Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
There are those who command the art of wizardry, a moment in which they whisper down your ears and place the expectation of trust at such a level that it sometimes might be difficult to look upon other works and feel any emotion towards them; such is the awe and honour that comes through in waves. The only appropriate action to undertake is one of reverential belief, that magic is one of a long-held endeavour and skill and that all that opens up before the listener is, in the end, doors to other universes.
In the sense of the musical craft, to continue to admire the spellbinding pursuit in its live environment is one of the main reasons to leave the comfort of the home and yet sometimes the atmosphere provided by the illumination of the artist is such that home is not only where the heart is, it is the place where you can close your eyes and still envisage the delicate but detailed blueprint that was laid down in all its vivid colour and unfolding drama.
The music of early Genesis is still not only desired by the fans, it is arguably important to the way we perhaps view the epic, the three-minute burst has its place but there is a dynamic that cannot be contained when the Progressive ambition is given rein to breathe. For Steve Hackett, the one member of the group from its rich vein of form who still performs the sons that captivated the imagination, revisiting the pieces is not only a labour of love, it is an unequalled honour.
In Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live At The Royal Festival Hall that honour is expanded, the weaving of moments from the band’s history, as well as tracks from Mr. Hackett’s latest solo album, At The Edge of Light, mark out time with the Heart of England Philharmonic Orchestra as being one of the immensely satisfying live recordings that the listener is likely to hear. The ambitious creativity that unfolds across the album is full of the ethereal, it places the fragility of the human condition into one of strength of character and flexibility, and in the end there is the realisation, the sweet point of understanding, that there is a tear in your eye as you accept that hearing a live album can be as rewarding as being in the place where the music is unbound and the spirit runs free.
Recorded at the Royal Festival Hall, Steve is joined by the exquisite vocals and musicianship of Nad Sylvan, Gary O’Toole, Rob Townsend, Jonas Reingold, John Hackett and Amanda Lehmann on songs such as the opening suspension of disbelief of Dance on a Volcano, The Steppes, Dancing With The Moonlit Knight, Shadow of the Hierophant, In That Quiet Earth, Afterglow, El Nino, the mind blowing extravaganza of Supper’s Ready and the final bow of the evening on The Musical Box. What comes across is dedication to memory, to observing, and preserving the point of celebration, and with each song being wonderfully framed and presented, that memory is highly valued; so much so that the album could be seen as one of the finest of Steve’s career.
An astonishing creative moment, one of sheer bliss.
Steve Hackett releases Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live At The Royal Festival Hall is released on October 25th.
Ian D. Hall