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(More customer reviews)Yes, I truly believe that this IS IT....the chances of this band, in any form, reuniting again is so slim that we'll probably see Bill Clinton in the White House again before these guys Tour or record ever again. Indeed, watching this document of the last ever Genesis Tour is a sad event....4 (or is it 5!) decades of absolutely GREAT tunes....wonderful personel and commraderie through the years....and, maybe, one of the most profound musical careers of our times. Yes, I will certainly miss this "Family" of guys---maybe more so than any other band or group of people. The good news, for us TRUE fans, is that they decided to give us what I have just watched, AND, will watch many, many more times to come....'When in Rome'. This DVD package is as good as anyone could hope for; Great songlist, Great quality sound and video and the usual outstanding musicianship onstage.
The setlist includes what may be the most comprehensive set of songs the band has ever toured with. Of course there are the 'usual suspects' such as 'Turn it on', 'AfterGlow', 'Invisible Touch', Etc., But there are also several that we haven't heard since the 'Duke' Era ----'Ripples', 'Carpet Crawlers' and 'Los Endos'. Is it THE set I would have picked? NO....but, it was a good move by the guys to "cater" to a very, VERY large range of concertgoers. Don't be swayed by comments that are being made concerning the tour----"lowered key/ pitch makes songs unlistenable"...."Old guys simply going through the motions", Etc. Personally the songs being lowered in Key for the sake of vocals made NO difference to me and was probably the difference between Phil "choking" parts and the smooth delivery we get here....Phil, as usual, nails his parts. As for some saying these guys are uninspired on stage, I totally disagree...All songs were played with passion and prescision. These guys have never been a "showboat" band, and they make no bones about their age. That said, don't expect any David Lee Roth jumping splits or high kicks (although Phil's tambourine solo on "I know what I Like" is quite impressive!). As with most progressive bands, these guys are focused on one important element on this DVD----to replicate their music for the masses....this is no "Old Time Rock and Roll" here, this is very involved music that requires concentration from the members.
Another nice aspect of this package/ show is the sound and stage. The audio and video is the best I've seen on any Genesis release. Very clear picture and sound throughout the show, with good camera angles and everyone getting their fair share of the lens. Thats not to say it isn't without its faults....there are times when the massive lighting casts overbearing colors on the band....very red and green in certain spots. Also there are a handful of times when Tony's keys are too "upfront" in the mix, as well as some strange harmonics(for lack of a better way to describe) that eminates from the synths from time to time, but none of what I mention above distracts from the overall show. I would also give special mention to the awesome stage for this tour.....Genesis has always had groundbreaking lights and backdrops, but this is massive! Only Pink Floyd's 'Pulse' stage comes close. When I first saw the cover for 'When in Rome' I questioned the unsymetrical, almost "hokey" look of the stage....well, after viewing the DVD, I can see how it all fits together for one of the most spectacular stage/light shows that one is likely to encounter. There are at least 3 or 4 times during the show where the lights and video backdrop are almost as intense as the music being played....if 'In the Cage' doesn't raise the hairs, you might be dead!
So, all-in-all, this is probably the best we'll get from this great band....the show is certainly worthy, as well as the DVD documentary and extras included. Even if the band releases vault material such as 'Seconds Out' or 'The Lamb', it will never sound and look as good as 'When in Rome' (although an official 'SO' concert DVD would put me in Heaven!). In closing I would also like to throw out some opinions, since this may be the last review I write for a Genesis product. I have loved ALL incarnations of this band....early, experimental Gabriel era, as well as the prog-pop efforts of Phil and Ray Watson led Genesis. There are (and will always be) Gabriel-era "purists" who scowl at anything released after 'The Lamb', however, I can confidently say that EVERY album has somthing special and extraordinary....and YES, even moments of pure Progressive bliss! As matter of fact, I find myself reaching for 'We Can't Dance' or 'And Then There Were Three' more often than 'Nursery Chryme' or 'Lamb'. Some of the older albums simply didn't age well. That said, I will say that Peter leaving the band and Phil taking center stage was the best thing that could have happened to Genesis....otherwise they may have died a worse death than Gentle Giant, Focus and Camel. Phil, nor Genesis ever sold out musically(though they may have sold-out to Wal-mart!)....they remained musically significant till the end, and, quite frankly, you'll likely hear 'Throwing it All Away' or 'ABACAB' well into the future----will you hear 'Watcher of the Skies'....I doubt it....as much as I would like to. At any rate, if you are a fan of this band, don't think twice about picking this up....it really is a worthy memoir in every respect. Thanks, Genesis, for the wonderful music and memories....your music will never stray far from my life.
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