It was gig 3 out of 4 in PROGVEMBER as Steve Hackett brought his brilliant band to St. David's Hall in Cardiff once more for another thrilling Prog Spectacular in a venue specifically designed for dynamic music. In a Sold Out Show Steve and the band gave us over 2 hours of great music that brought the crowd to their feet on several occasions throughout the evening.
Tonight's band consisted of band stalwarts Roger King on Keys, Rob Townsend on Flute Sax and blowy things, Nad Sylvan once again on vocal duties with new boys Jonas Reingold on Bass and Craig Blundell replacing the now departed Gary O'Toole behind the drumkit. After touring around Europe and the US the band tonight are tighter than Mr Blundell's snare as they are here tonight to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Steve's third solo album the ever popular Spectral Mornings. The album was celebrated in Part One together with a couple of songs from this latest solo album At The Edge Of Light.
Part Two includes a complete performance of the Genesis classic - Selling England By The Pound.
First up we have the now regular opener, from Spectral Mornings, the crowd pleasing Everyday.
Giving both the Band and the Audience a chance to get into the vibe of the show.
Spectral Mornings
The pleasing thing about Steve Hackett at the moment is his ability to still come up with excellent new music and new albums. The latest 4 or 5 albums have certainly produced some moments of brilliance and have been rewarded by some decent sales and comments by fans and critics alike. His latest album, At The Edge Of Light released this year, is no exception to this current rule.
The next theree tracks are all taken from that album. Under The Eye Of The Sun, Fallen Walls & Pedestals and Beasts in our Time show the range of quality contained within and are greeted with enthusiasm. It'll be interesting to see what tracks from these later albums become the Solo Classics as we move forward in Steve's later career.
Under The Eye Of The Sun
Beasts In Our Time
For the rest of the first half we are then treated to a selection of songs from the birthday girl - Spectral Mornings.
I've seen Steve Hackett many a time since his decision to leave Genesis back in 1976 and I don't think I remember him ever playing one of my favourite tracks from Spectral Mornings - The Virgin & The Gypsy live - so it was a very special moment for me tonight as Steve strapped on his 12 String Acoustic and brought this lovely song to the fore and gave it the treatment it deserved.
The Virgin & The Gypsy
The dynamic Tigermoth came next with all it's wailing guitar and foreboding chord structures. One for the fans indeed.
Tigermoth
There are several instrumental tracks on Spectral Mornings - it's very much a Musical album than a Songs album, if you get my drift. The title track is no exception. A powerhouse of virtuosity for all of the musicians involved. And in Cardiff tonight, Steve acknowledged Geoff Downes of Yes in the audience and also Rob Reed and Chris Fry of Welsh band Magenta - and complemented them on their cover that they produced with David Longdon, vocalist of Big Big Train and Magenta's own Christina Booth on vocals as they reinterpreted the song for a charity release. Every time I now hear the instrumental version of Spectral Mornings I now hear Tin & David singing in my head. And it's by no means a bad thing. Listen here to see what I mean.
Spectral Mornings 2015
Following the instrumental Spectral Mornings we then see Mr Hackett strapping on his 6 string acoustic and are treated to a gorgeous version of another instrumental beauty from Spectral, the eastern inspired The Red Flower Of Tachai Blooms Everywhere - accompanied by a lovely red light accompaniment on stage. It was very moving - for me at least.
The Red Flower.....
After that delicate beauty - we are treated to a blistering end to part one with the literally show stopping version of another beast of an instrumental from Spectral Mornings - the ominous The Angel Of Mons - (look it up and you'll see why it holds a special resonance for this Remembrance weekend). Here's where we see the power that Craig Blundell brings to the band.
The Angel Of Mons
With the end of Part One comes the end of the Solo Hackett years.
For Part 2 we are immediately transported back to 1973 as soon as Nad Sylvan sings those now iconic first lines "Can you tell me where my country lies, said the Unifaun to his true love's eyes."
We're now in for one hell of an experience as we are treated to a FULL performance + of the Genesis classic and Steve Hackett's favourite Genesis album - Selling England By The Pound.
Steve has been playing selections from Selling England for many a year but this is the first time that J'm aware of that Steve has played the whole album in sequence. With minimal theatrics this time, the band danced their way through the pastoral beauty of the album. There's nothing I can really add about the album that's not already well know. Moments of power sweep in to be replaced by moments of quiet beauty. It's a VERY English album and has moments of humour streaked throughout the album like a stick of rock.
Opener Dancing With The Moonlit Knight reveals image after image of Prog's greatest hits as Gabriel's (I assume) imagination is given free reign on England. It also uses Steve's guitar to huge effect and sets up the whole album beautifully.
Here's Genesis playing it back in 1973.
Dancing With The Moonlit Knight
Back in the day - the early 70s - it was Genesis' one true hit single - I Know What I Like has become a staple of Steve Hackett shows and is a chance for Rob Townsend to shine as the track is augmented by some lovely sax work and tonight it brings another great cheer as it takes it's rightful place in the album.
I Know What I Like
Firth Of Fifth, as well as being my phone ringtone, is track three and again one that Steve and his band have been playing for years. Containing his favourite Genesis guitar solo, Steve uses it to showcase his amazing guitar work. He still has the ability to play it beautifully and it gains another long standing ovation from a by now rapturous Welsh crowd.
Firth Of Fifth
Phil Collins had two beautiful solo moments as lead vocalist before he finally stepped into the chair in 1976. The first was Nursery Crynes' For Absent Friends, the second was the next track More Fool Me from Selling England - a suitably delicate and acoustic song which in the album context feels like an interlude between these other epic tracks and beautifully closes side 1 of the album.
More Fool Me
And talking about Epics, next up is THE EPIC TRACK of the album - The Battle Of Epping Forest. As it opens side 2 of the album, it takes no prisoners. from the building marching steps it blossoms into one bonkers but attention holding tour de force of early Genesis. And the band completely do it justice tonight.
I have to say that the sound quality in the performance today really is outstanding and gives every musician the chance to breathe within the music and enables them to show just how good they are. And this track a special mention must go the Craig & Jonas who provide a powerhouse of a rhythm section.
After The Ordeal is Steve's most complete contribution to the album. It's an instrumental piece which features both acoustic and electric guitar work and is a appetiser for the Epic, Cinema Show that comes up next.
Cinema Show is everything that is best about early Genesis. Oblique story telling, gorgeous musical pieces of firstly intricate beauty followed by a section of power leading to a brilliant climax. It really is the epitome of what Prog is all about and what it does best.
The first half of Cinema Show belongs to Nad Sylvan and he makes the song his own tonight as he has done for the past few years. Buoyed by commercial and artistic solo success, he has grown impressively as a vocalist and this reviewer for one can't wait for Nad to get his own tour and a chance to play his own music live.
Cinema Show & Aisle Of Plenty
The final Track - Aisle Of Plenty provides the short bookend to the album that completes one of the finest albums of Rock ever produced. Suitably the crowd give a LOOOOOONG standing ovation and rapturous applause breaks out again.
There was another track that almost made it to the album - Peter Gabriel brought the lyrics and some musical sketches to the band - a song called Deja Vu. With Peter's blessing, Steve has completed the some and presents it tonight as an additional track to Selling England. You'll find it below - with vocals provided by Paul Carrack.
Deja Vu
But we still had time for a couple more songs as Steve took us back to MY favourite Genesis album - A Trick Of The Tail for it's opener Dance On A Volcano
Dance On A Volcano
There HAD to be an encore. And once again it comes in the form of another Genesis closing classic - Los Endos. But this time, Steve chose to give us the Genesis Revisited version which by the end brings the house down to another LOOONG standing ovation.
So, Steve Hackett and his band once again give us a special night at St David's Hall to remember. I was talking to Magenta's main man Robert Reed and guitarist Chris Fry after the show - and as Rob said, Steve tonight gave a performance that showed all of the younger musicians who happened to be watching exactly how to put on an unforgettable show. You know what? He was spot on.
All photographs are copyright and have been taken by Nick Baker
LOS ENDOS
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