Plot: What’s it about?
Yes isn’t a band I follow and as such, I won’t be gushing fanboy style or giving overused anecdotes about the band, I’ll just give you the rundown on this performance. I don’t think this show features the original lineup, which is a scam and I don’t even think this is a decent show. The musical talents of the band seem solid, but their showmanship is very poor in all respects. They show little enthusiasm for their music or fans and that’s just bad practice. But I suppose everyone needs to collect a paycheck now and again, so perhaps that’s why this performance came to be. The music sounds much like it has for all these years of Yes, which is a compliment of course, but their music still sucks in my opinion. I can understand why Yes has a nice fanbase and all, but this just isn’t for me. For Yes fans though, this is a concert worth looking into.
This disc offers the chance to take in the performance in the comfort of your own home, which isn’t as bad as it sounds. This format has some tremendous sound capabilities and I’ve heard some fantastic concert discs, so this one had the chance to be great also. The video is excellent and does the best effort it can to capture the “live” feel, which is never even close in the end. But this is the case with all concert home videos though, so no hard feelings toward this one in that aspect. The disc even has a few bonus materials, which is a nice touch for this type of release. But the audio is misadvertised and limited in range from second one, which is inexcusable on any release, but especially on a music DVD! The disc is supposed to be Dolby Digital 5.1, but I detected no use of the rear channels at all, which drags the entire show down several notches. If you’re a diehard Yes fan then you’ll want this disc, otherwise I’d stick with a rental, if even that. Below is a track listing.
1. Introduction
2. I’ve Seen All Good People
3. Time and a Word
4. Homeworld
5. Perpetual Change
6. Lightning Strikes
7. The Messenger
8. Ritual – Nous Sommes du Soleil
9. And You and I
10. It Will Be A Good Day (The River)
11. Face To Face
12. Awaken
13. Your Move/I’ve Seen All Good People
14. Cinema
15. Owner Of A Lonely Heart
16. Roundabout
Video: How does it look?
Yes: The House Of Yes is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. Despite the lack of the added resolution, this is still about as good as a concert video is gonna look. The colors look vibrant and rich, but no bleeds or smears occur and flesh tones look solid also. Some of the sheer impact of the more colorful elements is lost, but that is the type of thing that’s never the same on home video, such as light schemes, etc. The contrast never stutters either, black levels are on target and no detail gets lost in the shadows. Some slight edge enhancement is visible at times, no other visual hiccups are evident.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc claims to have a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, but you couldn’t prove that by me. I’ve heard several other concert discs in 5.1 and all of them have made wide use the rear channels, something this disc never did. I can understand limited use even, but this feature never even touches them in the least. So right off the starting line, this one has proved to be a disappointment. I could tell little to no difference between the main track and the 2.0 surround option also included. But at least the 2.0 surround track lives up to its name. This still sounds decent, but not even close to the level it should attain.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the music video for Homeworld, a selection of still photos, and a thirteen minute (approx.) interview featurette. This is an interesting bonus for fans of the band, as they discuss various aspects of their music and such.
