Review - ARW (Anderson, Rabin, & Wakeman of YES) @ City National Civic, SJ (11/27/16)
Written by:
Kevin Keating
November 30, 2016
Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman (Photo: Kevin Keating)
ARW. Have you heard of them? Maybe you’ll recognize another 3-letter band? Yes. How about now? If you’re familiar with Yes, then chances are you’ve heard the music of ARW. Jon Anderson (vocals), Trevor Rabin (guitar), and Rick Wakeman (keyboards) are three of the most instrumental members of the classic prog-rock band, Yes, and they hit San Jose’s City National Civic this past Sunday night touring as ARW for ‘An Evening of Yes Music & More’. They’ll be performing at SF’s Masonic on December 4th after rescheduling the original 11/25 date due to Trevor Rabin’s illness. Tickets for that show can be found here.
Personally speaking, I’m a child of the 80’s and a product of the MTV generation, so my first vivid memory of Yes is their groundbreaking video and hit single, “Owner of a Lonely Heart” (iTunes). And I’ll be first to admit that I’m a more casual Yes fan compared to most that attended this past weekend’s show… And especially compared to the crowd at Saratoga’s Mountain Winery this past September when the ‘official’ incarnation of Yes (featuring original members Steve Howe & Geoff Downes) performed the albums Drama & Tales from Topographic Oceans in their entirety.
Trevor Rabin (Photo: Kevin Keating)
But instead of performing complete albums, ARW played a selection of greatest hits from their days with Yes, and ended the evening with my two favorites, "Owner...", and "Roundabout". The night was an incredible opportunity to catch these future Rock & Roll Hall of Famers in a relatively intimate venue. And speaking of the Hall… Be sure to cast your vote here. The deadline is December 6th for the 2017 induction.
Rick Wakeman (Photo: Kevin Keating)
With only a few dates left on the ARW US tour, I’d highly recommend attempting to catch the show nearest you. Otherwise, you’ll have a great excuse to plan a trip to Europe in 2017! Here are the remainder of their tour dates and the full setlist from the evening can be found below.
