Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The personnel in the various versions of Yes has constantly changed, but no matter the members in a given moment, the unifying thread has always been master musicianship meticulously recreating the classics.

Those who packed the state-of-the-art Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana heard the chemistry firsthand between Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted guitarist Steve Howe, “Drama”-era keyboard player Geoff Downes, decade-long singer Jon Davison, 1990s keyboardist turned bassist Billy Sherwood and drummer Jay Schellen, now a full-time contributor following the passing of Alan White.

In addition to a touching video montage paying tribute to the late legend, who also kept the beat for John Lennon and George Harrison, the more than two-hour night marked the 50th anniversary of the colossal “Close To The Edge” collection.

But before getting to the main event of hearing that progressive opus in its entirety, the guys dusted off other album cuts (“Yours Is No Disgrace,” “Wonderous Stories,” “Heart Of The Sunrise”), some acoustic solos from the matchless Howe and even tried out a couple from their latest esoteric recording, “The Quest.”

The entire “Close To The Edge” came next, which may have seemed deceptively short as a mere three tracks, but started with the 20-minute title cut winding through what felt like a million emotions and switches in time signatures.

From there, “And You And I” ebbed and flowed with both beauty and aggression, while the ambitious appeal only increased with the unpredictable jazz fusion jamming of the otherwise indescribable “Siberian Khatru.”

All the while, lifelong collaborator Roger Dean’s iconic imagery was displayed on a high-definition video wall with a fairly substantial production that with perhaps a few inflatables, wouldn’t have felt out of place during the band’s arena heyday.

Yet it was all the more rewarding to see Yes in the intimate by comparison confines of the Hard Rock Live, especially when it came to “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper,” further echoing the point that it’s starting to matter a little less exactly who’s fueling the songs as long as the players are this fantastic.

For additional information on Yes, visit YesWorld.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Hard Rock Live Northern Indiana include Trinity Of Terror (Nov. 13); Grand Funk Railroad and Jefferson Starship (Dec. 2); Ne-Yo (Dec. 3); Eric Benét and Donell Jones (Dec. 10); A Boy Band Christmas (Dec. 18); Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular (Jan. 6); Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band (Mar. 17); Snarky Puppy (Apr. 1) and Smokey Robinson (Apr. 28). For additional details, visit HardRockCasinoNorthernIndiana.com.

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