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The tickets read “Jon Anderson with Paul Green Rock Academy.” The tour T-shirt reads “Paul Green Rock Academy with Jon Anderson.” I bought for the first and thoroughly enjoyed for the latter. As chronicled elsewhere, Anderson has toured a small number of times with groups of gifted teen learning the music performance business. Atlanta was the first stop of a five stop tour with the latest student grouping.
I hadn’t seen Jon Anderson before mostly due to timing issues, but I was happy to see him regardless of who surrounded him. For those unfamiliar, Anderson has been the lead singer of the iconic prog rock group Yes throughout the years that matter to fans, his highly distinctive voice recognizable to anyone who remembers rock oriented radio or who has found their way to 70’s “music that mattered” by whatever means.
I arrived early, I thought, only to find the “kids” were already on stage, running through a blazing version of Heart’s “Barracuda” and King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man” among others. Well, alright!
As foreshadowed by “21st Century,” the setlist wasn’t to be a 4/4 common level of difficulty. This is Jon Anderson, and its his songs that people want to hear. “Yours is No Disgrace,” “Heart of the Sunrise,” “And You and I,”… “Close to the Edge.” That’s not simple stuff or, for that matter, songs that don’t require some measure of endurance. And the quite pleasing set-list isn’t a short one.
Rock Academy teens… Sure, I was there to see Anderson, but it was fun to see kids living the dream, and maybe some will fully realize it. They’re all gifted in their way, quite a number capable of playing multiple instruments. But there was also a sweetness to it, like the lead guitarists playing to the crowd with a foot placed on a stage monitor or a young saxophonist searching for a Clarence Clemons solo moment that was unfortunately un-mic’d (she’d have her moment later). But overall, there was a fondness and mutual support for each other triumphing in their moments in the spotlight, or for some (because there were so many… 14? 18?) caught in the shadows and less frequently observed. And, too, each was an expression of themselves, weather wearing the spandex pants, pop or alternative clothing and haircuts, desiring to be out front or content with the musical challenge itself… unique in their individual ways but part of the sum. Maybe that’s a lesson?
Sure., there were snafus, such as untangling guitar cables following some enthusiastic stage migrations, a guitar that didn’t want to be tuned and a pesky B string (prompting a convincing faux-sales pitch for time-shares by Paul Green), or the daunting challenge of managing the theater audio balance for so many instruments and amplifiers, but…
There was Mr. Green, coaching from the side or from the floor, and particularly Jon Anderson, who seemed fulfilled, encouraged, and enthusiastic about giving back to the craft that has given him so much. Also, I’m not a fan of Eminem, but whatever song they played included a lady (at left, below) who did a death metal take on the vocals. Chutzpah!
A great moment was at the end of the first set when you could see their joy as they embraced each other at the side of the stage. And they just got better as the show went along. It would be interesting to see how they’ve sharpened at the end of the tour.
Regarding Anderson’s performance, wow! My first thought, seeing four additional mics to Anderson’s in the middle, was… “Oh, well, sure. The female singers can help with the high notes, like the Moodies did for years.” What a tremendous voice Anderson carries to this day. I was blown away and am encouraged that he’s got years to go.
For Anderson’s part, there was good humor too, not just in mood. It’s a large cast of characters, and he pointed out, and possibly right, that Tessa, one of the female lead singers, had everything under control. The second notable followed his comments about “Screwed,” a lyrical jab at politicians, that we should just worship the sun, as he lifted his hands in a suggestive reference to where the sun might be if it were daytime and he were outside. “No, really. Worship the sun. Without the sun, we’re fucked.” Insert audience laughter. And then he followed in a deadpan voice, “I read about it.” Hysterical. And lastly, there were two stuffed animals on the mic stand with him, which I think represent Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, now married 25 years he remarked. During the performance, there were several occasions where he looked fairly distraught when one or both fell from their perch, hurriedly positioning them back where they belonged. I mean, c’mon. Silly or sweet. You choose. But given his general demeanor and positivity, they seemed a spiritual guidepost for him. Kind of cool.
Overall, it was a really good show for fans of Anderson’s music and for witnessing the joy of teens living the dream… early in their lives. Additional photos follow the setlist.
Setlist:
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Encore:
