* * * * * * * * * * ______ ______ ____________ _________ / \ | \ __/ \ __/ \__ | \| \ / |/ _ \ | // _____ || / \_/ \ // / \ \\_ \___ \ || _____ ___\ \ \_ \ \ || / --/ ______| \ \ ___\ || | | - /______ __/ \ ___/ \ \\ \_ \_ // | / ___\ _/ \_ \ \_ _// | \__ \__/ ___/ \_ \____ | \_/ \__ ___/ \___ _/ \__ \__/ \ \_________/ \_____/ \_ \_____/ \ \_ | \_ | \__ __/ \_____________/ N o t e s F r o m T h e E d g e # 72 (c) THE Internet Magazine For YES Fans June 28, 1993 * * * * * * * * * * IN THIS ISSUE ============= Steve Howe - - Live In Edinburgh * * * * * * * * * * STEVE HOWE LIVE AT THE QUEENS HALL, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND 22nd JUNE 1993 ====================================================================== From: dro@dsbc.icl.co.uk (David Owen) Queen's Hall is more commonly employed for classical music recitals than rock-related performances, but proved the ideal venue for the first date of Steve's first ever solo tour. As it was a relatively low-profile event, the floor-level seating was laid out with tables, each with a few chairs around it, and a wine-bottle in a candle ! I almost expected a waiter to come over and take our order. It was very pleasant to be able to take a drink in to the auditorium, and my girlfriend and I were delighted to find ourselves sitting right in front of the low stage... Steve strode confidently on at eight o'clock looking far more comfortable and healthy than on the recent Asia tour. He immediately launched into a Vivaldi piece that was well received, and then, as with all the other pieces that night, preceded the next with a chatty introduction. He described all three guitars he played, and the performance had the air of a history of Steve's career, his influences, and the development of his playing and writing, with the songs acting as practical illustrations. He played material from BEGINNINGS, THE STEVE HOWE ALBUM, TURBULENCE, THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, and an album he is planning for mid-to-late '94, which will be entirely solo acoustic. Steve confidently referred to all the main bands he has been in and happily namechecked Jon, Rick, Chris, Geoff Downes, and Steve Hackett, as well as Andrew Jackman, and Patrick Moraz, whose arranging abilities he particularly seems to admire. He even *sang* a bit of ONWARD to describe the type of orchestral arrangements Jackman can achieve, before launching into BEGINNINGS, re-arranged for solo guitar. Throughout, he showed no compunction whatsoever about interpreting these grand arrangements for a mere six strings. His playing is a delight to watch as he alternately screws up his face in intense concentration or smiles knowingly as he watches his fingers obey his commands as they dance over the frets. The highlight of the first half was a confident attack on the acoustic portion of THE ANCIENT from TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS. Steve's singing was received politely, and demonstrates his ability to hold a note if not carry a melody! In the interests of fairness, though, whilst he'll never put Jon out of a job, Jon's guitar playing has never really threatened Steve! The first half concluded with MOOD FOR A DAY. Twenty minutes later, Steve was back, having changed into a red-indian-style shirt and mocassins. He picked up his twelve string, and started checking the tuning in a way that sounded *very* familiar. Realisation dawned, and the intro to AND YOU AND I segued into ONE STEP CLOSER and WITHOUT YOU from the ASIA album. Whilst staying on twelve-string, Steve also played SKETCHES IN THE SUN from GTR, and MASQUERADE, the latter being preceded by a demontration of how he loosens up his fingers before playing. Steve mentioned that this tour was really just to get him feeling comfortable with performing his own material before he returns with the SCHEME tour later this year, backed by Dylan (his son, who he mentioned was 24) and the rest of the band. The atmosphere was *really* friendly, and there was a lot of good-natured banter between Steve and the crowd. He mentioned that this was a very special night for him, since it was the first date, and also because the 22nd of June was the 2nd anniversary of the second night of the UNION tour at Wembley stadium, and that that had been a very special night for him. Me too, as I was there (!) - but don't worry, it's all recorded for posterity on the SAY YES! bootleg CD. After mentioning that he and Jon had written it in Scotland, Steve launched into ROUNDABOUT, which came of remarkably well. A few songs later and he was closing the proceedings with CLAP. A resounding sucess - the rafters were still ringing as he returned for a heroes encore to a cry from the crowd of YOURS IS NO DISGRACE. Whether this was a request or a compliment I don't know, but he certainly took in as the latter as he sang "Bam ba BA ba, Bam ba BA ba...." a la Bruford, and then laughingly played a bit of the second section. The encores proper were a couple more of the up-tempo blues/jazz pieces than had kept the set alive, and then he was off again, although his roadie/manager/whatever was quite happy to let fans in backstage afterwards. To sum up - I saw a musician who is more than happy to be working by himself, and who can achieve a genuinely warm and entertaining rapport with his audience. It was two hours of alternately challenging and familiar music, and I shall certainly be back when the SCHEME tour hits town. To leave you with Steve's words - "Jazz means never having to say you're sorry"... Dave. * * * * * * * * * * FROM THE EDITOR =============== Is anybody out there? I am alone in this cavernous internet room? It would seem so. Posts to Notes have been nil, zero, zip, nada. The result is the shortest issue of Notes ever, and it happened under my watch. What will they put on my plaque when I retire? "He died of embarassment due to the short issue" I feel like the maytag repair guy. Maybe it's the heat...it's just to hot to lift your fingers to the keyboard to send somethings to Notes. I understand...it's hot here as well. 95 degrees and 100% humidity. One of the benefits of living in the deep south. Write me, I need the company... :-) * * * * * * * * * * THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT ADDRESSES: ============================== New subscribers, contributions, questions/comments/criticism: Jeff Hunnicutt (Editor) hunnicutt@vxc.ocis.uncwil.edu NFTE Server (lyrics, backissues, discography, rarities, surveys, GIFs): Automated. For help send mail with subject line yes-archive@meiko.com "send main help" to NFTE Server problems, additions/corrections to the lyrics & GIFs, and additions/corrections to the rarities list: Mike Stok mike@meiko.com NFTE backissues, lyrics, etc, via anonymous FTP: cs.uwp.edu Directory: /pub/music/lists/yes Contact for helping out with transcriptions: Greg Utas utas@bnr.ca For Import CD's (last resort): Joe Pizzirusso joep@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com The Yesoteric Tape(s): United States ============= East Coast: R. uS. Hartnett (hartnett@ocpt.ccur.com) New England: Matt Boyd (mattb@econ.pstc.brown.edu) Central US: William H. Stoner III (bilbo@cis.ohio-state.edu) Southern US: Jeff Mason (jrm@elm.circa.ufl.edu) West Coast: Don Tyler (dtyler@us.oracle.com) Canada ====== Mike Hackett (hackett@gaul.csd.uwo.ca) Europe ====== UK: David Owen (dro@dsbc.icl.co.uk) Europe (besides the UK): (blok@astro.rug.nl) Australia ========== Andrew Studer (studer@physics.su.oz.au) Asia ==== Atsushi Shionozaki (shio@mt.cs.keio.ac.jp) ******************************************************************************** --< END OF NOTES FROM THE EDGE # 72 >-- ********************************************************************************