GENESIS LIVE

Genesis Live was Genesis' first of several live albums, and the only one featuring Peter Gabriel until the band released box sets many years later. It features material up to and including their Foxtrot album and is a fine, but far from perfect representation of Genesis' live performances during the time period.

They perform five of the best songs Genesis had created up until that time: Watcher of the Skies, Get 'Em Out by Friday, The Return of the Giant Hogweed, The Musical Box and The Knife. Their performance is lively and energetic, but with very little improvisation, sticking fairly close to their studio versions. The production could be better, but I don't find it a major distraction from the music.

Like some other reviewers, I think this would have been better as a double-LP release which would have ensured having The Fountain of Salmacis and Supper's Ready on the release. Maybe even Harold the Barrel? Unfortunately this wasn't the case, but we are left with a nicely done, if not complete recording. A must have for Genesis fans. For the rest of the prog community, it deserves a nice four star rating.