Could anyone ask for anything more?
By Freedom Rider from Santa Barbara, CA on 10/18/2007
Pros:
Crowd Was In To It, Engaging Stage Presence, Great Lighting, Great Sound
Cons:
Compromised Set List, Missing Key Band Members
Best For:
Completely Unfamiliar
Genesis, a band that hasn't toured in almost twenty years, stayed true to their reputation as perfectionists, putting on a very impressive show. The sound, lighting, and special effects were as fantastic as anything I've seen or heard in my twenty-something years of concert going. The musicians, both original members (i.e., Phil Collins, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford) and supporting members were fabulous and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, not missing a beat. As front-man, Phil Collins spoke about it being a special show (the last of the tour), and gave humourous anecdotes throughout the evening. The show was not only a great introduction to Genesis, but it was a chance to witness stellar performances of songs from every era of their extistence. Having said that, for someone who knows and loves the Genesis era from their birth through 1974 (the Gabriel era), the show left something to be desired... mainly Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett, the key missing original members. Apparently, they were asked to join for this tour and politely declined. This is heartbreaking for die-hard early Genesis fans for several reasons. First, while most everything in the show was enjoyable and extremely well-executed, some of the modern pop tunes (e.g., I Can't Dance) were "filler" and therefore a huge, wasted opportunity. (Why would anyone pay to watch Mozart play Chopsticks or Mary Had a Little Lamb live, no matter how well played?) There were so many great songs that were not played but could have been (instead of the fluff), had all the original members elected to participate. Second, seeing Genesis without Gabriel and Hackett is like seeing The Beatles without Lennon and Harrison. Yeah sure, "Genesis" is still a great show, but older fans know better... huge, untapped potential! Still, I'm very glad that I went (we have to take what we can get from a group that tours once every twenty years)! The early material that was played was mindblowing (e.g., Firth of Fifth, I Know What I Like, In the Cage)!
