Steve Hackett: Genesis Extended 2014 World Tour @ Town Hall, NYC 11/14/2014

Steve Hackett’s Genesis Extended 2014 World Tour hit Town Hall, Saturday night, and it’s one of the better concerts I have seen in quite a while. As lead guitarist of Genesis pre the band’s true rise to pop infamy, master player/composer to a slew of sublime solo guitar albums, Hackett is simply one of the best guitar players on the planet.

Hackett and band danced around selections from Genesis albums: Trick Of the Tail, opening the show with a blistering duo of “Dance on a Volcano” and “Squonk”; Nursery Cryme and even far back to Trespass, a Genesis album Hackett isn’t even on (the blistering “The Knife” the band played this night from that album was wild and hard, showcasing Hackett’s ability to rock as good as any heavy metal guitarist.)

There was a good grouping of selections from The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway: “Fly on a Windshield” (Hackett showing-off his slide prowess) “Broadway Melody 1974” (drummer Gary O’Toole took lead vocal here) “The Lamia” (Hackett subtle with single note volume pedal moments) and “Lilywhite Lilith.”

There was the soft solo classic guitar solo of “Horizons” and the closer of the regular set, a monumental recreation of the Peter Gabriel vocal tour de force “Supper’s Ready.”

It should be noted that Hackett’s band here–vocalist Nad Sylvan, the afore mentioned drummer Gary O’Toole, flute, clarinet player/percussionist Rob Townshend, bassist Nick Beggs and keyboardist Roger King-deliver on these very difficult songs, as much recreating as re-imaging.

In these few words I can’t impress enough how great this show is…and how much you need to get out to see it!