Steve Hackett performing his Genesis Revisited With Hackett Classics Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Thursday 11th May 2017.


Images and Review by Kevin Cooper

It was forty years ago that the British progressive rock legends known as Genesis released their eighth studio album, Wind & Wuthering and there is no better person to celebrate its anniversary than former Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett.

Last night the Royal Concert Hall saw Hackett deliver a concert that was divided into two halves, the first being devoted to songs from his solo albums dating back to his 1975 debut Voyage Of The Acolyte, whilst the second part of the show was all about Genesis.

To help with this nostalgia trip were band mates Roger King on keyboards, Rob Townsend on woodwinds, drummer Gary O’Toole, and bassist Nick Beggs , who all set the tone with their perfectly pitched harmonies on first set opener, Every Day, which also showcased Hackett’s phenomenal flawless guitar playing.

Showcasing material from his new album, The Night Siren, there was the powerful and tumultuous instrumental El Nino and the very dramatic Behind The Smoke. First half closer, Shadow Of The Hierophant saw Beggs guitar less, sitting on the floor and hammering at the bass pedals with his fists to conjure up the powerful low tones.

The second half featured Nad Sylvan on lead vocals whose performance made the songs almost perfect recreations of the original studio versions. Sounding uncannily like Peter Gabriel, he struck a striking figure with his mane of blonde hair. Delivering songs which have not seen the light of day for over thirty years, the crowd were treated to real gems like Eleventh Earl Of Mar and Blood On The Rooftops.

Hackett, happy to let the music do the talking, really excelled on his trademark soaring solos together with Beggs taking care of the beautiful twelve string melodies which were a main stay of the old Genesis sound. With songs like Dance On A Volcano, Afterglow, The Musical Box, and of course Firth Of Fifth which featured Hackett’s memorable and signature guitar solo, the memories came flooding back.

Bringing the evening to a close with the majestical instrumental Los Endos, saw the audience on their feet to offer a thunderous, sustained and well deserved applause.