GENESIS: RETURN TO ROTTERDAM
A memorable concert I didn’t attend
by ahand83
In 1996 Phil Collins officially declared he was leaving Genesis. Rumours had been circulating since the start of Collins’s solo career in the early 80s, but now the die was cast indefinitely. We all know what happened next. For better or for worse, Ray Wilson became Genesis’ new lead singer. To be able to put together a live band, Anthony Drennan was hired as a replacement for Daryl Stuermer (who was on tour with Collins in 1997). Israeli drummer Nir Zydkyahu, who had played on the ‘Calling All Stations’ album, was the obvious choice for replacing Chester Thompson.
Back in late 1997, early ’98, I was 14 years old, but I was very much aware of myself and the things I liked. I’ll always consider ‘Calling All Stations’ one of my favourite Genesis albums, because it’s the only album Genesis released, that I was consciously aware of. The fact Phil Collins had left the band came known to me by a letter from a mutual Phil Collins fan, a guy I corresponded with. I remember feeling sad and disappointed. At that point in my life, there was no way I could have known that Genesis’ new album would have such an profound impact on my formative musical years. From then on, my fanhood got even bigger.
In October 1997 I went to see Phil Collins at the Ahoy in Rotterdam for the very first time. I remember attending that concert with my mother, as if it were yesterday. I was a modest boy and a little shy, and I didn’t often ask my parents for things I wanted. That’s how I was brought up. I suppose that is why I didn’t ask them to take me to see Genesis with Ray Wilson the next year. I wish I had been more assertive back then, that I’d expressed my wishes. I still regret not being there and having missed out on the fun.
The concert took place on March 11th, 1998. The next few days after, I searched for reviews and newspaper cuttings but there wasn’t much to get hold of. Dutch ‘Music Minded’ magazine wrote a nice article about the show, accompanied with a few photos. The article had an obvious title saying “Genesis take some getting used to”. I think every fan had to get used to the ‘new’ Genesis, but as the review ends “Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford haven proven that, together with Ray Wilson, they can continue the name of Genesis with dignity.”
Other magazines and newspapers are quoted saying: “Good, but hardly suprising.” (IO Pages), “From what they’ve shown, Genesis will cease the new millennium easily.” (Oor), “Genesis: Oasis of peace and clarity.” (Algemeen Dagblad)
The Sony Jumbotron screens that had been used for the stage set of the ‘We Can’t Dance’ tour were dusted off for the next era to come. Unfortunately, because of financial issues, the Jumbotrons were not used at every European show. For example, looking at the official live broadcast from Katowice, Poland from January 31st, no screens were used. On amateur footage of the Earls Court show in London one can see that the Jumbos impressively added to the Genesis lighting and stage show. You have to be patient though, and wait for 18 minutes until the song ‘Calling All Stations’. From the few photos I have, one can see that the screens were used at the Ahoy in Rotterdam too.
Over the years I collected a few images concerning the concert. Not all images in the gallery are from first hand but it gives a good impression of what the concert was like. I’m glad the show was professionally filmed in Poland and that more live footage has surfaced in the last few years. It really adds trying to (re)live the concert.
I recently bought a promotional poster for the concert from my good friend Kasper. He said: “I first saw this poster stuck on a pin board in Utrecht. I tried tearing it off but I was left with only bits and pieces. I called up Mojo, who were the promotor, and I told them I was with the police (I wasn’t joking) and that we had this communal area that we wanted to brighten up with more personal stuff. A few weeks later the poster reached my doorstep, wrapped up perfectly, with regards from Mojo. The poster is a rare item these days.”
Genesis fans, like me, had a single chance in 1998 to see their favourite band in a new form. I probably thought that a second opportunity would occur, but obviously it didn’t. After the ‘Calling All Stations’ tour the band called it a day, and it all seemed over and finished… Until 2007.
