Steve Hackett’s 2024 tour celebrated 50 years of the iconic Genesis album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. The Glasshouse website stated that “Alongside his outstanding touring line-up of Roger King (keyboards), Nad Sylvan (vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass, backing vocals), Rob Townsend (saxophone, flutes, additional keyboards), Craig Blundell (drums) and special guest, Amanda Lehmann on guitar and vocals. Hackett will perform Lamb highlights plus Genesis classics and solo gems.” So, as a long-standing Genesis fan, I decided to go along and see him.
Hackett delivered a spectacular performance. The show was in two parts. The first part focused on Hackett’s solo material. Joined by his brilliant band, Hackett opened the evening with solo pieces “Every Day” and “A Tower Struck Down”. His guitar playing held the audience spellbound, his dexterity mesmerising. It was a testament to the versatility of the instrument and, the first half of the show symbolised Hackett’s status as a legend of guitar playing.
The second half of the show was what I’d been most keen to see. Hackett dedicated this section to Genesis classics. “The Lamb Lies down on Broadway” and “Carpet Crawlers” took us all back in time. Hackett’s intricate playing breathed new life into these old favourites. The highlights for me were the haunting, magical “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight” and the soaring instrumental beauty of “Firth of Frith”.
I saw the original Lamb lies Down on Broadway tour at Newcastle City Hall in 1975. At the time I wrote on my blog: Always listen to the album before you go to the concert. That is a piece of advice I keep giving to myself, but I often don’t follow. It was never truer than in this case. It had been a couple of years since I last saw Genesis, and I was interested to see their new production for the new album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
I’d read the reviews but hadn’t heard the album (you see; mistake). For some reason, I hadn’t bought a ticket for this tour, but when Genesis reached Newcastle City Hall, I decided to go along on the night and try to buy a ticket. I managed to do so, purchasing a ticket for a little more than face value from someone outside the venue.
My seat was pretty near the back, but hey I was in! I knew what to expect; the set was the entire new (double) album played in sequence to tell the story of Rael and was their most theatrical show to date. Peter Gabriel really excelled himself in terms of his performance and in costume changes, the most spectacular and outrageous of which was the Slipperman who was covered in terrible growths.
The concert was incredible as a piece of theatre, however having not heard the album, I found it difficult to follow at times. Even to this day, I don’t fully understand the story or know many of the tracks; and I do have a copy now. My favourite is of course “Carpet Crawlers”. My memory tells me that they came back at the end and encored with “The Knife”, but published setlists tells me that it was likely to have been “Watcher of the Skies”, “The Musical Box”; or both.
Roll on almost 50 years to 2024 and as the last notes of “Los Endos” rang out, the audience erupted into applause. We’d all witnessed an evening celebrating one of prog-rock’s finest. Steve Hackett remains an absolute master of his craft. I wish that he had closed with “The Knife” as Genesis did back in the old days, but hey you can’t have everything. A beautiful reminder of an era sadly passed. Thank you, Steve, for helping us to relive our old memories and of happy, happy days.
I treated myself to a programme, signed LP, and signed drum skin. Class. Many thanks to Jackie for taking the photos and to Laura and Chris for helping with the blog entry and manipulating the site.
Setlist: People of the Smoke; Circo Inferno; These Passing Clouds; The Devil’s Cathedral; Every Day; A Tower Struck Down; Basic Instincts; Camino Royale; Shadow of the Hierophant.
Lamb Highlights: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway; Fly on a Windshield; Broadway Melody of 1974; Hairless Heart; Carpet Crawlers; 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; Drum Solo; Los Endos / Slogans / Los Endos.
It has been some time since I saw in York, on which occasion he played a great selection of early Genesis classics. Now I much prefered Genesis when the great Peter Gabriel fronted the band. I have many happy memories of seeing Genesis. The first time I saw them was at Newcastle City Hall where they were bottom of the bill on a C
harisma package tour featuring Van Der Graaf Generator, Lindisfarne and then Genesis. After that I saw them several times within a year during the period 1971 and 1972 including performances at the Reading Festival, the Lincoln Festival and Sunderland Locarno supporting Mott the Hoople! I foolishly missed the Foxtrot tour because I had seen the band so many times. I remember my friend Ian went along to see them at the City Hall and came back raving about the gig and Gabriel wearing a fox mask! Is it really 50 years since the release of Foxtrot? I then saw them at Newcastle City Hall supporting Lindisfarne, the Reading Festival again at the time “I Know What I like” was hitting the charts, and finally on the Lamb Lies down on Broadway tour. The next time I saw Genesis Phil Collins was front man on the Trick of the Tail tour at Glasgow Apollo. All of those shows were magnificent. Steve Hackett left the band around that time and I saw the And Then There Were Three tour at Knebworth, supported by Jefferson Starship. Happy days.
Steve Hackett was an integral part of the band throughout those days, sitting quietly on a stool, weaving magical music from his Gibson Les Paul. I also saw Steve on a couple of solo tours at Newcastle City Hall and was quite impressed by his own material.
starting with the wonderful “Watcher of the Skies” and finishing with the magnificent, multifaceted “Supper’s Ready”. I had forgotten just how great the album was; particularly the opening track and the closing epic. Great credit must be given to vocalist Nad Sylvan who brings the songs to life without totally recreating Peter Gabriel. The guy has his own style, flowing locks and some wonderful elements of showmanship which hark back to the Gabriel days such as the 
A great night with a great musician to whom prog rock fans (such as me!) and Genesis owe a lot. I bought a programme and a signed copy of Steve’s autobiography! Happy days really are here again!
Set 1: Hackett Highlights: Ace of Wands; The Devil’s Cathedral; Spectral Mornings; Every Day; A Tower Struck Down; Camino Royale; Shadow of the Hierophant.
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