Steve Hackett 17 September 2021

This was, from an incredible lack of common sense on my part, the first time I had seen Hackett live since Six of the Best. Yes, I know, pretty shocking. I don’t really know the full reason, but I do know that a part of it in recent years has been a reluctance to see a Swedish singer, no matter how good, trying to replicate what are quintessentially English songs. Indeed, a comment to this effect on the forum got me into a bit of a row with an excitable French chappie, now formerly of this parish.

Well, all I can say is that this has been my loss, but I am so glad we went. What a night!

The set itself was divided into two parts. The first forty minutes were devoted to Hackett solo pieces, with a couple of tracks from the new album, which came across very well, and the perennial favourites Every Day and an abridged version of Shadow of the Hierophant. We had terrific seats looking down directly on the band, with the wonderful Jonas Reingold nearest to us, and seeing him working wonders with his bass pedals on the latter really was a highlight of the night.

The second part was, of course, Seconds Out in its entirety, with Firth of Fifth and Aisle of Plenty chucked in for good measure, the latter especially a real gift to these ears.

The band are at the top of their game. Rob Townsend brings so much to the party with his woodwind, and his sax solo during the traditional Collins tambourine segment of I Know What I Like was exceptional, and, if I dare say it, a damned sight better than said tambourine jamboree. Craig Blundell fairly ripped the drums all night, and you forget that we used to see two drummers with Hackett’s erstwhile colleagues for much of the show. Roger King is a consummate professional, and he doesn’t just replicate Tony Banks’ parts, but adds his own character to much loved lines.

Hackett looks, acts, and plays like a man 10 years younger. Not one bum note. A guitarist for whom the word maestro was invented, it was not merely the solos which shined, but you got a real sense of the incredible musical collaborations which made Genesis with his rhythm and supporting licks.

And what of Nad Sylvan? Well, I got his new solo album this last week, and I will be posting a very favourable review of it shortly. It is a very good piece of work, but what about my beef re him singing English pastoral classics? I have seen and heard him do these many times, either on live cds, live dvds, or on YouTube. All I can say is that none of these go anywhere near doing this man justice. Because what really shone through last night was not just the power of his voice, although that was a part of it, but simply the raw emotion he brought to timeless classics. He was absolutely all over Musical Box (thankfully, the band played the full version of the song, and not the truncated Seconds Out version). He nailed it, and the nuances of his Suppers Ready was only really obvious to me in the flesh. The difference, of course, between the live experience and a mere (sometimes overly remastered) recording.

By the time the quite unreal power of Dance on a Volcano and Los Endos had finished the last notes (and I swear the hall was shaking during these), Hackett and his wonderful ensemble had us all eating out of their hands.

A word about the venue. I like St David’s Hall. It is quite an intimate venue, and the acoustics are crystal clear. It is not small, by any means, but not so large as to render the band distant and “going through the motions”. Indeed, I said to my lovely son during an after show drinkie that this was by far the finest Genesis gig I had seen since my first time seeing the threesome, Chester, and Darryl in Lyceum Ballrooms, now 41 years ago. Since then, I have seen “official” Genesis at Birmingham NEC a few times, Roundhay Park, Wembley Stadium, and etc. Whilst the band were never anything less than great, said venues are pretty soulless places, bereft of any real atmosphere. This music, which I have adored since my prog awakening in the 70’s, was made to be experienced, not merely gawped at from too far a distance, and Hackett proved that last night.

When Sylvan asked us to acknowledge Hackett (massive cheers and applause), he said “The King of Prog”. On last night’s showing, it really is pretty damned hard to disagree.

If you get the chance, go see them. One of the finest gigs I have had the pleasure of attending. Oh, and one of the best curries ever eaten before the gig as well! Happy days, indeed, and so nice to share with a 20 year old who has a strong sense of what constitutes great music.