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FRAGILE TOUR
Live at YouTube Theater
November 21, 2025 Review by Amberlee Meyer
The legends known as Yes hit the YouTube Theater as part of their Fragile tour, and it was the perfect venue for this performance. Located in the SoFi Stadium compound, the acoustics are outstanding, and with a capacity of 3,500, it accommodates a crowd while still feeling intimate.
Yes’ music has been celebrated by fans, the industry, and other musicians throughout their 50-plus-year career. The joy and excitement was evident on the faces in the crowd.
Hailing from London, and often credited as the pioneers of progressive rock, this Grammy award-winning band has been putting out albums since 1968. With guitar impresario Steve Howe, bassist Billy Sherwood, the legendary Geoff Downes on keyboards, Jon Davison on the mic, and Jay Schellen on drums, they are all heavy hitters individually, but when onstage together, they pack a robust musical punch!
The Fragile tour also gave way to longtime artist Roger Dean – credited for most of Yes’ album artwork – to design an art wall of visuals to accompany the performance. It was perfect for the songs and drew fans into the music just a little bit further.
When Yes graced the stage, the crowd exploded in applause before the members had played a single note. The band drew the first set of song selections from their catalog of 23 albums starting with “Siberian Khatru,” from “Close to the Edge.” From there they went into “On the Silent Wings of Freedom.”
Next up was “Onward,” and Davison’s vocals were ethereal, perfectly in the pocket between the guitar and drums and keyboard.
“Madigral” goes right into keyboards and the high-pitched vocals the band is famous for. Almost Elizabethan in nature, the song showcases the band’s ability to blend classical, folk, and rock, without the swing rock and roll or south of the beat buckle sounds of the blues, creating something truly original and authentic.
“Soon,” from “Relayer,” forms a musical dreamscape with dominant keys and airy vocals. The band has not played any of these songs live since 2019, and fans were absolutely delighted. Also included in the set was “Wonderous Stories” and “Circles of Time,” which has never been performed live. Though the song was written for 2023’s “Mirror to the Sky,” it thoroughly lives up to the band’s unique sound and songwriting.
“Tempus Fugit,” with its heavy keyboards and guitar was an exceptional hit between heavy rock, metal, and classical all in one song. The vocals are very lively and closed the first set perfectly.
The second set was dedicated to Yes’ fourth album, 1971’s “Fragile,” which was played in its entirety. “Fragile” received critical acclaim and remains a fan favorite, having gone double platinum in the US. It’s an incredible piece of work and seeing it performed live is an absolute sonic and visual treat.
The album format featured four songs together and four songs which highlighted each band member individually, showing off how well they play and how interestingly they interpret music.
Opening with the epic “Roundabout,” the crowd went wild as it is the song that made the band a household name stateside. Next up was “Cans and Brahms,” a full-on keyboard symphony by Geoff Downes. It was truly spectacular! Then right into “We Have Heaven,” which is almost a folk song with a native cry throughout the song.
“South Side of the Sky” brought a rock tempo with some stellar guitar work by Steve Howe. Whether it’s an acoustic, electric, or steel pedal guitar, the man shines!
“Five Per Cent for Nothing” starts like a free jazz session and goes into that classic Yes sound. After “Long Distance Runaround” and “The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus),” “Mood for a Day” was a brilliantly arranged song with heavy flamenco influences and gives Howe another opportunity to show fans how extremely talented he is on guitar.
Closing with “Heart of the Sunrise” gave Jay Schellen and Billy Sherwood a chance to show how well they work together and can dance between the drums and the bass guitar. It was brilliant!
The encores were a Beatles cover of “The Word,” which received a standing ovation, and then “Starship Trooper,” which put the crowd into overdrive!
What an absolutely unforgettable show! I know I became a much bigger Yes fan when I walked out of the venue. Another pleasant surprise was the number of younger fans in the audience.
The two 20-somethings behind me, both of whom were in bands, said that they found Yes to be inspirational for up-and-coming musicians. The 11-year-old girl I ran into in the bathroom told me she asked her parents to bring her of her own accord. It looks like Yes is going to continue to expand its fanbase with this tour… and beyond!
SHOW PHOTO GALLERY
by Highway One Photography
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SID 251123 | TRACI TURNER | EDITOR
