At 74 years young nobody would blame Rick “Grumpy Old Man” Wakeman for hanging up his prog cape and refusing to say “Yes” when his manager comes calling and requesting another epic event. But in 2023, despite some trepidation (“I’ve never been a fan of bands doing a whole concert based around one album”) the former Yes/Strawbs keyboard player was still persuaded to don that cape one more time to take to the hallowed boards of the prestigious London Palladium over two nights and to perform three of his monumental concept albums along with a selection of Yes Classics. Hence on the 22nd and 23rd of February last year in front of two sell out crowds, Rick along with The English Rock Ensemble (Dave Colquhoun – guitar, Adam Falkner – drums, Lee Pomeroy – bass, Hayley Sanderson – vocals and son Adam Wakeman – keyboards/guitar) performed The Six Wives Of Henry VIII and The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Nights Of The Round Table on one night followed by Classic Yes tracks and Journey To The Centre Of The Earth on the second evening. This Cherry Red collection documents both of those events in their entirety (almost).

Opening with 1973’s Six Wives (Disc 1) it is plain to hear from the rapturous reception given by the audience that these were going to be very special performances. With new arrangements written for all of the music to be heard over the two nights, partly to cater for the unusual choice of a single female lead voice as well as the inclusion of The English Chamber Choir, both of the historical concept pieces, “Six Wives” (fact) and Disc 2’s “King Arthur” (fiction) feel surprisingly fresh and nimble considering their 50(ish) year age. The recorded narration on the “King Arthur” section will be all to familiar to Wakeman aficionados as it is supplied by Dad’s Army actor Ian “Stupid Boy” Lavender who not only appeared on the Pledge Music re-recording from 2016 but also performed at the accompanying O2 Arena concert. I’m sure, like myself, many people will be most interested in the re-works on Dsc 3’s, “Classic Yes” set which besides three iconic Yes tracks in opener ‘Roundabout’, ‘And You And I’ and the ‘Starship Trooper/Wurm’ closing combo also premieres the three section ‘The Yes Suite’ which twists and turns its way through ‘The Meeting’, ‘Wonderous Stories’ from Going For The One, and Fragile‘s ‘Southside Of The Sky’. Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howes ‘The Meeting’ sounds even more solitary than on the original album with Andersons vocals replaced by Hayley Sanderson’s “fragile” tones which hide within the forceful power displayed as the opening moments of the suite give way to the ‘Wonderous Stories’ section. A regular in the Yes live set ‘Southside Of The Sky’ has never sounded more soulful than here. With The English Rock Ensemble in full flight, Wakeman takes every opportunity to show the youngsters his flying finger-work as they use his full on pomp and circumstance to bring the suite to a crashing conclusion. RW’s decision to go with a single lead vocalist rather than his usual male/female combo is a stroke of genius and Sanderson ably assisted by Pomeroy, Wakeman and Colquhoun really is the star of the show and this is no better demonstrated than on ‘You And I’ from Close To The Edge, which also gives Colquhoun a chance to display his wonderful (or should that be wondrous) acoustic technique. It wouldn’t be a Yes set without ‘Starship Trooper’ and Wakeman doesn’t disappoint bringing act one of the second night to a close with all the wizardry he can muster. Notwithstanding the anticipation of the Classic Yes set, the best is still left until last. Journey To The Centre Of The Earth is surely Wakeman’s pièce de résistance and the adaptation performed before a pumped audience to close out the Thursday evening set is amongst his best. The full 2012 extended version including narration from BAFTA award winning actor Peter Egan, The English Rock Ensemble, The English Chamber Choir conducted by Guy Protheroe, and of course the man himself. Unfortunately the stage wasn’t big enough for the full orchestra but the father and son Wakeman team are more than up to the task of filling the broad musical soundscape within this majestic odyssey. Almost classical, beyond classic.

Wakeman was obviously so thrilled with the response of the Palladium show that he has decided to take the show out on the road in 2024 when he and his ensemble will be playing nine dates across the UK featuring a show similar to the second night’s set (Act 1 – Classic Yes, Act 2 – Journey To The Centre Of The Earth) on what is being titled “The Return Of The Caped Crusader…” tour which opens in Glasgow on 16th February. Pop along and you will also get to hear Rick’s introductory banter which although relatively brief are sadly omitted from the Palladium recordings. I’m sure this collection will act as a great souvenir and reminder of the original shows as well as for the upcoming dates.

• Reviewed By Peter Brockwell.
• Rick Wakeman: Live At The London Palladium 2023 is released via Cherry Red Records on 16th February 2023.
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Track List:

Disc One – The Six Wives of Henry VIII

1. Catherine of Aragon

2. Anne Boleyn

3. Jane Seymour

4. Anne of Cleves

5. Catherine Howard

6. Catherine Parr

Disc Two – The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

1. King Arthur

2. Lady of the Lake

3. Guinevere

4 Lancelot And the Black Knight

5. The Best Knight

6. Sir Galahad

7. Excalibur

8. The Last Battle

9. (ENCORE) The King of Merlins

10. (ENCORE) Merlin the Magician

Disc Three – Classic Yes

1. Roundabout

2. The YES Suite (part A – The Meeting)

3. The YES Suite (part B – Wonderous Stories)

4. The YES Suite (part C – Southside of the Sky)

5. And You And I

6. Starship Trooper / Wurm

Disc Four – Journey to the Centre of the Earth

1. The Preface

2. The Journey Overture

3. Journeys Dawn

4. Crystals / The Gothic Cathedral / A Quest for Water

5. The Hansbach / Fervent Prayer

6. The Recollection / Lost And Found

7. Echoes / 4 Miles

8. The Reunion

9. A New Vista

10. A World within a World

11. The Raft

12. The Battle

13. Cumulous Clouds

14. The Storm

15. The Cemetery

16 Quaternary Man

17 Mastodons

18 The Forest

19 Ages of Man

20 The Tunnel

21 Hall of the Mountain King / Mount Etna