Opening with a piece of “Corycian Fire,” to the soaring single note volume pedal touches of “Spectral Mornings,” across the deep drama of the piano ballad “Love Song to a Vampire” it was made damn clear by Steve Hackett and his five piece band: Roger King keys, Roine Stolt on bass and guitar, Gary O’Toole playing drums and singing high harmonies, Rob Townsend playing reeds and percussion and Nad Sylvan managing to cover and make his own the Genesis songs offered this night, that we were in for an amazing 2-and-half hour show at Tarrytown’s Music Hall.

Especially tasty in this hour and a half first set, was the 12-string, harmony rich, soft sway of “The Loving Sea” and set-ender “Shadow of the Heirophant.” This last one saw O’Toole providing some of the best drumming in a night filled with fantastic drumming. His battling to stay afloat while crossing all toms, doubling with his double bass drums and keeping the beat, kept the audience on edge.

After the intermission, it was Hackett taking out only Genesis nuggets and the band settling in for obscure tunes like “Can-Utility and the Coastliners” and then more recognizable stuff like the lilting “Cinema Show”-Hackett and Stolt on dual guitar picking-and Roger King managing note-for-note reads on “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” and “The Musical Box.”

The encores here were “Clocks-The Angel Of Mons” and a personal favorite of Hackett’s (as he admitted to me) “Firth of a Fifth.”

I simply cannot recommend this evening with Mr. Hackett and his band enough, Go see this show split between his solo material and Genesis music!

If you get a chance to catch Steve Hackett on his small run around North America (or anywhere else) I suggest you do so. This is one show not to be missed.