[SPOILERS] GENESIS 2021 setlist discussion

  • Too many things to try to quote them all ...


    Vitriol towards I Can't Dance - Yep, I'm one of those who would rather that one be left in a waste bin. I didn't care for the video (which was always on MTV), I didn't care for it on the radio, I didn't care for it on the '92 tour, I didn't care for it on the '07 tour, and it is an always skip on the album or any live releases. I know lots of people really like it, so I am glad for them that they get to experience as often as they do. But I could go on living forever without hearing it. <shrug>


    Duchess - Seeing and hearing clips of this on YouTube almost made me reconsider my decision not to go tonight or tomorrow (the Chicago shows, as I type this). That's such a great song anyway, and this version sounds amazing. I wrote this somewhere else, but that moody instrumental opening could just go on for much longer before the break into the song.


    The Lamb - I agree with whomever previously said that the Lamb is great in any form. I have only experienced the acoustic version via YouTube, but I really liked it. It's very different, and I really like that they took a chance on it. Sure, they could have done an acoustic Hold on My Heart or something. But I like the left turn for this one.


    Abacab - I wonder if that might have been an option vs Fading Lights? Both songs that lead to long instrumentals at the end. Maybe they were thinking Abacab could lead into Cinema Show, but they liked the quieter option instead? I don't know. Either way, I agree with many here who wish that they played at least a little of the FL instrumental, and had come up with a better transition.


    Regardless - to all who are going to the Chicago shows tonight and tomorrow, make enough noise that I'll be able to hear you in Uptown!! Have a great time!

  • I could post 10 pages on what I don't like about this tour (as others could) or the set list, etc. I too wished for ABACAB more than anything.


    but - none of it matters. I get to see the three of them on the stage two more times AND my 20 year old son will see them at least once! .....and in the end, that is all that really matters.

  • I can't personally imagine Phil being able to vocally handle Abacab, despite playing it one or even two whole steps down. Plus, it's a real "screamer"; not terribly well aligned with what he's got left of a voice (which isn't much).

  • The rise to a career peak, followed by the inevitable decline. Inspired more by Janis Joplin than Genesis, but it applies to all careers. The CAS US tour was their Duchess moment.

    So when was the peak, and when was the decline? I suppose it's just me. CAS was one album at the end. I suppose there was hostility to it but I am still not sure the analogy works.

  • i love the song duchess, but i'm not sure if it applies to genesis. 'calling all stations' -album and tour- failed, not because genesis music wasn't fashionable anymore, but because phil's departure was a big handicap.


    if genesis had released another album with phil in the mid nineties, but radio stations had ignored it in favour of those brit-pop bands that were successful at that time, that situation would indeed have been similar to the story of ducheess.

    Edited once, last by chema ().

  • Wow. That’s a major bummer. So sorry to hear that.

    As soon as Christian dropped that spoiler yesterday I had a strong feeling it would replace Duchess. Duchess wasn’t an American hit and they weren’t going to play another song from Duke. I guess Abacab really didn’t sound that convincing to them.

  • still waiting for the London shows...Duchess is one of my favs, and have to say fingers crossed that will put back in set for Europe. Don't mind misunderstanding, but take Duchess over it anyday

    Any other changes to the set?

    • Official Post

    No, see Chicago thread (first post) for details

  • As others have noted, once we learned that Misunderstanding was being added it was hard not to come to the (painful) conclusion that Duchess would be dropped. I guess it could be worse. I feared that if they kept Duchess they might instead drop DWTMK/CC from the encore and slot Misunderstanding in front of ICD as the encores.

  • Playing Misunderstanding makes sense, even if I prefer Duchess over this one (and I love Misunderstanding too), since it had success in America and has a kind of "American" feel over Duchess, which seems much more "British" to me (and I'm French, so you will probably find my view laughable).


    I had a kind of strange wish, that they would perform poppier songs in America (because I always have the impression that America, in general, is much more fond of "pop music" than "prog" - I know, especially speaking of Genesis, that it is much more subtle than putting things in these two boxes, it is just to summarize my point), and then coming back to Europe, for the last concerts in London, they would think "Now that we have done the pop stuff... let's choose a few surprising numbers... and let's end this tour with the final bit of Musical Box or Watcher Of The Skies".

    But I know it's not going to happen.

  • Playing Misunderstanding makes sense, even if I prefer Duchess over this one (and I love Misunderstanding too), since it had success in America and has a kind of "American" feel over Duchess, which seems much more "British" to me (and I'm French, so you will probably find my view laughable).

    I don't think that's laughable, in some ways being neither American nor British puts you in a good position to make judgements about stuff feeling more one than the other!

    Abandon all reason

  • I love Duchess but having just watched the video of Misunderstanding from last night there is no doubting that they did it very well. Really liked the signing and the backing vocalists add much to this version. It seemed to go down very well on the night. I hope they somehow do both in London in March when I finally get to see this tour.

  • They made the right call. I was there last night, and they played the hell out of Misunderstanding. Can't believe it was the first time live in how many years? 28? Sounded strong and powerful, and the crowd ate it up. I myself, like the song - don't love it, but like it.


    It sounded great. Can't wait to hear it again tonight. Despite what some may think, the majority of people at the venue love the pop stuff. IKWIL received a somewhat lukewarm reception.

  • I would much rather have both songs in every show. I enjoy them both overall. But if I could have only one, it would definitely be Duchess.


    Having said that, it would be nice if they considered alternating Duchess and Misunderstanding at the venues where they are playing multiple shows.


    Too late for Chicago, but for multi-night stands, I'd put Duchess at the 1st show, for the diehard fans who bought tickets right away. And Misunderstanding for the 2nd show, for the more casual fans who took their time buying tickets. I don't know.


    Whatever, they're going to play what they want.