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)
August 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)
August 9 Bracknell UK Sports Centre
August 10 Wellingborough UK Motown Club Other sources say Walsall's Red Lion Club, on the same date
August 11 London UK Marquee questionable; not listed in LL.
August 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
September 6, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (supporting 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.
September 19, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (supporting 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
October 5, 1968 Hitchin, ENG
October 11, 1968 Wharf Hotel, Worcester, ENG
October 12, 1968 Corn Hall, Cirencester, ENG
October 13, 1968 Blaise's, London, ENG
October 14, 1968 Revolution, London, ENG
October 15, 1968 Royal Albert Hall, London, ENG (Benefit for Czechoslovakian refugees)
October 17, 1968 ?
October 22, 1968 Blaise's, London, ENG
October 25, 1968 Granby Halls, Leicester, ENG
October 26, 1968 Middle Earth at The Roundhouse, London, ENG
October 30, 1968 Blaise's, London, ENG
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
November 26, 1968 Royal Albert Hall, London, ENG (Cream's Farewell concert, 2 shows 6.00 & 8.00, supporting Cream. Bruford rejoins Yes just in time to play this gig)
November 27, 1968 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by Van der Graaf Generator)
November 30, 1968 Ronnie Scotts, London, ENG
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
January 1, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by Octopus)
January 4, 1969 London UK MM Yes, Amen Corner Report that both bands were robbed of their equipment over the holidays.
January 7, 1969 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]
January 8, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (with Toast)
January 11, 1969 London UK MM
January 15, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (with Procession)
January 18, 1969 Portsmouth UK College of Art and Design
January 22, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (with Village)
January 23, 1969 Revolution, London, ENG
January 23, 1969 Wolverhampton UK Lafayette Club
January 24, 1969 Plymouth UK Van Dike Club
January 24, 1969 Southampton UK Southampton University
January 29, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (with Clouds)
Feb-69
1 Bournemouth UK Ritz Ballroom
February 1, 1969 Reading University, Reading, ENG (supporting Paul Williams)
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
March 15, 1969 Southampton University, Southampton, ENG
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
June 23, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (unconfirmed)
June 25, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by Mandrake & Paddle Steamer)
27 Amsterdam, NED 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
July 12, 1969 Nottingham Racecourse, Nottingham, ENG ("12 hour happiness concert", with The Nice, Eclection, King Crimson, Juniors Eyes, Edgar Broughton Band, Idle Race, Status Quo, Caravan, Streets Of Sadness & Compere John Peel)
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
July 28, 1969 Old Granary, Bristol, ENG (supported Barnaby Goode)
30 London UK Marquee w/Hard Meat
August 2, 1969 Music Box, Isle of Wight, ENG
August 3, 1969 BBC Studios, London, ENG ("Stuart Henry Show", performing "Then", "Beyond and Before" & "No Opportunity Necessary". Broadcast August 10th)
August 4, 1969 BBC Studios, London, ENG ("Symonds on Sunday", performing "Looking Around", "Something's Coming" & "Sweetness". Broadcast August 10th)
August 6, 1969 ?
August 7, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (supported by Leviathan)
August 8, 1969 Mothers, Birmingham, ENG
August 9, 1969 Plumpton Racecourse, London, ENG ("9th National Jazz Pop Ballads & Blues Festival" with 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)
August 10, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG
August 13, 1969 ?
August 14, 1969 Marquee, London, ENG (with Samson)
August 15, 1969 Queen's Hall, Barnstaple, ENG
August 16, 1969 Van Dike Club, Plymouth, ENG
August 20-21, 1969 Star Club, Hamburg, GER
August 22, 1969 Bilzen, NED (Jazz Bilzen Festival)
August 23, 1969 ?, NED
August 24, 1969 ?, NED
August 26, 1969 Big Apple Club, Wiesbaden, GER
August 27, 1969 Tanz Club, Goddelau, GER
August 28-September 7, 1969 Blow-up Club, Munich, GER (28th cancelled, possible dates on 26th & 27th also)
September 7, 1969 ?, SUI (unverified)
September 8, 1969 Ile-De-France, Paris, FRA
September ?, 1969 Paris, FRA (French TV "Pop Deux")
September 12, 1969 Penthouse, Sheffield, ENG
September 13, 1969 Country Club, Kirklevington, ENG
September 14, 1969 Queens Hotel, Bishop Auckland, ENG
September 15, 1969 Kings Hall, Romford, ENG
September 18, 1969 De Bunker, Eindhoven, NED
September 19, 1969 De Effenaar, Eindhoven, NED
September 20, 1969 Market Hall, Harverfordwest, ENG
September 21, 1969 Frank Freeman's Club, Kidderminster, ENG
September 26, 1969 College Of Technology, Bristol, ENG
September 27, 1969 Winter Gardens, Malvern, ENG (with Caravan)
September 28, 1969 Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate, ENG (with The Nice)
October 3, 1969 Van Dike Club, Plymouth, ENG October 4, 1969 Bristol University, Bristol, ENG October 9, 1969 Grugenhalle, Essen, GER (First German Blues Festival, with Fleetwood Mac, Pretty Things, Spooky Tooth, Keef Hartley, Warm Dust, Free, Hard Meat, No Opportunity, Dear Father, Every Little Thing, Something's Coming) October 11, 1969 Newcastle University, Newcastle, ENG October 12, 1969 Jazz Club, Redcar, ENG October 17, 1969 King's Head, Romford, ENG October 18, 1969 Victoria Ballroom, Chesterfield, ENG October 20, 1969 Bay Hotel, Sunderland, ENG October 24, 1969 Nottingham University, Nottingham, ENG October 25, 1969 Cardiff University, Cardiff, WAL October 27, 1969 ACTUEL, Tournai, BEL (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) October 28, 1969 140 Theatre, Brussels, BEL October 30, 1969 Marquee, London, WAL (with Samson) October 31, 1969 Swansea University, Swansea, WAL
?? 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