2021 marks the 30th anniversary of Yes’ Union tour, featuring eight members of the legendary band. A special limited edition Super Deluxe box set is being released with a whopping 30 discs, featuring 26 CDs and four DVDs. It arrives May 28, 2021, via Gonzo Multimedia. Watch the band’s performances of “Roundabout” and their #1 single, “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” from the collection, below.
The Yes members performing on the tour were (alphabetically) Jon Anderson (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Bill Bruford (electronic drums, percussion), Steve Howe (guitar, backing vocals), Tony Kaye (Hammond organ, keyboards, sound effects), Trevor Rabin (guitar, lead vocals, backing vocals), Chris Squire (bass, backing vocals), and Rick Wakeman (keyboards, synthesizers).
The set features a multi-camera shoot DVD, with an accompanying soundtrack mixed by Rabin from the Shoreline Amphitheatre show on August 8, 1991*. The collection is supplemented by a mixture of fan recordings, desk tapes and FM radio broadcasts.
Watch them perform “Roundabout”
The box set is packaged in a flight case with 10 “fatpack”-style jewel cases each containing three discs. Each heavy-duty flight case has been sprayed individually, and the stickers placed by hand. No two flight cases are the same, making each one unique and a highly collectable piece of rock and roll memorabilia.
Watch the performance of “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
Wakeman said about the project, “It has been well documented that I loathed the Union studio album as the whole project was taken out of our hands and destroyed by those handed the responsibility for finishing it off. However, the Union tour was another matter. Probably the most amazing and enjoyable tour I have ever been on with Yes and I am so glad it was recorded and filmed as it was an incredibly special time that can never be repeated. The Union tour is for me, the most important event in Yes history.”
The list of concerts and a sample setlist appears below the links.
Yes Union 30 Live Super Deluxe Box Set
CDx2+DVD: Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, FL April 9, 1991
CDx3: Worcester Centrum, Worcester, MA 17th April 17, 1991
CDx2+DVD: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY April 20, 1991
CDx3: Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Germany May 31, 1991 (FM Broadcast)
CDx3: Wembley Arena, London, UK (2 discs) June 29, 1991 FM Broadcast and Star Lake Amphitheatre, Burgettstown, PA July 24, 1991
CDx3: Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI June 26, 1991
CDx2+DVD: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY July 15 ,1991
CDx3 Spectrum Theatre, Philadelphia, PA July 12, 1991
CDx2+DVD: Shoreline Amphitheatre (Remastered) Mountain View, CA August 8, 1991
CDx3: Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan, Yokohama, Japan March 4, 1992
The collection also includes: Numbered certificate, reproduction tour program, reproduction AAA laminate, reproduction cloth passes, 10 band photos, two posters
Related: Our recap of Yes’ Rock Hall 2017 induction
Shoreline Amphitheatre, August 8, 1991 Setlist
Yours Is No Disgrace
Rhythm of Love
Shock to the System
Heart of the Sunrise
Clap
Make It Easy
Owner of a Lonely Heart
And You and I
Drum Duet
Changes
I’ve Seen All Good People
Solly’s Beard
Saving My Heart
Whitefish / Amazing Grace
Lift Me Up
Keyboard Solo (Rick Wakeman)
Awaken
Roundabout
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When I discovered YES, It was a revelation songs like close to the edge, all good people, yours is no disgrace, owner of a lonely heart!!!
I am pretty sure Alan White was on drums for this tour, yet he is not mentioned in the list of members of the tour.
They came through the DC area twice on this tour, saw both shows. First was marred by sound problems, the second time was utterly transcendent. The album and the tour were two radically different beasts, since the album was a neutered mess; live, they all seemed to be having a great time playing this grand catalog of music. If I didn’t have to worry about things like, you know, food, shelter, and $5/gallon gas, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. Great that this episode in the Yesstory is being well-documented.