GENESIS LIVE VIDEO

This is a low-budget DVD (I paid 7 euros) capturing the classic Genesis in three different concerts. It is the Shepperton Studios material (tracks 1-5 to be exact) from October 1973 that makes it worth having, the two others have pretty low sound/picture quality - and besides that, are partly abridged in a terrible manner. Unfortunately that concerns most notably 'Firth of Fifth' filmed in Canada. Otherwise the song selection repeats the same titles as the Shepperton concert, which is no perfect either in picture clarity, but it serves its purpose well enough: this is a truly CLASSIC STUFF! This is how Gabriel-led Genesis show looked like in those old days of masks and costumes.

It leaves no doubt that visually it all focuses on Gabriel and his acting. The rest of the band just plays in the background without even trying to gain attention. For example when the camera rarely shoots Banks leaning over his Mellotron, the picture could just as well be stuck in your DVD player. The directing & cutting also resembles an old art film like Nosferatu, especially the opening number 'Watcher of the Skies' in which our angel is wearing batwings and a cloak.

And you surely know the other costumes too: Britannia in 'Moonlit Knight', a flower in 'Supper's Ready', the old man in the final section of 'Musical Box'... Another nice thing are Peter's intro speeches, especially before 'Supper's Ready'. Those who have heard Genesis Archive vol 1 know the story of Henry rubbing his body into grass etc... "To you this may mean Jerusalem Boogie but to the birds it meant that the supper was ready." Ha ha!

Even with a poor technical quality it is obvious that any Genesis fan makes a good little investment with this rare stuff.