The Last Domino tour 2021

[GuitarGeek]

A bit unrelated but nevertheless.. all the talk of Genesis 80's-90's period where their music "changed" or better yet "adapted" to market forces.. Listening to ZZ Top's Greatest hits album this morning.. talk about a band that changed with the times but to my memory they never got slagged for doing so.. Cult status (at least in Texas) before they had a "hit" La Grange, Tush (both were on our lunch room juke box). Then turned the $'s faucet on full force when MTV promoted the hell out of Legs and a host of other videos.. One band I really wished I had seen in their prime..

Oh, I can assure you, plenty of people have crapped on ZZ Top for conforming to modernity during the 80's. Most people I know stop at Eliminator, if not a couple albums before it. For me, Eliminator and Afterburner were the records that turned me onto ZZ Top. Yeah, the drum machines and synths are a bit much, but I think the songs are still there, and Billy G's brilliant guitar work and tone are still there. Hell, even the Rockman couldn't change that!

[moecurlythanu]

^ We all know, cos it's in the video posted above.

[GuitarGeek]

Looks like that Moonlit Knight/Carpet Crawlers medley is basically the same one they did in 1980.

[happytheman]

"and slowly tears you apart...."

After skipping thru these videos.. I gotta side with the folks that said they should have asked Ray Wilson to come along and sing for this farewell tour.. hats off to Phil for going out and giving it what he had left in the tank.. Tony, Mike, Nic, and Darrell hold their own but... Phil's singing sounds like an old man..

[flytomars]

After skipping thru these videos.. I gotta side with the folks that said they should have asked Ray Wilson to come along and sing for this farewell tour.. hats off to Phil for going out and giving it what he had left in the tank.. Tony, Mike, Nic, and Darrell hold their own but... Phil's singing sounds like an old man..

Perhaps it is because... he's an old man?
Ide rather see him singing than see Roger Waters miming or Ian Anderson gasping...

[stumpyuk]

Am somewhat devastated today. I booked the VIP experience for the first night (fine dining, free bar, 5th row ticket etc) but the organisers screwed up. Despite repeated chase ups with staff my food hadn't arrived after 2.15mins. With <30mins to show time, I kicked off. They promised to get me a freshly cooked dish from the chef. In the dimmed lights I thought it was chicken. Its only when I took a mouthful that I realised it was fish which I had advised them on the Dietary Requirements form I was allergic to. Bottom line was I ended up in the medical centre and bathrooms for most of the show. I managed to catch 3 or 4 songs but that was my lot. £750 down the drain.

From the songs I caught: The band were very solid but not quite on fire - I really missed the dynamics of the drumming duo configuration of previous incarnations. PC made an honourable effort but TBH I found it very uncomfortable viewing/listening (but I was so dejected due to my experience I am not sure I am being objective). I would have much preferred it if they had gathered as many previous band members as possible and put on a proper farewell. Steve Hackett the previous week was leagues ahead of this show IMHO. His rendition of The Musical Box was utterly breath-taking and I wish I had used that show as my sign-off from Genesis related live shows.

[Nearfest2]

After skipping thru these videos.. I gotta side with the folks that said they should have asked Ray Wilson to come along and sing for this farewell tour.. hats off to Phil for going out and giving it what he had left in the tank.. Tony, Mike, Nic, and Darrell hold their own but... Phil's singing sounds like an old man..

100% agree. The band sounds great and the lights are awesome. But Phil.

[Splicer]

Am somewhat devastated today. I booked the VIP experience for the first night (fine dining, free bar, 5th row ticket etc) but the organisers screwed up. Despite repeated chase ups with staff my food hadn't arrived after 2.15mins. With <30mins to show time, I kicked off. They promised to get me a freshly cooked dish from the chef. In the dimmed lights I thought it was chicken. Its only when I took a mouthful that I realised it was fish which I had advised them on the Dietary Requirements form I was allergic to. Bottom line was I ended up in the medical centre and bathrooms for most of the show. I managed to catch 3 or 4 songs but that was my lot. £750 down the drain.

At least you have an interesting story to tell. The Restaurant at the Last of the Domino OR So Long and No-Thanks for All the Fish.

[Hunchentootz]

Ouch.

[Koreabruce]

Very sorry to hear about your experience, Stumpyuk. I hope you are able to be compensated for all or at least a major portion of that expense considering that the organizers were clearly at fault.

As for the clips, the band to me sounds for the most part nearly as good as ever instrumentally though the dual drummers are sorely missed. Visually, it actually looks quite good... even stunning in some places. That said, the element of dynamism that used to mark every Genesis show is glaringly absent. Obviously, Phil in 2021 cannot be Phil of the 70s, 80s, 90s, or 00s, especially considering all the health issues he has had, and I think most will graciously accept that he cannot play drums anymore for that reason (well, except maybe Mike Rutherford). All that remains, then, is his singing, which does not sound very good at all to these ears. His voice is quite strained and pitchy even in the lowered keys, and frankly, I found it hard to listen to it for very long. Then again, this is the first gig of a reasonably big tour. Let's hear how he sounds after a couple of weeks.

I say all of this because Genesis has been my favorite band since the late 1970s. While I'm happy for them that they have all gotten on so well over the long years - how many other legacy bands can honestly make that claim? - and have decided to give it "one last hurrah", I can't pretend that I like what I'm hearing in these videos. That's not to take away from those who were there or who are planning to attend one or more of these shows. Well, the story continues, so let's see...

[FirthOf5th]

I watched the carpet crawlers one. It’s actually a lot better than I thought it’d be. Of course, not as good as 1977 ( I remember a voice from the past), but professional and not embarrassing. I enjoyed it.

[fiberman]

It's nice to see them get good reviews this morning in Rolling Stone and the Guardian.

[moecurlythanu]

^ A most unfortunate story, Stumpyuk. One would think you'd have recourse against the promoters, but that sum isn't what one would normally hire a lawyer over. Hopefully, they'll just do the right thing.

[arturs]

I watched the carpet crawlers one. It’s actually a lot better than I thought it’d be. Of course, not as good as 1977 ( I remember a voice from the past), but professional and not embarrassing. I enjoyed it.

Carpet Crawlers is probably the best of them. If you want to remain in a positive spirit you may want to avoid the others...

The thing that frustrates me about these aging vocalists is that they don't seem to choose the material that they still sound good at. Ian Anderson for example sounds fine on the old blues-rock classics (not the same as 50 years ago, but fine) but when he has tried to do complex vocal numbers like Songs from the Wood he sounds absolutely godawful. Ian Gillan can still do a lot of Purple tunes very well but he should not be doing Highway Star or Space Truckin'. And so with Phil. Carpet Crawlers sounds just fine. But why try and do the Lamb? Could they not hear that he has no ability to do the climactic chorus anymore?

[Steve983]

This is actually not as bad as I feared looking at the videos but it is still painful to watch, not sure anyone wants this as their last memory of Genesis but if most fans enjoy it then good for them.

[Paulrus]

That setlist is positively dripping in retro. This is either cuz they want to play those old songs, or they think the audience wants to hear them, or both. Maybe that Hackett guy was onto something after all...

I also wonder if the same thing that happened with Yes has finally happened with Genesis: attract an entirely new audience with poppy 80s music, then pique their curiosity about their old stuff, and then just wait for them to either give in to curiosity or mature enough that the older stuff is appealing (and not constantly derided in the press).

"Oh yes, when I was in college my roommates and I used to sing along to "Invisible Touch", but then I kept hearing about this weird old music. I saw some of it on a friend's VCR collection and I thought it was really silly -- some daft dude running around with a flower on his head. But then a few years ago I was at a backyard barbecue and someone put on one of their old concert albums, and I'll be damned but I really liked most of it. That song about cleaning the carpets is especially sweet."

[Progatron]

That setlist is positively dripping in retro.

To be fair, it would be impossible for it not to be... the newest material they could use is 30 years old. Even if they decided to do something from their final album without Phil, it would still be almost a quarter century old. Although I get what you're driving at, the time between something like Carpet Crawlers and No Son Of Mine is only 16 years. Viewing things through a chronological lens, anyway.

[Man In The Mountain]

Surprised they didn't play The Musical Box.

[Paulrus]

To be fair, it would be impossible for it not to be... the newest material they could use is 30 years old. Even if they decided to do something from their final album without Phil, it would still be almost a quarter century old. Although I get what you're driving at, the time between something like Carpet Crawlers and No Son Of Mine is only 16 years. Viewing things through a chronological lens, anyway.

I'm just thinking about how for most of my adult life, Genesis setlists were 80% 80s and later hits and 20% 70s/medleys music. I'm not going to go all Henry Potts with pie charts and stats, but I almost feel like that formula's been flipped here.

[Gruno]

I viewed some clips from opening night.

[FirthOf5th]

Surprised they didn't play The Musical Box.

Could have saved a lot of money on not needing the old man mask.

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

Could have saved a lot of money on not needing the old man mask.

While I wish Phil all the best for the tour this totally made me laugh.

[Top Cat]

One of my favorite songs from Duke, and to me, it seems Phil is starting to get the feel for being out on stage, and getting some of his spirit back.
I think this is partly about healing, healing for Phil, to feel good about himself again and to remind him how much he and their music together is loved by so many people.
For gosh sake, the guy was in the UK rehearsing for the tour before Covid, and his wife had moved into his house with her boy toy and was so mean she changed the locks and wouldn't leave.
He had to call the cops to get her and her little skank boyfriend out of there. That had to hurt, plus all the physical stuff.
But I'm going to make a prediction, he's going to get better and stronger every show.

[Geoff O'Donoghue]

Am I mistaken or is Daryl playing more guitar on post-Hackett songs - parts that Mike used to do?

[Harbottle]

Just got back from the second show in Birmingham. I really enjoyed it. The band were energetic and the drumming was fabulous. Phil's vocals had their issues, but it didn't bother me at all - I was just glad to see them live before they bow out for good. The light show was good as well.