Genesis still holding
on to the old stuff
- Sigurd Huckle reviews the satellite show -

Lövånger Folkets Hus

The 8 x 10 (21 x 28 cm)
"poster" at the entrance

Watching Genesis' Düsseldorf concert in a cinema through a satellite simulcast was a new experience to me. This took place in selected cinemas in Sweden, Spain and Great Britain on June 27.
It sure wasn't the same thing as being at a concert, but it was more than just watching a concert film. For instance, it felt like a natural thing to clap our hands between songs.

Queing up ... for the pre-show meal!

The concert started with some "newer" stuff (that is what I use to call the post 70's material). Promising, but most people seemed to wait for old goodies. And after circa 20 minutes things started to get really interesting when we got to hear In The Cage from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.

Mike Rutherford on stage in Lövånger ... sort of

The first highlight in the show came next when the band segwayed into The Cinema Show...really beautiful and the guys seem to still enjoy playing it. To me this particular piece of music turned out to be the peak of the entire show.
Then came some newer stuff again but by the second half of the concert we got to hear old favourites again: Firth of Fifth, I Know What I Like and Los Endos. Majestic prog classics!

But I have to say that I found at least one of the newer songs quite enjoyable: Invisible Touch, where Mike Rutherford's repetitive guitar lick grew in my mind.

* * *

Genesis live via satellite - how was it?

So how was it? Taking the car to Lövånger - one of 20 places in Sweden that showed Genesis Düsseldorf, Germany gig live in cinemas.

Well, we arrived and the cinema could take 200 people. Around 70 came and paid 165 Swedish kronor for the ticket.You could buy food before the show, got coffee and a biscuit after and beer was on sale during the show. Still a far way from a rock concert.

And while the sound blinked out for tenths of a second around ten times during the show it was a great evening with a mainly middle aged audience. The picture was great and Phil Collins even aknowledged the audience in cinemas in three countries watching the thing live. It was the next best thing to being there in person.

After the show - which was also satellite fed to Spain and England - we agreed that we'd do it again. Let's see what pops up on the screen the next time!

/Neb Stephenson