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Rating: 1980 is a pivotal year for Genesis. It marks the beginning of the golden period that will lead them to sell millions of records and reap the benefits of all they had sown in previous years.
"Duke" is up to this point their best-selling album, a genuine best-seller that also managed to finally break through in the USA with music that wasn't exactly very easy, yet much more direct. The documentation that captures the tour supporting the LP is a concert recorded by the BBC on May 6th, '80, at the Lyceum Ballroom in London; of course, it is a bootleg, but it is widely distributed and of good, if not excellent, quality. It must be said right away that the exceptional live activity period for Genesis begins at this time, as they become fully aware of their abilities and offer the audience truly intense and exciting concerts. The sound is powerful, Collins is a seasoned stage animal, and Gabriel by now is only a memory. Phil is much more direct, jokes with the audience, and uses his acting skills to engage the fans. The others are more at ease and decidedly more relaxed compared to the Gabriel era, when everyone was focused on their instruments and the show was entirely centered on the enigmatic stage presence of the singer.
The concert setlist is the best for the period, opening with "Deep in the Motherlode". A captivating performance but merely a warm-up, as is the tease of "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight". With "The Carpet Crawlers", Collins starts to take more command of the scene and delivers the first magical moments. With the powerful "Squonk" and the dreamy "One for the Vine", the band is now in full swing. The execution of "One for the Vine" is splendid; it's wonderful to see Collins and Thompson duet together on the powerful rhythmic part of the song, ten minutes of magic labeled Banks. With the "Duke's Suite", incredible peaks are reached, everything works wonderfully, and the tracks from the new album fit perfectly with "Say It's Alright Joe" (the curious skit between Phil the drunkard and Tony the pianist Joe) and the reborn "The Lady Lies" with its beautiful crescendo finale that live is even more effective. Between a high-energy "Dance on a Volcano" and a "Follow You Follow Me" for the female audience, the group performs "The Cage" (the embryonic form of the medley with "Slipperman"), "Los Endos", and "I Know What I Like", which concludes and extends for ten minutes with the usual tambourine act of Collins that also involves the poor Rutherford.
The following "Abacab" tour will perfect the concept of a more rock and less poetic show, adding "Abacab" and "Dodo," but for many critics, the "Duke's tour" remains one of Genesis' finest moments and this concert fully demonstrates it.
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