Steve Hackett Keeps Genesis Legacy Alive In Stunning Tour Finale

The final night of the Steve Hackett UK tour rolled into a sold-out Royal Albert Hall, and there is no more fitting venue for this leg of the tour to close at. With the evening being filmed for future release, this was a well-anticipated show and Steve and the band did not disappoint.

Steve Hackett

Royal Albert Hall – 23 October 2024

Words: Adrian Stonley

Photography: Robert Sutton

The set itself was split into two parts, with the first half consisting of a trawl through the history of his solo work, whereas the second half rolled the clock back to his Genesis days, and in particular to The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway album.

Steve Hackett – Set One

Entering stage to three new songs from latest concept album, The Circus And The Nightwhale, the audience were able to hear part of this album in the live environment for the first time. Opening with People Of The Smoke, with its throw-back intro tape, it was a vibrant and thought-provoking beginning to the show.

With Circo Inferno providing a sumptuous and flowing Eastern influence and fast-paced guitar work, the opening section closed off with These Passing Clouds. Certainly, these are three very strong songs and clearly reflect the quality of this latest solo work.

The dark and twisted The Devil’s Cathedral from Surrender Of Silence followed, and that certainly had the audience wondering whether we were in for a deep and meaningful evening’s entertainment.

Yet the atmosphere lifted with old favourite Everyday before diving further back into Steve’s early catalogue with Hands Of The Priestess featuring the first guest of the evening, his brother John Hackett on flute, providing the gentle refrain over Steve’s acoustic guitar.

A Tower Struck Down followed from the same Voyage Of The Acolyte album with its jerky and jarring guitar interplay before Rob Townsend laid the main theme out in a flute and hypnotic saxophone solo.

A jazzed-up Camino Royale with Rob and Roger musically dualling together provided some light refreshment before the first set closed out with a phenomenal Shadow Of The Hierophant in all its glory. On this, Amanda took front stage on vocals and this piece soared away bringing the audience to their feet for the first (but not the last) time this evening.

Steve Hackett – Set Two

The second half of the show was entirely given over to the Genesis back catalogue, and in particular, a good proportion of the subterranean and otherworldly fantasy, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, was visited. The pieces from this album were clearly carefully considered when the set list was drawn up to ensure that music flowed instead of picking out some of the more favourite pieces.

So, there was no In The Cage or Colony Of Slippermen, but the Royal Albert Hall was treated to some beautifully worked renditions of lesser-played tunes such as Broadway Melody Of 1974. The Chamber Of 32 Doors and Lilywhite Lilith, though the tour de force for all guitar aficionados was just before these, with Steve Rothery joining the band for a guitar dual with Steve on Fly On A Windshield’ a piece that on the night took on a life of its own and was extended considerably to encompass the marvellous technical interplay between the two great guitar maestro’s.

A further surprise was the arrival of ex-Genesis vocalist Ray Wilson, who provided a rendition of Carpet Crawlers that sent shivers down the spine, such as the quality of his vocal tone and delivery. 

One factor that makes this such a strong show is the band that Steve has surrounded himself with. As opposed to utilising various session musicians per tour, Steve has stuck with the same band for many years, and the musical relationships and onstage understanding between the various members are clear.

With the band slipping in and out throughout the show, it helps to keep the songs fresh, and the timings are perfect. Everyone is clearly comfortable in their role, and whilst on stage, it appears that Steve is just another member of a very tight-knit unit as opposed to the main man.

This in itself allows the band to express themselves as one team.

With Amanda Lehmann providing assistance with sumptuous textured guitar work, Rob Townsend on Saxes, flutes, keys and percussion adding an additional level to the proceedings, Nad Sylvan on vocals, Jonas Reingold on Bass, Craig Blundell on drums and the indomitable Roger King on keyboards and more than adequately stepping into the shoes of Tony Banks this evening, this is an absolute powerhouse of a band that Steve has surrounded himself with. Their years of experience working together clearly shows through. 

The lamb section closed out with The Lamia and It, which enabled Roger to fully open up and show the quality of his playing.

Yet, this show was not just about The Lamb, although it is fair to say that the majority of the audience would have been happy with just that. There is far more to Genesis than any solitary album, and a trip back to Selling England By The Pound for Dancing With The Moonlit Knight, The Cinema Show and Aisle Of Plenty had the audience on their feet again and in raptures.

Perhaps the line “Hope and glory” from Moonlit Knight was quite pertinent and electrifying in view of the venue, and the addition of the lyrically pun-filled Aisle Of Plenty, based around 1970s supermarkets, was a perfect close providing the same end as that on the album.

The encore remained with the Selling England theme, with John Hackett returning to play the flute parts of Firth Of Fifth before Craig opened up on the drums and led into set closer Los Endos, although even then Steve could not resist throwing a few bars of Slogans into the mix.

It was quite clear from the reactions to these songs tonight that in many Genesis fan’s minds, Steve Hackett was Genesis. The quality of the songs on display tonight quite clearly addresses that concept and knocks into a cocked hat much of what came after Steve’s departure from the band.

With Genesis now finished as an act, the legacy of the band is very clearly in Steve’s hands. In an interview with MetalTalk published earlier this year, Steve spoke of how Tony Banks acknowledged that Hackett was “keeping the legacy alive.”

Steve Hackett is addressing this perfectly, giving the older fans that which they have been missing for so many years, yet also showing due regard to that legacy.

All in all, this was quite an electrifying and triumphant night. Roll on that DVD so we can relive it all over again.

By the way, Steve, in line with recent tours addressing Genesis albums, we can’t wait for A Trick Of The Tail or Wind And Wuthering to receive the Hackett treatment. Roll on…

Set 1.

• People of the Smoke
• Circo Inferno
• These Passing Clouds
• The Devil’s Cathedral
• Every Day
• Hands of the Priestess (with John Hackett)
• A Tower Struck Down
• Basic Instincts
• Camino Royale
• Shadow of the Hierophant

Set 2:

• The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
• Fly on a Windshield (with Steve Rothery)
• Broadway Melody of 1974
• Hairless Heart
• Carpet Crawlers (with Ray Wilson)
• The Chamber of 32 Doors
• Lilywhite Lilith
• The Lamia
• It
• Dancing With the Moonlit Knight
• The Cinema Show
• Aisle of Plenty

Encore:

• Firth of Fifth  (with John Hackett)
• Drum Solo
• Los Endos / Slogans/ Los Endos