John Anderson @ Royal Oak Music Theater
by
Eva M. Trudeau
11/05
Royal Oak, MI
In an intimate, laid-back setting at the Royal Oak Music Theater, Jon Anderson (of YES fame) held an informal showcase of his talent and songs over the years.
It was a visual and auditory experience that captured the many facets of his extensive music carreer.
Jon took the stage to rousing cheers and applause, opening with the YES classic, "Long Distance Runaround".
It was an acoustic setting and the response from the audience was extremely favorable. The voice that had spoken to several
generations sang clear.
While he played, there was a projection screen behind him showing snippets of surrealistic and visionary
imagery.
While requests were fielded out from the audience, he would inject andecdotes of his tenure with YES and
of his complilations with other artists such as Vangelis. The most humorous of all was of a trip to Jamaica with YES, then he broke out into a reggae song,
complete with witty scenery of surfing bananas and pineapples wearing sombreros. The crowd thoroughly enjoyed it.
Jon's lyrics were full of meaning and poignancy, human interest, and his deep spirituality.
He embraced the many theologies of the world. His message of love for our fellow man, international peace, and
the desire to seek the divine within carried over well.
Jon's storytelling was indeed witty and full of insight. His epic song of Richard the Lionhearted was
entertaining as well as executed sublimely.
He proved himself to be an accomplished storyteller, with his self-effacing humor.
The audience sang along to the YES classic, "All Good People", combined with the Lennon classic,
"Give Peace A Chance".
The venue that held the show had great acoustics. After the show, Jon held a "meet and greet" with the audience.
If you are a progressive music fan or a YES fan, you'd definitely enyoy the cozy, intimate settings of his show.
www.jonanderson.com
www.yesworld.com
Photos by Micheal Spleet
Search Site
Return to Score! Music Magazine
