SOUTHEND THEATRE SCENE
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Main feature writer - Kim Tobin
  • COMING UP
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
    • David Streames Interview
    • Daniel O'Donnell
    • Matt Wycliffe Interview - Million Dollar Quartet
    • Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull
    • Tony Stockwell Interview
    • Priscilla Queen of the Desert Tour - Interview with Emma Crossley
    • Phil Walker - Guitar Heroes
    • Rock for Heroes Review
    • Once the Musical - We interview Daniel Healy & Emma Lucia as we are invited to watch the cast rehearse!
    • The Overtones 2019
    • Derren Brown - Showman
    • Stephen K Amos Interview
    • Geoff Norcott INTERVIEW
    • Diversity and Kev Orkian Interviews
    • Giles Cooper talks about Nigel Slater's TOAST
    • Kristian Lavercombe - Riff Raff - Rocky Horror Show
    • Dan Partridge & Martha Kirby talk Grease the Musical
    • Village Green Festival 2019
    • Lee Mead, David Streames & Richard Foster
    • Craig Revel Horwood
    • Jenny Gayner
    • Nigel Slater
    • Alex Bourne Interview - Annie Tour 2019
    • Beverley Craven Interview
    • Gary Barlow and Tim Firth Interview - Calendar Girls
    • Tom Stade 2019 Interview
    • Karen Gibson - The Kingdom Choir
    • AJ Pritchard
    • Jonathan Wrather - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Tilted Wig Productions
    • Kevin Clifton & Graziano Di Prima Interview - Burn the Floor
    • Elesha Paul Moses Interview - Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It?
    • Juliet Mills & Maxwell Caulfield Interview
    • Juliet Mills Interview
    • Holly Liburd - The Bodyguard
    • Alexandra Burke - The Bodyguard
    • Janine Duvitski Interview
    • Matthew Kelly & David Yelland
    • Aled Jones Interview
    • Quadrophenia Live Interview with Doug Freeman
    • Diversity's Ashley Banjo, Jordan Banjo, Perri Kiely & Terry Smith
    • Ali James & James Cranfield
    • Ed Speleers, Mairi Barclay & Adam Lilley
    • Rachel Lumberg & Faye Christall Interview
    • Rain Main - Mathew Horne & Ed Speleers
    • Charles Sharman-Cox
    • Matt Terry & Antoine Murray-Straughan
    • Collabro Road to the Royal Albert Hall Interview
    • Steve Michaels - Elvis
    • Paul Young Interview
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Jersey Boys Interview
    • Colin Blunstone - The Zombies
    • Dave Kelly - The Blues Band
    • Clive John - Johnny Cash Roadshow
    • Paul Opacic & Richard Walsh
    • Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace
    • Alexander O'Neal Interview
    • Kevin Whately - Our Finest Hour
    • Jenny Eclair - Grumpy Old Women Tour
    • Séan Aydon - Great Expectations
    • Joe McElderry Live in Concert
    • Nichola McAuliffe Interview
    • Natalie Anderson & Jonathan Halliwell
    • Geoff Norcott Interview
    • Mark Steel - Comedian Interview
    • Debra Stephenson & Alice Barlow
    • Dr Feelgood's Kevin Morris
    • Ali James Interview - Oh Yes It Is!
    • Tom Stade Interview
    • Sarah Earnshaw - Nativity the Musical
    • Karina Jones - Wait Until Dark
    • The Stylistics
    • Tom Chambers & Charlotte Wakefield
    • Jessie Wallace - Deathtrap
    • Paul Bradley - Deathtrap
    • George Kemp - The Wipers Times
    • Joe McElderry - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
    • Ian Hislop & Nick Newman - The Wipers Times
    • Chris Simmons, All or Nothing the Musical
    • Caroline Flack, Tom Chambers Interview
    • Ruth Madoc
    • Scott Reid - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
    • Samuel Clemens, Director
    • Elizabeth Elvin
    • Ray Cooney - Out of Order
    • Susie Amy
    • Sue Holderness
    • Shaun Williamson
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher & Oliver Ormson
    • Geoff Norcott
    • Navi - King of Pop
    • Damian Williams Interview
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher Interview
    • Samantha Womack Interview
    • Les Dennis Interview
    • Clive Mantle - The Verdict
    • Stephen Bailey Interview
    • Steve Hackett Interview
    • Alastair Whatley - The Original Theatre Company
    • Paul Carrack Interview
    • Janine Johnson - Back to Bacharach Interview
    • Lewis Griffiths - Dirty Dancing
    • Ben Portsmouth Elvis Tribute
    • Paul Nicholls - Shawshank Redemption
    • Anne Odeke - Night Must Fall
    • Elaine Paige
    • Jimmy Osmond - Christmas Extravaganza
    • Brian Conley & Gok Wan
    • Jonathan Kiley - Qdos Pantomine Producer
    • Lee Mead - Some Enchanted Evening
    • Maximum Rhythm & Blues
    • Joe McElderry - Northern Light Tour
    • Carol Harrison - All or Nothing
    • Paul Cattermole - The Rocky Horror Show
    • Tommy Steele
    • Cheryl Baker - Formerly of Bucks Fizz
    • Gabrielle Cocca from Cats the Musical
    • PJ Proby Interview
    • Ashleigh & Pudsey - Mission ImPudseyble
    • I'm Cold - Alex Thorn
    • Mon Amie - supporting Jason Donovan
    • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    • Richard Ede - The 39 Steps
    • Collabro
    • The Searchers
    • Fanny Galore
    • Paul Carrack
    • Rose Marie
    • Gary Wilmot, Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson
    • Megan Terry
    • Sharon Rose - Little Eva in West End's Beautiful
    • Roy Chubby Brown - Britain's Rudest Comedian
    • Fascinating Aida's Dillie Keane
    • Ben Portsmouth - Elvis Tribute Artist
    • Ugly Sisters, Martin Ramsdin & David Robbins - Cinderella
    • Lauren Hall (Cinderella)
    • Michael Harrison, West End Producer
    • Brian Conley
    • Sharon Rose - X Factor
    • The Bodyguard - Zoe Birkett Interview
    • Alex Bourne (Daddy Warbucks)
    • Michael Corbidge Royal Shakespeare Company
    • Ashton Moore - Samson
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Phill Jupitus
    • Michael Sharp Playwright
    • Ray Cooney OBE
  • MUSIC
  • YOUTUBE
  • Features
    • Echoes From Essex
    • Immersive Actor Training
    • Afternoon Tea at the Cliffs Pavilion
    • N-Act Theatre Stage - Village Green
    • Chameleon Productions
    • Sheku Kanneh-Mason
    • Aladdin - Panto Cast Announcement
    • Sounds Familiar Music Quiz
    • N-Act Theatre in Schools
    • Ray Cooney comes to see Lindisfarne perform his play
    • Theatre Etiquette
    • Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society's Backstage Crew
Picture

REVIEW
​‘GENESIS REVISITED WITH CLASSIC HACKETT’ 
CELEBRATING THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF DEFINITIVE

GENESIS ALBUM ‘WIND AND WUTHERING’
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea

10th May 2017

Last night Steve Hackett and his band made a welcome return to the Cliffs Pavilion for the third time in four years. It could be argued that by comparison with his former Genesis band members Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford, Steve’s music has perhaps less commercial appeal than the others but his musical output has surpassed them all:- more than 30 solo albums in addition to the seven he did with Genesis, as well as his notable collaborations with artists such as Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire and the “supergroup” GTR together with Steve Howe of Yes.
​

In addition, regular touring has ensured that his fan base has remained loyal over the decades. Perhaps even more interest has been generated by Steve returning to the Genesis back-catalogue extensively in performance for the first time in many years as a result of his recent Genesis Revisited albums, which feature new versions of many old classics. For die-hard fans this was an undoubted bonus.  
Moreover, as well as the Genesis material Steve has a new album to promote –The Night Siren which features some highly eclectic influences from around the world.

The evening was billed as “Genesis Revisited with Classic Hackett” and this billing certainly ‘did what it said on the tin’. The first half featured selections from Steve’s prodigious solo work. Tracks from the new album such as Rise Again and Behind The Smoke blended well with some classic Hackett from the late 70’s onwards, particularly the atmospheric The Steppes and the memorable first half finale Shadow of The Heirophant which dates right back to Steve’s first solo album Voyage of the Acolyte. 

However, you could sense that most of the mature audience were there for the Genesis material after the interval and they were not to be disappointed. The band were joined by enigmatic vocalist Ned Sylvan for a set that drew heavily on Wind and Wuthering, a seminal album which has recently celebrated its fortieth birthday (a statistic that makes this reviewer feel rather old.)
Aided by great sound and an imaginative light show, this part of the evening featured a feast of classic Genesis and it was delivered with quality musicianship by Steve’s fellow band mates; Roger King on keyboards; Gary O’Toole on drums, percussion and vocals; Rob Townsend on saxes and flutes; and Nick Beggs on bass, stick and twelve string (and formerly a member of the 80’s pop band Kajagoogoo – remember Too Shy anyone?)

There were welcome renditions of Eleventh Earl of Mar, Blood on the Rooftops (featuring some great acoustic guitar,) the haunting Afterglow, a thumping Dance On A Volcano, and the majestic Firth of Fifth all featuring the memorable Hackett sound. The mighty Los Endos brought the evening to a rousing finale, and the band were given a standing ovation and rapturous applause – deservedly so after two and a half hours. 

I guess the greatest compliment you could pay is that it did make you feel like going through all your old vinyl and cd’s when you got home and listen to this great music all over again. That’s my plan anyway! Here’s hoping we see you again soon Steve.   

Review: James Carter
Picture
Steve Hackett enjoying the Southend sunshine before his gig at the Cliffs Pavilion on Wednesday night
​Click here for our interview with Steve Hackett

Home

About

MUSIC

INTERVIEWS

FEATURES

Copyright © 2015