Steve Hackett, best known for his groundbreaking work with Genesis and extensive solo career, will return to Buffalo this fall with a tour that includes selections from one of Genesis’s most ambitious recordings, “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.” Hackett performs on Oct. 5 at Kleinhans Music Hall.
The tour, billed as “Genesis Greats, Lamb Highlights & Solo,” revisits selections from the 1974 double album. The record, initially performed in full during Hackett’s tenure with Genesis, has long been considered both a fan favorite and a challenging work to stage. It was also Peter Gabriel’s final record with Genesis. For Hackett, revisiting it today is not just about nostalgia, but about finding new ways to bring the material to life.
“I hadn’t played ‘Lilywhite Lilith’ since we did The Lamb,” Hackett said during a recent phone interview. “But when I play songs like ‘The Chamber of 32 Doors’ now, with the guitars I use, I can make them sustain like crazy. I can rival the vocal, make it sound like a voice. It’s superb live.”
Hackett, now 75, has shown little interest in slowing down. He continues to record and release new albums regularly, all while touring the globe. He had just returned from a whirlwind trip to Japan when he spoke about the demands of the road. “The gigs are wonderful,” he said. “You come off stage, the audience has loved it, the band are happy, and it’s a moment of grace. That’s what drives it. It’s not flying around the world twice just to do a few shows. It’s that moment when you’ve given it your all and people feel it.”
The Buffalo performance comes just as Hackett releases a new concert film, “Live at the Royal Albert Hall,” capturing him and his band on one of rock’s most storied stages. “Every great performer in the world has been on that stage,” Hackett said of the London venue. “My mother was at the gig and she said, ‘It’s the best show I’ve ever seen.’ and she’s seen me perform live for over 50 years.”
Hackett’s career has always straddled the line between virtuosity and accessibility. Though he is often described as a cornerstone of progressive rock, he bristles at the label. “I think of it as inclusive music. Any style is welcome,” he explained. “Genesis was full of surprises. You’d hear something and not even know if it was a guitar or a keyboard. I love that sense of surprise. It’s what attracted me in the first place.”
That ethos continues to guide his solo work. Hackett insists that new material is essential for keeping the classics fresh. “Doing new things validates the old stuff and vice versa,” he said. “Some people come for Genesis, others for my solo work, but there’s an audience for both. I think that balance keeps it all alive.”
A key part of that balance is the band surrounding him, particularly vocalist Nad Sylvan, who has the unenviable task of handling songs originally sung by both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. “I thought he was the successor to Gabriel and Collins,” Hackett said. “He has that ability to be other things, to embody different voices, but he’s also himself. It’s like being in a band full of generals — they’re all brilliant.”
Hackett has a special connection with American audiences, having toured the United States frequently both with Genesis and as a solo artist. “America’s been very, very kind to me,” he said. “I’ve sometimes done six months at a stretch living out of a suitcase in America. It’s where the music is.”
For Buffalo fans, the setting couldn’t be better. Kleinhans Music Hall, home of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, has hosted a diverse range of artists, from Led Zeppelin to contemporary symphonic ensembles. Hackett is looking forward to bringing his blend of classical influence and rock firepower to the venue.
“I’m as big a fan of Tchaikovsky as I am of Jimi Hendrix,” he said. That dual passion is evident in the way Hackett structures his concerts, part rock show, part symphonic journey, and always unpredictable.
As he prepares to take the Kleinhans stage, Hackett is both reflective and restless, still searching for the next musical challenge. “I’m just a complete idealist,” he admitted. “I never want to whittle it down. I want music to be as inclusive and surprising as it can be.”
For fans, that idealism translates into a live show that is equal parts history lesson and forward-looking experiment. Hackett’s guitar may have helped shape Genesis classics like “Firth of Fifth” and “The Musical Box.” However, his current performances prove that his approach to music is still evolving.