Description
Condition: New
Recording Yes concerts was a true labor of love for the legendary taper Mike Millard, and this release captures one of his monumental masterpieces. This title documents the Long Beach performance from March 19, 1974, featuring a superb audience recording. The "Tales from Topographic Oceans Tour" is historically renowned as an epic undertaking in which the band performed the entirety of both *Close to the Edge* and *Tales from Topographic Oceans*; however, the setlist varied slightly depending on the specific leg of the tour. Let us first look at the tour's overall scope to understand where this release fits in. November 16–December 10, 1973: UK (25 shows) *Dec 7: Release of Tales from Topographic Oceans*; February 7–28, 1974: North America #1 (21 shows) — "The Remembering" dropped from the set —; March 1–25: North America #2 (22 shows) ← ★Here★; April 11–23: Europe (10 shows) *May 18: Rick Wakeman leaves the band*. *Note: The above is an approximation. The setlists for every date are not fully documented, and there were instances even prior to the "North America #1" leg where the full albums were not performed in their entirety.* This constitutes the big picture of the "Tales from Topographic Oceans Tour." While the band initially performed both *Close to the Edge* and *Tales from Topographic Oceans* in full, the demands of doing so likely proved unsustainable, leading to the removal of "The Remembering" from the setlist midway through the North American tour. Subsequently, they revived tracks like "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper," prioritizing crowd engagement and excitement. The Long Beach concert featured here was the 18th show of the "North America #2" leg, taking place shortly after these changes were implemented. Millard was a devoted fan of Yes and continued recording the band well into the 1990s; let us take a moment to review that collection as well. Spanning the 70s (8 titles) and the 80s onwards (3 titles), this release represents one of Mike Millard’s earliest works. It captures a performance that took place the day after the legendary *L.A. Forum 1974* show. In fact, copies of this recording have circulated for years, reigning as a definitive staple of the "Tales from Topographic Oceans" tour since the analog era. This release, however, is the ultimate edition, digitally remastered from the original master tape. The sound is remarkably fresher and more vivid than any previous release. While our store’s *Oceans Long Beach 1974* was previously considered the gold standard, this version is several notches clearer and more vibrant. The atmosphere is crystal clear—like a fog lifting—revealing sharp details where the sound was once slightly rounded. The core sound is more powerful, creating the impression that the recording position was actually a few meters closer to the stage. This recording dates back to the very beginning of Millard’s career (likely his sixth recording), from the era when he used a Sony deck and Shure microphone, prior to adopting the Nakamichi 550. Perhaps due to this, the sound is slightly "wilder" compared to his later recordings, yet the sense of immediacy is already world-class. Moreover, this release is the definitive version, further upgrading the source audio found online. According to "JEMS," the group responsible for this restoration, the master tape for this very early recording was difficult to digitize. Their painstaking efforts paid off with superb sound quality, though the recording is missing a few dozen seconds at points such as tape changes (conversely, the opening section is 14 seconds longer than previous versions). To address this, approximately 35 seconds of audio missing from the latest transfer were restored using the *OCEANS LONG BEACH 1974* release, resulting in a definitive edition that sets a new record for the longest runtime. Released as the 200th title in the Millard master restoration series, this show marks a major turning point for the legendary taper, as it was where he met his partner, "Jim R," who used to push his wheelchair. Yet, even without knowing Millard's career history, this release stands as a top-tier musical work—a quintessential document of the "Tales from Topographic Oceans" tour that includes tracks like "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper," which were absent from the *L.A. Forum 1974* recording. It is a magnificent Yes live album that can be enjoyed simply for the music, while also offering a rich, multifaceted experience for those who appreciate the history of live recording. This is a superb audience recording of the March 19, 1974, Long Beach concert. Sourced from the original master tape by the legendary Mike Millard, the sound is far clearer and more vivid than previous masters. The atmosphere is crystal clear—as if a haze has suddenly lifted—and the sound, previously somewhat rounded, now reveals sharp, distinct details. The core of the sound is more powerful, creating the impression that the recording position was actually several meters closer to the stage. It is a definitive release of the "Tales from Topographic Oceans" tour, featuring tracks like "Roundabout" and "Starship Trooper" that were not included in Millard's recording from the previous day, *L.A. Forum 1974*. Live at Long Beach Arena, Long Beach, CA, USA – March 19, 1974. Truly perfect sound (upgrade). Disc 1 (65:00): 1. Pre-show (approx. 14 seconds longer than the existing "OCEANS LONG BEACH 1974" [Amity] release) 2. Firebird Suite 3. Siberian Khatru 4. And You And I 5. Close To The Edge 6. The Revealing Science Of God. Disc 2 (64:32): 1. The Ancient: Giants Under The Sun (24:41–25:07: patched using equalized audio from the existing release) 2. Musical Interlude / Prelude / Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil) 3. Roundabout 4. Starship Trooper (10:53–end: patched using equalized audio from the existing release). Jon Anderson – Vocals; Steve Howe – Guitars; Chris Squire – Bass; Rick Wakeman – Keyboards; Alan White – Drums.
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