Steve Hackett May 9, 2023 - Muziekgieterij, Maastricht (NL) Ex-Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett (73) has released twenty-eight solo albums until now and he still tours all over the world, playing the Genesis legacy and his brilliant solo work. In recent years Hackett paid tribute to iconic Genesis albums and he played them in its entirety. He did Selling England By The Pound
During this tour Hackett's band consisted of singer Nad Sylvan, keyboardist Roger King, saxophone and flute player Rob Townsend, bassist Jonas Reingold and drummer Craig Blundell. The show in Maastricht opened with the instrumental Ace Of Wands, a track that features a very Genesis-like melody. It was followed by The Devil's Cathedral, a track from Hackett's latest album Surrender Of Silence (2021, see review). A very bombastic piece on which the organ overture almost sounds like a classical piece of music. After this very experimental track Hackett played two classic songs. First of all, his instrumental guitar gem Spectral Mornings and Every Day. For me the first one was the highlight of the evening, the latter featuring one of the best guitar solos of Hackett ever! Every Day is an absolute live favourite of Hackett and his fans, and it is his most played solo song till now. A Tower Struck Down, from his debut album features a rather superfluous bass guitar solo by Jonas Reingold as far as I'm concerned and Camino Royale, from the album Highly Strung (1983) turns into a 'spontaneous'
After a twenty-minutes break a remarkably familiar mellotron melody caught the attention of the enthusiastic audience. They were treated to the epic Watcher Of The Skies, the opening track of the iconic album Foxtrot. Get 'Em Out By Friday was the next highlight of this evening, especially Reingold's bass hooks and lines were impressive. However, the absolute masterpiece of this evening is Supper's Ready, Genesis' magnum opus. 'Walking across the sitting room, I turn the television off. Sitting beside you I look into your eyes,' sang Nad Sylvan and so began this twenty-three-minute symphonic musical that still sounds amazing, despite the fact that the song was recorded in 1972! Vocalist Nad Sylvan stood his ground during this epic, but of course he isn't Peter Gabriel. Especially during the song Time Table was Sylvan at his best. The encores, Firth Of Fifth and Los Endos, were really no surprise, but Firth Of Fifth, featuring one of Hackett's best guitar solos ever, is always a treat indeed! Blundell's drum solo is again rather superfluous, and I would rather have heard another Hackett song, but I can't complain as this was an amazing evening, with outstanding old-fashioned prog rock. See you next year, Steve. Martien Koolen (text and pictures, edited by Peter Willemsen) |
Setlist Steve Hackett: Set 1Ace Of Wands The Devil's Cathedral Spectral Mornings Every Day A Tower Struck Down Camino Royale Shadow Of The Hierophant (instrumental section only) Set 2 Watcher Of The Skies Time Table Get 'Em Out By Friday Can-Utility And The Coastliners Horizons Supper's Ready Encores: Firth Of Fifth Myopia / Slogans / Los Endos |
Line up Steve Hackett: Steve Hackett: guitars Nad Sylvan: vocals Roger King: keyboards Rob Townsend: saxophone, flute Jonas Reingold: bass guitar Craig Blundell: drums |
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