BACK IN THAT QUIET EARTH
Genesis in Holland, 1978
story: Kasper Chevalier/text: ahand83
On March 28th, 1978, Genesis kicked off their ‘And Then There Were Three Tour’ at the Broome County Arena in Binghamton, New York. The 1978 tour is known as the ‘Mirror Tour’ because of the mirror construction above the stage, which was designed to create variations in lighting and special laser effects. This would eventually lead to the development of Vari-Lite®.
The ‘And Then There Were Three Tour’ was an important period in Genesis’ history. Steve Hackett had just left, Daryl Stuermer was introduced as the new guitarist, and Chester Thompson was behind the drums for his second tour with the band. Genesis’ music was somewhere between old and new, and their first proper hit single, ‘Follow You Follow Me’, climbed the charts all around the globe.
Lots of fans have fond memories of the 1978 tour. New fans were introduced to Genesis’ music through their radio-friendly hit single, while fans of the ‘old’ days (considering Genesis were only ten years old in ’78) were treated to a balanced setlist featuring songs from ‘The Lamb’, ‘Selling England’, ‘Nursery Cryme’, ‘Trick’ and ‘Wind & Wuthering’ and of course from their latest album. The stage and lighting were state-of-the-art and therefore a feast for the eye.
In 1972, Genesis played two shows in the Netherlands. In 1975, they returned for three ‘Lamb’ shows. Despite the small size of Holland, Genesis played four shows there in 1978 – no small achievement. The first was in Leiden on May 20th. The other shows were planned for September, three days in a row, taking the band from Maastricht to Arnhem and then to Rotterdam. These shows are very well documented. Genesis were at the peak of their fame, and journalists, photographers and even fans – by bootlegging some of the shows – did a great job of capturing the magic, leaving something for future generations to enjoy.
Kasper Chevalier witnessed the first Dutch show in Leiden. He wrote down his memories of that day:
In May 1978, I had just turned 15 years old. I was introduced to Genesis by my neighbour across the street, Albert. Albert used to translate Genesis lyrics, and I remember that he wasn’t quite sure how to translate “One For The Vine”. The album …And Then There Were Three… had just been released, and Genesis were about to embark on a world tour. The Netherlands was also on the itinerary – no fewer than four times, including Leiden. One thing led to another, and in January 1978, my neighbour and I drove to The Hague to buy tickets at some kind of kiosk run by the Haags Dagblad newspaper. You can hardly imagine it nowadays, but there was absolutely nobody in front of us, and we had bought our four tickets in no time.
On the day of my first concert – and what a first concert it was: Genesis! – the four of us set off for Leiden at around 4:00 p.m. in an old Saab. When we arrived, we saw men everywhere selling ‘illegal’ Genesis posters, scarves, T-shirts and badges. A large number of Edwin Shirley Trucking trailers were parked there, along with two large tour buses. I was deeply impressed by the sight of all those trucks lined up together.
The Groenoordhallen in Leiden was not exactly one of the cosiest or best-sounding concert venues in the Netherlands. During the week, it was used as a cattle market and carpet hall, and at weekends it was transformed into a concert venue. There was no assigned seating, so we chose to sit in the stand to the right of the stage, giving us a clear view of what was about to happen.
What I still remember about the concert is seeing the band walk onto the stage. It wasn’t completely dark in the hall yet, as daylight was still coming through the windows, and all five band members were dressed entirely in white. Phil Collins was wearing white tracksuit trousers with a matching tracksuit jacket. I can still hear the opening notes and Stuermer’s wailing guitar as they launched into the first song, ‘Eleventh Earl of Mar’. I can still see the mirrors above the stage tilting, the spectacular lighting, the lasers and the smoke. It was also the first time Mike Rutherford used his Taurus bass pedals. Incredible! The vibration and rumble that went through the hall – and right into your stomach – was something else.
I also remember Daryl Stuermer being introduced to the audience, which was followed by a chorus of boos. Very childish. It was only later that I discovered that the band had also used footage from Leiden in a documentary called ‘Three Dates With Genesis’, about their 1978 tour. The concert was an incredible experience, one that I will never forget. Although I have to admit that, after all these years, some of the details have inevitably faded. I was fortunate enough to see Genesis perform many more times after that concert. I think many fans would agree with me: seeing Genesis live was always a truly unforgettable experience!
I myself, the webmaster, did not see Genesis perform in 1978. I’ve lived in Arnhem for quite a few years, and I’ve always thought about Genesis playing at the Rijnhal, as the venue in Arnhem was called. The building is still there. These days, it houses a large outdoor and sports retailer, and I occasionally go there to buy new running shoes or outdoor gear. For a few seconds, I can let myself dream and imagine that I was there, witnessing the concert. I’m the proud owner of a ticket stub from that very show, and I’ve listened to the bootleg recording countless times.
If only…
