Hackett coming to the west coast!

[firth5th]

Saw this on Hackettsongs:

December 2014
7 December 2014 - San Fransisco, CA, USA - Steve Hackett Genesis Extended

Sunday 7 December - Regency Ballroom, San Fransisco, CA
Tickets available soon

[Paulrus]

I was going to say "About time", but I do understand why he hasn't made it out here in a while. it's hideously expensive getting bands from the UK all the way out to California, especially if you can't string enough shows together in between the coasts.

Syd Arthur (who I'm seeing tonight) are able to do it cuz they're an opening act and are probably OK with more primitive conditions than Hackett and co. are used to.

It's just been tough for us left coasters considering SH *used* to hit this area semi- regularly back in the 90s.

And there was much rejoicing...

[Adrian]

That's great news. I hope he makes it up to Seattle.

[bill g]

That's great news. I hope he makes it up to Seattle.

[Supersonic Scientist]

It goes without saying: DON'T MISS THIS SHOW.

Saw it in Atlanta in March. Might end up being the show of the year for me.

[zorknapp]

Just to be clear, it's not that Hackett didn't want to go out to California and the west, it's all about finding promoters willing to do it. Hackett and his team have ben working hard to get this to happen, and it's great that it finally is, but it's not that they were actively ignoring the west in the past.

Mike

[Joe F.]

That's great news. I hope he makes it up to Seattle.

Agreed.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

WOO HOO!

[Paulrus]

Just to be clear, it's not that Hackett didn't want to go out to California and the west, it's all about finding promoters willing to do it. Hackett and his team have ben working hard to get this to happen, and it's great that it finally is, but it's not that they were actively ignoring the west in the past.

Has it really been that hard? In the past several years we've had Eddie Jobson's various bands, the "3 of a Perfect Trio" thing, The Musical Box (3 times), plus Goblin, Transatlantic, and Hawkwind (til that one fell apart for other reasons). It's not like Hackett's cv is all that much less prestigious than all those bands.

[zorknapp]

Has it really been that hard? In the past several years we've had Eddie Jobson's various bands, the "3 of a Perfect Trio" thing, The Musical Box (3 times), plus Goblin, Transatlantic, and Hawkwind (til that one fell apart for other reasons). It's not like Hackett's cv is all that much less prestigious than all those bands.

The answer is in the fact that he hasn't been out west for the past few years. This GR tour has shown itself to be a strong performer, so the promoters are more willing to bet on a more sure thing.

Mike

[Pam George]

The answer is in the fact that he hasn't been out west for the past few years. This GR tour has shown itself to be a strong performer, so the promoters are more willing to bet on a more sure thing.

Mike

CalProg hosted a sold out Genesis
Revisited show in April 2013 in La Mirada.

[gojikranz]

thank god he is finally milking us north californians!

[zorknapp]

CalProg hosted a sold out Genesis
Revisited show in April 2013 in La Mirada.

Yes, and this, along with the success of the tour on the east coast and overseas has meant that promoters are more willing to pay the costs to get the band out there.

I should have been more clear, because a festival bringing an act to perform and promoters willing to back a tour are different beasts altogether. It is too bad that it's taken this long for the promoters to jump on this ship, but it is what it is. If these shows do well, it will hopefully be even less time till Hackett is able to come back west again.

Mike

[Chris Kemp]

They went on sale this morning at 10:00 and were already 2/3 sold out. But I got mine. So awesome.

[Chris Kemp]

Oh, and thanks for posting this. I would have never known otherwise. I saw Hackett on the Spectral Mornings tour decades ago but I'll get to go to this show with my wife. Hackett and Gabriel-era Genesis are those rare prog acts she can handle and actually likes.

[Paulrus]

They went on sale this morning at 10:00 and were already 2/3 sold out. But I got mine. So awesome.

Holy crap! I didn't think "tickets available soon" for a December show meant "NOW!"

**...scrambles furiously to get to venue web site and order tickets...**

Whew. I'm $74.00 poorer, but I'm going to the show. I'm guessing this sells out by the end of the month. He's playing two shows in SoCal so I wouldn't be surprised if another was added up here.

[WytchCrypt]

Saw Steve and his band at this smallish club in Santa Clara (about an hour south of SF) called the Cabaret back around '92. Main thing I recall is his full band played the set and then for the encore Steve brought out a chair and played unaccompanied classical guitar for about a half an hour...fantastic show!

[Rand Kelly]

Saw this on Hackettsongs:

December 2014
7 December 2014 - San Fransisco, CA, USA - Steve Hackett Genesis Extended

Sunday 7 December - Regency Ballroom, San Fransisco, CA
Tickets available soon

This is so doable.

[Ten Thumbs]

Second show added for San Francisco, Dec 8.

[Paulrus]

Second show added for San Francisco, Dec 8.

First show sells out in 5 days. I'm guessing the second will have sold pretty well by Dec. 7th.

[Paul Smeenus]

That's great news. I hope he makes it up to Seattle.

+1,000,000

[itserik]

ha! my buddy snagged front row center (again) for Sunday night show. righteous!

All I can say is you MUST see this show. Definitely one of the best concert experiences of the past X years. Hackett's band is terrific in terms of talent but also in terms of the obvious passion they all have for the music. You can feel it.

Y O U M U S T G O

[zorknapp]

That tickets are selling so well for these shows is *excellent* for the future, for bringing Steve back to the west coast.

Mike

[Richard]

The second San Francisco show is already on sale. I got Row C Center. You need to play around with the system some to secure the best possible seats--in my opinion its better to be a couple rows further back in this venue in order to be closer to the center.

-Rich

[Paulrus]

The second San Francisco show is already on sale. I got Row C Center. You need to play around with the system some to secure the best possible seats--in my opinion its better to be a couple rows further back in this venue in order to be closer to the center.

Yeah, while I'm glad the Regency has taken up the mantle of giving prog acts a place to play in SF they are well behind their competition (Warfield, Fillmore, GAMH) in terms of comfort. Granted, a lot of shows these days are either partial or full standing, but why even provide seating if the seats are so small and close together that you're totally squished between other overweight prog fans?

My usual tactic is to head straight to the bar at the rear of the floor. From there the sound is usually pretty damn good, I can see the whole stage, and still feel like I'm close enough that nothing is missed.