A concert/gig review from a Dutch Music Paper for a gig held in Brussels on the 25th January 1974.
Here is a loose translation with thanks to Willem Beens and Mark Kenyon
Genesis perfection
(with anti climax)
On January the 25th in one of the suburbs of Brussels, there was a
glorious concert from the English audio-visual glam rock band
Genesis. Almost 3000 people filled the almost sold out hall in Belgium.
The creation of an exciting, breathtaking ambience is the essence of a
Genesis concert. In principle the music doesn’t lend itself for audience
participation, because the subtlety of the comedy and the drama
in their music, by using explosion and effects will make it difficult.
The centre of the performance is Peter Gabriel, who manifests himself on
the stage as a busy bee. A kind of Dior mannequin during the presentation of the new
spring fashion in Paris. Always busy with changing clothes or inserting new props
in the exciting musical chess play that Genesis plays with the audience.
Black costumes, glitter suits, lots of props, a life size flower with
glittering textile around the head, or on his head in a glorified dovecote that
emits a red light on the edges and from which only his furious face is
visible, or a mask that depicts an old wrinkly man, or he puts on a pair of
glasses that, when the light goes down, puts a glowing focus on the rest of the superb
theatrical happening.
In short, you should have seen it all once to be able to judge it and get
excited about it.
Already at the first notes of the concert, the complete Belgian crowd was enthusiastic,
the material was very familiar for the present Genesis fans.
It was, as expected, began with the nerve wracking hit song ‘Watcher of the Skies’
from their ‘Foxtrot’-LP, which was followed by material from their latest (and best)
long-playing record ‘Selling England by the Pound’, such as: ‘The Battle of Epping Forest’,
‘The Cinema Show’, furthermore highpoints like ‘Supper’s Ready’ and ‘The Musical
Box’.
Each song is in fact a masterpiece on its own in terms of composition
and execution. Masterpieces that are brought with amazing inventiveness and musical rule
‘Craftsmanship is Mastery’. The various members of the group provide with an (almost)
submissive way their versatile talents in the service of the collective tonal colors and moods.
The best songs, both musically and visually, were ‘The Musical Box’ from
the LP ‘Nursery Crymes’, ‘The Battle of Epping Forest’ from the LP ‘Selling England by the Pound’
and ‘Supper’s Ready’ from the LP ‘Foxtrot’.
They played at an amazing high level, further crazy things happened, like
a sudden explosion of flames and smoke during which Peter Gabriel’s suit, which initially was black, suddenly was changed with a white sparkling outfit à la Gary Glitter.
The same Peter Gabriel did even more startling things, his terrifying mime of an old man complete with
wrinkly face in the song ‘The Musical Box’ was alarmingly realistic and his stage act belonging to ‘The Battle of Epping Forest’ aroused great hilarity, just as his, spoken in super bad French interludes
between the songs.
Phil Collins is one of the best (ensemble) drummers that I have seen lately with an amazing great feeling for collectivity.
Tony Banks produced orchestral musical waves from his keyboards behind which he virtually
disappeared, Steve Hackett’s guitar playing is in a class by itself while Mike Rutherford lets his wailing bass guitar go wherever he wants or the arrangement it demands. He hereby strongly reminds of Chris Squire of Yes.
A shame, a damn shame it was that Genesis, after the big success they
had in Brussels didn’t react on the forty minutes lasting appeal/supplication for an encore.
But even without an encore this was one of the best concerts I witnessed the past few years.
With apology to Lou Reed and The Pointers Sisters besides that.
