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Steve Hackett

Venue: Regent
Town: Ipswich
Date: 21/10/14
Website: http://www.hackettsongs.com

While for many Peter Gabriel leaving Genesis was the major turning point in the history of the band. I, and many others however would argue that Steve Hackett's departure 2 albums and years later in 1977 was as, if not more significant.

His significant contribution to the band between 1971 and 1977 not only from a musical, but song writing perspective has now been recognised in retrospect by most of the band's fans, if not by the makers of the recent television documentary who glossed over his time in the band, but perhaps even more noticeably totally overlooked his extensive solo career since leaving them.

The most active former member of the band musically, and perhaps the most keen to see a reunion of the classic 5 piece line up Steve not only took it upon himself to recreate those heady times, but to enhance the original tunes and songs utilising modern technology that would not have been available in days of yore. The result, both live and on the Genesis Revisited 2 album while staying largely faithful to the original recordings he has added and altered accordingly, and for those of us too young to have been able to have seen the band in their heyday it is a chance to live out that experience, and it sure is a grand. compelling and captivating one.

Having been fortunate enough to have seen the previous Genesis Revisited tour 2 years earlier my first thought when the band took to the stage was that they had omitted the film backdrops, graphics and visual imagery that had been used to good effect previously often depicting the songs themes in the way that Gabriel had originally through the use of costumes. However, what you are left with sans film and costume is not only a set of great songs, but a superb band led by Steve to focus upon.

Opening the set with a dynamic double helping of songs from the first post Gabriel album 'Trick of the Tail' in the form of 'Dance on a Volcano' and 'Squonk' Hackett stood mid stage flanked on either side by the male versions of the blonde bombshells in the form of gifted bass, Chapman stick and 12 string guitarist Nick Beggs and the flamboyant front man Nad Sylvan who while not necessarily attempting to ape the voices of Collins and Gabriel stays true to their style while adding his own inflections and delivery. Following a storming rendition of fans favourite 'Dancing with the Moonlit Knight' from 'Selling England By The Pound' the grouping together of songs from specific albums continued with the coupling of, as on the original 'Lamb Lies Down on Broadway' album of 'Fly on the windshield' and 'Broadway melody of 1974' with drummer Gary O'Toole vocally taking on 2 of Gabriel's most notable moments with aplomb, and on the latter song lyrically emphasising some of its most visual aspects. 'Nursery Chryme', like the Lamb, has a soft spot for many a 70s Genesis fan and the grouping together of perhaps its 3 stand out songs perhaps produced the highlights of the night. Opening this section with 'Return of the Giant Hogweed' it brought out some of Hackett's newly added raw edged guitar lines and sustained notes for which he is famous from his gold painted Gibson, occasionally musically sparring with saxophonist and flautist Rob Thownsend, while the thundering finale saw Beggs demonstrating a fine range of bass faces grinning and gurning in equal measure. The seemingly lyrically mythology inspired 'Fountain of Salmacis' followed with keyboardist Roger King adding an ethereal air to proceedings, before 'The Musical Box' with Beggs fine 12 string finger picking and Sylvan at his most theatrical, completed a triumvirate of great songs from a classic album, and saw the band receiving their first standing ovation of the evening from a visibly moved audience, many of whom looked like they were hearing the songs live again for the first time since their inaugural airing.

The album grouping continued as 'Selling England by the Pound' gave us a rousing rendition of perhaps the most recognised of the early songs namely 'I know what I like' complete with a Jazz and funk inspired mid section allowing Saxophonist Rob Thownsend to wander into Blue Note territory, before the popular 'Firth of Fifth', complete with the resurrected opening piano line courtesy of talented keyboard man Roger King, saw the audience clapping along as the song builds then descends into trademark sustained guitar from Steve, who had punctuated the pieces by playing the haunting classical inspired acoustic piece 'Horizons' in between the songs.

Theatricality ensued from Sylvan on the following 2 pieces with 'Lilywhite Lilith' from 'The Lamb' stretching his vocal range to the limits, followed by a dramatic rendition of early tune 'The Knife' with a cloak and dagger decked out singer at his most Shakespearian and the band at their heaviest and thunderous.

However what was to follow would really have the crowd baying for more as all 22 minutes of the epic 'Suppers Ready' from 'Foxtrot' saw many singing along word for word, joining in on the 'A Flower' moment, marvelling at the musical madness of the 'Willow Farm' section and concluding with the emotional yet dreamlike ending drawing a near packed out house to its feet in rapturous applause at the conclusion to a magnificent set, further enhanced by a return to 'Foxtrot' for the encore of 'Watcher of the Skies' complete with Sylvan staring into the distance through a telescope before pondering what could really be out there beyond this galaxy. For a finale they returned to the album that had started the night rolling delivering the mostly instrumental 'Los Endos' enhanced with sampled choral voices and bass pedals rumbling through the audience and building to a crescendo and explosive ending.

A superb ending to a magnificent concert drawing upon a significant part of Steve Hackett's career, and not just recreating, and revisiting, but revitalising part of his past, and bringing it into the 21st century. Magnificent.

Richard Penguin

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