Steve Hackett – The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester – 20th October 2026 – Best of Genesis and solo gems (1)

INTO THE ANNALS

It’s been two whole years since the UK has seen a Steve Hackett tour. In fact, and rather neatly, two years to the day since his last Bridgewater Hall gig. The current tour sees Hackett deliver what’s titles Best of Genesis and solo gems. A show of two halves with his solo work again prefacing a dip into the annals of Prog Rock history.

Things have changed too. The biggest is the absence of Roger King/ Right hand man to Hackett since the late nineteen nineties while Craig Blundell has vacated the drum seat. Two (more…) Europeans have joined the band and sit on the risers in the backline. Keyboards are now in the hands of Lalle Larson joins fellow countrymen Jonas Reingold and Nad Sylvan and while heavily in demand Felix Lehrmann takes on the drum duties.

KEYBOARD POWER

Both new boys – although they’ve already become well bedded in – are more than solid replacements. Lalle gets a solo slot to show his piano prowess ahead of Firth Of Fifth in the second half. He gives is a cheeky grin as he works up what makes for a nice little improv on the Firth themes that’s warmly acknowledged. Interestingly enough it’s King’s ominous chords at the opening of Devil’s Cathedral that open the show as they do with the famous Watcher Of The Skies mellotron in the second set when the Genesis material kicks in.

Felix too gets the drum solo – the much maligned concert staple serving as a brief link between Dance On A Volcano and Los Endos in the encore. So brief that the rest of the band don’t have time to leave the stage. For those for whom it’s important, he’s resplendent in some bright yellow sports accessories, there’s a new contender in the Hackett band dedicated followers of fashion.

ON FIRE

The impact of some fresh blood seems to have caused something of a shot of adrenaline to the band. Tempos seem brisk and if there’s such a thing, as Hackett shows are never deliver anything less than musical excellence, there may even be a real edge to the arrangements. When people talk of musicians being on fire, this is it.

The setlist might have some element of familiarity. Solo gems include Every Day and the slowly building and explosive Shadow Of the Hierophant. The latter played as an instrumental with the ‘last three gigs of the tour’ appearance of Amanda Lehmann set to see the full piece showcased. Lucky us being able to look ahead to Liverpool in a few days – watch this space. However, the music is all played with gusto and we even get a brand new song from an upcoming album to take in. The Sea Inside is “sort of love song, a sort of rock song, sort of cinematic – for my wife Jo,” is how he describes it.

More familiar is Camino Royale that as usual develops into a little showcase for Rob Townsend in particular as the band get into the Ronnie Scotts vibe and limbo around some jazzier areas for a while before the main Camino theme returns. It’s a rare occasion that Jonas Reingold gets to focus and freeform a tad on the bass rather than guitar/double neck/bass pedals/backing vox duties that go with his role. And while most of the first set is relatively easy to call, the return to The Steppes is most welcome. The first appearance of the drums from Felix after the swirls of clarinet, is lethal – anyone in a relaxed mood might have been forcibly shocked from their reverie.

THE PICK OF GENESIS GEMS

Even more familiar are the Genesis gems that make up the second set. Again, the tempos are lively and the famous instrumental section of The Cinema Show (that Banks/Collins/Rutherford workout) is matched and raised by Hackett’s own team. Supper’s Ready sees the Willow Farm section populated by a marvellously colourful array of lights as Nad heads on a little walkabout delivering the Gabriel lines of butterflies and gutterflies.

A moment too to mention the lighting aspect of the production which is as impressive a show as we’ve seen, courtesy of lighting man Alec Morris. Sitting at the sound desk watching him work his magic, it almost seems that he’s keeping time with the band as they hammer through the Apocalypse in 9/8 section of Supper…lighting in 9/8. Clearly someone who knows the music and how to light it. The set up too with four simple vertical trusses of rear spotlights makes the stage set seem quite intimate. On the the hand there’s a lofty rig up in the rafters from which a strip of LEDs swing and sway and change colour and allow for the 2026 version of the Genesis ’77/Seconds Out landing lights.

We even get some plumes of smoke rising from the backline to add to the burnt orange glow as Dance On A Volcano opens the encore. Into the fire and into the fight (or variations on such). Not only do they sound it, but they look a band on fire indeed…

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