Steve Hackett, the “Divine One”, Vicenza 24/04/2013

Steve Hackett, the “Divine One”, sells-out in Vicenza concert

Former Genesis guitar supremo Steve Hackett, also known as the “Divine One”, revisited for two-and-half hours old Genesis songs.

One of the world’s greatest guitarists, Steve Hackett of Genesis fame, revisited old tunes which made his former band perhaps the greatest all-time progressive rock bands in the world in a sold-out concert in the splendid city of Vicenza.   A positive sign of what type of evening it would turn out to be when prior to the concert Hackett even took the time to sign autographs for adoring Genesis fans in the theater’s main hall, as well as toasting at the end of his outstanding show with a handful of fans who simply wanted to say grazie to this extraordinary musician for 40 years of wonderful music.

Backed-up by a superb five-piece band, including singer Nad Sylvan whose exquisite voice reminded all 3,000 fans of Genesis’s unforgettable front man, Peter Gabriel,  Hackett took everyone down a very memorable memory lane of the former British band’s greatest hits, such as “I Know What I Like (in your Wardrobe”) and “The Musical Box”, just to name a few.  

Hackett joined Genesis in 1971, replacing Anthony Phillips on guitar, after having placed an ad in “Melody Maker” magazine which read the following: “Guitarist and composer full of imagination is looking for determined musicians who want to rise from the current stagnant musical scene”!  And so it was that both Peter Gabriel and keyboard maestro Tony Banks paid Hackett a visit to his home.  And the rest is history, including their epic albums, “The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway” (1974) and “Selling England By The Pound” (1973), an album deemed by many as the absolute apex of progressive rock. During the recording of the live album “Seconds Out” (1977) Hackett decided to leave and to eventually dedicate his life to a solo career.  Fans worldwide have always hoped and dreamed of a magical reunion with Hackett’s old mates.  Will that dream indeed ever happen?  

 

Indeed an unforgettable concert in Vicenza (including a stupendous and moving guitar piece by Hackett which lasted 25 minutes), thanks also to the folks over at  Blueskypromotion.