Phil Collins took over as Genesis' front man in 1975, 4 years before I was born. I missed the Gabriel (called by some "glory") days of the band the first time around and missed Phil's debut. I didn't discover Genesis until I saw the "Land of Confusion" video for the first time and bought "And Then There Were Three..." after hearing "Follow You, Follow Me" which many fans would not consider their best song. Still, all in all I'd say that I've evolved into a respectable fan of the band and was thrilled to see them at the Hollywood Bowl this past Friday night.
The Hollywood Bowl is one of my favorite music venues. I see about 30 shows a year and despite the traffic and hassle, I can't say I love a place much more. Seeing Genesis there was magic.
Right from the beginning, it was a great musical show. Had Phil and the band left vocals aside, it would have been a fantastic show. They were really, really playing and Genesis' catalogue allows for long musical sets which incorporate all of the talented musicians. Right up through a drum duet between Phil and Chester Thompson the music engaged me, excited me and consistently left me wanting more. Plus, they did some of my favorite songs and a song that wasn't expected (based on set lists posted from previous shows) which was my companion's favorite. It was a great set.
Despite a great show, it was also a show that was victimized by unusual weather. On tickets for outdoor venues, there is always that "rain or shine" disclaimer that one reads and scoffs at because let's face it, it never rains in Southern California. Overall that is true but Friday night was the exception. At first the rain fell only slightly, getting everyone wet but not wet enough to ruin the show. Then, it began to rain hard. The audience was soaked, Tony Banks' keyboards were outfitted with an umbrella and Mike Rutherford and Daryl Struermer were close by seeking cover where they could. Still, the crowd was digging the show and things kept moving.
Finally, once everyone was soaked to the skin and the stage was marred with standing water, Phil announced that they could not continue. The show was cut short! No "I Can't Dance/Carpet Crawlers" encore and no more music in general. The Hollywood Bowl sound people were kind enough to toss some Phil onto the speakers for the exiting crowd but the show was done and for a moment, we were left hanging.
The show did have to end though. The weather didn't get any better and L.A. traffic after the show became L.A. traffic with rain.
All in all, it was a show I am so glad I didn't miss and so glad I got to share with a friend. It was my 4th time seeing Phil and sadly my first time seeing Genesis. I hope they get together again in a few years. They've aged well and seemed to be enjoying themselves and that, even under a rain cloud, made all the difference.
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