DVD Review - YES "Director's Cut"

Yes - Director's CutPublished in The Message For The Week, Oct. 29, 2008
In an off-shoot to The Wondrous Songs & The Wondrous Stories
release, MVD now brings The Director's Cut, which offers the previously unreleased and uncut footage(excerpts do appear on the Yes release Yesspeak) left over from the former title, filmed during Yes' 2003 35th Anniversary World Tour.
Featuring the true classic line-up (to most); vocalist Jon Anderson, bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, keyboard player Rick Wakeman and drummer Alan White, Director's Cut documents shows at the N.I.A. Birmingham and The Glastonbury Festival.
The two–disc set, which also features cover art by long time Yes
friend Roger Dean, certainly runs the gamut of classic Yes circa 1970's. Many of the standards are here - “And You And I”, “Heart Of The Sunrise”, “Long Distance Runaround”, “I've Seen All Good People” and of course, “Roundabout”, however there are a few other gems as well – “Don't Kill The Whale”, “The Fish” and the epic “Siberian Khatru”. Also included are two tracks from the bands last studio effort in “Magnification” and “In The Presence Of”, leaving the 1980's as the only era not touched upon, most likely because that line up featured Trevor Rabin on guitar.
The Birmingham show is generally stronger than the Glastonbury Festival footage, especially because of the atmosphere of Birmingham being in a closed arena in front of hard core Yes fans, whereas the Glastonbury gig is an outdoor festival venue which is very bright, much less atmospheric and noticeably less interested audience. By no fault of the band, it just doesn't have the usual “Yes show feel” about it. Despite this however, these two performances are two of the better recorded shows of the band in recent memory.
Perhaps the best moments occur right from the start with the opening “Siberian Khatru” which encompasses all that is great about Yes in one epic track. The newer “Magnification” and “In The Presence Of” (and “The Fish”) are also stand out tracks. However somehow, the band almost seems disinterested at times during such standard tracks such as “Roundabout” and “I've seen All Good People”.
But in the end the musicianship as always is stellar from these progressive rock pioneers and despite their age now showing some 35 years on, the chops are still there and tight. Of course this has to be the case because Yes music cannot be done with smoke and mirrors.
Visually and sonically the transfer is crisp and clean. The surround mixes (Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1) are clear and very distinct . Extras footage include various band interview clips in between tracks throughout the first disc show, making for some interesting facts and comments. Overall a nice package and good pick up for long time Yes followers, but perhaps not for the newer fan because of the lack of material from the more commercial 80's period.