Phil Collins – P.C. at La Chât – CD review

The Turn It On Again tour lay more than a year in the past when, largely unnoticed by the public, Phil Collins played a little surprise concert at the Campus de La Châtaigneraie at the Geneva International School.

The performance was a part, or the highlight rather, of a gala celebrating the 100th anniversary of the school Collins’ son Nicholas goes to. Only teachers, students and teachers of La Chât were admitted, so fans outside this small circle could not attend this exclusive gig. A highly exclusive, limited edition, not-in-stores CD with a soundboard recording of the 60-minute gig became available as a souvenir.

Collins brought his old friends and companions Ronnie Caryl (guitar) and Brad Cole (keyboard) to the stage. For a couple of songs they were joined by a student choir of 27 and by jazz saxophone player Stefano Saccon. Geneva-born Saccon already played in Collins’ big band. Phil himself sang and played the bongos.

The show seems a bit like an reprint of the 1994 MTV Unplugged performance, though it rather belongs among the series of promo performances for Tarzan and Brother Bear or the benefits for the Little Dreams Foundation.

The following song were played:

One More Night
Against All Odds
It’s Not Too Late
Separate Lives
Come With Me
Another Day In Paradise
The Way You Look Tonight
True Colors
Take Me Home
Always

This selection of songs is hardly surprising. It’s Not Too Lateand Come With Me, the most recent songs in the set and staples of the First Final Farewell tour fit well into the setlist of calm and emotional songs. Even standards like One More Night and Another Day In Paradise seem revitalized by the acoustic line-up. It is interesting to hear Separate Lives – usually song as a duet or a trio – sung by Phil on his own. One does not really miss the other voices, neither on this song nor on It’s Not too Late which was the encore Phil would sing with all background singers on the First Final Farewell tour. A song like The Way You Look Tonight is rarely played. It entered Phil’s live repertoire at the latest at MTV Unplugged and has been played occasionally on some big band shows and promo performances.

The intimate concert receives an even more personal note from the extensive introductions Phil gives for the songs. Amongst other things he explains the story behind It’s Not Too Late and mentions how much he enjoys being a dad and taking his children to school or football practice. He also stresses that there are no other concert dates in his calendar. The months after the show proved that this was the truth.

Phil obviously plays what he feels like playing and does not try to deliver the pile of hits the audience supposedly expects. Unfortunately beautiful concerts like this will be the exception to the rule.

by Ulrich Klemt
translated by Martin Klinkhardt