Genesis

[RogorMortis]

Well last night I came home at 4 am after a visit to Hamburg to watch Genesis on their "turn it on again" tour at Hamburg's football stadium with 40000+ other Germans. it took me 2 hours just to get out of town...........

Getting there early was Ok and we though we (Myself and 2 friends) could get in for a bit to eat. Unfortunately we got spilt up at the gate and I had to wait outside when the heavens opened. Unprepared for this I got drenched but that's the game sometimes. Anyhow eventually we got in and got food in the rain and found our seat (Yes we could sit down) and were out of the rain. We actually had a seat that was closest to the stage although we were nearly at right angles, but we had a big screen to look at - see pix. Genesis stage setup is something in it's self as it's at a distance a big screen in it's self.

The band came on just after 8 and played in all for 2¾ hours. They opened up with Behind the Lines from the Duke and played most of their hits from the 80's but they did play 2 songs from Lamb lies down - Firth of Fifth with a blistering solo from Darryl Stuermer - Ripples & Los Endos from Trick of the Tail but nothing from Wind & Wuthering except perhaps some chords in the one medley they fired off - they also played Follow you follow me plus No son of mine from I can't Dance. It was obvious from the Germans they wanted to hear songs like Mama, Dominoes and Home from the Sea, Invisible Touch, Land of Confusion, Tonight tonight, I can't dance (with the walk), Turn it on again. But they played as though they enjoyed themselves, something that was missing from my sources the evening before in Herning, DK. And finally I saw the PC tambourine dance which he can still do......... Darryl Stuermer was for me the highlight as he really played on guitar showing how good he actually is while I thought Chester Thomson looked like he found the going tough as he's getting older too.... Tony Banks never smiled but he never does at gigs.

Watching this gig it's obvious for me to see that the total reunion of Genesis is not on the cards as most of this crowd were not proggers as us on Am. It will be interesting to see on Tuesday as I go back to Hamburg to see Peter Gabriel how the crowd will react there - it's a sell out and outdoors so this time I will take my rain togs with me. So those going to see Genesis will get a good evening of older songs, a great stage setup and with the big crowds a great atmosphere.