A Reunited Genesis Shines at Madison Square Garden with Nostalgia, Toilet Paper and Hard-Won Emotions: Recap
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It all started with a turkey sandwich. Though piled high — as one would hope, given such a hefty price — it brought this writer low. This desultory hill of poultry between two untoasted rye slices marked an inauspicious start to a reunited Genesis’s first New York City show since September 2007.
This hauntingly half-assed entrée with nary a tomato or sprout, sadly consumed while observing a line of silver-haired attendees on a Sunday night (December 5th) at New York’s most touristy arena, might not bode well for a scintillating night out. But there was palpable joy in the air — a sense of irresistible, nerdy anticipation — to witness the band ride again after 13 years off. The pandemic has given us enough interior, stuck-in-one’s-head music.
Possibly fresh off of watching eight hours of the Beatles in Get Back with their various nieces, nephews and grandchildren, this audience wanted magic — the kind that was in the ether 50 years ago. That came by way of the Genesis’ “The Last Domino” reunion tour, which is currently blowing minds on the East Coast.
After this writer suffered through the kind of supper that made Seymour Skinner’s steamed hams spread look thoughtfully crafted, Genesis sauntered onstage sans opener and performed a set of career-spanning tunes flawlessly, like the old pros they are.
Even as fans undulated in the stands — often wearing $50 shirts they just bought, as typical concert decorum didn’t apply — the security opted to sit before the crowd barrier, as, given the demographic, the chance of stage-rushing tomfoolery was vanishingly low.
By now, fans are probably aware that Phil Collins, physically diminished yet radiating inner strength, is no longer behind the kit. Rather, his 20-year-old son, Nic Collins destroyed the universe behind him. And when the camera parked on him, the female half of the audience exploded with zeal, applauding for him twice as long as longtime keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist/bassist Mike Rutherford.
The “In the Air Tonight” star, who now walks with a cane, sat in a comfy-looking swiveling chair in a fleece zip-up and nice-looking watch, banging a tambourine or lightly clapping between his commanding vocal parts.
Sure, Genesis’ titanic singer Peter Gabriel and guitarist Steve Hackett weren’t present, but for all their massive contributions, that didn’t diminish the experience. The embattled Collins, who has beaten back divorces and alcoholism and suicidal ideations and lived to tell the tale in his funny, harrowing 2016 memoir Not Dead Yet, was the show’s emotional focal point. And its fount of offbeat humor, too, like when he emitted Gollum-like gurgles during “Mama.”
Genesis Kick Off Reunion Tour: Setlist + Video
Around him, the band played slamming renditions of classics from throughout their 50-year oeuvre, from 1973’s Selling England By the Pound jam “I Know What I LIke (In Your Wardrobe)” to ‘80s classics like “Invisible Touch” to ‘90s deep cuts like “No Son of Mine.” (Genesis hasn’t released a studio album since 1997’s Calling All Stations.)
With such a propulsion engine in the younger Collins, their synth-rock and prog sides were wed — providing concision that simply checking out their various epochs on Spotify doesn’t. Flecked with decades of joy and trauma while remaining whimsical, philosophical and timely, the Genesis songbook revealed itself to simply be a bunch of timeless pop songs.
Also adding to the slick, highly digestible experience — seriously, even a non-head could easily get into the groove — was the use of visual accompaniments, including a jaunty tempest of digital toilet paper during “Land of Confusion.” “It’s been a shitty couple of years, innit?” Collins commented, acknowledging the concert-destroying pandemic.
The setlist didn’t vary at all from the rest of the tour, leaving fans to soak in the little details, like Collins’ visible emotion at the announcement of his name, or waiting for Rutherford to pull out the $200 Squier he’s been infamously plucking. (As singer/songwriter, Internet jokester and Genesis lunatic Ryley Walker recently tweeted, “Yo king @HackettOfficial this dude is playing your parts on toy [sic]. Disrespect IMO.”)
Overall, there wasn’t much variation from what prog fans in Columbus, Long Island, and Pittsburgh are about to get. But still, Genesis showed that a style of music thought to be demolished by punk’s meteor still contains mystery, intrigue and emotional import.
The truth of the matter is, Collins has been through hell (read Not Dead Yet through your fingers during the parts where you’re not belly-laughing), and it’s a miracle he’s still here. Not only that, he remains charismatic and magnetic — the consummate showman.
At two separate points, Collins commanded the audience to find anyone “too cool” for the proceedings and jut them in the ribs, bringing them back to earth. That’s a decent compass for anybody under 50 with second thoughts about this music.
As Genesis memorably showed at Madison Square Garden, only by letting our guard down can we navigate this land of confusion — and do it with a goofy, earned grin.
Catch Genesis on tour; tickets are available via Ticketmaster.
Setlist:
Behind the Lines / Duke’s End
Turn It On Again
Mama
Land of Confusion
Home by the Sea
Second Home by the Sea
Fading Lights (First two verses)
The Cinema Show (Instrumental)
Afterglow
That’s All
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Follow You Follow Me
Duchess
No Son of Mine
Firth of Fifth (Instrumental)
I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
Domino
Throwing It All Away
Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (First two verses)
Invisible Touch
Encore:
I Can’t Dance
Dancing With the Moonlit Knight
The Carpet Crawlers
A Reunited Genesis Shines at Madison Square Garden with Nostalgia, Toilet Paper and Hard-Won Emotions: Recap
Morgan Enos
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