From: Doug Melbourne <100570.3706@compuserve.com>
The Grey Horse is the smallest venue we play, an intimate back room of a pub,
which just about holds 100 people. It's a good atmosphere. So, there I was,
minding my own business, when our erstwhile roady Andy leads me into the main
bar. Oh no. Over the other side of the room sits Steve Hackett and Kim Poor.
We have a hasty discussion - do we tell Steve (our guitarist)? We decide we'd
better. He takes it pretty well. He stares at his half finished pint of lager,
and says "Hmm. Maybe I won't finish that pint!"
It's 9 o'clock. The audience crowd in, and, for the first time in many years, I
have stage fright. We all have! Our door person, who is relatively new to the
Genesis thing, doesn't recognise him and charges him four quid (She apologises
to him afterwards)! Steve Hackett stands near the front, a few feet away from
where I sit shaking. Watcher of the Skies is shaky, to say the least. But after
that, although we are a bit tense, the gig settles down. Astonishingly I even
get the piano intro to Firth of Fifth right! I am in a panic throughout the
guitar solo, but Steve is right on the case. All night I try to imagine what it
must be like for him playing that solo - I'm shaking like a leaf, and I'm the
keyboard player!
The audience soon pick up on the great man's presence, and do their bit. No-one
hassles Mr. Hackett, which is great. It's the only time ever that everyone stays
silent while Glyn puts on the flower mask!
The other numbers go reasonably. Steve Hackett is still there during Supper. I
feel certain that he will go before the end, and we'll never know what he
thought. But there is a happy ending to this tale - after our 2nd encore, he
introduces himself and stays to chat for 45 minutes! There were many interesting
things said, but our Steve shaking Steve Hackett's hand was the big moment for
me!
Mr. Hackett said he enjoyed the show, and during the Musical Box and Supper's
Ready was taken back to the old days. A couple of comments he made to Steve
Marsh -
"I see you've put yourself through the same torture that I used to go through!"
"I never realised until I watched you how complicated it all was!"
All in all, a big night!
All the best,
Doug
To: Paperlate
Cc: DAVID BANJO <100127.612@compuserve.com>
Subject: The longest night...
Sender: paperlate-owner@ansto.gov.au
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Reply-To: Doug Melbourne <100570.3706@compuserve.com>
I guess it had to happen sometime...
