Close to the Edge Tour

1972–73 concert tour by Yes

Close to the Edge TourWorld tour by Yes

Location|

* North America
* Europe
* Asia
* Australasia

Associated album| Close to the Edge
Start date| 30 July 1972
End date| 22 April 1973
Legs| 7
No. of shows| 97 (104 scheduled)
Yes concert chronology

*   * Fragile Tour
(1971–72)
*   * Close to the Edge Tour
(1972–73)
*   * Tales from Topographic Oceans Tour
(1973–74)

The Close to the Edge Tour was a concert tour by progressive rock band Yes in promotion of their 1972 album, Close to the Edge. Lasting from 30 July 1972 until 22 April 1973, and including 97 performances,[1] the tour began at the Dallas Memorial Auditorium, and ended at the West Palm Beach Auditorium in West Palm Beach, Florida.[2][3] The tour was Alan White's first with the band.[3]

Recordings from the tour—both film and audio—were included on the band's 1973 live album, Yessongs.[4] The filmed performance was recorded at the December 1972 shows at the London Rainbow Theatre.[5]

## Recordings

[edit]

Eleven songs from the tour (with no information about recording dates or locations) were included on the band's 1973 live album, Yessongs—the excerpt from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, "Siberian Khatru", "Heart of the Sunrise", "And You and I", "Mood for a Day", excerpts from Wakeman's The Six Wives of Henry VIII, "Roundabout", "I've Seen All Good People", "Close to the Edge", "Yours Is No Disgrace", and "Starship Trooper".[4]

Film footage of the 15–16 December 1972 shows at the London Rainbow Theatre was the source of the 1975 film Yessongs. Fans determined that "Close to the Edge" and "Starship Trooper" from the film were the same versions from the 1973 album.[6] With the release in 2015 of the box set Progeny: Seven Shows from Seventy-Two containing concert recordings from between 31 October and 20 November 1972, in Canada and the United States, it became possible to identify the dates of most of the remaining performances from the album.

## Members

[edit]

The line-up for the tour unchanged throughout its duration; the line-up was the seventh incarnation of Yes.[7] Bill Bruford left the band on 19 July 1972, after the recording sessions for Close to the Edge had finished.[8] Alan White joined the band by the end of the month, after a number of dates had been cancelled in the wake of Bruford's departure.[5] As he played on the album but was replaced for the tour Bruford was contractually obliged to share album royalties with White, and claims that Yes manager Brian Lane enforced a compensation payment of $10,000 from Bruford.[9]

* Jon Anderson — lead vocals
* Steve Howe — guitars and backing vocals
* Chris Squire — bass and backing vocals
* Rick Wakeman — keyboards
* Alan White — drums

## Tour

[edit]

The tour saw the band play a total of 97 concerts in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia over seven legs—three North American legs, two European legs, an Asian leg and an Australasian leg.[2]

Support came from Eagles, Gentle Giant, Edgar Winter, Lindisfarne, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gary Wright, The J Geils Band, Wild Turkey, Badger,[5] and Focus.[3]

### Setlist

[edit]

Setlist:[10]

* "Siberian Khatru" (Anderson, Howe, Wakeman)
* "I've Seen All Good People" (Anderson, Squire)
* "Heart of the Sunrise" (Anderson, Squire, Bruford)
* "Clap/Mood for a Day" (Howe)
* "America" (Paul Simon) (Dropped after 2 August 1972)
* "And You and I" (Anderson, Howe, Bruford, Squire)
* "Close to the Edge" (Anderson, Howe) (Added starting on 2 September 1972)
* Keyboards solo (Excerpts from The Six Wives of Henry VIII) (Wakeman)
* "Roundabout" (Anderson, Howe)

Encore:

* "Yours Is No Disgrace" (Anderson, Squire, Howe, Kaye, Bruford)
* "Starship Trooper" (Anderson, Squire, Howe) (Added starting on 15 December 1972)

Occasionally played:

* Keyboards solo (Excerpts from The Six Wives on Henry VIII) (Wakeman) (Played on 1 August 1972, 29 September 1972, 14, 15 November 1972, 16 December 1972)
* "South Side of the Sky" (Played on 8 April 1973)
* "Perpetual Change" (Played on 1 August 1972)
* "The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)" (Played on 1 August 1972, 22 September 1972)
* "Long Distance Runaround" (Played on 1 August 1972, 22 September 1972)
* "Can and Brahms" (Played on 19, 21, 23, 26, 27, March 1973)
* "Colours Of The Rainbow" (Jon Anderson a cappella song performed just before introducing the next song, "Close to the Edge")[3]

Covers:

* "The Beautiful Land" (Played on 9 March 1973)
* "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport" (Played on 19, 23, 26 March 1973) [3]
* "Sakura Sakura" (Played on 10, 11, 12, 14 March 1973)
* "America" (Played on 30, 31 July 1972, 2, 20 August 1972)
* "Waltzing Matilda" (Played on 19 March 1973) [3]

### Tour dates

[edit]

Date  | City  | Country  | Venue

|
|
|

North America
~~26 July 1972~~ | ~~Edwardsville~~ | United States | ~~Mississippi River Festival~~
~~27 July 1972~~ | ~~Louisville~~ | ~~Commonwealth Convention Center~~
~~28 July 1972~~ | ~~Memphis~~ | ~~Mid-South Coliseum~~
~~29 July 1972~~ | ~~Little Rock~~ | ~~Barton Coliseum~~
30 July 1972  | Dallas | Dallas Convention Center
31 July 1972  | Houston | Hofheinz Pavilion
1 August 1972  | Oklahoma City | Fairgrounds Arena
2 August 1972  | Denver | Denver Coliseum
3 August 1972
4 August 1972  | Long Beach | Long Beach Arena
5 August 1972  | Berkeley | Berkeley Community Theatre
6 August 1972  | Portland | Memorial Coliseum
7 August 1972  | Vancouver | Canada | Pacific Coliseum
8 August 1972  | Seattle | United States | Paramount Theatre
10 August 1972  | Trotwood | Hara Arena
11 August 1972  | Akron | Rubber Bowl
12 August 1972  | Asbury Park | Asbury Park Convention Hall
13 August 1972  | Columbia | Merriweather Post Pavilion
~~14 August 1972~~ | ~~Hartford~~ | ~~Dillon Stadium~~
15 August 1972  | Philadelphia | The Spectrum
16 August 1972  | New York City | Gaelic Park
18 August 1972  | Louisville | Louisville Convention Center
20 August 1972  | Memphis | Mid-South Coliseum
21 August 1972  | Edwardsville | Mississippi River Festival
Europe
2 September 1972  | London | England | Crystal Palace Bowl
4 September 1972  | Glasgow | Scotland | Kelvin Hall
5 September 1972
9 September 1972  | Bristol | England | Colston Hall
10 September 1972  | Manchester | Belle Vue Zoological Gardens – Kings Hall
12 September 1972  | Newcastle | Newcastle City Hall
North America
15 September 1972  | Pembroke Pines | United States | Hollywood Sportatorium
16 September 1972  | Tampa | Curtis Hixon Hall
17 September 1972  | Jacksonville | Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum
19 September 1972  | Cincinnati | Cincinnati Gardens
20 September 1972  | Indianapolis | Fairgrounds Coliseum
21 September 1972  | Detroit | Cobo Arena
22 September 1972  | Chicago | Arie Crown Theater
23 September 1972  | Minneapolis | The Armory
24 September 1972  | Milwaukee | MECCA Arena
25 September 1972  | Hartford | Dillon Stadium
26 September 1972  | Boston | Boston Music Hall
27 September 1972  | Richmond | Richmond Coliseum
29 September 1972  | New Orleans | Municipal Auditorium
30 September 1972  | Atlanta | Municipal Auditorium
1 October 1972  | Tuscaloosa | Memorial Coliseum
2 October 1972  | Columbia | Carolina Coliseum
3 October 1972  | Charlotte | Charlotte Coliseum
28 October 1972  | Millersville | Millersville University
29 October 1972  | Syracuse | Onondaga County War Memorial
30 October 1972  | Waterloo | Canada | University of Waterloo
31 October 1972  | Toronto | Maple Leaf Gardens
1 November 1972  | Ottawa | Ottawa Civic Centre
2 November 1972  | Montreal | Théâtre Saint-Denis
3 November 1972  | Flint | United States | IMA Sports Arena
4 November 1972  | Columbus | St. John Arena
5 November 1972  | Erie | Hammermill Center
7 November 1972  | Pittsburgh | Civic Arena
8 November 1972  | Huntington | Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
9 November 1972  | Norfolk | Norfolk Scope
10 November 1972  | Roanoke | Roanoke Civic Center
11 November 1972  | Durham | Cameron Indoor Stadium
12 November 1972  | Greensboro | Greensboro Coliseum
14 November 1972  | Athens | Georgia Coliseum
15 November 1972  | Knoxville | Knoxville Civic Coliseum
16 November 1972  | Bowling Green | Anderson Arena
17 November 1972  | Terre Haute | Hulman Center
18 November 1972  | Notre Dame | Edmund P. Joyce Center
19 November 1972  | Kent | Memorial Gymnasium
20 November 1972  | Uniondale | Nassau Coliseum
26 November 1972  | Youngstown | Struthers Fieldhouse
Europe
15 December 1972  | London | England | Rainbow Theatre
16 December 1972
17 December 1972  | Manchester | Hardrock Concert Theatre
Asia
8 March 1973  | Tokyo | Japan | Tokyo Koseinenkin Kaikan
9 March 1973  | Shibuya Koukaidou
10 March 1973  | Kanda Kyoritsu Koudou
11 March 1973  | Nagoya | Nagoya-shi Koukaido
12 March 1973  | Osaka | Kouseinennkin Kaikan
14 March 1973  | Kyoto | Kyoto Kaikan
Oceania
19 March 1973  | Brisbane | Australia | Brisbane Festival Hall
21 March 1973  | Adelaide | Apollo Stadium
23 March 1973  | Melbourne | Festival Hall
26 March 1973  | Sydney | Hordern Pavilion
27 March 1973
~~29 March 1973~~ | Auckland | New Zealand | Western Springs Stadium
~~30 March 1973~~ | Wellington | Wellington Athletic Park
~~31 March 1973~~ | Christchurch | Christchurch Town Hall
North America
4 April 1973  | San Diego | United States | San Diego Sports Arena
5 April 1973  | Inglewood | Los Angeles Forum
6 April 1973  | Las Vegas | Ice Palace
7 April 1973  | San Francisco | Winterland Ballroom
8 April 1973  | Albuquerque | Johnson Gymnasium
9 April 1973  | Phoenix | Phoenix Symphony Hall
11 April 1973  | Wichita | Century II Convention Hall
12 April 1973  | Oklahoma City | Fairgrounds Arena
13 April 1973  | San Antonio | Municipal Auditorium
14 April 1973  | Houston | Hofheinz Pavilion
15 April 1973  | Dallas | Dallas Convention Center
16 April 1973  | St. Louis | Kiel Auditorium
17 April 1973
18 April 1973  | Nashville | Nashville Municipal Auditorium
19 April 1973  | Atlanta | Alexander Memorial Coliseum
20 April 1973  | Savannah | Savannah Civic Center
21 April 1973  | Tampa | Curtis Hixon Hall
22 April 1973  | West Palm Beach | West Palm Beach Auditorium

### Cancelled shows

[edit]

The tour's first four scheduled shows were cancelled in the wake of Bill Bruford's resignation from the band. When Alan White was confirmed as a member, the tour began at the fifth scheduled show on 30 July 1972.[5] A whole leg, covering South America, was cancelled.[3] Dates and venues were never released, except for the scheduled performance at the Salle University in Acapulco on 1 May 1973.[3]

Date  | City  | Country  | Venue

|
|
|

26 July 1972  | Edwardsville | United States  | Edwardsville Amphitheatre
27 July 1972  | Louisville | Louisville Convention Center
28 July 1972  | Memphis | Mid-South Coliseum
29 July 1972  | Little Rock | Barton Coliseum
29 March 1973  | Auckland | New Zealand  | Western Springs
30 March 1973  | Wellington | Athletic Park
31 March 1973  | Christchurch | Town Hall
1 May 1973  | Acapulco | Mexico | Salle University

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Whipple, Peter. "Index". Forgotten Yesterdays. Archived from the original on 4 November 2001. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
2. ^ a b Whipple, Peter. "The Fragile Tour". Forgotten Yesterdays. Archived from the original on 21 June 2003. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Watkinson, David (2000). Yes : perpetual change : thirty years of Yes. London: Plexus. p. 109. ISBN 0-85965-297-1.
4. ^ a b Yessongs liner notes, New York: Atlantic Recording Corporation, 1973
5. ^ a b c d Watkinson, David (2000). Yes : perpetual change : thirty years of Yes. London: Plexus. p. 108. ISBN 0-85965-297-1.
6. ^ Sullivan, Steve. "December 15, 1972". Forgotten Yesterdays. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
7. ^ Watkinson, David (2000). Yes : perpetual change : thirty years of Yes. London: Plexus. p. 8. ISBN 0-85965-297-1.
8. ^ Watkinson, David (2000). Yes : perpetual change : thirty years of Yes. London: Plexus. p. 107. ISBN 0-85965-297-1.
9. ^ Welch, Chris (2000). Close to the edge : the story of Yes ([Updated ed] ed.). London: Omnibus. p. 126\. ISBN 0-7119-8041-1.
10. ^ "Close To The Edge Tour – Tour Dates". Archived from the original on 21 June 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2013.

* v
* t
* e

Yes

* Steve Howe
* Geoff Downes
* Billy Sherwood
* Jon Davison
* Jay Schellen

* Jon Anderson
* Chris Squire
* Peter Banks
* Bill Bruford
* Tony Kaye
* Rick Wakeman
* Alan White
* Patrick Moraz
* Trevor Horn
* Trevor Rabin
* Igor Khoroshev
* Benoît David
* Oliver Wakeman

Studio albums|

* Yes
* Time and a Word
* The Yes Album
* Fragile
* Close to the Edge
* Tales from Topographic Oceans
* Relayer
* Going for the One
* Tormato
* Drama
* 90125
* Big Generator
* Union
* Talk
* Keys to Ascension
* Keys to Ascension 2
* Open Your Eyes
* The Ladder
* Magnification
* Fly from Here
* Heaven & Earth
* The Quest
* Mirror to the Sky

Mini albums|

* From a Page

Live albums|

* Yessongs
* Yesshows
* 9012Live: The Solos
* Something's Coming: The BBC Recordings 1969–1970
* House of Yes: Live from House of Blues
* Symphonic Live
* Greatest Hits Live
* Live at Montreux 2003
* Songs from Tsongas
* Union Live
* In the Present – Live from Lyon
* Like It Is: Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome
* Progeny: Highlights from Seventy-Two
* Like It Is: Yes at the Mesa Arts Center
* Topographic Drama – Live Across America
* Yes 50 Live
* The Royal Affair Tour: Live from Las Vegas

Compilation albums|

* Yesterdays
* Classic Yes
* Yesstory
* Highlights: The Very Best of Yes
* Keystudio
* The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection
* Yes Remixes
* Yes, Friends and Relatives
* Yessingles

Box sets|

* Yesyears
* In a Word: Yes (1969–)
* The Word Is Live
* Essentially Yes
* High Vibration
* The Studio Albums 1969–1987
* Progeny: Seven Shows from Seventy-Two
* The Steven Wilson Remixes

Singles|

* "Your Move"
* "Roundabout"
* "America"
* "And You and I"
* "Soon"
* "Wonderous Stories"
* "Don't Kill the Whale"
* "Into the Lens"
* "Owner of a Lonely Heart"
* "Leave It"
* "It Can Happen"
* "Love Will Find a Way"
* "Rhythm of Love"
* "Lift Me Up"
* "Saving My Heart"
* "Make It Easy"
* "The Calling"
* "Walls"
* "Open Your Eyes"
* "Lightning Strikes"
* "We Can Fly"

Other songs|

* "Yours Is No Disgrace"
* "Starship Trooper"
* "I've Seen All Good People"
* "South Side of the Sky"
* "Five Per Cent for Nothing"
* "Long Distance Runaround"
* "Heart of the Sunrise"
* "Close to the Edge"
* "Siberian Khatru"
* "The Gates of Delirium"
* "Run with the Fox"
* "Changes"
* "Cinema"
* "Our Song"
* "Hold On"
* "Big Generator"
* "Shoot High Aim Low"
* "Fly from Here"
* "Mirror to the Sky"

Video releases|

* Yessongs
* 9012Live
* Yesyears
* Greatest Video Hits
* Yes: Live – 1975 at Q.P.R.
* Live in Philadelphia
* Keys to Ascension
* Yesspeak
* Yes Acoustic: Guaranteed No Hiss
* Classic Artists: Yes
* Yesspeak Live: The Director's Cut
* Rock of the '70s

Tours|

* The Yes Album Tour
* Fragile Tour
* Close to the Edge Tour
* 1960s–70s
* 1980s–90s
* 2000s–10s
* 2020s

Related bands|

* The Syn
* Mabel Greer's Toyshop
* Flash
* Badger
* King Crimson
* The Buggles
* XYZ
* Jon and Vangelis
* Asia
* Cinema
* GTR
* Esquire
* Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
* Conspiracy
* Circa
* Yoso
* Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman

Managers|

* Roy Flynn
* Brian Lane

Related articles|

* Discography
* Band members
* Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
* Yesoteric
* Symphonic Music of Yes
* Jimmy Haun
* Dylan Howe
* Roger Dean
* Yes bubble logo

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