at the top of the 'best guitarist' polls for several successive years, so I don't know what you mean by "never gets recognition". He GOT plenty of recognition in the heyday of Yes -- which is over four decades ago, so what do you expect? I was fortunate to see Yes with Patrick Moraz twice in the late 1970s, and I thought his playing and synth sounds were superb and gave the band an extra edge and impact that it didn't have with Rick Wakeman. I also saw them live once with Rick, so I can make the comparison. I agree absolutely with what you say about 'The Gates of Delirium'. It's a majestic masterpiece.
@@robst247 Yes, Steve got recognition "many decades ago". Yet, for the past several years and in current polls his peers are still in the top 5 to 20 spots, ie Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Daivid Gilmore, Eddie van Halen, Pete Townshend, Jeff Beck etc. Case in point, check out Rolling Stone magazine's TOP Guitars of 2020. Out of 100 guitarists listed, Steve Howe is NOT even mentioned! That's simply ludicrous. I've gone to numerous YES concerts over the years and even Rick Wakeman’s solo concerts, so I'm very familiar with the band, even having the good fortune of designing one of their album covers (Re)Union. They’re extremely talented.
@@richdisilvio4591 Of course you're right -- it IS ludicrous. But those of us who are 'in the know' don't really care about the banal opinionating of music journalists, do we? Surely, all that matters is that WE (the true aficionados) continue to enjoy his playing and recognize his brilliance. On the second count, you're right too. The amount of talent that YES has displayed over the years beggars belief. For me, The Yes Album, Fragile, Close to the Edge, Tales from Topographic Oceans, Relayer and Going For The One are among the finest albums ever recorded. Gentle Giant, early Genesis with Peter Gabriel, early and middle-period King Crimson and Jethro Tull are in the same league for me, but YES had something special and extra in that period that has never been, are never will be, emulated.
@@robst247 Well, while it's true that journalists are never the final word of truth or accuracy, as an author/historian, it grieves me that such stupidity persists. As we know, "Perception is Reality" for the masses, and that younger generations should remain in the dark about Steve Howe is blasphemous in the music world. But, yes, those 'in the know' know better. I hope videos like this reach younger generations who never even heard of YES, as their sublime gifts should be enjoyed universally and eternally. Nice chatting, it's always a pleasure speaking to fellow YES fans. Best, RD
@@richdisilvio4591 It's not realistic to expect many young people to like YES music from that peak period of creativity and brilliance (the 1970s) or to recognise the talents of individual band members, but a small minority will, especially those who are interested in 'progressive rock' (a term I've always disliked). There's no accounting for taste; each to his own; etc. We have to respect peoples' differing tastes and their freedom of choice, right? Best wishes, RS
When you were in the 80's, you really thought that modernity had arrived, and that life was about to explode into something ever more extraordinary. "Our reason to be here."
I predict that 50 years from now, people will still be singing the praises of YES. I'll be 108. Check back then, if for no other reason than to see if I'm still alive 😎
Steve Howe is doing things to that guitar, the keyboards are cutting through everything, Jon is shouting those lyrics and Chris Squire and Alan White never missed that beat. Incredible!
Yes, this is a groundbreaking masterpiece! The entire Relayer album was far ahead of its time, and this recording shows that they were also able to pull off this beast of a song live in concert.
This monumental epic song is the BEST Yes composition ever. Since we only got Patrick Moraz for one album, this live release was a very welcome surprise. The vocals, the instruments and the raw power of this song all mesh together into one Masterpiece never to be equalled.
Its very easy to like Genises and Pink Floyd very clever bands .... But nobody will ever come close for pure musicianship and music as these guys .. Yes at the peak .. and without Rabin and Wakeman. I had the privelage of seeing this tour I remember sitting or standing right behind Patrick Moraz ... just an unbelievable show ... went home with tears and a daze. The greatest I will ever see.
When Wakeman heard they were working 'on songs again' for 'Going For The One', he asked to rejoin, and they unceremoniously threw Moraz out, even though he did a lot of writing with the band for GFTO. I think that one move did more to hurt their future than anything else.
Sorry but that's really not quite how it happened. Rick was brought in initially as a session musician. As far as I know Rick did not ask to rejoin he was asked.
@@mikereiss4216 I said 'they' - not Wakeman; the other guys (possibly with record company pressure) brought Wakeman back in; I did not say (or mean) that Wakeman threw Moraz out. Everyone in and around the group has their own motives to tell their own version; who knows what really happened, but I did read accounts of Moraz being surprised when he was suddenly asked to leave, and I met Moraz and spoke with him. He was very nice (to me at least) and didn't strike me as the kind of person to throw shade out of bitterness. OTOH, there are numerous accounts of how the other guys (Squire, Anderson, and Howe to a lesser extent) were generally ruthless. Moraz did writing work for the next album - there is a version of his alternate beginning of Awaken on RU-vid. I'm just saying IMO they shot themselves in the foot by 1) Making a bunch of solo records after Relayer (& touring those with Moraz) 2) Not making a 2nd record with Moraz, especially after the time Moraz spent touring both Relayer and the solo albums. Wakeman, though a great keyboardist, didn't offer the group what they needed at that time IMO. Bruford took a certain element of jazzy fusion adventure with him - Moraz brought his own fire in that regard, yet they opted for Wakeman after 2 years.. and what came of it? One good album. Not a great album (IMHO); just good. Then - Tormato. Then the Buggles. Boom snap. I don't know (nobody knows) what would have happened if they opted to do another album with Moraz, but I would have liked to see that alternate reality. They might - Might - have made more than 1 good album before turning into a overly produced 'progressive pop' band, then a nostalgia band as they are now.
I agree with you 100%. Yes was a different band with Moraz...more adventurous. It would have been fascinating to see what direction Yes would have gone in if Moraz had stayed with the band and taken on a more prominent role. One more album....we'll never know now.
My tale. Took my girlfriend to see this tour at the Cow Palace. Stood in front of Patrick (had trouble with keyboards staying in tune). They performed GOD to perfection. SOON felt like a Sonic Baptism, a gift or blessing from Jon and the band. The show ran late and we missed the buses back to Marin. Found ourselves hitch hiking at the Golden Gate bridge. We were a tad altered to say the least. But we were in such a glow from what we had just seen and heard. I do not think many other bands take you on a Cosmic Journey like that. It has been an important part of my life to be a Yes fan, I feel I am a better person for it.
For what it's worth, I first saw YES on the Relayer tour with ACE in Montreal. It was unforgettable: 5th (?) row, centre ~ wow! When Jon Anderson announced this song I yelled "All Right!" so loudly he looked at me and smiled. My teen fan brain exploded. This is still, along with "Awaken", my favourite YES song. (But then, really, it is hard to limit oneself to only two 'favourite' YES songs, isn't it?)
Tim, brilliant minds think alike! My two favorites, Awaken and Gates of Delirium, get better with time. I can picture your teen spirit! Saw the 1974 Relayer tour along with every tour they did. Saw Chris Squire a few times before he passed. We noticed he didn't look like his usual self. Sadly we were correct. He passed soon after. Saw them here in Brooklyn a couple of years ago at the beach, without Jon and Chris 😥, but still a good show. Steve Howe was outside before the show, bu he wouldn't take a pic with me...bummer. YES has been like family, though. Looking forward to 2021 Relayer!
Great story. I had a similar experience at Madison Square Garden during this tour. Front row seats. Making an annoyance out of myself yelling for the song Survival off their first album. Eventually Jon looked around at the band as if to say shall we give it a go. But Steve and Alan weren't familiar. Jon shrugged his shoulders to say sorry not tonight. Had to ask my buddy the next day if that really happened. Side effects of front row tix for Yes, a pounding headache for 3 days straight but well worth it.
I have always said that this is the best version and makes the Studio version sound tame. It has always been met with indifference making me wonder if my opinion was somehow skewed by something. Finally I I see a comment saying this. I got to know this song first via "Soon" excerpt on a greatest Hits. Then the whole song on Relayer, which did nothing for me on first few listens. After a while it clicked and I loved it. Bought Yesshows and from then on only ever played that version except sometimes studio version to refamiliarise myself with how much better this version is. I would say the studio version of Soon is better than here though.
@@NowhereMan7 I concur. This is much better - more energy, flow and cohesiveness than the studio version, which was pieced together and sounds it. The same is true with respect to Tarkus imo.
@@chevken1831 And you know, the Bruford tracks on Yessongs are clearly on another level in terms of quality. Everything is clearer, less clipping, brighter, more definition. Perpetual Change and LDR/The Fish give us a sense of what the rest of Yessongs COULD have sounded like. To have Alan White's pounding drums with that sort of clarity... it would have rivaled Yesshows.
Un día de 1974, mi hermana trajo RELAYER a casa, lo puso en un viejo ¨ranser¨ ... nunca más lo dejé de escuchar, siempre le encuentro algo nuevo, se las partes de cada tema, juego ¨tocando¨ en mi cabeza instrumentos por separado, vueloal infinito con el solo de moog que hace Moraz en To Be Ober y sueño con el ¨Fender¨ de Soon... Un día, cuando no tenga más memoria, escuchen RELAYER por mí.
Along with ELP, Yes branded itself in the early 70s as an extraordinarily tight, technically remarkable, lyrically cerebral band whose members synchronously pushed the boundaries of music to an almost ethereal level. Yes were never more uniquely situated to stand atop the world of progressive rock music than after this stunningly complex, forceful yet hauntingly melodic piece. Steve Howe(as good a guitarist to ever play music in the rock era), Patrick on keyboards(who is excellent in place of the brilliant Rick Wakeman), the incomparable Jon Anderson on vocals, the great Chris Squire(RIP) and the underrated Alan on drums(this is an exceedingly complicated piece to play on percussion and Alan does it with aplomb) are a band nonpareil. Bands like Floyd, Genesis and later Rush and even Dream Theater today have deservedly made their own places of influence and greatness in the prog/rock canon; however, I cannot help but think that Yes forged a trail even more daring and experimental and will continue for decades to come to occupy the center of the prog universe.
None of my friends had heard of them until one night they were playing in Atlanta and I took them to the show New fans were born at the first sounds of the guitars . They were always one of my favorite bands and live shows were the best
Just listen to that tremendous applause at the end of the song! I'll wager the crowd was giving the guys a standing ovation and a well deserved one at that!
can you imagine for one moment a modern band that dares to put on a 21 minute piece on this scale, or any audience with the attention span to listen to it from beginning to end? I think our generation was the last for this level of mastery, both writers, players, and listeners.
I sold many of my old LPs some years ago, but this is one of the few I kept. I just couldn't let it go! It's that good. And I always preferred this live version over the original studio recording.
Yes is the best of the British Prog Rock bands, my all-time fave band, and this version ofThe Gates is the best I've ever heard, thanks for uploading. The youngsters of today will never understand how brilliant this stuff is. If you haven't heard Jon singing Awaken with the Icelandic band Todmobile (which is on RU-vid), you really should. It is the most beautiful piece of music I've ever heard.
The entire performance gives one chills, but interestingly, listening to the audience go from stunned near-silence, to ecstatic applause/cheering at the conclusion, gives me goose bumps. So powerful!
La mejor ópera progresiva del universo en una versión insuperable. Toda la genialidad de YES, seres de otra galaxia que marcaron la mejor época del rock.
Better than Van Halen sir stop your nonsense. Deep Purple's prog era was better than Yes. I'm a big fan of Yes. The keyboards sound too Keith Emerson-like. I prefer Wakeman he has more of a classical sound.
My very first listen to Gates was shortly after buying Relayer in December ,1974. Today is February 21, 2023 48 years plus since that first listen. In all that time I have NEVER gotten tired of Gates and Relayer! This Summer, YES finally intends to play all of RELAYER since 1976! I have heard Gates twice- 2000 Masteworks tour and 2019 YES tour. YES has undergone several peronel changes. I will attend these up and coming YES 2023 YES shows. Steve Howe is the only member left in the band who played on the recording of RELAYER. I understand this. I will see the band play these great pieces of muisic!
Listening to this for the first time as a 15 year old (on 8-track!) was a completely transformative experience. It changed me as a musician and as a person. It made me better.
Halcyon days of youth and splendor, all was possible all was attainable, where did it go so wrong for the children of aquarius? We had it all and lost it in pursuit of lucre, I feel so sad for today's children, at least we saw the possibility through the music of Yes.
LA MEJOR VERSION EN VIVO DE GATES OF DELIRIUM, ES UNA GRAN PENA QUE NO HAYA SIDO DOCUMENTADA VISUALMENTE, AL PARECER MUCHAS BANDAS NO PUDIERON GRABAR EN VIDEO, LA MEJOR GIRA DE TODOS LOS TIEMPO DE YES FUE LA RELAYER HASTA EL AÑO 76 EN DONDE LAS PERFORMANCES MEJORARON Y DISFRUTAMOS DE LOS MEJORES TEMAS COMO RITUAL Y CLOSE TO THE EDGE, PERO ESTA VERSION DE GATES OF DELIRIUM ES UNA OBRA MAESTRA.
On a killer sound system listening and it's just SUCH a GREAT recording!!! Saw Yes 22 times before Jon got sick and was hospitalized... Since have not seen post Jon YES. But ARW was pretty hot! I digress... This is a gorgeous rendition!!! 💖🎶🔥
Surprisingly enough, this is the first time I have listened to this version...this is REALLY quite remarkable! Jon singing with passion and Patrick really showing that he just might be too good for this band...Steve is the straw that stirs the drink and the rhythm section a solid foundation...this song puts the "spectacle" in "spectacular" - one of their crowning achievements, up there with "Heart of the Sunrise", for me...the latter song is close to my heart, being the first Yes song I ever heard...
Yup, there's more energy, flow and cohesiveness on this. Studio version, like the studio version of Tarkus, is pieced together, and sounds it. Live version of Tarkus is better too, imo. And yup, that's what the rhythm section is, a "solid foundation" lol. More like a Saturn V rocket firing all of its F-1 engines at once and exploding into space with 7.5m lbs of thrust! Pure Power.
Well, I prefer the studio version precisely because it's more multi-layered, more polyrhythmic and with wider dynamics (without ever sounding just rumbling and thuddy) - but I agree the level of sheer forward energy on this live version is insane. :) (I would not agree that there is any lack of cohesion in the studio take - all of them are on fire on the Relayer album too, but also tight together!)
I first heard "Gates" live on the Relayer Tour in 1974. It was 5 days before the album was released, so none of us had ever heard it. We had no idea what was happening! They started into this song that battered us, the lights were flashing on this wild set, it lifted us into battle and then brought back by "Soon." We were shocked, amazed, and exhausted by the end. What an experience.
Same here. They opened with Sound Chaser and everyone was looking around"NO SIBERIAN"??? The RELAYER Album Cover was the centerfold of the Concert Program.
The live cut on YesShows is better than the studio version. Unreal dynamics. While I prefer CTTE studio version to all, this is my favorite Yes live cut. It just cuts through to your soul.
Aside from all the obvious dozens of praises on the composition, and specifically brilliance of this performance... has allan white (r.i.p. you beauty) ever sounded better?! Whew!
I knew and loved this version before I ever heard Relayer. My subsequent disappointment on hearing the Relayer version was enormous. The production decisions - Jon's clattering around on his pots and pans and his primitive electronic explosions - just seemed so wrong. I can only imagine Chris Squire's glee when he got to mix this version and remove all Jon's rubbish from it. Utterly stellar performance - Steve's playing and tone are sensational, Jon sings with a gritty commitment I've never heard him give in any other context. Alan gives his usual live approach of permanently sizzling ride and crash cymbals, which they never seemed to resort to in studio versions. Dunno why - it might have been a cheap trick but it certainly lent a symphonic hugeness to it all. Still stirs me like it did when I first heard it when I was 12 or 13. Quite why the rest of the world doesn't recognise it (this version specifically) as the complete and utter pinnacle of art rock shall ever remain a mystery.
We'd listen to Gate at least 2 a day, usually the live and then the studio version, each with their own special touches. The studio version w/ Alan and ? knocking over metal shelves w/ car part or something, I've read. This live version w/ Steve on the pedal steel @ 13:58 , always cranked like once thru a multi stack Pevey amp..neighbors were pissed lol My bro blew the fuse on his Fisher Studio Standard w/ 5 way floor standing Ohms around 12:37
No mate, know EXACTLY where your coming from as a musician myself, I'll never be anywhere as good as him and believe me 40 years of trying to play the Bass as well as my keyboards and drums Im not sure even if I can call myself a musician lol, wish I'd never discovered him as a 8 year old as it made me aim too high lol
Steve's telecaster cuts right through. The whole band is one fire here! Love the extended section starting at 12:04. Howe and co. building up all that tension, only to let it go makes my hair stand up.
I never listen to the album version. This live version has fire in its belly from start to finish .................a 20th century modern classical musical work of art . The masters : Mozart , Beethoven , Bach etc etc would've been there at the end applauding with the rest of the crowd. Absolutely incredible music.
When I was going to Junior High school in Edison, NJ 500 years ago, there was a kid I remember who said that Steve Howe was the best guitarist. He used to draw the Roger Dean Yes logo like you wouldn't believe. I would look at it and think: How do you do that?
