The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour[1][2] was a North American and European concert tour by English rock band Genesis. It began on 20 November 1974 in Chicago, ended on 22 May 1975 in Besançon, France, and promoted their 1974 album of the same name. At each show, the album was played in its entirety, with one or two older songs as encores.[3] The group's final tour with singer Peter Gabriel, it was marked by extensive theatricality, with multiple costumes worn by Gabriel, three backdrop screens that displayed 1,450 slides from eight projectors, laser lighting, and practical effects.

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour
Concert by Genesis
Associated albumThe Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Start date20 November 1974
End date22 May 1975
Legs2
No. of shows104 (108 scheduled)
Genesis concert chronology

Overview

Rutherford, Gabriel, and Collins performing at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre on November 20, 1974. Gabriel is wearing the Slipperman costume.

Genesis supported the album with a tour across North America and Europe, playing the album in its entirety with one or two older songs as encores.[4] Such a format was not supported by the entire band considering most of the audience were not yet familiar with the large amount of new material. The tour was scheduled to begin on 29 October 1974 with an 11-date tour of the UK that sold out within four hours of going on sale, but they were rescheduled for 1975 after guitarist Steve Hackett had crushed a wine glass in his left hand which severed a tendon and needed time to recover. The group lost money as they were unable to recoup deposits they had paid the venues.[5][6] The tour began on 20 November in Chicago,[7] and ended on 22 May 1975 in Besançon, France.[3] The last two scheduled concerts on 24 and 27 May in Toulouse and Paris, respectively, were cancelled due to low ticket sales.[8] Gabriel marked the occasion of his final show with the group by playing the "Last Post" on his oboe.[9] Hackett estimated the band's debts at £220,000 at the tour's end.[10]

The tour featured at the time some of the biggest instruments used by the band, including Rutherford's double-neck Rickenbacker and the largest drum kit ever used by Collins. The tour's stage show involved three backdrop screens that displayed 1,450 slides, designed by Geoffrey Shaw, from eight projectors[11] and a laser lighting display.[12] Banks recalled the slides only came close to working perfectly on four or five occasions.[8] The tour was the high point of Gabriel's use of theatrics and costumes. He changed his appearance with a short haircut and styled facial hair[6] and dressed as Rael in a leather jacket, T-shirt and jeans. During "The Lamia", he surrounded himself with a spinning cone-like structure decorated with images of snakes. In the last verse, the cone would collapse to reveal Gabriel wearing a body suit that glowed from lights placed under the stage. "The Colony of Slippermen" featured Gabriel as one of the Slippermen, covered in lumps with inflatable genitalia that emerged onto the stage by crawling out of a penis-shaped tube.[13] Gabriel recalled the difficulty in placing his microphone near his mouth while in the costume.[8] "Phil Collins hated the Slipperman outfit," Gabriel admitted to Mark Blake. "In fact, the whole band did, especially the fact that it had these huge inflatable testicles… But I was acting out a character and the audience were getting off on it. I was the interpreter between the band and the audience. Actually, Phil always appreciated that, but I don't think the others always did."[14] Collins admitted at times the tour was ostentatious and "inspiration for Spinal Tap." For "it.", an explosion set off twin strobe lights that reveal Gabriel and a dummy figure dressed identically on each side of the stage, leaving the audience clueless as to which was real. The performance ended with Gabriel vanishing from the stage in a flash of light and a puff of smoke.[8] During the final concert of the tour, roadie Geoff Banks acted as the dummy on stage, wearing nothing but a leather jacket.[15]

In one concert review, the theatrics for "The Musical Box", the show's encore and once the band's stage highlight, was seen as "crude and elementary" compared to the "sublime grandeur" of The Lamb... set.[16] Music critics often focused their reviews on Gabriel's theatrics and took the band's musical performance as secondary which irritated the rest of the band.[17] Collins later said, "People would steam straight past Tony, Mike, Steve and I, go straight up to Peter and say, "You're fantastic, we really enjoyed the show." It was becoming a one-man show to the audience."[15] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called the tour "a spectacle on par with anything attempted in the world of rock to that point".[18]

Gabriel's departure

During their stop in Cleveland in November 1974, Gabriel told the band he would leave at the conclusion of the tour.[4] The decision was kept a secret from outsiders and media all through the tour, and Gabriel promised the band to stay silent about it for a while after its end in June 1975, to give them some time to prepare for a future without him. By August, the news had leaked to the media anyway, and Gabriel wrote a personal statement to the English music press titled "Out, Angels Out" to explain his reasons and his view of his career up to this point; the piece was printed in several of the major rock music magazines.[19] In his open letter, he explained his disillusion with the music industry and his wish to spend extended time with his family.[20] Banks later stated, "Pete was also getting too big for the group. He was being portrayed as if he was 'the man' and it really wasn't like that. It was a very difficult thing to accommodate. So it was actually a bit of a relief."[4]

Recordings

No complete performance of the album has been officially released apart from the majority of the band's performance from 24 January 1975 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles that was released as part of the Genesis Archive 1967–75 box set.[21] Some tracks feature re-recorded vocals from Gabriel and guitar parts from Hackett and a remixed studio version of "it.", also with re-recorded vocals. The album's 2007 reissue features the album with a visual reconstruction of the tour's stage show using the original backdrop slides, audience bootleg footage, and photographs.

Tour band

Set list

An average set list for this tour is as follows:[22][23]

  1. "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway"
  2. "Fly on a Windshield"
  3. "Broadway Melody of 1974"
  4. "Cuckoo Cocoon"
  5. "In the Cage"
  6. "The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging"
  7. "Back in N.Y.C."
  8. "Hairless Heart"
  9. "Counting Out Time"
  10. "The Carpet Crawlers"
  11. "The Chamber of 32 Doors"
  12. "Lilywhite Lilith"
  13. "The Waiting Room"
  14. "Anyway"
  15. "Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist"
  16. "The Lamia"
  17. "Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats"
  18. "The Colony of Slippermen"
  19. "Ravine"
  20. "The Light Dies Down on Broadway"
  21. "Riding the Scree"
  22. "In the Rapids"
  23. "it"
Encore
  1. "The Musical Box"

Other songs performed during this tour were:

Before the last show of the tour started, Gabriel played the "Last Post" on oboe solo.[24]

Tour dates

Date City Country Venue
North America
20 November 1974ChicagoUnited StatesAuditorium Theatre
21 November 1974
22 November 1974IndianapolisIndiana Convention Center
23 November 1974St. LouisAmbassador Theatre
25 November 1974ClevelandMusic Hall
26 November 1974
27 November 1974ColumbusOhio Theatre
28 November 1974DetroitDetroit Masonic Temple
29 November 1974Fort WayneNational Guard Armory
30 November 1974PittsburghSyria Mosque
1 December 1974BaltimoreLyric Opera House
3 December 1974Washington, D.C.Warner Theater
4 December 1974RichmondMosque Theater
5 December 1974PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Convention Hall and Civic Center
6 December 1974New York CityAcademy of Music
7 December 1974
8 December 1974ProvidencePalace Concert Theater
9 December 1974BostonMusic Hall
11 December 1974AlbanyPalace Theatre
12 December 1974WaterburyPalace Theater
13 December 1974PassaicCapitol Theatre
14 December 1974IndianapolisMarket Square Arena
15 December 1974MontrealCanadaMontreal Forum
16 December 1974TorontoMaple Leaf Gardens
17 December 1974RochesterUnited StatesAuditorium Theatre
18 December 1974BuffaloCentury Theatre
9 January 1975West Palm BeachWest Palm Beach Auditorium
10 January 1975
11 January 1975LakelandLakeland Civic Center
13 January 1975AtlantaMunicipal Auditorium
15 January 1975New OrleansNew Orleans Music Hall
17 January 1975HoustonHouston Music Hall
18 January 1975University ParkMcFarlin Auditorium
19 January 1975Oklahoma CityCivic Center Music Hall
20 January 1975PhoenixPhoenix Civic Center
21 January 1975BoulderMacky Auditorium
22 January 1975BerkeleyBerkeley Community Theatre
24 January 1975Los AngelesShrine Auditorium
25 January 1975San DiegoGolden Hall
26 January 1975BerkeleyBerkeley Community Theatre
28 January 1975PhoenixCivic Plaza Assembly Hall
1 February 1975Kansas CityKansas Memorial Hall
2 February 1975Grand RapidsGrand Valley State University
3 February 1975Fort WayneAllen County War Memorial Coliseum
4 February 1975ChicagoArie Crown Theater
Europe
19 February 1975OsloNorwayEkeberghallen
21 February 1975CopenhagenDenmarkFalkoner Center
22 February 1975HanoverGermanyNiedersachsenhalle
23 February 1975BerlinEissporthalle
24 February 1975AmsterdamNetherlandsRoyal Theater Carré
25 February 1975
26 February 1975CambraiFrancePalais des Grottes
28 February 1975ColmarThéâtre du Parc des Expositions
1 March 1975DijonPalais des Sports de Dijon
2 March 1975Saint-ÉtiennePalais des Sports de Saint-Étienne
3 March 1975ParisPalais des Sports
6 March 1975CascaisPortugalPavilhao de Esportes
7 March 1975
9 March 1975BadalonaSpainNuevo Pabellón Club Juventud
10 March 1975
11 March 1975MadridPabellón del Real Madrid
17 March 1975ParisFrancePalais des Sports
22 March 1975AnnecySalle d'Expositions
24 March 1975TurinItalyPalaRuffini
26 March 1975OffenburgGermanyOrtenauhalle
27 March 1975NurembergMessezentrum
29 March 1975BernSwitzerlandFesthalle
30 March 1975SaarbrückenGermanySaarlandhalle
1 April 1975LudwigshafenFriedrich-Ebert-Halle
2 April 1975StuttgartKillesberghalle
3 April 1975FrankfurtJahrhunderthalle
4 April 1975MunichRudi-Sedlmayer-Halle
5 April 1975EppelheimRhein-Neckar-Halle
6 April 1975DüsseldorfPhilips Halle
7 April 1975DortmundWestfalenhallen
8 April 1975HamburgCongress Center Hamburg
10 April 1975GroningenNetherlandsMartinihal-Centrum
11 April 1975RotterdamSportpaleis
12 April 1975BrusselsBelgiumForest National
14 April 1975LondonEnglandEmpire Pool
15 April 1975
16 April 1975SouthamptonGaumont Theatre
18 April 1975LiverpoolLiverpool Empire Theatre
19 April 1975
20 April 1975
22 April 1975EdinburghScotlandUsher Hall
23 April 1975
24 April 1975Newcastle upon TyneEnglandNewcastle City Hall
25 April 1975
27 April 1975ManchesterPalace Theatre
28 April 1975
29 April 1975BristolColston Hall
30 April 1975
1 May 1975BirminghamBirmingham Hippodrome
2 May 1975
8 May 1975AntwerpBelgiumSportpaleis
9 May 1975BremenGermanyStadthalle Bremen
10 May 1975KielOstseehalle
11 May 1975EssenGrugahalle
12 May 1975WiesbadenRhein am Main Halle
13 May 1975MünsterHalle Münsterland
15 May 1975ReimsFrancePatinoire
16 May 1975
18 May 1975San SebastiánSpainVelódromo de San Sebastián
20 May 1975ParisFrancePalais des Sports
21 May 1975CambraiPalais des Grottes
22 May 1975BesançonPalais des Sports de Besançon
24 May 1975ToulouseParc des Expositions

References

Citations

  1. "Genesis – The Movement – Gig Guide: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour (Oct 1974 – May 1975)". Genesis-Movement.org.
  2. "Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour". TheGenesisArchive.co.uk.
  3. Genesis 2007, p. 349.
  4. Genesis 2007, p. 158.
  5. "Genesis tour is called off!". New Musical Express. 26 October 1974. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  6. Welch, Chris (26 October 1974). "The New Face of Gabriel". Melody Maker: 28–29. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  7. Bright, Spencer (1999). Peter Gabriel: An Authorized Biography. Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 0-283-06187-1. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  8. Genesis (1991). Genesis: A History (VHS). PolyGram Video.
  9. Platts 2001, p. 83.
  10. Platts 2001, p. 82.
  11. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 100.
  12. Platts 2001, p. 95.
  13. Platts 2001, p. unknown.
  14. Blake, Mark (December 2011). "Cash for questions: Peter Gabriel". Q. p. 44.
  15. Genesis 2007, p. unknown.
  16. Rudis, Al (7 December 1974). "Impressive Genesis hit new heights". Melody Maker: 28. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  17. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 93.
  18. "Genesis Biography". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
  19. Eric (13 February 2012). "Peter Gabriel's letter to media on why he left Genesis". That Eric Alper. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  20. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 107.
  21. Platts 2001, p. 81.
  22. "Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour (20/11/1974 – 27/5/1975)". BluesNaggletooth12.com.
  23. "Search for setlists: artist:(Genesis) tour:(The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour) – setlist.fm". Setlist.fm.
  24. Genesis: A History (1991)

Bibliography

  • Banks, Tony; Collins, Phil; Gabriel, Peter; Hackett, Steve; Rutherford, Mike (2007). Dodd, Philipp (ed.). Genesis. Chapter and Verse. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0-297-84434-1.
  • Platts, Robin (2001). Genesis: Inside & Out (1967–2000). Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN 978-1-896-52271-5.
  • Bowler, Dave; Dray, Bryan (1992). Genesis – A Biography. Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN 978-0-283-06132-5.
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