Steve Hackett - Bournemouth Pavilion

Hackett opens his set, as he did his first solo album, with Ace of Wands; a spectacularly quirky instrumental, and the first of three numbers from Voyage of the Acolyte performed during the evening. A flurry of impossible offbeat drumming, spectacular guitar work, and jazz inflected noodling, it’s anything but an average way to start a show. 

Introduced with soprano saxophone and an ominous blast of church organ, The Devil’s Cathedral is jaw droppingly good; a masterclass in drama and creating a mood. Nad Sylvan is utterly convincing as the sinister narrator who ‘took his life and then his wife’. There is an incredible, orchestral quality to the second half, effortlessly segueing through various sections, each more thrilling than the last. 

The mood softens for two songs from Spectral Mornings. The first, the title track, is elegant and beautiful, a showcase for Hackett’s unusually melodic playing. Every Day is just perfection, from the warm vocal harmonies to the twin guitar mastery that dominates the tail end, Hackett doubling up with the talented Amanda Lehmann. It is fascinating to watch their hands dance in unison over the necks of their guitars and oddly moving to hear instruments sing together so passionately. 

The angular A Tower Struck Down is introduced by Hackett (jokingly) as ‘a little bit heavy metal’. Whilst heavy metal is a stretch, there is a malevolence in the off kilter rhythms and strange effects. In contrast, Camino Royale is surprisingly bouncy, grooving on 80s style keyboards and an uncharacteristically hooky chorus. The two songs are bridged by an unbelievable bass solo, Jonas Reingold’s fingers navigating the strings seemingly without thought, and at high speed.  

Closing out the first set, Voyage of the Hierophant is stunning; Amanda Lehmann conjuring the haunted vocals originally handled by Sally Oldfield. Hackett’s mournful guitar seems to weep over crashing drums, building to an unforgettable climax of intense swirling lights and volume so elevated the floor vibrates and the audience erupt into the first standing ovation of the night.

A palpable sense of excitement looms, knowing what is to come. A dark stage, lasers moving over the silhouette of Nad Sylvan and familiar keyboard chords set the scene. Holding a telescope to his eye and surveying the room; it’s clear, the Watcher of the Skies has arrived. The frantic bass and drums set in motion the second half; Foxtrot in it’s entirety. No surprises, but an album that Hackett rightfully acknowledges sounds ’sweeter with the passing of the years’. It’s remarkable that an album released 50 years ago still sounds so fresh and so unlike anything else. 

Time Table is sung beautifully by Sylvan, Get ‘Em Out By Friday gallops along, the lyrics of social injustice still relevant today. Horizons is prettier than you remember, a moment of acoustic loveliness. But, of course, everyone is waiting for Supper’s Ready; a tour de force of epic proportions. There are so many movements, changes, and the audience are familiar with every one. 

Rapturous applause, cheering and shouts for more mean that the band aren’t off stage for long. The majestic Firth of Fifth and an extended instrumental made up with sections from Los Endos and Slogans re-affirm the talent of these impressive musicians. For fans of vintage Genesis, nobody does it better than Steve Hackett.