Mike and the Mechanics “Turn it On Again” for their first tour in 25 years.
Mike Rutherford takes his band on a “Hits” tour with a stop at Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, following a 2011 release entitled “The Road.” As a diehard Genesis fan, how could I pass up the opportunity to see one of the groups’ founding members in an intimate setting, just a 20 minute walk from my front door? Though many people can identify Genesis (whether they would like to forget Peter Gabriel in a flower costume or not) for their name before listing the songs they wrote, Mike and the Mechanics has the reverse effect on the nostalgic brain; they usually know the song and have no idea who played it. “OOOH that song is by THEM?”
The band was reformed in 2010 with the addition of two new singers, Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar, and joined by keyboardist Luke Juby and Guitarist/Bassist Anthony Drennan. Drummer Gary Wallis, upon introduction, announced to a surprised Rutherford that he had been with the band for over 20 years.
The show kicked off with 5 oldies from the band’s catalogue, spanning from the mid 80’s to the mid 2000’s. We are immediately aware that the band is flawless in performance and obviously chosen by the picky Rutherford; his attention to detail, along with Tony Banks’ and Phil Collins’, helped push Genesis beyond the high walls of expectation erected by Peter Gabriel in the 1970s. The powerful and loud range of Canadian-born Tim Howar sounded uncannily like that of Mr. Phil Collins (coincidence?) and Roachford’s soulful southern timbre had the warmth to melt the panties off any unsuspecting misses.
The band only played two songs from “The Road”, which were flanking the first of two Genesis covers, “Turn it On Again.” Roachford was the highlight of my night, getting the almost-silent Toronto crowd clapping, singing and standing up and Howar kept everybody energetic with his stage presence and live flare. Guitarist Anthony Drennan fired up some hot licks and laid down some cool basslines, but the real treat was to see Rutherford take up his four string and groove along.
By the third act of the night, Mike and the Mechanics were flying high on energy like the warmed up engine of a 1969 Chevy Chevelle. It all started with a Roachford cover of one of his biggest hits, “Cuddly Toy.” The song was a celebration and the atmosphere was probably similar to a James Brown concert. After a standing ovation, Howar came back as the frontman to do his best Phil Collins during “I Can’t Dance.” With Rutherford as mainly a bassist, we got to see him on a Fender Stratocaster for the majority of the show, demonstrating that he ‘aint too bad at the ‘ol six string.
The most memorable moment for me was when Roachford sang my favourite Mike and the Mechanics tune, “The Living Years.” The song, being so emotional, had everybody holding their breaths and listening to every lyric uttered. This, then contrasted by the big hit “All I Need Is A Miracle,” rounded up a great set for the evening and an even more exciting encore that had a wicked drum solo by Gary Wallis, and consequently, everybody out of their seats.
The night was a blast and I would recommend you catch Mike and the Mechanics at one of their upcoming stops:
Verdict: 3.5 out of 5 – The band Genesis had such a profound effect on my musical influence and to witness one of their co-founders on stage was something very special. This musician had literally seen it all, from playing in a boxing ring with a flamboyant fox-headed frontman, headlining sold out arenas, remodeling of his bands’ sound, song writing and image with great success, forming a #1 chart-topping side project and most importantly, being a major player in the pioneering and evolving of the musical genre known as progressive rock. With a smile on his face throughout the entire performance, and with such a rich history behind him, you knew he was there for the pure enjoyment and expression of his music. I’ll say it loud and I’ll say it clear, rock and roll is alive and well.
Mike and the Mechanics – The Living Years (feat. Paul Carrack)
