Jon Anderson knows he’s no spring chicken. On the last night of his tour’s current leg at Detroit’s Royal Oak Music Theatre, he went straight for the dad jokes to introduce classics from Yes’ vintage years:

We’re gonna do a song that’s so old I’ve forgotten when it’s from! (before “Perpetual Change” and “I’ve Seen All Good People”)

(Looking at guitarist Andy Graziano for his cue) The beginning of this next song is how I remember what song it’s the beginning of! (before “And You and I” and “Leaves of Green”)

Add the inevitable physical limitations that have crept in since Anderson’s 2019 tour, and you might wonder what was in store as, backed by bassist Richie Castellano’s Band Geeks, he took the stage to the strains of Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. But there was nothing for the 1,000-strong sold out audience to worry about, as the sextet launched straight into a taut, crackling version of “Close to the Edge”. Shimmying to the music, shaking a streamer-laden tambourine, constantly catching the eyes of his support team, above all singing with the vocal range and stamina of his salad days, Anderson delivered the goods throughout the two-hour set of majestic epic-length tunes, rarely glancing at his Autocue to remember the words he’s sung for fifty-plus years.

The Band Geeks are obviously a major part of the experience here. Unlike Anderson’s multi-generational 1000 Hands band, bassist Castellano, Graziano and the rest of the team (keyboardist Chris Clark, utility player Phil Castellano and drummer Anthony Ascolese) generally stick to the original manuscripts, festooning selections from The Yes Album through Going for the One with the requisite flourishes and ample echoes of Howe, Squire, Kaye/Wakeman/Moraz and Bruford/White in their solo moments. “Counties and Countries” and “Once Upon a Dream” (from 2023’s quite wonderous album True) follow the same blueprint in expanding Anderson’s new songs (Anderson introducing the former tune onstage: “Richie sent back the music and I asked: ‘How’d you do it? Why’d you do it?”); if there’s less compositional heat that might have come from players and writer interacting in the studio, nonetheless tasty interplay, nifty stylistic callbacks and deep, solid grooves still jump out at you. And the new song “Giving Is Living” has an uptempo rock kick, boosting the energy and accenting the rhythmic rhetoric of Anderson’s magical, mystical hippie word salad. (If Jon was a natural-born American citizen and ran for president, I’d vote for him in a heartbeat. Is there a Time Lord in the house?)

After seeing the man four times over four decades, I have no doubt: whatever cynicism Anderson may have about his life in music, he leaves it offstage. His smile beamed constantly; he shuffled to the rhythms as best he could; he waved at adoring fans on the main floor as often as possible. Duetting on harp with Clark’s digital church organ on “Awaken”, he stole his own show with one of the night’s musical highlights. And when the audience spontaneously sang along for “I’ve Seen All Good People”, Anderson was there to wave a giant tie-dyed flag back at ’em while quoting John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance” in counterpoint. Only Ringo himself could have topped the gesture.

From that moment, the evening built to its predestined climax, with “Once Upon A Dream” and the acoustic “Leaves of Green” providing more aural space and focus, and “Starship Trooper” unrolling solos aplenty from sundry Geeks. (After all these years, it’s finally struck me: the chords of the “Wurm” section are awfully similar to the playout of “Free Bird”! Coincidence or …?). And “Roundabout” proved the predestined finale, as the 81-year old Anderson delightedly danced with his wife during Clark’s Wakemanesque keyboard break, then skipped back to the mike to finish up.

Six weeks from now, this tour resumes with a month-long West Coast/Midwest leg, followed by a five-week UK/Sweden/France jaunt in September and October. (Tour dates are here.) Yes fans, Jon Anderson fans, who knows how many more chances you’ll get? Based on what I saw in metro Detroit, this is a concert to see (with all good people) and hear while you can!

— Rick Krueger

Setlist:

• Close to the Edge
• Perpetual Change
• Counties and Countries
• And You and I
• Giving Is Living
• Soon (from The Gates of Delirium)
• Awaken
• I’ve Seen All Good People
• Once Upon a Dream
• Leaves of Green (from The Ancient)
• Starship Trooper
• Roundabout