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Tony Smith: “Artists need the truth from their manager”

In a rare interview, the Genesis manager reflects on his 50-year shift with the band, and shares the secrets to his success

By IQ on 21 Apr 2022

Tony Smith, John Giddings

Legendary manager Tony Smith has granted a rare interview with IQ after wrapping Genesis’  The Last Domino? Tour.

The legendary English rock band returned to the road at the end of last year following a 13-year hiatus.

The reunion tour kicked off last September in the UK, making stops in the US and Europe before culminating with a three-night stand at London’s O2 in March.

As the name of the tour suggests, it may well be the last time Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford – Genesis’ most commercially successful line-up – perform live under the pseudonym.

The tour would mark the end of a 50-year chapter for Smith who has managed the band since 1973 and played a crucial role in Genesis becoming one of the world’s best-selling artists.

Though Smith tells IQ that interviews are his “least favourite part of the job” (gulp), Genesis agent John Giddings managed to twist his arm for a rare conversation.

Here, Smith shares his philosophy on successful managers, reveals the motivation behind his extraordinary career, and sets the record straight on his age…

IQ: On a personal level, how are you feeling about this being Genesis’ last-ever tour? TS : I’m not sure how I feel, actually. I mean, life’s gonna carry on afterwards. There’s still the Genesis catalogue and everything else to still deal with, but it might change. Who knows? Never say never but that was probably the last show. Probably.

The three-night stand at London’s O2 was postponed four times. Did those delays contribute to the anticipation in the arena? The audience has obviously been waiting a long time so there was a lot of anticipation. But it’s interesting actually – I’ve noticed that in some places the first-night audience are the hardcore fans and they’re a bit in awe, so sometimes you don’t get the same reaction as you do on the second night. But [the opening night at the O2] was really good. The audience stood up all the way through.

“I think the role of a manager is to be the one person the band can hear the truth from”

How successful has The Last Domino? Tour been? It has been very successful. Reviews have been great, the tour completely sold out – it has been a really good turn. In terms of numbers, it’s probably not as big as the tour in 2007, which was all stadiums. We wanted to keep this one to arenas. Given Phil’s lack of mobility, I don’t think a stadium show would work that well for him.

Even with Phil seated and not playing the drums, he’s still quite the showman… He’s still got that entertainment spark. The voice is still there and he’s still got the sense of humour and stuff like that. It’s just a drag that he can’t move very much. I think it’s more difficult to sing properly when you’re seated but he seems to have overcome that.

Phil’s son Nic filled in on drums. How was it bringing him into the fold? He’s fantastic. He played on Phil’s last solo tour which was in 2018/2019. He was only 16 and was good then but now he’s beefed up and is really strong. Phil has said to me on different occasions that Nick is doing things he didn’t do. Also, he’s a very nice guy! When a kid grows up in that environment, they could go either way but he’s really grounded.

“A manager is a bit of a father figure, in a way”

You’re 83 – I’m not 83! Wikipedia is wrong. I’m 77 – I was born in 1945. It’s really annoying because you get someone to go in and change the Wikipedia and then someone changes it back! I’m glad you’ve straightened that out. Although, it’s always impressive when people think you’re 83 and still on tour.

Apologies! You’re 77 and probably the longest-standing manager in the business. What’s your motivation? Well, first of all, I love the music and I love being in this business. I like the logistics of it all – putting things together, planning things out and having some kind of agenda. When you see all that fall into place, it’s very satisfying.

And I enjoy being a leader – it’s great when you’ve got a big team. I think we’ve got 100 people on the road and it’s good to be able to put a great team together that works really well – that’s very satisfying.

I like all the elements of management. There’s a little bit of creativity. You get involved with the setlists, the artwork, the marketing and the albums. Ultimately, the band will make those choices but they bounce off everyone. Plus, I like the challenge of managing a band and being able to follow it all through.

“How we ever did tours without mobile phones and computers, I cannot remember”

In the 50 odd years since you’ve been doing this job, how much has the role of a manager changed? I think the role of a manager is to be the one person the band can hear the truth from – that hasn’t changed. I think the role of a ‘proper’ manager is to help guide the artist and help them to make choices, provide encouragement and discouragement at the right times. A manager is a bit of a father figure, in a way.

What has changed is the technology and everything that goes with that. How tickets are sold, how music is delivered. How we ever did tours without mobile phones and computers, I cannot remember. It all worked but it was probably a bit slower.

The other thing that has changed – as far as touring is concerned – is that the budgets and the finances are much larger than they used to be because there are bigger venues now. When I was a promoter in the late 60s/early 70s, the biggest venue was Wembley Empire Pool for 8,000 people. Most of the venues were for 2,000 and 3,000 people at the most. It was a very different kind of business. As a promoter, I did a Led Zeppelin tour which went on for two months around England and it was all town halls and theatres – those were the venues.

“You can’t look after more than one major act properly”

Do you get as much satisfaction out of the smaller shows as you do out of the big ones? Yeah, absolutely. When Mike + The Mechanics [Mike Rutherford’s band] go out on tour we’re playing 2,000-seat theatres. And the same with Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, which I look after, as well. It’s just as satisfying. In fact, in some ways, it’s more satisfying.

Back in the 80s, you said all the most successful managers very rarely look after more than one major act. Do you stand by this philosophy? I still think that’s true. A good relationship with a major actor should be an intimate relationship and you can’t have that with too many artists. I’m lucky insofar as Genesis has always been great and there have been lots of solo spin-offs. The only other thing is, when Steve O’Rourke [manager of Pink Floyd] died, Nick Mason [the band’s drummer] asked me to look after his interest in Pink Floyd. But [Steve] and I were always mates because of motor racing so that was easy to manage.

In the main I still believe that the management relationship is special. You can’t look after more than one major act properly. I look after every element of Genesis, including things like personal finances, so it’s more of a holistic approach. Whereas I think there are managers out there that have got 234 acts but they’re more like agents than they are managers.

“A good relationship with a major actor should be an intimate relationship and you can’t have that with too many artists”

What’s your take on modern management? I don’t know about younger managers and what goes on. I’m not involved in that kind of business anymore but I suspect it’s very different. I think a lot of managers these days tend to be more employees almost. They don’t direct, they don’t manage in the same way. They’ll take instructions from their artists. If you ask a question about something they’ll always say, “I’ll get back to you”. In most cases, I instinctively know what the band are going to be okay with.

I think a lot of that [bureaucracy] is due to when lawyers started getting involved with management contracts and insisting on minimum earnings for the artist. If the manager had to get in X amount, that compromises the manager’s decision straight away because he’s going to go for his money or think short term and won’t think about the career. I’ve never had a management contract and that has worked for the last 49 years. I don’t believe in contracts; it’s either going to work or it’s not going to work and that’s the end of the story. The only thing I have is a piece of paper in a file somewhere that says what happens if we part ways.

“Aside from interviews, dealing with bureaucracy is my least favourite part of the job”

What’s your least favourite part of the job? Interviews. I do very few. Aside from that, dealing with bureaucracy is the main thing. I don’t mind the shitty bits of the job, like when you’ve got to give people bad news – it’s part of the job and it’s what’s expected of me really. The rest of it is fun, apart from dealing with John Giddings…

Tell us your best John Giddings anecdote. John and I go back a long time. It has been a very good partnership. There was one tour that John was booking and he called me up all worried about the mileage between one city and another. I just turned to him and said [indignantly]: “John, do you drive the trucks?” That quote comes back to haunt me all the time.

“John Giddings and I go back a long time. It has been a very good partnership”

What are some of your highlights from the 50-year journey with Genesis? We played Rome in 2007 with half a million people in the audience – that was pretty spectacular. Knebworth is a highlight. Also, we sold out four shows at Wembley Stadium back in the 80s. At the time, that was a record – which I think has subsequently been beaten by Ed Sheeran. The first time went to America in 1973 and played the Roxy in LA at Christmas was a highlight – that was the West Coast’s first experience of Genesis.

With Genesis retiring from the road, which other projects will you spend time on? I’ve got lots of other interests, aside from Genesis, so I’ll be just as busy. There are a couple of other Genesis projects in the background at the moment – we’re looking into orchestral stuff and things like that. I don’t know what Phil’s gonna do – the same with Mike – but there are always things to do. I start on the road with Nick Mason in two weeks’ time and that’s running through the summer. I’m also one of the producers of Bat Out of Hell the musical and I’m one of the four managers of Pink Floyd ‘industries’ so that’s a full-time job on its own.

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‘After tonight, we’ll all have to get real jobs,’ Collins told an emotionally-charged audience.

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Phil Collins , Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford played together on stage as Genesis for the last time at an emotionally-charged O2 Arena in London on Saturday night (26). Former frontman Peter Gabriel was in the audience as The Last Domino? tour came to its final show.

“Tonight is a very special night,” Collins told the audience. “It’s the last stop of our tour, and it’s the last show for Genesis. After tonight, we’ll all have to get real jobs.” Revealing that Gabriel was in the crowd, he joked: ““Maybe he’s the one shouting for ‘Supper’s Ready,’ I don’t know.” The official Twitter page for the WorldofGenesis.com fan site posted a backstage photo featuring Gabriel, Collins, and longtime friend and former Genesis tour manager Richard McPhail.

Phil’s daughter, actor Lily Collins, wrote on Instagram: “Tonite marks the end of an era. To have witnessed this last show was truly the memory of a lifetime and an event I shall hold in my heart forever. Endlessly grateful doesn’t begin to do it justice. So much love was left on that O2 stage and an even bigger amount shared between an audience who didn’t want it to end.

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“Thank you @genesis_band for the memories, thank you dad for being such an inspiration and thank you @nic_collins for making me the proudest sister there is. 50 years of songs later and still generations more to celebrate you long after this tour has finished…”

The show began with “Behind the Lines/Duke’s End” followed by the hits “Turn It On Again,” “Mama,” and “Land of Confusion.” The 23-song set touched on Gabriel-era highlights such as “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” and “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)” before a closing salvo of hits in “Throwing It All Away,” “Tonight Tonight Tonight,” and “Invisible Touch.” The band returned for an encore featuring “I Can’t Dance.” “Dancing With the Moonlight Knight,” and “Carpet Crawlers.”

Listen to the best of Genesis on  Apple Music  and  Spotify .

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Genesis review – rock’s most unlikely stars go out with a bang

Utilita Arena, Birmingham Phil Collins is on drily funny form for the band’s final tour despite poor health, as era-defining hits are performed with strength and poignancy

I n an era when no artist seems to genuinely retire – as the recent example of Soft Cell shows, heavily promoted farewell gigs can lead to new albums and new albums can lead to further live shows – there’s a genuine sense of finality about Genesis’ Covid-delayed The Last Domino? tour. Keyboardist Tony Banks might have fudged questions about the band’s future, but frontman Phil Collins hasn’t. This, he’s declared, is definitely it, his firmness underlined by audiences’ apparent shock at his visible frailty in interviews to promote the shows: judging by some of the reactions to his recent appearance on BBC Breakfast, you would have thought they had wheeled him onscreen connected to a life support machine.

In truth, anyone with an interest has known Collins has been in poor health for years: he was performing seated and walking with a stick on a 2016 solo tour. Perhaps the expressions of surprise have something to do with how firmly the image of Collins in the 80s is fixed in the public consciousness. Tonight features a string of hits from 1986’s Invisible Touch, which catapulted Genesis to such omnipresence they became not just hugely famous but emblematic of an era in a way they hadn’t perhaps intended – in Bret Easton Ellis’s vicious satire on 80s consumerism, American Psycho, they’re the favourite band of yuppie serial killer Patrick Bateman. Collins snarls his way through the title track , adding the bitter divorcee energy that became a trademark of his early solo career; Tonight Tonight Tonight sounds far more brooding and atmospheric than it did in the days it was never off MTV.

Its eeriness is amplified by the company it keeps. The setlist offers as much from the Peter Gabriel era as it does of the Patrick Bateman years – 1973’s Selling England By the Pound is as well-represented as Invisible Touch – which occasionally makes for some dramatic musical leaps: it’s an eyebrow-raising hairpin bend between the gloss of No Son of Mine and the knotty complexities of Firth of Fifth. But the show skews most heavily towards the period of Genesis’s career that lurks between them, when the band existed in a space between progressive rock and more mainstream concerns: the synth sounds brighter and brasher, the songs more straightforwardly melodic, but the very British weirdness that characterised early 70s Genesis not fully expunged. The result was some of the strangest Top 10 singles of the era: Turn It on Again dives along despite being in four different time signatures; Mama – a song about that reliable hit-making topic, a teenager who develops an Oedipal fixation on a middle-aged sex worker – remains authentically creepy nearly 40 years on. Or perhaps even creepier: Collins performs the song’s middle section of growls and mocking laughs lit from beneath in red, a staging that deliberately turns his weathered face into a sight that could haunt you in the small hours.

It’s not the only time that the show makes reference to his health, although it’s usually played for laughs: he mockingly points to himself when I Can’t Dance reaches the line about having “a perfect body with a perfect face”; in lieu of the complex and lengthy drum duets he used to perform with Chester Thompson, he glumly bashes his elbow and forehead with a tambourine during I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), hammily beckoning for applause afterwards. More poignantly, there are moments when Collins seems to lose himself in the music: casting his gaze towards the drum kit, where his son Nic is deputising for him, he starts miming along to the drum parts he can no longer perform.

But, for the most part, the atmosphere doesn’t feel affecting so much as celebratory. Collins is drily funny between songs, and whatever else has happened to him, his voice still sounds strong; one gentleman of a certain age is so moved by the opening chords of That’s All , he leaps to his feet and starts dancing in the aisles, filming himself for posterity on his phone, before the ushers firmly direct him back to his seat. And the story the show effectively tells is worth commemorating: that of a band who seemed profoundly implausible candidates for global ubiquity, but achieved it nonetheless.

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Genesis Brings Prog-Pop Pomp and Circumstance to Possible Farewell Tour: Concert Review

By A.D. Amorosi

A.D. Amorosi

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For the three central members of Genesis , all 70 years of age and older, to title their latest concert showcase “The Last Domino? Tour” — with lead vocalist Phil Collins nestled into a chair — shows that the prog-pop ensemble has a black comic streak up its sleeves. But the tour is no joke. To see and hear Collins triumph as a stage presence and vocalist at Genesis’ Dec. 2 tour stop at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center was a feat to behold. After being operated on for nerve damage, Collins no longer drums or walks without a cane’s assistance. To that end, he performs, soloing on tambourine and singing while sitting in a chair at stage’s center. And while that may seem restrictive, Collins not only manages but thrives as a vocalist — sort of amazing when you consider that singing while seated is not usually advantageous to breath control or soaring melody. Yet sing out Collins did, with powerfully devilish charm and poignantly determined vocal twists on his side.

If ever there was a reason for Collins to rise to the occasion, Philadelphia was the place to do it. Before the planet was decentralized by social media, it was often the case that bands got their biggest buzz from specific cities with wildly receptive and quickly reacting audiences. To this point, the Philadelphia of the 1970s famously gave still-fresh-faced rock artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, David Bowie, Roxy Music, Yes and Genesis their biggest crowds. First fronted by magnificently costumed vocalist Peter Gabriel, with drummer Phil Collins keeping the beat in the background, Genesis sold out every show in Philly since its 1973 Tower Theater debut. The group moved to the City of Brotherly Love’s hockey arenas and stadiums once Collins took the frontman’s mic and guided longtime keyboardist Tony Banks and bassist-guitarist Mike Rutherford through the platinum paces of the ’80s and ’90s.

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Philly’s forever love affair with Genesis was on raving full display during the first of two sold out shows at Wells Fargo Center (the second show is Dec. 3). Having not been around for 14 years, the trio’s “Last Domino? Tour” showcase satisfied a wild Philadelphia crowd of predominantly over-40s.

No, the tour is not what longtime fans have been truly praying for, that original singer Gabriel and its poetic early six-stringer Steve Hackett would return to the fold for a final go-round. But this doesn’t stop the current iteration of Genesis – which also includes Rutherford’s co-guitarist-bassist of 40 years, Daryl Stuermer, drummer Nic Collins (Phil’s son) and two background singers – ably working out Gabriel/Hackett vintage cuts such as the creepily psychedelic “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe),” a blowsy version of “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” and, in their encore’s finale, a haunting take on 1975’s “The Carpet Crawlers.” topped with the sinister beginnings of “Selling England by the Pound.”

Yes, Collins no longer drums or walks without a cane’s assistance, yet he truly did not seem hampered by his seating arrangement. Instead, he used his position like another tool in his artist’s arsenal.

Once a soulful vocalist of fine power, Collins, during the Philadelphia concert, nailed the hallowed highs of signature Genesis cuts such as “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight,” jumped through the prog-pop punctuation of “Turn It On Again,” and made an already-ominous (courtesy of Banks’ dramatic organ tones) “Mama” even scarier with a menacing character actor’s growl and cold, cackling laughter.

As progressive rock-turned-platinum-pop hitmakers, Genesis kept many of its tracks blunt and brief, until they didn’t. On the less expansive side, a cabaret-bluesy “That’s All,” an autumnal acoustic version of “Follow You Follow Me” and an oddly Pet Shop Boys-ish “Invisible Touch” punchily cut to the quick. A slow “Throwing It All Away” lingered longer, but was gorgeously re-arranged to suit richer, softer harmonies that highlighted its background vocalists. A tick-tock-ing “No Son of Mine” stretched out and pumped up its stammering pulse in what felt like an “In the Air Tonight” appropriation of Collins’ solo smash.

Though it started off as a crunching, stuttering counterpoint to Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey,” Genesis’ “Home by the Sea,” and its accompanying “Second Home by the Sea,” lingered much too long with not enough instrumental busywork to make it worth its weight, or wait. Luckily, Rutherford pulled out the old-school double-neck guitar-bass, ramped up a ringing Rickenbacker tone and found drama in a soulful “Fading Lights” and its fractal, immediate follow-up “The Cinema Show.” That last two-tune segue was the night’s best and most theatrical moment, an elevation of incrementally ascending chords and spacious, rivetingly complex melody that sticks to your ribs with character-driven vocals. That’s Genesis’ whole schtick in a nutshell, which they executed handsomely in a city that has always loved them dearly.

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Peter Gabriel in Attendance, Celebrates Genesis’ Final Show

by Jacob Uitti March 28, 2022, 8:30 am

Legendary U.K.-born band Genesis concluded their The Last Domino? Reunion Tour in London on Saturday night (March 26) to a sold-out crowd in the city’s O2 Arena.

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And who was there in attendance to wish them well? Former Genesis member Peter Gabriel, who famously hasn’t played with the band since the mid’80s. That’s who.

Gabriel, the former Genesis lead singer, who left the band in 1975, hasn’t played with the group since Genesis performed a one-off reunion show in 1982. Gabriel did not sit in with the band during their final string of gigs for their The Last Domino? reunion, but he was there in London for the final downbeat, celebrating his former bandmates Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks.

Genesis was formed in 1967 at Charterhouse School in the town of Godalming in the county of Surrey in England.

Collins and Gabriel posed for a photo backstage with the group’s longtime tour manager, Richard McPhail.

The fan account, World of Genesis, tweeted the photo, writing, “From tonight’s final #Genesis show in London (from left): #PeterGabriel , #PhilCollins , and Richard McPhail (long time friend and tour manager in the ‘70s). If you’ve not read Richard’s book on Genesis, you should. @genesis_band @itspetergabriel @PhilCollinsFeed “

From tonight’s final #Genesis show in London (from left): #PeterGabriel , #PhilCollins , and Richard McPhail (long time friend and tour manager in the ‘70s). If you’ve not read Richard’s book on Genesis, you should. @genesis_band @itspetergabriel @PhilCollinsFeed pic.twitter.com/Zsmo0WMGr1 — World of Genesis (@WorldofGenesis) March 27, 2022

Amidst the band’s final show in London, which included a 23-song set, Collins gave a shout-out to Gabriel in the crowd, joking that he was the person calling out to hear his song “Supper’s Ready.”

Check out some fan-shot footage from the show, including Collins’ announcement that this was the final gig ever to be played by Genesis. He joked, “After tonight we all have to get real jobs.”

Photo by Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images

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© 2024 American Songwriter

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Genesis uphold their stellar live reputation with The Last Domino?

Reuniting on stage for the first time since 2007, Genesis’ latest tour is a no-holds-barred live spectacular that simultaneously pays homage to the past while embracing the latest and greatest in touring technology.

Having first been discussed in 2019, The Last Domino? tour has been a long time coming. With rehearsals halted due to the pandemic, hard work behind the scenes during lockdown meant that the show was one of the first out of the gate when live performances were allowed to restart. Sadly, COVID-19 reared its ugly head once again and put the breaks on the last few dates of the UK tour, but with unfinished business in the UK, the trio of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks reunited on stage for Genesis fans again in 2022 for a three-day residency at the O2 Arena. TPi had been following this story having for a while, having first met the team behind the production at Manchester’s AO Arena last year, and got to to learn how this certified heritage band once again broke boundaries in live production.

LAND OF CONFUSION  

When the production first hit the road in 2021, and with this being one of the first arena shows to tour the UK since March 2020, the Genesis camp could have been excused for keeping things simple when it came to scale. However, true to form, the reformed trio were keen to live up to their tradition of awe-inspiring productions. For the few that are unaware, the band have helped the development of the touring industry, being early investors in Vari-Lite – in fact, it was the band’s long-time Manager, Tony Smith, who coined the name. And, yes, as you can imagine, a few of the company’s fixtures made their way onto the lighting rig. But more on that later…  

TPi’s first stop was to speak to Production Manager, Howard Hopkins. Like many within the camp, Hopkins has several decades of service under the Genesis mast and has worked his way through the ranks. “I was never planning to get into this business,” he reminisced. “I was volunteering at an event in Austin, Texas and I met a gentleman called Morris Lyda – the band’s PM at the time. He liked the work I was doing at the event then next thing I knew, I was being taken out on tour with the band. That was in 1986.” Hopkins, like many others on the crew, has bounced between providing services for Genesis as well as Phil Collins’ solo tours.  

The origins of The Last Domino? can be traced back to Collins’ last time out on the road. “Our last outing with Phil spanned from 2017 to 2019 when we started doing some open-air gigs in Europe – Mike + The Mechanics joined us.” During these shows, Collins did a few Genesis songs with Mike Rutherford joining him on stage. “I think that is where the seed was formed,” mused the PM.

The Last Domino? finally hit the road in September 2021, pushed back a year from its originally planned date. “COVID-19 shut everything down, but later in 2020 we still opted to go into production rehearsals,” he stated. “The justification was that we didn’t want to wait to do rehearsals until this year as there would be a huge demand on studios. This way we could get everything prepared and be ready to hit the ground running when shows returned.”  

The production brought in The Event Safety Shop (TESS) to create working protocols for the six-day rehearsal period, which involved regular PCR tests as well as remaining in a bubble for the duration. The production then brought these protocols out on the road. “We were also testing all local crew and security and, in a few cases, had to turn people away,” stated the PM. Sadly, despite all these efforts, the tour was ultimately cut short, with one of the band contracting the virus – an illustration that despite all the due diligence, no method is 100% effective.  

Away from the COVID conversation, TPi asked Hopkins what suppliers had been brought in for this grand reunion. “A lot of the companies we’ve got out with us were also on Phil’s last few outings as well as the last Genesis tour in 2007.” These included Neg Earth, providing lighting and rigging. “Stronghold Productions then supplied our riggers – namely Head Rigger, Stephen Armstrong, with Mike Fowler and Tom Armstrong,” Hopkins confirmed.  

Britannia Row Productions was brought on for audio, Matrix for Video, TRUCKINGBY Brian Yeardley, and CS UK. Also on the tour was WICREATIONS, which not only provided an impressive automation setup but also acted as the tour’s staging provider.  

The band set their sights on the US after their UK campaign, with Freight Minds overseeing the mass transit of production across the Atlantic.  

Hopkins praised the hard work of the others in his wider production team including: Tour Manager, Steve ‘Pud’ Jones;   Tour Accountant, Uwe Schmid; Tour Security, Andy Simpson and Luke Warner; and Production Assistants, Michelle Pekrol and Liz Woolnough.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by WICREATIONS Stage Motion (@wicreations_)

TURN IT ON AGAIN  

“When it comes to Genesis, as much as it’s about the music, their tours have always been about the enormity of their shows,” stated Hopkins. This wish for the big show has often meant utilising the latest and greatest technology and The Last Domino? was no exception. As the show moved through its various movements, the stage morphed in front of the audience’s eyes, with automated lighting trusses to a fully automated LED video wall. The production also attached moving lights to the rear of the 12 moving LED columns that made up the back wall to create more unique looks.

The duo responsible for this grand design was Patrick Woodroffe and Roland Greil of Woodroffe Bassett Design. Having sat down with the band and Manager Tony Smith, Woodroffe, the group’s long-time Creative Director, created the concept that incorporated all the ideas from the Genesis trio.

Operating the show on the road, Greil walked TPi through the highlights of the rig. “We started working on this back in 2019 with the goal of having it hit the road in Autumn of 2020, which obviously never happened,” outlined the LD. “But throughout 2020, we kept on working on the design and brought all the pieces together during a production rehearsal in LH2.” Prior to the rehearsals, Greil and long-time Lighting Programmer, Marc Brunkhardt had a week in Neg Earth’s wysiwyg suite to finalise all the designs.  

With all the COVID disruptions, Greil described what it was like to not have the traditional timetable of design, rehearsal, and tour. “We were lucky in that we had four production days before our first show in Birmingham. It was interesting to have such long gaps between our rehearsals and the tour beginning, but we took recordings and continued to make notes on what we could improve on in the interim.”  

The LD went on to note some of the design goals. “The thing you have to remember is the legacy of Genesis,” he stated. “They were always one to redefine boundaries and push our industry in particular investing in technology. As this is a landmark reunion, we wanted to push things again and do something that separates this from other shows.”  

Both Greil and Woodroffe were aiming to create something modern that was versatile enough to produce many types of look. “Their back catalogue goes back to the early ’70s, so it was important to be able to have looks that matched some of these tracks,” stated Greil. “We wanted to take the audience through a journey of different scenes and atmospheres, which meant it was all about transformation and metamorphosis, thinking of it more like theatre than a traditional live show.”  

The LD went through some of the highlights of the lighting rig that made their vision come to life. “The fixture that we’ve put the most faith in is the Claypaky Scenius Unico, with 148 on the rig. We also have numerous Robe BMFLs and, of course, plenty of Vari-Lite VL65000 and VL6000 Beams. The VL65000s are providing us with some big wash looks from the floor, whereas the VL6000s are up in the rig providing some back followspots.”  

Greil discussed some of the R&D that went into producing one of the more ‘out there’ design features – specifically fitting moving head fixtures to the back of the automated video wall. “We needed a fixture that was bright, lightweight and could work well in this different configuration,” he explained. The fixture both he and Woodroffe landed on was the Ayrton Karif LT. In total, the team mounted 70 of the fixtures to the rear of the video screen panels.

Elsewhere on the rig, the visual team deployed a large number of GLP impression X4 Bar 20s for some more traditional looks, as well as substituting standard Molefays with TMB Solaris Flare Q+s for the all-important audience lighting. So important was this element of the design that the visual department included two audience trusses that were rigged in the middle of the venue. “This means we can integrate the entire audience into the overall look of the show and make the experience more immersive for the crowd,” stated Greil.  

Another highlight for the LD was the Hungaro Flash T-Light Pro 85k – a strobe fixture he’d made use of during his last design with German metal icons, Rammstein. “I love these fixtures, and for a certain big strobe effect, there is no substitute.”

For a followspot system, Greil and Woodroffe opted to use a Follow-Me system, which was calibrated to 220 fixtures in the rig. However, due to the sheer amount of automation within the show, the designers had to work closely with the Follow-Me team to ensure that no matter where lights were in the physical space, they would still follow their marks. “In collaboration with WICREATIONS, which is providing the automation for this show, we are integrated via the PSN Stage Network, so wherever the pods move, the light beams will stay exactly where you want them.” This was a big undertaking, although Greil reported how he was confident they would be able to make it work – in part thanks to the support from Gary Yates and his team from Follow-Me.  

At FOH there was a sea of MA Lighting grandMA2s that were all used by the visual department. Greil operated the show from a full size with another as a backup, with Lighting Tech, Tom Bailey using a grandMA2 Light to work on the show and jump on any issue that may occur, leaving Greil to keep his focus on the performance. Also on a grandMA2 desk was Ellie Clement, who was handling the media servers for the screens.  

Completing the lighting team for the tour was Lighting Crew Chief Luke Radin, alongside Barry Branford, Neil Johnson, Matt Flood, Jim Mills, Danny Wiseman, Andy Thompson and Bianca Mastroianni.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Genesis (@genesis_band)

THE CINEMA SHOW  

Continuing the video conversation, Clement walked through her workflow that funnelled into the impressive video setup. Having been part of the Not Dead Yet tour in 2019, she was brought into this production in early 2020, just before the pandemic. With the extended hiatus from live events, the video setup saw significant rejigs to accommodate the expanding camera package, which included: a BlackMagic URSA Broadcast camera on a Canon DIGISUPER 90 Long Lens at FOH; three BlackMagic URSA Broadcast cameras, each on Blackcam Robotics track and dolly systems; two Camera Corps Q-Balls, also on a Blackcam Robotics track and dolly system; and a final two static BlackMagic Minicams mounted on the drum kit.  

“We also moved from disguise GX2s to VX4s,” furthered Clement. “I have three VX4s that operate through a Lightware matrix into NovaStar 4K processors. I also have two MA Lighting grandMA2s to accommodate the way the lighting team wanted to run the show fluidly between lighting and video cues.”

Clement worked alongside the lighting team at FOH. “I usually operate from FOH; that is where I feel most comfortable and it’s easier to communicate with other departments.”  

Unilumen X3 was used for the rear automated screen. “The screen is lightweight and high resolution,” enthused Clement, emphasising the importance of lightness.  

Pre-rendered content was created by Sam Pattinson and Gilles Maunsell from Treatment Studios. Throughout the show, the video team blended the content with live footage.  

Responsible for cutting the show live was Darren Montague, Video Director. Having worked on Phil Collins’ The First Final Farewell tour as a pit camera operator, Montague soon cemented himself within the video department and the wider production, holding the titles of Video Crew Chief for Collins’ Not Dead Yet tour in 2017, before finally taking the Director role for this tour. “It’s a production that is highly respected within the industry and one I’m very proud to be a part of,” he enthused. “My brief for the IMAG from Patrick Woodroffe was to make it quite a classical screen cut,” continued the Director. “Classical in a way that the IMAG should represent what’s happening on stage. In simple terms, if Tony Banks is playing a keyboard solo, we need to see it on the screen.”

With eight different cameras to choose from, there was no shortage of looks for Montague to create. In total, he had five camera operators looking after a range of Blackcam Robotics tower lift cameras.  

“At FOH on the long lens, we have a very talented newcomer and all-rounder, Mike Flood. The standard long lens at FOH is great for him as he’s a musician in his own right, meaning he was very quick to learn the sequences and parts of each song,” commented the Director.  

In the pit there was Rod Williams and Gordon Davies, both on remotely operated tower lift cameras, both tracking, with Ant Barrett remotely operating the two Camera Corps Q-Balls both on separate Blackcam Robotics tracks stage left and stage right. Gareth Manicom was manning a Blackmagic URSA Broadcast camera on the upstage track and dolly tower lift. “It wouldn’t be fair to mention the camera department without mentioning Ray Gwilliams who is the disguise Systems Designer and Technical Director,” stated Montague. “Ray brings so much touring experience and expertise, problem solving and racking the live cameras during the show. Technically, he is the glue that bonds the department together and we’re lucky to have him.” Also aiding the team in the build of the LED screen were Technicians, Freddy Debaillie, Patrick Vansteelant and Daan Govaerts.  

The Director went on to give his opinion on the Blackcam Robotic System used during the tour. “It’s a camera system which certainly engages both sides of the operator’s brain as it allows the camera to move on multiple axis and creates visually beautiful shots,” he commented. “It’s also a system which uses less space in the pit, allowing the barrier to be slightly closer to the stage and also, without an operator physically tracking with the camera, allows for a better viewing experience for the prime front-row seats and for the band.”  

Another interesting aspect to the remote system was that for the show a bit of software had been written to allow both camera dollies on the pit track to ‘see’ each other, allowing the operators more time to concentrate on building the video cut rather than having to think about collisions – essentially creating a safe bubble around each camera.

FOLLOW YOU FOLLOW ME  

Another of the FOH crew playing a vital role in the look of the show was Xander Ballet of WICREATIONS. Prior to the show, TPi spoke to Ballet behind the large automated video screen to discuss all the moving parts up in the sky.  

There were 23 moving objects in total, including 12 video screen sections, five lighting pods and six FX trusses – all of which was made possible with 56 automation hoists, with the entire stage having been pre-programmed and operated within WIMOTION software and controlled via its own control desk.  

“I operate the show from FOH right next to Roland,” explained Ballet. As timecode was non-existent in the Genesis camp, Roland cued the moves, which were then operated manually by Ballet.  

The automation specialist spoke candidly about the intimidating nature of this show, especially as the production were coming into this one after such a long time away from the road. “We had a really good rehearsal period at the end of last year and then the long load-in we had in Birmingham made it begin to feel natural again,” he reflected.  

This show also marked a sea change for WICREATIONS, which also provided the rolling stage for the show, rather than just automation. The stage was 18m wide by 11m deep and was flanked by two offstage band platforms as well as an upstage light shelf. The entire stage, complete with handrails and staircases, could then be packed away in 12 bespoke set carts with the goal of creating flexibility along with a quick and easy stage setup.  

The entire project was a noteworthy one for WICREATIONS as it marked the first time the team could utilise the WIMOTION CLOUD COLLABORATION. In advance of coming onsite and during lockdown, the WI team collaborated in the WICLOUD with various expertise profiles, among them the video content designers and programmers, Ellie Clement and Ray Gwilliams.

While looking skyward to the roof, it only seemed right to speak to Head Rigger, Stephen Armstrong about dealing with this large production. “The major issue from a rigging point of view was the flown weight of the upstage scenic elements including the video and lighting wall,” he began. With a wall that weighs 25.5 tonnes and a mother grid that housed five automated lighting pods weighing 23 tonnes, this was far from a light production. With all its elements, total flown show weight was 83 tonnes, hung from 134 rigging points – 48 of which were two-tonne SWL chain hoists.    

“Most large arenas in the UK, Europe and North America have a roof load limit of 50 tonnes. With the addition of other flown elements, such as audio hangs, the show weight was over some building limits and so engineers were consulted and approved rigging plans that were put into place.”  

For certain venues, there was no other option but to reduce the size of the mother grid and in some cases take out the automation elements of the rear wall.    

Aiding Armstrong out on the road were fellow riggers, Mike Fowler and Tom McKay Armstrong. “All three of us worked on the Phil Collins’ shows previously so to keep ‘Team Rigging’ together was great.”

MUSICAL BOX  

Prior to the house lights coming down, the audiophiles in the audience could not miss the sheer number of black boxes hanging in the ceiling. “Yes, we get a few of those comments,” chuckled Audio System Designer, Ben Phillips, who outlined from the beginning of our conversation that although there were numerous boxes in the air, it had nothing to do with SPL – “It’s all about coverage.”  

Phillips has worked several times with the Genesis camp, including back in 2017 with Phil Collins’ solo tour. “We’d been working on the design for this one for the best part of a year before we moved into LH2 last year.” Although the plans had been in place for a long time, Phillips explained how they were very conscious of the current situation in the industry and understood how they would need to be flexible with the inventory. “We wanted to make it easier for everyone in what has been an incredibly difficult time.”  

The PA in question – as is the preference of FOH Engineer, Michel Colin – was an L-Acoustics K1 system provided by Britannia Row Productions. The main and side hangs comprised 10 K1s and three K2s with a rear hang of 12 K2s. There was also a flown central hang of two A15s and nine KS28s. Fills comprised eight A15s, four A10s and four X8s. On the floor, 24 KS28 subs were deployed. There was also a notable delay setup, with both an inner and outer system boasting eight K1s and three KARAs, and an audience truss delay of two A10s per side. “Production has always been very generous in terms of not limiting what we can have on the audio front,” enthused Phillips, adding that the audio quality has always been held in high regard in the Genesis production. “We want to ensure that each member of the audience has the best possible sonic experience.”  

The designer pointed to the central hang as a case in point for this goal. “It’s a seated audience, but if you were just to have front fills, as soon as people stand up, the sound would only make it to the first few rows, so it was vital that we had that central hang for those in the middle of the floor.”  

Despite aiming for the most coverage, Phillips explained that due to the size of the show, he had to be very conscious of weight over the stage. “There is a lot of video, lighting and automation, so for that reason, we needed to keep our weight as low as possible.”  

One weight-saving solution was to fly the LA12X amplifiers and LS10 for each array. “Traditional amp racks were quite heavy, but these days they are really light and by flying the amplifiers, it saved us weight rather than having long lengths of heavy speaker cables that are full of copper.”  

Overseeing the mix on his trusted Avid S6L, Colin spoke about what it has been like helming the sound for the milestone tour. “I’ve worked with Phil Collins for nearly 20 years and even mixed for Genesis last time they were together in 2007,” he said. “This history meant they had confidence in my way of working and made it very smooth during the build up to this show.”  

He went on to highlight some of the things he had to consider when mixing such a heritage act. “You have to preserve the original songs. In modern mixes, you find there is a lot more low end than the original vinyl, so you want to toe the line. That said, the core of the band is keyboard, guitar and drums, so in that sense it’s simple to get your head around.”  

The Engineer gave his two cents on his control setup. “The S6L is a great console and very clear for me to use,” he explained. “I don’t have to work too hard to find various elements of the mix.” He also made use of numerous Waves plug-ins to enhance the mix.  

“One of my go-tos has been the F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ.” he stated, emphasising his use of the S6L’s onboard EQ. “There’s no timecode on this show, so it’s all very much live,” he added. “Although it’s a very digital setup, it all has a very analogue feel.”

On the other end of the audio chain and manning the band’s on-stage mixes was Alain Schneebeli. The Monitor Engineer was also using and Avid S6L and, like Colin, had amassed over two decades working with this wider production. “The setup on stage is similar to the last Genesis tour apart from there is one fewer drum kit, two backing singers as well as an acoustic set in the middle of the show.”  

The entire band was all on Shure PSM1000 with an additional d&b audiotechnik V-SUB for the drums. As for microphones, eight Shure Radio Axient Radio systems were deployed – four with sE Electronics and the others with DPA capsules.  

To close, Schneebeli gave his final thoughts on the latest run. “It has not been too challenging, especially as I’m surrounded by a great team and everyone on stage is great.” Phillips agreed: “I’m eternally grateful to everyone involved. We were not all match fit after such a long time away, but Genesis has always been a band to make an impactful production and I think we held up that tradition.”  

THE LAST DOMINO?  

For a tour that seemed to have all boxes ticked as far as COVID-19 protocols, it’s such a shame that the last few dates in the UK were cut short in 2021. Thankfully the band returned to finish what they had stated, showing off this stunning production for a multi-day residency at the 02 Arena after a jaunt across the Atlantic. The Last Domino? certainly kept the band’s reputation of stellar production alive.  

This article originally appeared in issue #269 of TPi, which you can read here .

www.genesis-music.com

www.woodroffebassett.com

www.negearth.com  

www.annavalley.co.uk

www.britanniarow.com

www.treatmentstudio.com

www.wicreations.com

www.brianyeardley.com

www.csuk.coach

www.the-eventsafetyshop.co.uk

www.freightminds.com

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Genesis ‘Turn It on Again’ at Emotional Reunion Tour Launch in Birmingham

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

When the lights dimmed at Birmingham, England’s Utilita Arena on Monday evening and Genesis walked onstage to kick off their long-awaited The Last Domino? reunion tour, it was hard not to feel just a little trepidation.

It had been 14 years since they’d played even a single song together in public, and in that time Phil Collins suffered significant health setbacks that left him frail and unable to play the drums or even stand for extended periods of time. The show was the first of their three Birmingham concerts that launched the band’s tour.

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Collins sat passively in a chair perched at the front of the stage while the band, which now includes his 20-year-old son Nicholas on drums, launched the show with the 1980 instrumental “Duke’s End.” But then they transitioned into “Turn It on Again” and all doubts about the ability of Collins to front the band melted away by the time the first verse was over. He may not have the vocal range he had in 1987 or even 2007, but he can still project with real power and conviction (no easy feat from a seated position for any vocalist), and his charisma is undiminished.

The “Duke’s End”/”Turn It on Again” double shot was the start of a delicate balancing act that continued through the whole evening where they tried to satisfy fans of their pop hits and the smaller (but far more vocal) segment that prefer their more complex prog tunes. That’s tough since “Invisible Touch” and “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” sound almost like the work of two completely different bands, but they actually found a way to make it work. The end result was one of the most satisfying reunion concerts by any band in recent memory.

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None of it would have worked if Nicholas Collins hadn’t developed the ability to play his father’s parts with remarkable precision. He’s the exact same age Collins was when he joined the band, and the mixture of DNA and years of work in his solo band have paid off in incredible ways. There were moments where Phil walked to the drum riser to watch him play an instrumental passage from up close, and his fatherly pride was clear to everybody in the arena.

Nicholas Collins is the backbone of this new incarnation of Genesis, which also includes founding members Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks, and longtime touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer. In a Genesis first, backup vocalists (Daniel Pearce and Patrick Smyth) were added to the mix to help Collins with some of the higher notes, although they only appeared on select songs and were quite unobtrusive.

The tour was originally supposed to begin in November 2020, but the pandemic forced the band to delay it first to April 2021, and finally to this month. “It’s been a long time coming,” Collins said early in the night. “We know it’s been a difficult couple of years for everybody here, and those at home. But we finally made it, and we’re going to have some fun tonight.”

That fun included expected radio hits — such as “Land of Confusion,” “Invisible Touch,” “No Son of Mine,” “Throwing It All Away,” and “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight”  — along with longtime concert staples “Home By the Sea” and “Domino.” But there were also some very unexpected diversions. There was the Duke deep cut “Duchess” (unplayed since 1981), and an acoustic mini-set (a Genesis first) that included “That’s All,” “Follow You Follow Me,” and a radically reworked “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,” which stripped away the keyboard intro and anything even remotely prog. It was “The Lamb” for coffee shops and the only real misstep of the night.

Per longstanding tradition, songs from the Peter Gabriel era were largely relegated to instrumental medleys, and only the truly faithful in the audience were likely able to discern the bits of “The Cinema Show,” “In That Quiet Earth,” and “Firth of Fifth” sprinkled throughout the set. But they did play a full version of “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe),” complete with a brief, seated version of Collin’s old tambourine dance routine.

Genesis have been pushing the boundaries of stage design since their earliest days with Peter Gabriel, and this was a particularly impressive setup with a movable lighting rig that looked like giant dominos, and a screen that showed new animations for many of the songs, including a horde of angry, masked protestors during “Land of Confusion.”

The encore opened with an inevitable “I Can’t Dance,” and in the most jarring transition of the night, they followed it with the opening verse of 1973’s “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight.” It was the first time Collins sang a note of the song since the Jimmy Carter administration, and it flowed right into a singalong rendition of “The Carpet Crawlers” from The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

That would have been the emotional high point of most Genesis shows, but that actually came much earlier in the set when they dug out “Fading Lights” for the first time since 1992. The fantastically obscure song wrapped up We Can’t Dance  and was essentially Collins saying goodbye to his Genesis bandmates, and their fans.

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“Another time it might have been so different,” Collins sang. “Oh, if only we could do it all again/But now it’s just another fading memory/Out of focus, though the outline still remains.”

He was merely 40 when he first sang those words, and they carried a very different emotional weight when he delivered them in his current physical state at 70, joined onstage only by Banks and Rutherford for the opening verse.

Collins has said he has no intention of playing with Genesis again after this tour. And unless miracles happen and Peter Gabriel returns at some future date, that means the group is done when this tour is done. But few fans could have expected a final tour this magnificent, and it’s just getting started.

Genesis ‘The Last Domino?’ September 20, 2021 Birmingham, England, Setlist

“Duke’s End” “Turn It on Again” “Mama” “Land of Confusion” “Home by the Sea” “Second Home by the Sea” “Fading Lights” “The Cinema Show” (instrumental portion) “Afterglow” “That’s All” “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” “Follow You Follow Me” “Duchess” “No Son of Mine” “Fifth of Fifth” (instrumental portion) “I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)” “Domino” “Throwing It All Away” “Tonight, Tonight, Tonight” “Invisible Touch” (Encore Break) “I Can’t Dance” “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” (first verse) “The Carper Crawlers”

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Former Genesis manager Tony Stratton-Smith celebrated in new biography

Strat! The Charismatic Life And Times Of Tony Stratton Smith will be published in June

The life of former Genesis , Van der Graaf Generator and The Nice manager and the man behind the legendary Charisma Records label, Tony Stratton-Smith, is to be celebrated in a new biography.

Strat! The Charismatic Life And Times Of Tony Stratton Smith has been written by author Chris Groom and features a foreword from Peter Gabriel and will be published on June 11 by Wymer Publishing.

A former sports journalist for the Daily Express, Strat was scheduled to cover the Red Star Belgrade v Man Utd European Cup match in Yugoslavia in 1958, but missed out to chief football correspondent Henry Rose, who would lose his life in the ensuing Munich Air Distaster.

Inspired by The Beatles , Strat moved into music, managing The Nice in 1968, and forming the Charisma Record label in 1969. he signed Genesis and released their second album Trespass in 1970. Other artists associated with label include VdGG, Marillion , Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band , Lindisfarne , Monty Python, Rare Bird, String Driven Thing and Brand X , and later as solo artists Peter Gabriel , Peter Hammill , Steve Hackett , Phil Collins and more.

The popular Stratton-Smith died of pancreatic cancer in19 March 19, 1987 aged 53. A memorial service was held for him at St. Martin's In The Field in London. Marillion's Clutching At Straws , which was released shortly after his death, was dedicated to him, as was 3's On My Way Home , from their 1988 album To The Power Of Three .

Pre--order Strat! The Charismatic Life And Times Of Tony Stratton Smith .

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Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

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Genesis: The Last Domino? Tour

• Date December 15 – 16 , 2021
• Doors All doors open at 6:45PM
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Genesis  the last domino   , fall 2021 north american tour.

Massive excitement from Genesis fans continues to push The Last Domino? North American Tour to add more dates, a 2 nd and final show in Boston at TD Garden on December 16, 2021. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 14 at 10:00am ET. Visit www.genesis-music.com for tour, ticket, and official VIP package information.

Genesis announced their highly anticipated return to North America for the first time in 14 years with The Last Domino? tour dates that will have Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford , playing major cities across the U.S. and Canada this November and December 2021. This tour includes New England’s only engagement at Boston’s TD Garden on December 15, 2021 . The group will be joined by Nic Collins on drums, and the band’s long-time lead guitar and bass player Daryl Stuermer .

Kicking off at Chicago’s United Center on November 15, 2021 , Genesis The Last Domino? North American Tour 2021 will continue on to Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia , while also making two stops in the New York metro area at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2021 , and at the brand new UBS Arena in Belmont Park on December 10, 2021 . The tour will also stop in Columbus and Pittsburgh before wrapping in Boston on December 15, 2021, at TD Garden .

The Last Domino? North American Tour 2021 marks the first time Genesis has performed stateside since 2007’s Turn It On Again: The Tour which went on to be one of the biggest grossing tours of that year playing sold out arenas and stadiums around the world. One of the most successful and legendary rock bands of all-time, Genesis has sold more than 100 million albums with numerous top 20 hits including “Invisible Touch,” “In Too Deep,” and “Turn It On Again,” while also being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Tickets for all shows will be available first through a presale powered by Ticketmaster Verified Fan on May 5, followed by the general public on-sale on May 7. The Verified Fan program aims to create a safe and reliable ticket-buying experience. It helps ensure that tickets get into the hands of real fans first. Fans must register for access between now and Sunday, May 2 at 11:59 pm ET. If verified and selected, fans can secure their tickets beginning Wednesday, May 5, at 10 am local time. 

To register, please visit www.genesis-music.com . 

Beginning May 7, tickets will be available through a public on-sale. Visit www.genesis-music.com for tour, ticket, and official VIP package information.

Venues in all the tour cities (except Cleveland and Philadelphia) will utilize Ticketmaster’s digital ticketing. With digital ticketing, your mobile phone becomes your ticket, using a unique rotating barcode for powerful fraud and counterfeit protection, and enabling a more contactless entry experience. The local box office can assist anyone without a smart phone on site at the venue.

For the biggest Genesis fans who want to get closer to the action than ever before, official VIP packages will be available for all shows! Fans can choose from a variety of VIP package options to ensure they have an unforgettable experience. Official VIP packages will be available beginning Wednesday, May 5 at 10 am local time. 

The tour and all venues will be following all mandated precautions in accordance with state and local regulations so as to provide the most secure, Covid-19-free environment possible.

Genesis The Last Domino? North American Tour 2021 is promoted by EMC Presents by arrangement with Solo and Tony Smith Personal Management. Produced by Frank J. Russo.

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