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Friday, December 5, 2014

Steve Hackett revisits Genesis in Collingswood (11/22/2014)

Steve Hackett
Live at the Scottish Rite Auditorium
November 22, 2014


Note: I’m aware that I’m writing this concert review pretty late, considering the show was on November 22. However, I’d still like to have a review written since I’ve been doing this in some for every concert I’ve seen ever since I saw Kiss in 2009 (with the exception of Rush, but I did post a short review of it on this blog’s Facebook page). I really did enjoy this concert so I’d like to share that with you. Enjoy.


            Former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, along with his band, performed at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on November 22. Hackett, 64, has been touring the last few years playing the songs from the classic era of Genesis as part of his Genesis Extended Tour. While many would like to see the classic line-up of Genesis reunite (Hackett, Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins and Tony Banks), Hackett and his band put on a hell of a show.

            The lights went out a little after 8 pm. The audience started to cheer and soon enough, Hackett and his band arrived on the stage, starting the evening off with “Dance on a Volcano” from A Trick of the Trail. Immediately, Hackett’s lead singer Nad Sylvan struck out- with his long blonde hair and dramatic stage presence. Throughout the show, Sylvan nailed each song and did at times sound just like Gabriel. In between songs, Hackett spoke to the crowd and introduced each song. “Squonk” was next, which was then followed by “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight.” The band played three songs from 1971’s Nursery Cryme. The last of the them, “The Musical Box,” was the most impressive as the band played the whole 17 minutes of the song. With its constant change in tempo, it was amazing that Hackett and the band could pull it off. Sylvan led the audience in chanting the song’s last verse- “Now, now, now, now, now!” After the song ended, the band received a well-deserved standing ovation.

            “I Know What I Like” followed after, which had almost everyone in the audience singing along to what was an unexpected minor hit for Genesis in 1973. While the band was playing songs from Hackett’s time with the band (1971-78), they did play “The Knife” from Genesis’ sophomore effort Trespass- which Hackett did not play on since he hadn’t joined the band at that time. Sylvan was dramatic throughout the performance, holding a knife of his own. The band ended their set with “Supper’s Ready,” Genesis’s 26 minute epic that closed 1972’s Foxtrot. Many Genesis fans regard it as the band’s best song, as it tells the story of an apocalypse in seven different parts. It’s a hard song to play live, given it jumps from one part to another. When Genesis played it live back in the day, Gabriel would go through a few costume changes- most notably wearing a “flower mask” in one part. While Sylvan didn’t do the same, he did come out decked in a brown robe towards the end of the song. After a long performance, the band said goodnight…until they came back out to play “Watcher of the Skies” and “Los Endos” for the encore.

            No matter what kind of Genesis fan you are, I’d highly recommend going to see Steve Hackett and his band if they do come back to play the songs of Genesis. I was skeptical at first but at this rate, it’s probably the closest you’re going to get seeing Genesis live.


Setlist
1.      Dance on a Volcano
2.      Squonk
3.      Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
4.      Fly on a Windshield
5.      Broadway Melody of 1974
6.      Return of the Giant Hogweed
7.      The Fountain of Salmacis
8.      The Musical Box
9.      I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
10.  Horizons
11.  Firth of Fifth
12.  Lilywhite Lilith
13.  The Knife
14.  Supper’s Ready

Encore

15.  Watcher of the Skies
16.  Los Endos


The band
Steve Hackett- guitar/vocals
Nad Sylvan- vocals
Nick Beggs- bass/vocals
Gary O’Toole- drums/vocals
Roger King- keyboards

Rob Townsend- sax/flute/keyboards/percussion/vocals

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