24, 25, 26 March 2022 | Genesis live in LONDON | reports

  • If Peter had come upon stage and sung the encores it would have been a very special moment but it might have detracted from the celebration of the three man Genesis which has been in operation for many years. The limelight would have switched from Phil, Tony and Mike. Also I think Peter has not performed live since the Sting/Gabriel tour in 2016 so he pretty much seems to have retired from live performances so maybe he prefers to be in the background these days. I think it was lovely that he went to see them and I am sure they had a great post concert party.

  • First off, thanks to all of you who posted videos and thoughts on the final show (for those of you who were lucky enough to be in attendance last night at the O2). But, forgive me if I'm reading in between the lines, it sounded all a bit "anticlimactic". Not bringing Steve and Peter out for 1 song was a bit of a downer to long-time fans. At the very least, introducing them and thanking them for their contributions would have been a nice gesture and a way to close the loop. As someone stated, "it was business as usual" which is disappointing as a final show. From the sounds of it, the show could have happened in the US, Germany or anywhere else they played on this tour. Then again, Genesis have never bent over backwards for their fans (I know that I'll get torched for saying this) or have never struck me as such. They do what they want to do. And as far as the "they owe us nothing" argument, I can buy that in some respects but the reality is that they would not exist without the support (financial and otherwise) of their fanbase so let's temper that a little bit, shall we? And finally, for those of you hoping for a Phil solo tour, uhhh, keep dreaming. If you think he looks beat up now, he will exponentially look worse in the next couple of years. Sorry if this is a bit of a downer as a message..... This is the end....

    Having attended these final two shows I'm happy to say that for me there was nothing "anticlimactic" about them. And the notion that it could have been a show anywhere on the tour is important in that that's kind of the point. The entire tour was their closing act as a live band. For people who attended one single show earlier in the tour, that show for them was the last ever Genesis gig. The tour has been a series of last ever Genesis gigs. The final London show was a present from me to my sister ahead of a milestone birthday, she's a huge fan and has been super-excited since I told her we were going. She absolutely loved every moment of it. So it wasn't anticlimactic for her either. From the audience vibe I'm guessing it wasn't for most.


    I get that there's a tension between the "they owe us nothing"/"Without the fans..." arguments. Personally I'll always lean more to a band's side on this and expect them to just do what they do and people will either accept and follow that or not. A band will gather new fans, retain existing ones and lose some too, whatever they do. In the case of Genesis they're probably more in that mindset than most artists. We all know that, I'm fine with it but completely understand why some aren't totally. Whether or not it counts as "bending over backwards for the fans" that they even did this tour at all is debatable, but I really appreciate that they did it, stuck with it through the postponements and gave us the best show under the circumstances. There was no need for them to, but they did.


    For the final show yes I'd have liked more of a mention of past band members. But anyway, the absence of that didn't lessen the occasion. Your comments aren't a downer in my view, I just don't agree with them and they don't match my own experience of three shows on this tour.

    Abandon all reason

  • If Peter had come upon stage and sung the encores it would have been a very special moment but it might have detracted from the celebration of the three man Genesis which has been in operation for many years. The limelight would have switched from Phil, Tony and Mike. Also I think Peter has not performed live since the Sting/Gabriel tour in 2016 so he pretty much seems to have retired from live performances so maybe he prefers to be in the background these days. I think it was lovely that he went to see them and I am sure they had a great post concert party.

    I completely agree with all this and very well said. The idea of PG joining them on stage is a totally logical understandable desire for many fans but it would have been the wrong thing to do for all the reasons you rightly state.

    Abandon all reason

  • First off, thanks to all of you who posted videos and thoughts on the final show (for those of you who were lucky enough to be in attendance last night at the O2). But, forgive me if I'm reading in between the lines, it sounded all a bit "anticlimactic". Not bringing Steve and Peter out for 1 song was a bit of a downer to long-time fans. At the very least, introducing them and thanking them for their contributions would have been a nice gesture and a way to close the loop. As someone stated, "it was business as usual" which is disappointing as a final show. From the sounds of it, the show could have happened in the US, Germany or anywhere else they played on this tour. Then again, Genesis have never bent over backwards for their fans (I know that I'll get torched for saying this) or have never struck me as such. They do what they want to do. And as far as the "they owe us nothing" argument, I can buy that in some respects but the reality is that they would not exist without the support (financial and otherwise) of their fanbase so let's temper that a little bit, shall we? And finally, for those of you hoping for a Phil solo tour, uhhh, keep dreaming. If you think he looks beat up now, he will exponentially look worse in the next couple of years. Sorry if this is a bit of a downer as a message..... This is the end....

    I don't think Steve is in the UK right now, he's on tour. Peter was in the audience and wisely chose to stay there. If he had joined them on stage, it would have eclipsed everything else and taken away the spotlight from the musicians who "have been" Genesis for the last 45 years. 45 out of 55 years, dare I say, the Ray Wilson interlude notwithstanding. It is a bit ironic, now that Genesis is over, to think that some fans have never got over the fact that Peter left in 1975 and Steve in 1977 and never admitted that Genesis was a trio for the vast majority of its existence. I was born in 1967 and I became a fan in 1980, so the Banks-Collins-Rutherford lineup is the only lineup I've ever known. I love the albums before my time, they're my favorites, but to me, and a lot of fans, Genesis is the trio.


    As for the "they owe us nothing" argument, you might want to have a chat with Robert Fripp... :) But they indeed owe us nothing. They made great records and performed great shows. That's it. That's "the deal", so to speak, between musicians and their audience. I can't see why we should feel entitled to anything else.

  • Peter is too much of a gentleman to step in at the last second, steal the limelight and detract from the three men who have been Genesis for the vast majority of the band's existence.


    Be interesting to know if it was ever officially mooted or even asked though!

  • To be honest, I also got such an impression that after a break of about a year, Phil would go on a solo tour. He clearly emphasized that this is the last concert of ... Genesis. He didn't say it was his last concert in his life. I do not rule out surprises yet - but let Phil rest and improve his health for now. :)))))))))))))))))

    Dream on

  • First off, thanks to all of you who posted videos and thoughts on the final show (for those of you who were lucky enough to be in attendance last night at the O2). But, forgive me if I'm reading in between the lines, it sounded all a bit "anticlimactic". Not bringing Steve and Peter out for 1 song was a bit of a downer to long-time fans. At the very least, introducing them and thanking them for their contributions would have been a nice gesture and a way to close the loop. As someone stated, "it was business as usual" which is disappointing as a final show. From the sounds of it, the show could have happened in the US, Germany or anywhere else they played on this tour. Then again, Genesis have never bent over backwards for their fans (I know that I'll get torched for saying this) or have never struck me as such. They do what they want to do. And as far as the "they owe us nothing" argument, I can buy that in some respects but the reality is that they would not exist without the support (financial and otherwise) of their fanbase so let's temper that a little bit, shall we? And finally, for those of you hoping for a Phil solo tour, uhhh, keep dreaming. If you think he looks beat up now, he will exponentially look worse in the next couple of years. Sorry if this is a bit of a downer as a message..... This is the end....

    Sorry to be blunt (on my first post!) but I do think in reading between the lines you've missed the point somewhat, although you do kind of get there in the end. I was at the O2 last night. My first Genesis show, so I'm not so sure about 'business as usual' even though I've been a fan since '86 and I've heard and watched enough concert footage to know what you mean. Before the show I was hoping for a Peter Gabriel appearance, I'd love to hear him sing those last two songs. But in the moment with Phil cracking jokes about his health it seemed far more important that it was Phil's last show than Genesis' last show. Because you're right, the chances of him coming back from retirement again are as good as none. I actually think there's more chance of Peter rejoining Genesis than Phil playing live again. Everyone else on that stage will have the chance to do more shows, indeed Tony aside it's almost certain that all of them will play live again at some point. Maybe even as part of a different version of Genesis, although I know that's not likely. But this was Phil's last show. For real. Again, I've not enough experience to say for sure, but I don't think the atmosphere in that room last night was anywhere near business as usual. Amazing show.

  • If Peter had come upon stage and sung the encores it would have been a very special moment but it might have detracted from the celebration of the three man Genesis which has been in operation for many years.

    Exactly! A guest appearance by Peter and Steve should have occured at an earlier concert during the tour - not on the last one.

  • Thanks for your replies everyone. I especially appreciate the civility of your tones as I was quite frankly expecting to get skewered from all possible angles. Probably why I enjoy this site so much. Cheers, Andre.

  • Nick's entry indeed suggests that this is the end of any Phil solo shows as well. But I say - we'll see. Phil has talked about ending his career many times - and he always came back. Everything will depend on his health.

  • You know what hurts? I looked up "Genesis" on Wikipedia today, and their page already refers to them in the past tense.


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_(band)

    This is interesting as it relates to a thought I've been having these last 24 hours.


    Am I right in thinking they've never actually formally announced a split? There are three occasions when such an announcement would be expected - after they decided not to continue post-CAS, after the 07 tour and now. Obviously they're no longer a live band and no-one would reasonably think they'd do an album, and it's unlikely they'd ever do any more interviews or public appearances but as PC once said, Genesis is a sort of "brand". It's like an entity. Well, that's how it is in my mind anyway. So, wiki schmiki.

    Abandon all reason

  • This is interesting as it relates to a thought I've been having these last 24 hours.


    Am I right in thinking they've never actually formally announced a split? There are three occasions when such an announcement would be expected - after they decided not to continue post-CAS, after the 07 tour and now. Obviously they're no longer a live band and no-one would reasonably think they'd do an album, and it's unlikely they'd ever do any more interviews or public appearances but as PC once said, Genesis is a sort of "brand". It's like an entity. Well, that's how it is in my mind anyway. So, wiki schmiki.

    Well, if they won't tour or record new albums, I would say it's really over, no?


    To me, a group that is like a "brand" is Yes (my other favorite band), with its revolving door of musicians. Sadly, the "brand" has been seriously damaged for the last decade or so by lousy albums and subpar musicians, to the point where the band called itself "Yes" right now is a sad and very pale shadow of its former self. In other words, the current Yes lineup sucks real bad.


    Thankfully, Genesis never went down that road. I saw the Genesis tour in Montreal last November and I really liked it, but when I left the venue, I thought that it was the right decision for them to stop. As a farewell tour, it worked out well, but on certains songs, especially on "Domino", you could tell that this was really the last tour.

  • Really??????????????? I do not believe. If that's true, that would be great. But if so - why Nicholas wrote today that this is the end of solo performances? He may not have written it outright, but it clearly marked the end of Phil's career. If there would be one more solo tour, it would be great. Even I, however, think that possibly Phil's performances should be next year or in 2 years as his health improves.

  • Nic has been pretty reliable in the interviews he's given, other than giving the impression that Apocalypse in 9/8 would be played on this tour. And he's given a couple of interviews recently referring to his dad retiring after this tour is over.


    I believe that is Phil's intention, to retire with the audience wanting more. His unlikely comeback as a solo artist and with Genesis didn't see him at his very best, but he gave his all and left us still wanting to see him again. Bravo, that is the way to go out. The only caveat, and I do see it as a caveat rather than a hope, is that Phil seems to come alive and be at his happiest when he's singing on stage. In time he may miss that and decide to do some more concerts, even if it's not a full on tour. And it will all depend on his health.


    Ultimately for them all, the world is their stage. It's up to them individually and collectively. Mike & The Mechanics were active until right before this Genesis tour and could pick up where they left off. Tony doesn't have any live side projects and has always maintained that he doesn't see himself as a performer....but honestly if he chose he could put something together, guest with any Genesis related band or tribute band he chose, write songs with Steve Hackett (anyone else noticed Tony's mentioned missing that in recent interviews), or just put on his slippers and play Hogweed in his living room. Ultimately, though he may not see it this way, he's Tony Freakin' Banks and can do whatever he wants. I'm sure Daryl will find receptive musicians, he's well versed in many styles of music and very versatile. Nic's stock must be sky high and he'll be in demand.


    RUmour has it that Gabriel is working on his I/O project again so we may yet see him take the stage again. Steve is being Steve, touring successfully, releasing albums that chart quite well. Ant is being Ant...making bread and butter from library music and himself available for Genesis related interviews...and his body of work speaks for itself.


    As for a guest appearance by Gabriel or any other alumnus....I think that Phil singing Genesis out with Carpet Crawlers was just perfect. If Gabriel had come on stage last night it might have been better for him to sing something else earlier in the set. Or at an earlier gig. Ditto Steve or anyone else had they appeared. This was the line-up of Genesis that existed for more time than any other. Not my favourite but the best known, most successful, longest lasting...those three are close friends who have shared 50+ years of Genesis together. While it's clear that everyone still seems to get on with Pete, RIchard Macphail and probably Steve, this was a celebration of the trio plus Daryl.


    Maybe it would have been appropriate for Peter and RIchard (who were in attendance) to take a a bow with everyone? Maybe Peter just didn't want to. In the end, we must understand that these guys did the tour *they* wanted to do...played and sang the songs they wanted to play...they did it their way. And it was a tremendous success. So long, and thanks for all the fish. If there are more fish from any of the (ex) members in the future, I'll consume them. But if not....they leave a fantastic body of work.

  • I liked this last Genesis tour, it was really atmospheric. Strange as it may be, the 2020-2022 version of Domino's was really good. Nicholas played it better on drums than Chester - more "energetic", which was very visible with the piece Domino or No Son Of Mine. Tony's keyboard was darker too - it matched Phil's voice perfectly. I just didn't like Throwing It All Away and Tonight, Tonight, Tonight. Here Phil's voice was indeed faint. But the rest of the songs kept the level. The low tone of Phil's voice alongside Home By The Sea, for example, gave the track a certain "magic". It is a pity that they did not add a few other songs to the set list - but I will remember this tour with great sentiment.

  • I didn't see any performances on this tour, but I've seen enough YouTube videos and interviews to appreciate how frail Phil is. I do think it's time he retired (not enough performers retire) and everyone can remember him for the great singer and stage performer he was.


    We can never know what goes on behind the scenes, but Genesis seem to have had a very stop-start live career, with very long gaps between tours. Obviously we wish Covid and Phil's health hadn't got in the way this time, but they should have done this tour years ago.