Project Description

NOT DEAD YET

PHIL COLLINS

@ RAC ARENA 

28/01/19

(Live Review)

Reviewer: Vicky Hebbs 

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Phil Collins walks onstage at RAC Arena with a walking stick, and waves to the audience; in the first few seconds, the elephant in the room has been illuminated under a bright hot stage light. Sitting down in his barber’s shop chair, Phil tells the audience, “I had a back operation, and my foot’s f—ed,” his explanation ending with, “That won’t stop us having some fun.” He may as well say, And now, can we get on with the music. Kicking off with ballad, Against All Odds, the first thing that strikes me is just how good his voice is. Collins’ voice remains as crisp and unique as it is on his records.

For the Genesis fans, there are three big Genesis numbers played through the night. Throwing It All Away and Follow You Follow Me are accompanied by a series of photos and video footage of the band throughout the years. Some are cheeky snaps of Phil larking about or on the drums, while others are snapshots of music videos, such as the famous Land of Confusion music video, featuring puppets from 1980s UK show, Spitting Image.

His hit cover of You Can’t Hurry Love is a definite crowd-pleaser, pushing many people (finally!) out of their seats to clap, sway and sing along. Collins himself may not be able to get out of his chair, but his backing singers and band all know how to work the stage, while not detracting from the star of the show.

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Phil was always renowned for his drumming, but now that he is physically unfit to drum, he has brought his son on tour with him. Seventeen-year-old Nicholas plays a spectacular solo, accompanied after a few minutes of hardcore drumming by world-famous percussionist, Dr Richie Gajate Garcia.

While the rest of the band leave the stage, Collins sits to observe the pair drumming, especially his son. Phil has said on many occasions that his son is a better drummer than he was at his age. The three of them then sit together and beat smaller percussion drums with their bare hands in a fierce rhythm.

As always, he brings along longest-serving member Darryl  Stuermer on lead guitar, who is best known for playing guitar for Genesis during live shows. He has been on every solo tour and also played on all of Collins’ solo albums. Then there is the ridiculously long-bearded Leland Sklar and vocalist Arnold McCuller, a man with a divine voice who has toured with James Taylor. Last but by no means least, Ronnie Caryl, Phil’s friend of fifty years, plays acoustic and electric guitar throughout the set. The pair played together in band Flaming Youth before Phil joined Genesis. 

Nicholas accompanies his father’s vocals on piano for You Know What I Mean from Face Value, his first solo album released in 1981. It is lovingly played and sung, with close-ups of the father-son duo on the big screens, though Collins jokes he “had to relearn the lyrics,” it has been so long since he last sung the number.

In The Air Tonight has the most impressive production value, with a dark intro sequence and bold lighting. Nicholas tackles the drum solo brilliantly, and the song carries all the gravitas of an anthem.

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Genesis number, Invisible Touch, is a major highlight. It is rare for Phil to play a Genesis song at his solo concerts, so it is a pleasure to hear their songs expand the set. Separate Lives, a song featured in motion picture White Nights, is sung as a duet in which the voices of Collins and Brigette Bryant complementing one another beautifully. They sit tilted shoulder to shoulder so the audience can see both of their parts equally.

1984 hit Easy Lover is a definite highlight of the show, Collins’ vocals supported by the soulful voices of his backup singers. It is one that the audience lap up for its easy lyrics and smooth harmonies, most people unable to resist the pull to sing along. It is a humorous moment when backup singers McCuller and Amy Keys jokingly flirt during the song for Collins’ attention, alluding to the lyrics of the song. It is instance like these that spice up a show that could easily become less entertaining were the focus solely on Phil’s singing abilities.

Finale Sussudio and encore Take Me Home end the night on a high note, the audience clapping, singing or just standing to applaud the performance of Phil and his fellow musicians.

For decades now, Phil Collins has been a polarising solo musician. Some critics have never quite got over the fact he saturated the airways with cheesy pop hits back in the 1980s; but if he was overplayed, it is because he was, and still is, loved by millions of fans worldwide. Though he may not be able to drum the way he was once famous for, Not Dead Yet is solely, and satisfyingly, a tour for the fans.

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Check out Karen Lowe‘s gallery of the show HERE

Connect with PHIL COLLINS 

Website –Facebook

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AMNPLIFY – DT