A contrast in fragile human warmth and indestructible android cool, Yaz’s albums have long provided a soundtrack for both bed-sit days and club-bound nights. 1982’s Upstairs at Eric’s was the striking debut that introduced the duo of vocalist Allison Moyet and musician Vince Clarke (ex-Depeche Mode) to the masses via the hits “Don’t Go” and “Situation.” 1983’s You and Me Both was the self-assured follow-up that doubled as Yaz’s swansong.
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Yaz
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 Entertainment
 Art
Chicago Theater
Chicago, Ill.
July 12, 2008
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By ’85, Moyet had a successful solo album under her belt and Clarke was creating synthesizer soundscapes as part of another duo, Erasure.
Fast Forward more than 20 years and Yaz is back for the “Reconnected” tour, which pulled into Chicago for one of a handful of US dates.
Subtle clouds of dry ice and brilliant beams of red light set the mood as 30 and 40-something Yaz fans took their seats in the majestic Chicago Theater. Simple metal backdrops framed a lone microphone stand at stage left and a small bank of electronics at stage right. The house lights dimmed and Allison Moyet and Vince Clarke appeared to thunderous applause.
For the next 90 minutes, fans were treated to a retrospective of material from both of Yaz’s records, along with an inventive video projection that bounced off of the backdrops in a brilliant display of color and light.
Song highlights included the bubbly “Bad Connection,” a pulsating “Good Times,” the ballsy “Goodbye Seventies” and a stark “Winter Kills” (Moyet’s strongest vocal of the evening, sadly drowned out by audience members who decided that it was okay to carry on conversations during the slower numbers). “Don’t Go” came late in the set but proved to be an audience favorite, while “Situation” was saved for the encore (along with a heartfelt take on “Only You.)”
From a visual standpoint, fluorescent vertical lights stood out against ghost-like vapors. The projected image of a naked light bulb, swinging magically between the backdrops, added a theatrical element to “In My Room,” while brightly colored neon gumdrops fell from the sky during “Sweet Thing.” As for the performers, Moyet was dressed smartly in black and offered mile-wide grins, while Clarke looked stoic in a tailored suit.
As a night with Yaz, reconnected, came to a close, I began to reflect. Maybe the contrast in their stage personas is key to understanding the chemistry that went into making Upstairs at Eric’s and You and Me Both - timeless pieces that continue to bring people together.
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