Yes at the Arlington

Yes, an enduring rock institution, touched down at the Arlington on Sunday with a program focused on the contributions of Geoff Downes and Trevor Horn, both of whom performed. They began by playing the 1980 album Drama in its entirety, with Downes on keyboards for the tour and Horn jumping in for a song to spell current vocalist Jon Davison. Guitarist Steve Howe’s distinctive musical personality animates this less familiar phase of the band’s career, and it was Howe who provided many of the night’s biggest moments, as when the group ended its first set with a pair of the most beloved Yes concert staples, “Your Move/All Good People” and “Siberian Khatru.” The long and winding road of the second set passed through a suite from Tales from Topographic Oceans before coming home with the band’s go-to encore of “Roundabout” and “Starship Trooper.” Dancing close to the edge where classic rock flirts with self-parody, Yes keeps it real by honoring the legacies of all the musicians who have contributed to this challenging body of music.