Paris gig : Absent friends ?
The concert happened one week ago, and I must say that I have mixed feelings about it.
First of all, the sound wasn't so great compared to what I've read on the posts from other locations. Especially Daryl's guitar was simply impossible to hear whenever he didn't make a solo. I was just in front of the stage, near enough to see the face of our old friends on stage, and far enough to see the entire light show and effects, so I don't think it was the problem. But I was really angry (in rage !) at the sound balance for not allowing me to hear Daryl at the end of Ripples and Duke's Travels !!
Well, maybe I'm not a great fan of stadium concerts, but the fact is there was a lack of enthusiasm among the musicians, even Phil in his frontman role. 'Aren't they pleased to be here ? ' I asked myself. Why can't they put a smile on their face from time to time ? We all know that Tony is too concentrated on his keys, but Mike... was so absent. (A french newspaper noticed that point about Mike, obviously it's not only my point of view...).
And what happened to Phil ? I was in Bercy for the show recorded for the DVD of the Farewell Tour and.. god ! .. I can witness : Bercy has been on fire for two hours ! What a great showman he can be ! I know Genesis music doesn't allow to do the same things on stage, but for those who saw Genesis shows in 1987, and even 1992, we know it's possible to share emotions by this fantastic music, and really live the songs. One week ago, at the Parc des Princes in Paris, I can say Genesis was on cruse control !
Meanwhile, what a fantastic public ! I was surrounded by the enthusiasm of the crowd, so happy to see them again that I think they really push the musicians outside of theirselves ! (sorry, translated from a french expression, don't know if it makes sense in english...) The fact is since the midle of the show, I felt Phil and Mike realised that 30,000 people were giving them an ovation, a triumph ! The crowd wasn't so enthusiast in 1992 during the 'Domino principle' : here, the crowd reacted like one man. It was really fantastic, and obviously the musicians were impressed. So, there was a turn on the middle of the show, and it was something else : Mike was joking with Daryl, Phil was really in touch with all of us... At the end, Phil greeted us for enthusiasm and support, with a 'you were fabulous' which sounded very authentic...
And what about the music ? Is it necessary to say that it was perfectly played ? Well, it wasn't always the case during the CAS Tour, so... Always incredible to see the precision of their playing, but I think they have progressed furthermore. I heard the best versions of Domino and Firth of fifth for a long time, and it's a pleasure to hear again Tony's keyboards in a powerful, wide range of sounds.
One point, however : we can understand they needed to lower the key of the songs to protect Phil's voice, but was it necessary to slower the songs ?? Really a pity for Behind the Lines, for exemple... I know that we, old fans, are never happy, but was it too difficult to play Duke's Travels completely after Cinema Show, and play only the end of Afterglow ? I'm tired of Afterglow, an alternate end would have been a good surprise.
A last word for the show : we never live again what we experienced indoor during the Invisible Tour, not only because all gigs are located in stadiums and begin too early to see the light show, but simply because Alan Owen isn't in the crew anymore ! We miss this genius of lights, who created a real 'visual signature' for a lot of Genesis' songs. I think the usual roar of the crowd welcoming Los Endos at the end of all Genesis shows since 76, for instance, was really amplified by the fact that people recognized the famous 'jumbo white lights' immortalized on the Seconds Out cover. Is there a more beautiful thing that the green cage during Home by The Sea or the frenetic moves of Varilites during In the Cage ('keep on turning...' part) ? I don't know another rock group who linked so clearly songs with lights... but it was the great old times, I suppose.
Even if we go and see television in stadiums now, we are always happy to listen to these great musicians playing the songs which changed our lives.
Cheers
