Your first ever Genesis concert was ...

    • Official Post

    Let us know where your first ever Genesis concert took place.


    Mine was quite late, 3rd July 1992 during the We Can't Dance tour. Gelsenkirchen Parkstadion it was.


    I have only little memories about that. Details seem to fade quicky. The show started late since a lot of the equipment came in late.


    And it did not rain ;)

  • Feb. 23rd, 1977 at Madison Square Garden. The first time the boys played the big arena and I was hooked for life. 8)


    Just an amazing show from the fist notes of Squonk til hearing Ethel Merman singing the exit tune while we sat back in our seats in total awe of what we just witnessed.

  • Tragically, mine was late too. Late September 1986, "Invisible Touch" tour, The Spectrum in Philadelphia.


    The best part of the show was the oldies medley - In The Cage/Cinema Show (excerpt)/In That Quiet Earth/closing section of "Supper's Ready". It got a HUGE ovation. :thumbup:


    I was just barely too young to see the Mama tour shows in Philly. These were captured well on bootleg, so, if you have heard them, you know how good they were. Oh, to be a year or two older at the time...

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • My first – and sadly only – Genesis concert was in Helsinki on 11th June 2007. It was the first concert of the tour and so obviously there were no "spoilers" around beforehand. I was very curious to what songs they would be playing. I remember I thought the Duke intro was quite strong as an opener, and got a bit baffled that TIOA was played at the beginning – that's supposed to be the show closer! ;) I especially welcomed the return of "In The Cage medley", "Ripples", "Mama" and "Los Endos", but wished they had made some real surprise by pulling out some more odd and forgotten song from the past. Also, I was impressed that Phil was able to perform the tambourine dance during IKWIL so well. "Follow You Follow Me" was a beautiful and nostalgic experience with all the old videos on the screen.


    I've been a fan since "No Son Of Mine" was released in 1991, so I could have attended the WCD tour in 1992, but I was only 17 then and had never been to any concert, so i didn't really occur to me as an option. During the CAS period in 1997–1998 I was quite busy with other stuff in my life and also I wasn't too impressed with the album.

  • My first Genesis concert was the 'Six of the Best' reunion concert at the Milton Keynes bowl on 2 October 1982. I was 16 and only had two Genesis albums at that time - 'Foxtrot' and 'Seconds Out'. The main concert started with Peter Gabriel leaping out of a coffin dressed as Rael and the band opening with 'Back in New York City' (which I had never heard before). At some stage PG did 'Solsbury Hill', then Phil Collins swopped with PG to sing 'Turn it on Again' - the only post-Gabriel Genesis song they did (PG took PC's place on the drumkit). 'Supper's Ready' was incredible with PG using all his old props. Steve Hackett arrived just in time for the encores and the crowd went completely berserk as they played 'I know what I like' and 'The Knife'. I was close to the front, slightly left of centre, no more than 5 people in front of me. I remember that the band all semed to be really enjoying themselves, smiling and laughing their way through much of it. I saw Genesis again in 1984, 1987 and 1992, but as brilliant and polished as these shows were, nothing comes close to the carnival atmosphere and joy of that one-off open air concert in the wet, muddy morass of Milton Keynes. I feel lucky and deeply priviledged to have experienced it.

  • My first time was Roundhay Park in 1992. My memory is pretty clear of that day. We drove down (having got coaches to gigs before I knew all-too-well that we'd be right at the back of the park if we entrusted the driving to someone else) and there was definitely a buzz about the town as we walked to the gig. We got a place near the front of the stage with a clear view of the band. Lisa Stansfield was the opening act and she was pretty good. Still, I cheered louder when I saw the legendary Geoff Banks come on stage!


    It was still light when Genesis came on and they really delivered. Phil looked a bit distracted during No Son Of Mine as he sat on the monitor. I wondered what must be going through his mind (if you've read his autobiography, you'll know the answer to that). After the second song, he said it was nice to be back in England, "even if it is the North!" cue some good-natured boo-ing from the crowd. The old medley sounded amazing, Phil sang some failsafe notes during Hold On My Heart, Domino really kicked and the drum duet seemed to go on forever. Highlight of the show was I Can't Dance, by which point it was fully dark and we could appreciate the dazzling Vari-lites. When they played Turn It On Again, the show seemed to be over too soon. Never mind, I would see them again two days later at Knebworth.


    Speaking of Knebworth, I have an older cousin who regaled me with the tale of when he saw Genesis's sole British date in '78. He grew misty-eyed when he spoke of the medley of Dance On A Volcano and Los Endos, experienced through a haze of what he referred to as "Bob Hope"!

  • No it was a great show, it's just I never had the chance before to see them. I remember how MTV reported them having the WCD tour, I was only 10 years old at that time; the CAS tour was ruled out for me, I was 16 and all shows were too far away and too expensive, or maybe it just didn't occur to me I could really go there because I never went to any concerts back in those days. So 2007 was the final chance and I am glad I took it, it was a 5-hour train trip there and back and I spent nearly 200,- € altogether but it was so worth it. It's just sad this was the only time ever I got to see a Genesis concert - but better late than never! ;)

  • One of the few times I wished I was older!


    Earl's Court, the penultimate night of the We Can't Dance tour I think it was. Not only my first Genesis show, but my first show by any major band. Twickenham in 2007 was my second and, presumably, final time seeing them live. Steve Hackett making it out here to New Zealand recently was a real highlight though.

  • One of the few times I wished I was older!


    Earl's Court, the penultimate night of the We Can't Dance tour I think it was. Not only my first Genesis show, but my first show by any major band. Twickenham in 2007 was my second and, presumably, final time seeing them live. Steve Hackett making it out here to New Zealand recently was a real highlight though.

    I saw them at Earls Court, too. Off-hand I can't remember the date but it was the same set they played when I saw them in the summer, minus Throwing It All Away. The penultimate date of the tour was actually at the Royal Albert Hall on November 16th (if you're a member of the Genesis Movement site, you can download it from there).


    What I liked about the We Can't Dance tour was that, in conversation with Gary Davies to promote the album, Tony Banks said that the tour would be in larger venues to accommodate the demand but they'd prefer to play smaller places but that would mean touring forever which is something they didn't want to do. At this point, Phil Collins said they were toying with the idea of a short tour of smaller venues after the stadium gigs, something which he again hinted at when they finished the show at Knebworth and Phil announced: "You haven't seen the last of us". It was nice that they delivered on their promise.

  • I saw them at Earls Court, too. Off-hand I can't remember the date but it was the same set they played when I saw them in the summer, minus Throwing It All Away. The penultimate date of the tour was actually at the Royal Albert Hall on November 16th (if you're a member of the Genesis Movement site, you can download it from there).


    What I liked about the We Can't Dance tour was that, in conversation with Gary Davies to promote the album, Tony Banks said that the tour would be in larger venues to accommodate the demand but they'd prefer to play smaller places but that would mean touring forever which is something they didn't want to do. At this point, Phil Collins said they were toying with the idea of a short tour of smaller venues after the stadium gigs, something which he again hinted at when they finished the show at Knebworth and Phil announced: "You haven't seen the last of us". It was nice that they delivered on their promise.

    Maybe it was the penultimate night of their Earl's Court gigs, which I think was towards the end of the tour. I think it had Throwing it all Away, but not Dreaming While You Sleep, which was the only slight disappointment for me. Am I right in thinking Phil was sick around that time and had a to cancel a show? Perfectly possible I've imagined that.

  • Maybe it was the penultimate night of their Earl's Court gigs, which I think was towards the end of the tour. I think it had Throwing it all Away, but not Dreaming While You Sleep, which was the only slight disappointment for me. Am I right in thinking Phil was sick around that time and had a to cancel a show? Perfectly possible I've imagined that.

    I was disappointed not to hear Dreaming While You Sleep, too. But being able to actually see the lights this time (as opposed to waiting until the encore) made up for it. Also, the acoustics are much at an indoor venue (give or take a few places) than in a field.


    One of the concerts on that short tour was indeed cancelled due to Phil being ill but I can't say for sure which one it was.

    • Official Post

    My first Genesis concert was Hannover 1992, at the Niedersachsen Stadium. Santa had brought me the ticket, disguised as a ticket for a Heino* gig (cheeky Santa had a handwriting much like my brother's). I sat way up, way back, but I still enjoyed it. And I was so excited to see Genesis live! What I remember most vividly is hearing Home By The Sea for the very first time. And the jumbotron screens.

  • My first Genesis concert was Hannover 1992, at the Niedersachsen Stadium. Santa had brought me the ticket, disguised as a ticket for a Heino* gig (cheeky Santa had a handwriting much like my brother's). I sat way up, way back, but I still enjoyed it. And I was so excited to see Genesis live! What I remember most vividly is hearing Home By The Sea for the very first time. And the jumbotron screens.

    Your brother is Santa Claus?!


    Home By The Sea was a real high point of that show. Genesis tried a few things on that tour - the proscenium arch over the stage to take away from what Phil called the "puppet theatre" look and the massive Jumbotron screens which moved from side-to-side and displayed some stunning graphics to go with the songs. Some of the attention was taken away from this, unfortunately, when U2 went out on tour around the same time with their Zoo TV thing. Of course, U2 were the critics' baby at the time so all the plaudits went to them while Genesis were unjustly overlooked.