The Abacab tour – 1981
This concert review was published in Algemeen Dagblad, The Netherlands, on the 5th October 1981.
This show took place at The Groenoordhal, Leiden, The Netherlands on the 3rd October 1981
A rough translation from Dutch to English is here:
Genesis sharp and mobile
by ARNO GELDER
LEIDEN — The concert that Genesis gave on Saturday in the Groenoordhal in Leiden must have been a bitter experience, especially for singer and drummer Phil Collins. The ten thousand strong following of this British symphonic rock trio, supplemented for concerts by extra drummer Chester Thompson and guitarist Daryl Stuermer who had worked with the group before, appeared to be hopelessly divided into two camps.
One camp demanded that Genesis only play pieces from earlier LPs and, when the formation started a composition from the recent album Abacab, started a vigorous booing. So regularly, in fact, that Phil Collins, the inspiration for Genesis’ new style, at one point visibly exclaimed, “Do you only want old junk?” Fortunately for Genesis and the rest of the concert, the audience, which had not only travelled to Leiden to hear old recognition melodies, was in the majority.
This gave Genesis the fair chance it deserved to show that the group has not remained stuck in the same symphonic-tinted pattern of years ago. Thanks to Collins’ very rhythmic input, Genesis sounds a lot more swinging in 1981 and is therefore aimed at a broader and younger audience. The compositions of the album Abacab were among the best during this performance: more pointed, more lively and more attractive than the sometimes very long numbers, in which the quintet almost threw itself into symphonic bombast. It was a pity that not only did the aforementioned very greying Genesis fans cause unpleasant scenes, but that it also became clear once again that the Groenoordhal is completely unsuitable for holding pop concerts.
The acoustics are that of an upholstered bunker, atmosphere is out of the question in this colossus and the long queues for the scarce toilets (35 cents for use, mind you) gave the whole thing a sad impression.
Genesis deserved better.
