Affirmative action...

Playlist

Yes - The Yes Album

Yes - Time And A Word

Yes - Fragile

Yes - Tormato

Yes - Going For The One

Yes - Close to the Edge (2013 Stereo Mixes)

Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans - Definitive Edition 2016

Eagles - Desperado

Paul Simon - Paul Simon

Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On

Amon Düül II - Tanz der Lemminge

Sparks - Sparks

Humble Pie - Thunderbox

Jethro Tull - War Child

The Moody Blues - A Question Of Balance

Jethro Tull - Aqualung

The Sun Burns Bright - Through Dusk, Came The Light

Voodoo Circle - Raised On Rock 

For All We Know - For All We Know

Al Di Meola - Opus

Hugh Hopper - 1984

Creek - Reconstructed

Ronnie Montrose - 10x10

Michal Mierzejewski & Sinfonietta Consonus - Symphonic Theater Of Dreams 

The Temperance Movement - A Deeper Cut

Schnellertollermeier - Rights

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus (Deluxe Edition)

Turnstile - Time & Space

Federico Albanese - By the Deep Sea

Wobbler - From Silence to Somewhere

Lana Del Rey - You Must Love Me [Single]

Rolo Tomassi - Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It

Tracey Thorn - Record

Gleb Kolyadin - Gleb Kolyadin

Moby - Everything Was Beautiful, And Nothing Hurt

Modern Day Babylon - Coma

Royal Hunt - Cast In Stone (Japan)

Die Ärzte - Uns geht's prima

David Bowie - The Best of Bowie (K-Tel)

Grieg - Children's Introduction to Good Music

Alice Cooper - Collection (Germany 1982)

Françoise Hardy - Françoise Mon Amour

Long Distance Calling - Trips

Mahavishnu Orchestra - Apocalypse

Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters - Double Seven

The Dave Bailey Sextet - One Foot In The Gutter (A Treasury Of Soul) 

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz Impressions Of Japan

Dave Barker - Africa's Blood

Coleman Hawkins - At Ease With Coleman Hawkins

Dillinger & The Upsetters - Rhythm Shower

Various Composers - Music from Renaissance Portugal

Kenny Burrell - Bluesin' Around

David Bowie - Station To Station (2016 Remastered Version)

Gary Burton - A Genuine Tong Funeral

Perfect Beings - Perfect Beings

The Upsetters - Battle Axe

The Mighty Moog - Everything You Ever Wanted to Hear on the Moog

Various Composers - L'Age d'Or des Castrats

Bach, C P E  - Die Israeliten in der Wuste

Di Lasso - Musica Dei Donum / Lauda Sion Salvatorem

The Fatback Band - Essential 70s Funk Recordings

Wes Montgomery - Movin' Wes

Laura Pausini, Gente De Zona - Nadie ha dicho

Rameau - Les Grands Motets

Rheostatics - 2017-12-15 Rheostatics - This Ain't Hollywood Hamilton ON
King Crimson - Thrak
King Crimson - Vrooom

Up early and listening to Yes in anticipation of tonight's gig in Glasgow...

Into town early with the Prog rockers in my lugs...

Back home just after 1 and, post lunch with the Exec Producer, off to Glasgow at 1:45...

To Mixed Up in Otago Lane of course, where all but one of these were purchased...

15 of the Mixed Up titles were just a quid, the other four were a massive two quid..

After over an hour in there, including one of the strangest record shop discussions I, or the guy behind the counter, had ever had - a third person (customer) wanted to know if "see in that bible, see Mary Magdalene, was she like Mary like the Mary and Joseph Mary?"...

I managed to put him straight, before leaving and driving over to park near Byres Rd...

A walked to Fopp, picking up another Scientist disc for three quid, before then walking the entire length of the road, perusing the shops...

Some nice shots taken along the way...

Around 6, back to the car and driving, getting caught in the rush hour traffic, over to the SEC and to meet up with birthday boy, Dr Prog, who was training it through from Edinburgh (paying £14 to stand the entire way and glad he was going to enjoy a lift home)...

Secured a good parking spot then over the pedestrian bridge to the venue...

Inside, the merch stall was doing a brisk trade...

Excellent views...

The stage was set...

I was next to the desk...

Just after eight, the "Firebird Suite" intro was followed by opener "Yours is No Disgrace"...

"I've Seen All Good People" followed, then, a dedication to lyricist David Foster, before "Sweet Dreams"...

Sound effects ushered in an excellent "South Side of the Sky"...

...followed by the Chris Squire song "Onward" and Steve Howe's solo guitar piece from "Fragile", "Mood For A Day", played every bit as expertly as the almost 50 year old recording...

A twin salvo from "Going for the One" was next, hit single "Wondrous Stories" and organ and bass rich, "Parallels"...

The band, Jon Davison on vocals, guitar and percussion, Steve Howe on guitars, Geoff Downes on keyboards, Billy Sherwood on bass and vocals and Jay Schellen on drums, was on top form...

..and closed out the first set, after 75 minutes, with "And You And I"...

Half time projection...

...and what was producing it...

Godzilla, perched at the front of the desk, appeared to be looking on...

Into the second half and the much anticipated trio of pieces from the epic number one LP from January 1974, "Tales From Topographic Oceans" was next...

"The Revealing Science of God : Dance of the Dawn" was the first of two 20 minute epics...

...which sandwiched the closing sequence from "The Ancient : Giants Under the Sun", aka "Leaves of Green", featuring Howe and Davison, with Sherwood on harmony vocals...

Then, side four, "Ritual : Nous Sommes du Soleil"...

...which saw Alan White finally take to the stage for the percussion section and finale...

End of set two...

Bows were taken and encores were called for...

...and duly arrived with the almost inevitable "Roundabout", which had the audience down below us, dancing in front of the stage...

Everyone was having a good time to this one...

...all too soon, the closing piece of the evening, a rocking "Starship Trooper"...

...complete with one last magnificently manic guitar solo from Mr Howe...

...and it was all over,...

Well deserved adulation ensued - for the band that is Yes - treating the back catalogue with respect and concentrating on the main section of the "organic" 70's discography, even though this was a celebration of 50 years of the band...

Lights up...

Dr Prog made a swift exit from the Merch stall on discovering his coveted magnets had sold out...

However, I did manage to blag a set list from the sound guy at the desk and it made a fitting birthday present...

A drive back along the motorway - Yes was on offer but the Doc chose King Crimson...

Home towards 1am, after a long, enjoyable day...

And today's artwork is "Affirmative Action"...

Highlight of the Day : Yes playing Tales...