WHEN IN ROME

This DVD is just stunning. Of course has some weak points but as an average is 5 stars. This are my reasons:

The overall concept of the show is fantastic. Specially the screen and the videos that accompany the tracks. The sound is great. As a DVD has better sound than the CD Live over Europe. The three DVD set is a big reason to bought it. Every song has an attachment in which you can see the band talking or showing moments related with the tracks. The third DVD is almost a movie which will catch you. The image and the overall production is perfect. The set list is really balanced between progressive tracks, pop hits and non prog nor pop. Counting the progressive tracks and what I call modern prog (like Home by the sea and Domino) we have almost 80 min. The pop hits (including No son of mine and Tonight?) is almost 50 min. Apart are Mama and Drum duet.

The tracks

Duke's intro: A great way to start the show. Genesis tries to show that they give much importance to the instrumental sections, and that will be demonstrated along the show. The track is a mix between the Behind the lines intro and Duke`s end.

Turn it on again: Not the best version of this great track. It lacks of some strength, in the Phil's voice and in the rhythm guitar.

No son of mine: Very good version, in the same way than The way we walk. The last part is even better, specially because the Collins vocalization.

Land of confusion: Strong version, in the vein of the other ones before.

In the cage/Cinema Show/Duke's Travels: The absolute highlight of the show. In the cage is good but not better than the predecessors. It's slower than the Three sides live version for example, and Phil's sings it more in the vein of the album version. The screen with the man running is superb. But when you get into Cinema Show, I can feel that is enough to buy the DVD. This version is uncredible. The best version ever of this fantastic track. The drums and the bass are really stunning, but the best thing is the keyboard sound. It's really monstrous and seems to fill everything. Just give me the chills everytime I listen it. Then the instrumental medley gets into an excerpt of Duke's Travels in which the melody line is replaced by a guitar solo. And here Stuermer sounds great. This melody in a guitar solo is really emotional.

Afterglow: Duke's travels flows into Afterglow in a good version of that anthem. It can't reach the Three sides live one, because Phil's voice can't do this anymore, but is good too, especially the full orchestra ending.

Hold on my heart: Why the band included this track in the set list? I don't know. Seems to be that this track has some special feeling for them. Very similar to the other live versions.

Home by the sea: Another highlight. Phil sings in a low key and sounds really great. The screen gives a great accompaniment. The instrumental second home by the sea is stunning.

Follow you follow me: For a first time Phil sings as he plays drums (just like in the video clip) and for the first time too, the track sounds very similar to album version. Good. The screen shows movement of Albert, the beast of A trick of the tail, and father and son of We can't dance.

Firth of fifth: For this time the band plays again only the instrumental section but with a proper intro. Tony plays as speed as always and Daryl shines with a rougher solo than other times. Harder but really good.

I know what I like: A complete version pretty similar than the Seconds Out version. Very well sung by Collins.

Mama: Good but not the best. Especially because Phil can not shout like in the past. He tries to control his voice.

Ripples: Other highlight. They played the complete song with the fantastic instrumental interlude. All sounds great with this magic images on the screen. The version is really good. Better than the one in the Archive 2. At the end Daryl plays a short but excellent guitar solo.

Throwing it all away: Here the people sings with the band. Similar than other versions.

Domino: Another highlight. The band sounds great once more and Phil sings really good. In the first section of The Last Domino Phil is not on the stage and his face appears singing dramatically in the center on the screen surrounded by a vortex.

Conversations with 2 stools: A new version of the drum duet. They start playing over barstools for move themselves to the drums kit after.

Tonight, tonight, tonight/ Invisible touch: Similar than the TWWW versions.

I can't dance: As the one before. The novelty is on the screen.

Carpet crawlers: An outstanding ending of a great show. Phil sings in a low key and gets closer of Peter in the original version. They change the conventional ending to a more pompous one accord to the end of the show.

The movie and the track attachments are great too. There you can see how Tony Banks is the absolute musical leader of the band. He knows all the harmonies, notes and every from each song, and teaches it to the rest. In the movie you can see how Tony and Mike are the basement of the band and how they are in all the details. Phil put all his effort but rests much in Tony and Mike, and as always he brings the humor side. The movie even has some suspense.

A band who plays progressive rock for 500.000 people in the XXI century? Only Genesis can do this. Absolutely recommended.

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