Yes Tour 2024 Setlist: Classic Tales & More

For over five decades, progressive rock pioneers Yes have shaped the sound of symphonic, complex, and adventurous music. When the band hit the road for their 2024 concert dates, fans eagerly anticipated what songs would make the cut. Analyzing the yes tour 2024 setlist reveals a carefully curated mix of sprawling multi-part epics, beloved radio staples, and material from their modern era.

Whether you caught them live or want to relive the experience, here is a comprehensive look at what Yes played during their 2024 performances.

The Conceptual Core: Classic Tales of Yes

The 2024 tour served as a continuation of their ongoing celebration of their historic 1970s golden era, building upon the themes of their recent studio work and previous thematic tours. The band—featuring enduring guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Jay Schellen, bassist Billy Sherwood, keyboardist Geoff Downes, and vocalist Jon Davison—focused heavily on balancing their massive, side-long masterpieces with tighter, melodic compositions.

Highlighting 1973's Tales from Topographic Oceans

A major talking point for fans tracking the setlists was the inclusion of movements from their ambitious 1973 double album, Tales from Topographic Oceans. Playing music from this release is no small feat given its dense instrumentation and massive run times. In 2024, the band treated audiences to:

• 'The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)': Often serving as a towering centerpiece of the first half of the concert, showcasing Steve Howe's intricate acoustic and electric guitar work.
• 'Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)': A rhythmic, percussion-heavy epic that allowed Jay Schellen to shine while anchoring the band's complex time signatures.

Fan Favorites and Essential Anthems

While progressive rock purists adore the 20-minute epics, no Yes concert would be complete without their definitive radio hits. The 2024 setlist made sure to include the tracks that brought progressive rock into the mainstream consciousness during the 1970s and 1980s.

Video: Charting Yes’s Setlist Evolution: Their Most Performed Tracks

• 'Roundabout': Opening or closing sets with its iconic reversed piano intro and booming bassline, this track remains the ultimate crowd-pleaser.
• 'Owner of a Lonely Heart': Representing their chart-topping 1983 self-titled album 90125, this upbeat staple brought a surge of energy to the arena crowds.
• 'I've Seen All Good People': A staple that highlights the band's immaculate three-part vocal harmonies, blending acoustic strumming with driving rock rhythm.
• 'Starship Trooper': Featuring the legendary 'Würm' guitar outro, this multi-movement track is a mandatory inclusion for any definitive Yes concert experience.

A Balance of Past and Present

Though deeply rooted in their heritage, Yes has continued to release new studio material, most notably with 2023’s Mirror to the Sky. The 2024 tour occasionally nodded to their modern catalog, proving that the band is a living, breathing creative entity rather than strictly a nostalgia act. Tracks like 'Cut from the Stars' showcased their modern production sensibilities while retaining the soaring melodies and shifting arrangements that defined their classic era.

A Typical Nightly Flow

While exact song orders varied slightly depending on venue constraints and festival appearances, a standard night on the 2024 tour typically followed a structured two-set format with an intermission. This gave the audience time to digest the heavy, intricate arrangements of the epics before returning for a high-energy second half and an encore.

Here is a representative sequence of what a typical 2024 setlist looked like:

1. Time and a Word (or introductory archival audio)
2. Machine Messiah (or another dynamic opener)
3. I've Seen All Good People
4. South Side of the Sky
5. The Revealing Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)
6. Intermission
7. Step Beyond / Cut from the Stars
8. Roundabout
9. Starship Trooper
10. Encore: Yours Is No Disgrace or Owner of a Lonely Heart

Final Thoughts on the 2024 Performances

Reviewers and fans alike praised the 2024 tour for its musicianship. Steve Howe’s guitar pyrotechnics remain remarkably sharp, Geoff Downes provides the lush analog and digital keyboard textures required for these complex arrangements, and Jon Davison handles the demanding vocal melodies with grace. For both lifelong fans who discovered the band in the vinyl era and younger listeners diving into progressive rock for the first time, the 2024 setlist delivered a masterclass in musicianship, endurance, and timeless songwriting.

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