Yes Acoustic: Guaranteed No Hiss

Yes Acoustic: Guaranteed No Hiss is one of the more satisfying of the Yes DVDs to appear since the advent of the digital video format -- preserved from a live satellite transmission from Los Angeles on January 26, 2004, the performance is, in a word, exquisite. Some of the group's more serious fans may not appreciate the lightheartedness of "Tiger Rag," the opening number -- until, that is, Steve Howe and Jon Anderson begin trading rockabilly licks and Rick Wakeman throws in some rippling piano. And when Anderson throws in what sounds like a George Formby vamp -- well, the opening six minutes are the most engaging six minutes of video in Yes' entire output to this moment. Some of the group's songs, such as "Long Distance Runaround" and "Roundabout," have begged for this kind of unamplified (or, to be fair, low-amplification) treatment for decades, and the group rises to the occasion -- Alan White shows that 30 years of playing to arena audiences have left him with a few subtle touches.