1968
??? London UK Albert Hall Yes w/Janis Joplin
May 68 ?? Marquee, London, ENG (John Anderson and Gun His only gig with Gun, who sacked him the next day because they didn't want to be his backup band)
Aug-68
August 3, 1968 East Mersey Youth Camp, East Mersey, ENG (First gig under their new name Yes)
5 London UK Marquee Yes! w/The Nite People First of 38 Marquee gigs. Early setlists could have included any of the following: I'm Only Sleeping, Eleanor Rigby, Every Little Thing (Beatles); Paper Cup (The Fifth Dimension); Heaven on Your Mind (Traffic); I See You (The Byrds); songs by the Buffalo Springfield, and Something's Coming (Bernstein/Sondheim)
9 Bracknell UK Sports Centre
10 Wellingborough UK Motown Club Other sources say Walsall's Red Lion Club, on the same date
11 London UK Marquee questionable; not listed in LL.
12 London UK Marquee questionable; not listed in LL
17 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Neat Change
23 Stoke-on-trent UK The Place
30 Welwyn UK Civic Centre
31 London UK Black Sheep Club
?? London UK Marquee Yes! w/Spencer Davis Group questionable; not listed in LL
Sep-68
6 London UK Marquee Club just plain Yes w/Joe Cocker & The Grease Band
8 King's Lynn UK
12 ? UK
13 Marlow UK Crown Hotel
15 London UK Blaise's Subs for Sly & the Family Stone -- a first big break.
16 London UK Blaise's According to Chris Welch, *this* is the famous Blaise's gig. . One problem: the gig is supposed to have occurred on a Sunday; today is a Monday. Perhaps Yes played past midnight? Anyway, Keith Emerson, Pete Townshend, and Eric Clapton are in attendance and all reportedly impressed. Roy Flynn offers to be Yes' manager then and there. The next day he buys them a Hammond organ, a new drum kit, and a van.
18 London UK Blaise's
?? London UK Bill Bruford Sometime in September, Bruford quits to study economics at Leeds University, shocking the band, who recruits Tony O'Riley, formerly of the Koobas. For about a week a drummer named Dave Potts also rehearsed with them.
19 London UK Marquee Yes! w/The Nice
20 London UK Cooks Ferry Inn
21 Margate UK Dreamland Ballroom
22 Margate UK Dreamland Ballroom
27 ? UK End Club
28 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Dream Police
Oct-68
5 Hitchin UK ? Ballroom
11 Worcester UK Wharf Hotel
12 Cirencester UK Corn Hall
13 London UK Blaise's Also a day for a photo shoot
14 London UK Revolution Banks recalls playing an early, two-set Yes gig at Revolution where Pete Townshend heaped praise on his guitar playing. Yes later opened for the Who several times.
15 London UK Royal Albert Hall Benefit for Czechoslovakian refugees
17 ? UK
22 London UK Blaise's
25 Leicester UK Granby Halls
26 London UK Middle Earth at The Roundhouse
30 London UK Blaise's
Nov-68
?? UK Yes & Ian Wallace Wallace (later of King Crimson) subs for Tony O'Riley; he's offered the drum spot but declines.
1 Marlow UK Crown Hotel
2 London UK Marquee w/Dream Police
5 London UK Blaise's
8 London UK Granada Theater w/The Who, Joe Cooker & The Grease Band, Small Faces, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Mindbenders
9 Wellingborough UK Motown Club
13 London UK Marquee w/The Love Sculpture
15 London UK Roundhouse all night show w/The Who, Joe Cocker & The Grease Band, Small Faces, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Mindbenders
16 Leeds UK Leeds University Bill Bruford brings friends to see his former band, is appalled by Yes' performance; drummer O'Riley seems to have spent too much time at the pub beforehand. Also Mike Tait's first gig with Yes, as van driver.
18 Newcastle UK City Hall, two shows w/the same co-stars as at the Roundhouse
24 London UK Blaise's
25 London UK Revolution
26 London UK Royal Albert Hall, Cream's 'Farewell' concert w/Cream, Taste, John Hiseman's Colosseum Bruford rejoins Yes just in time to play this important gig.
27 London UK Marquee w/Van der Graaf Generator
30 London UK Ronnie Scotts'
Dec-68
6 Woodgreen UK Fishmongers Hall w/Peter Brown's Battered Ornaments
6 London UK Revolution
7 Bristol UK Bristol University w/The Who
8 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Toast
10 London UK Marquee Led Zeppelin Plays its first Marquee gig under its new name (having played there in October as 'The New Yardbirds'). Melody Maker likes them but advises them to 'cut down the volume a bit'.
12 London UK Revolution with a party later afterwards at Speakeasy
13 London UK Speakeasy
14 London UK
15 London UK photo shoot
16 London UK Revolution
17 London UK Marquee "The Who Xmas Party" w/The Who
19 London UK Royal Albert Hall
22 London UK photo shoot; demo recordings at Apple Records for Peter Asher.
24 London UK Speakeasy
26 London UK Blaise's
27 London UK Roundhouse "Superstar Jam Session" Steve Howe w/Soft Machine, Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell, and others.
31 London UK Thames TV "Magpie" And afterwards, a party/show at Speakeasy
1969
Jan-69
1 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Octopus First gig of a Wednesday night residency
4 London UK MM Yes, Amen Corner Report that both bands were robbed of their equipment over the holidays.
7 London UK BBC Studios "John Peel's Top Gear" Recording for broadcast Jan 12 69. [SOMETHING'S COMING: Dear Father, Everydays, Sweetness, Something's Coming]
8 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Toast
11 London UK MM
15 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Procession
18 Portsmouth UK College of Art and Design
22 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Village
23 London UK Revolution
23 Wolverhampton UK Lafayette Club
24 Plymouth UK Van Dike Club
24 Southampton UK Southampton University
29 London UK Marquee Yes w/Clouds
Feb-69
1 Bournemouth UK Ritz Ballroom
1 Reading UK Reading University Yes w/Paul Williams source: MM.
5 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Caravan
8 London UK MM Advertisement soliciting gigs for Yes.
9 London UK
12 London UK Marquee Yes! w/ Octopus
13 Worthing UK Rice Pavilion
14 London? UK Sussex University other sources say Surrey
15 London UK Queen Elizabeth Hall Also, MM reports that Roy Flynn is quitting as proprietor of Speakeasy to devote his full energies to managing Yes.
16 Sunderland UK Peter Yes' Jazz Club
17 Wolverhampton UK The Catacomb Yes!
19 London UK Marquee Yes! w/The Spirit of John Morgan
24 Sheffield UK The Penthouse
25 Cambridge UK ??
26 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Clouds
27 London UK Speakeasy Audition for Atlantic Records CEO Ahmet Ertegun.
28 London UK Richmond Athletic Grounds
Mar-69
1 Chesterfield UK Victoria Ballroom Also, MM reports that Yes has signed to Atlantic Records --the first British group to be signed. For the next few years Atlantic's US office is under the impression that Yes is a folk act.
2 ?UK CANCELLED
5 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Circus
7 York UK York University
8 Sunderland UK Empire Theater
9 ? UK
12 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Killing Floor
15 ? UK Southampton College
16 London UK Country Club
17 London UK BBC studios
19 London UK Marquee Yes! w/Clouds
20 Salford UK University
21 Wolverhampton UK
22 London UK somewhere in Battersea FY says Brixton, College of Building
25 London UK Madam Tussaud's Hall Of Kings
28 London UK Lyceum all-night show w/Country Joe and the Fish, Roy Harper, Van der Graaf Generator, Junior's Eyes, Andromeda, Turnstyle, Hard Meat, John Peel
29 London UK MM Reports that Ahmet Ertegun is in town to start Yes off on their first LP recording.
29 Barnet UK Barnet College
Apr-69
2 London UK Marquee w/Harsh Reality
3 Harrowfield UK Youth Centre
4 London UK Speakeasy
9 London UK Marquee w/The Elastic Band
10 ? UK
14 London UK Marquee Club
16 London UK Marquee Club
17 London UK Saturdays (University College)
21 London UK Royal Albert Hall w/Janis Joplin
23 London UK Marquee Club
24 Montreux SWI Golden Rose TV Festival
25 Montreux SWI Golden Rose TV Festival
? Goddelau GER Tanz Club
? Goddelau GER Tanz Club
? London UK Marquee Club
? London UK Marquee Club
?
May-69
2 Plymouth UK Van Dike Club
3 Chelsea UK Collage w/Clouds FY says College of Art
4 London UK
8 Scarborough UK Penthouse Club
10 Exeter UK Exeter University
11 Kidderminster UK Frank Freeman's Club
14 London UK Marquee w/Peter Cooper
16 London UK Lyceum, 'Midnight Court' w/ John Mayall, Hard Meat, Gypsy
17 London UK Saturdays (University College)
18 London UK Parliament Hill "Camden Fringe Festival" w/Procol Harum, Soft Machine, Third Ear Band, Blossom Toes Yes did the photo shoot for their first album cover at this gig. (Welch)
21 London UK Harrods Way Inn
22 London UK BBC Studios
24 Southend-On-Sea UK Southend College Of Technology
25 Wolverhampton UK Lafayette Club
28 London UK Marquee w/The Maddening Crowd
29 Plymouth UK Van Dyke Club
31 Brighton UK Brighton College
Jun-69
2 Sunderland UK Bay Hotel
3 ? UK CANCELLED
4 London UK BBC Studios "Johnny Walker Show" Recording broadcast Jun 14 69. [SOMETHING'S COMING: Sweetness, Every Little Thing - the latter track is incorrectly sourced in the CD notes], Looking Around.
5 Scarborough UK Penthouse Club
6 Hull UK Fairground, The
9 London UK Marquee Club
10 ???
11 London UK Marquee w/Sweet Marriage
13 Leicester UK Technical College
15 Kidderminster UK Frank Freeman's Club
16 London UK Scotch Of St. James
20 Canterbury UK Kent University
21 Antwerp BEL Pop Festival
23 London UK Marquee Club
25 London UK Marquee w/Mandrake Paddlesteamer Reviewed in MM.
27 London UK 1st single Sweetness b/w Something's Coming (mono) released in UK.(Welch) Conflict with Jul 4.
27 Amsterdam NETH Jam TV
28 Birmingham Factory, The
30 Sunderland UK Bay Hotel
Jul-69
2 London UK Marquee w/Andromeda
3 London UK private party w/Stalactites, Al Wynn A society party thrown by Prince Rupert Loewenstein, where Yes "dies a complete death' according to Bruford. "Like playing to stone gnomes' says one Yesman to MM. After Yes' set BB and Kaye make off with a bottle of champagne to drown their sorrows. Attendees include Princess Margaret, Peter Sellers, Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull. Brian Jones had been found floating dead in a pool the day before.
4 Barnstaple UK Queen's Hall Also, Sweetness b/w Something's Coming (Atlantic 584280) released in UK (source: YESYEARS). Conflicts with Jun 27.
5 London UK Hyde Park free concert King Crimson, Rolling Stones, others not a Yes gig, but notable for being one of rival KC's breakthrough gigs.
5 London UK Royal Albert Hall "Pop Proms" Bodast w/The Who, Chuck Berry Bodast was Steve Howe's post-Tomorrow band. When Bodast folded, Howe briefly -- for all of one day -- joined Keith Emerson's Nice. He was also considered for the guitar slot in Jethro Tull. (Welch)
5 Harverfordwest UK Market Hall
6 London UK ICA Nash House w/Juggernaut
8 Birmingham UK Mother's
9 London UK Marquee w/Hard Meat
10 ? UK ??
11 London UK Lyceum, 'Midnight Court' w/The Nice, Keith Relf's Renaissance, Peter Cooper, Peter Hammill
12 Nottingham UK Racecourse, "12 Hour Happiness" w/The Nice, Eclection, Caravan, King Crimson, Juniors Eyes, Edgar Broughton Band, Idle Race, Status Quo
13 London UK Wembley Stadium
16 London UK Marquee w/Kippington Lodge
18 Belfast, UK Ulster Hall w/The Nice, Bonzo Dog Band, others
19 Dublin, IRE National Stadium w/The Nice, Bonzo Dog Band
20 Cork, IRE Football Stadium w/The Nice, Bonzo Dog Band CANCELLED. See Welch for the amusing tale of what ensued.
23 London UK Marquee w/Leviathan
25 ? UK New Cellar Club Also, YES (first album) released in the UK (source: YESYEARS) At this time setlist included I See You, Every Little Thing, Survival, Looking Around.
26 ? UK Country Club
27 ? UK
28 ? UK Old Cannery
30 London UK Marquee w/Hard Meat
Aug-69
2 Ride, Isle of Wight UK Music Box
3 London UK BBC Studios "Stuart Henry Show" Recording broadcast Aug 10 69. Then, Beyond and Before, No Opportunity Necessary.
4 London UK BBC Studios "Symonds on Sunday" Recording broadcast Aug 10 69 [YESYEARS: Everydays],[SOMETHING'S COMING: Looking Around, Something's Coming - the latter track is incorrectly sourced], Sweetness. Also on this date, Steve Howe composed Clap for his newborn son, Dylan.
6 ? UK
7 London UK Marquee w/Leviathan
8 Birmingham UK Mother's
9 Plumpton UK Plumpton Racecourse, "9th National Jazz Pop Ballads & Blues Festival" w/The Who, Chicken Shack, Fat Mattress, John Surman, Aynsley Dunbar, The Spirit of John Morgan, Groundhogs, King Crimson, Idle Race, Breakthru, Cuby's Blues Band
10 London UK Marquee Club
13 ? UK
14 London UK Marquee w/Samson
15 ?? UK Queen's Club FY says Barnstaple Queen's Hall
16 Plymouth UK Van Dike Club
20 Hamburg GER Star Club
21 Hamburg GER Star Club
22 Bilzen NETH Jazz Bilzen festival
23 ? NETH
24 ? NETH
26 Wiesbaden GER Big Apple Club
26 Munich GER Blow-up Club unverified
27 Goddelau GER Tanz Club FY
28 Munich GER Blow-up Club unverified, possible travel date; FY
29 Munich GER Blow-up Club CANCELLED. Also, YES, the first album (Atlantic 8243) released in UK (conflicts with Jul 25 date).
30 Munich GER Blow-up Club
31 Munich GER Blow-up Club
Sep-69
1 Munich GER Blow-up Club
2 Munich GER Blow-up Club
3 Munich GER Blow-up Club
4 Munich GER Blow-up Club
5 Munich GER Blow-up Club
6 Munich GER Blow-up Club
7 Munich GER Blow-up Club
7 SWI unverified
8 Paris FRA Ile-De-France FY
? Paris FRA TV, possibly "Pop Deux" [SOMETHING'S COMING: Beyond and Before].
12 Sheffield UK Penthouse, The
13 Kirklevington UK Country Club
14 Bishop Auckland Queens Hotel
15 Romford UK King Hall FY says Kings Head
18 Eindhoven NETH De Bunker
19 Eindhoven NETH De Effenaar
20 Harverfordwest UK Market Hall
21 Kidderminster UK Frank Freeman's Club
26 Bristol UK College Of Technology
27 Malvern UK Winter Garden w/Caravan
28 ? UK Harrogate Theatre w/The Nice FY says Harrogate
Oct-69
3 Plymouth UK Van Dike Club
4 Bristol UK Bristol University
9 Essen GER Grugenhalle, "First German Blues Festival" w/Fleetwood Mac, Pretty Things, Spooky Tooth, Keef Hartley, Warm Dust, Free, Hard Meat No Opportunity, Dear Father, Every Little Thing, Something's Coming
11 Newcastle UK Newcastle University Also, an interview with Anderson appears in Melody Maker.
12 Redcar UK Jazz Club Also, King Crimson's IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING, often cited as the first major prog rock album, is released in the U.K.
15 USA YES released, goes almost unnoticed.
17 Romford UK Kings Hall FY says Kings Head
18 Chesterfield UK Victoria Ballroom
20 Sunderland UK Bay Hotel
24 Nottingham UK Nottingham University
25 Cardiff UK Cardiff University
27 Tournai BEL ACTUEL - The First Paris Music Festival w/Pretty Things, Chicken Shack, Sam Apple Pie, Frogeaters, David Allen Group, Keith Tippett Group, Pharoah Sanders, Dave Burrell, John Surman, Clifford Thornton, Sonny Sharrock, Acting trio
28 Brussels BEL 140 Theatre
30 London UK Marquee w/Samson
31 Swansea UK Swansea University
?? London UK Looking Around b/w Everydays (Atlantic 584298) released
?? BEL TV
?? London UK BBC TV2 "Line Up" Filming. (Welch)
Nov-69
1 Manchester UK U.M.I.S.T
2 London UK Lyceum, "Sunday Lyceum" w/Deep Purple, The Divine, Vivian Stanshall, Griffin, The Grope
7 Birmingham Factory, The
13 London UK Marquee Club
14 Newcastle UK Newcastle City Hall
15 Folkstone UK Marine Pavilion
26 Basel SWI Basel Theatre
27 Bern SWI Chikito Club
28 Gerlafingen SWI Grunau Restaurant
30 London UK Roundhouse, "Polytechnic Arts Festival" w/Manfred Man Chapter III, Deep Purple, Brian Auger trinity, Atomic Rooster, Liverpool Scene, Free, Village
Dec-69
1 Basel SWI Comedy Theater While in Switzerland, Yes and Patrick Moraz meet for the first time.
2 Montreux SWI Montreux Casino You've heard of the venue -- 'smoke on the water, fire in the sky', man!
?? Solothurn SWI
?? SWI TV The Swiss tour was chronicled by Chris Welch in Melody Maker.
5 Stoke UK Stoke-On-Trent Art College
6 Weston-Super-Mare UK Winter Gardens
7 Croydon UK Fox at Greyhound w/Stray Welch says venue is the Croydon Blues Club.
9 ?? UK Harrowfield Youth Center w/Professor Strange, Discomation
11 Leicester UK LCP Fletcher Hall
12 Newport UK In-Place
13 London UK Imperial College
14 Redcar UK Jazz Club
19 Harrowfield UK Youth Center FY
21 Sheffield UK Kingstone Hotel w/Gracious Dear Father, Eleanor Rigby, I See You. However, 'It's Only Rock and Roll: The Ultimate Guide to the Rolling Stones' claims that Yes opened for the Stones on this date at the Lyceum.
24 London UK Northcote Arms/Farx Club w/Nexus
26 London UK Marquee w/Jon Hendricks, Man Impressed by Hendricks, JA is henceforth known as 'Jon'.
27 Levington UK Kirk FY says Kirklevington, Country Club
28 Birmingham UK Mother's
30 London UK Roundhouse