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UNA SERATA SPECIALE
Il concerto d'apertura, ad Helsinki, del tour mondiale, con 46 TIR carichi di materiale e 35.000 spettatori
The Genesis line-up Phil Collins-Tony Banks Mike Rutherford seemed surprisingly cool as they got on the massive stage set-up at the Olympic Stadium at eight o'clock last night. The stage consisting of a waving LED-wall and soaring lighting rigs was the stars - filled with massive expectations, but surprisingly subdued for a stadium show,
It's been fifteen years since the last tour of this line-up, and a decade from the Calling All Stations tour. Collins spoke for the whole band as he opened the gig.
"It's a special night tonight", Phil declared as the crowd was cheering, and proceeded to snap photos with his digicam on several occasions.
The gig was simple and cosy, which at the best brought a smile to your face, and at the worst made you yawn as the band proceeded to their own progressive world.
It would be madness to claim that Genesis was wooing their audience with sex appeal. This group relies on music, which on the other hand is not so bad in the entertainment industry of the 21st century.
In their 40-year history people have come and gone through the revolving doors of the Genesis, but the appearance of "only" the three man gang didn't seem to bother the real fans. Even when the tour was announced some listeners must have been dreaming of the original line-up reuniting, but Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett decided to pass the opportunity, the former due to his own solo commitments.
Chester Thompson, who has for long been a sideman of the band, received his own attention at the gig, as he was handling the drums while Phil concentrated on the singing and chatting apart from a few jams.
I Genesis, nervosi, al loro primo concerto d'apertura del tour mondiale
Rock history was made in Helsinki last night: Genesis played their first concert with this line-up in more than fifteen years, and was visibly nervous.
35,000 pairs of eyes were staring at the stage in the beautiful and bright summer evening. The staring was intensive, but the crowd only rarely got to wild cheering typical at megaconcerts.
The stage was worth seeing though. A metallic, arched display the width of the entire stage was the most magnificent creation seen on the Stadium since U2's Popmart tour. It was a shame that it was too bright in the Finnish summer evening, as they couldn't make most with the stage, films and lights
And it was a shame that Genesis was on the first concert of their tour. It seemed very much like cutting the 15-year hiatus of touring together was making even a group as experienced as this nervous.
From the three man nucleus of the band, Tony Banks looked so concentrated that his face had less expressions that the heroic dolls in the Thunderbirds - series. The was a resemblance as well, if you imagine the dolls 40 years older then they appear in the series.
Bass player-guitarist Mike Rutherford, 56, played unexpressively with a chuckle on his face.
The biggest star Phil Collins who's also had success as an actor and a solo artist, on the other hand gave all he could. Collins was as entertaining as a stand-up comedian in his introductions, with his thought out and precise act. Occasionally he fooled around like they do at Speden Spelit [a Finnish game show with a comedian hosting], throwing around his tambourine and making a fool out of himself with a straight face. Of course he hasd the time to sing and play the drums as well.
The point must have been to show they weren't all that serious.
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