CONCERT REVIEW: Jon Anderson dusts off 30 year old music, and then some, in Clearwater

Jon Anderson of YES, and the 1000 Hands band, give his solo and YES music a 2019 feel.

Jon Anderson of YES, and the 1000 Hands band, give his solo and YES music a 2019 feel.

Jon Anderson of YES, and the 1000 Hands band, give his solo and YES music a 2019 feel.

Jon Anderson of YES, and the 1000 Hands band, give his solo and YES music a 2019 feel.

At exactly 7:30 Wednesday night, Jon Anderson of Yes came fluttering out like a pixie to get his first glance at Clearwater in a year and a half. His new band, 1000 Hands backed him up the whole way through, kicking off with Yes’ signature Owner Of A Lonely Heart. This band has everything – a cello, a violinist from Taiwan, a keyboardist who convinced Jon to recover his old tapes from 30 years ago, you name it.

“I’m sorry, I have about three frogs in my throat tonight,” Jon confessed about halfway through the first set. “But we’re gonna do it!” Along with music off his new (in spite of it being conceived nearly 30 years ago) album, 1000 Hands: Chapter One, came old songs that Yes feat. ARW never played once. Yes’ cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s America, played a half-step down, was a major surprise, and included a well deserved post-song shout-out to Paul Simon for writing such a great tune.

Also present was a reggae rendition of Long Distance Runaround, and an electrifying I’ve Seen All Good People, complete with those harmonies and all. Oh, and Sweet Dreams, off of Yes’ 1970 sophomore album Time And A Word was a pretty sick treat.

So, about the new album: Jon began recording a concept album about 30 years ago, and had pretty much any name in the Yes, and prog in general, circle you can imagine: Chris Squire, Alan White, Robby Steinhardt, Ian Anderson, and Jean-Luc Ponty, just to name a few. But his touring schedule with Yes was so overcrowded at the time, he decided to abandon the project. But Michael Franklin, who happens to be playing the keys this tour, convinced Jon to recover the tapes and get back to recording his vision. So, Jon headed to Orlando to finish the album he had left behind all those years ago, and on March 31, he released the true masterpiece.

The new record, as well as Jon’s solo catalog in general, were not ignored. New songs, including WDMCF, (Where Does Music Come From) a foot tapping Ramalama, and the joyous Makes Me Happy, were cranked out. The latter had a music video released recently, featuring Jon holding things he loves, in front of a green screen of places he loves. It’s such a fun song, and video, you can’t not at least smirk during it.

Jon wrapped up the show with a tumultuous rendition of 1971’s Starship Trooper, and an encore of, yes sir, Roundabout. Because you can’t have a Yes show without it.

Yes fans are so dedicated, too. One woman sitting in front of me was telling me that this was her eleventh show on this tour alone. God knows how many times she’s caught Jon live, with or without Yes. But since Jon comes around to Tampa every year or so, it’ll probably be at least one more time.

With the condition Jon’s in, compared to 10 years ago when his health got him booted from Yes altogether, all signs point to much more to come.