The band returns to the stage in London for the first time since they played a farewell show in December 2004
Gene at Hammersmith Apollo, 4 October
★★★★
In 2004, Gene started their previous gig in the capital with London, Can You Wait? Much has changed in the intervening 21 years, yet the need for Gene offering a sense of drama in everyone’s lives is a constant. Huge congratulations to Alan McGee for helping to persuade everyone it’s a good idea.
If Martin Rossiter claims one difference is how “I’m a little bigger” in his maroon suit, he matches the music’s flamboyance, striding across the stage from the off, claiming after an early fiery We Could Be Kings: “I wanted to see which part of the audience I liked most. I’ve decided I hate all of you.”
That kind of taunting is a sign Gene really are back, offsetting the emotional heft of their songs with a reliably cynical humour. The most important returning factor, alongside Rossiter’s intense vocal delivery, is a band bringing so many colours into their theatrical songs. Steve Mason returns to being one of the era’s most underrated guitarists, savage in Haunted By You, tender in Truth, Rest Your Head and as elegantly poppy as Rossiter’s briefly calming balm on Long Sleeves For The Summer.
Initially announced as a one-off return that sold out in minutes, Gene have since added a tour for next year. They’re clearly relishing each other’s company again, which is beautiful to witness, though it also makes for the night’s only problem: there’s a mid-set lull as Rising For Sunset and Save Me, I’m Yours resemble soundcheck jams, which see a drift to the bar. After a magnificent, full-throttle Fighting Fit ends the first encore, a second farewell of sedate relative obscurities seems to be an excuse for casuals to leave early to beat the Tube rush.
Still, better to have too much passion than not enough, and the main set’s one-two finale of Olympian and For The Dead merits the circle’s standing ovation, fans singing along to the former as heroically as they did 30 years ago.
Whether Gene can sustain this intensity if they become a regular working band again, who knows? After the preceding 20 years of vitriol, it’s special to see them return in such unchanged, us against the world mood. Deep down, they probably know they can only be normal with you.
Setlist
London, Can You Wait?
Be My Light, Be My Guide
We Could Be Kings
Your Love, It Lies
Where Are They Now?
Truth, Rest Your Head
Long Sleeves For The Summer
Stop
Sleep Well Tonight
Rising For Sunset
Save Me, I’m Yours
O Lover
Speak To Me Someone
A Car That Sped
Walking In The Shallows
The British Disease
Haunted By You
Olympian
For The Dead
Encore One
You’ll Never Walk Again
Sick, Sober & Sorry
Fighting Fit
Encore Two
I Can’t Help Myself
Somewhere In The World
Who Said This Was The End?
The band are then set to embark on a UK and Ireland headline tour in early 2026. For further information click here
Featured image credit: Lorne Thomson/Redferns/Getty
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