Selling England by the Pound Tour

Selling England by the Pound Tour

Tour by Genesis
Poster to the concert in Cleveland, USA
Location	Europe North America
Associated album	Selling England by the Pound
Start date	19 September 1973
End date	6 May 1974
Legs	3
No. of shows	112 (115 scheduled)
Genesis concert chronology
Foxtrot Tour (1972–73) Selling England by the Pound Tour (1973–74) The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour (1974–75)

The Selling England by the Pound Tour was a concert tour by the English rock band Genesis, to promote their album Selling England by the Pound . The tour began on 19 September 1973 in Paris, France, and concluded on 6 May 1974 in New York City, USA.

Background

Initially the band were to perform with a new and more elaborate stage set than before, that included inflatable objects with projected images, but a change in fire regulations following the Summerland disaster in August 1973 led to the idea being scrapped. ^[1] Gabriel devised new stories before songs, and wore a full costume with a helmet and shield representing the Britannia character for "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight" and sang "The Battle of Epping Forest" with a stocking over his head. ^[2]

The tour began with a sold-out tour of the UK, ^[3] but had to cancel the first date at the Green's Playhouse, Glasgow due to electrical safety issues minutes before its start. ^{[4] [2]} The group realised they were substantially in debt and needed better management, so recruited Tony Smith (no relation to Charisma boss Tony Stratton Smith). ^[4] In October 1973 a pair of dates in the tour were filmed by Charisma for a possible cinema release, but the plan was rejected by the band who felt the film was not up to standard. ^[5] Instead, the band performed a five-song set in front of an invited audience at Shepperton Studios that was filmed and broadcast as Tony Stratton Smith Presents Genesis in Concert. ^[6] The group returned to the U.S. in December 1973 to perform six shows in three nights at The Roxy in Los Angeles, ^[7] and a performance of "Watcher of the Skies" and "The Musical Box" on the late-night television show The Midnight Special . ^[2] January 1974 saw the band perform five nights at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, at which Gabriel was lifted in the air by a wire during "Supper's Ready". ^[8]

Set list

1. "Watcher of the Skies"
2. "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight"
3. "The Cinema Show"
4. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"
5. "Firth of Fifth"
6. "The Musical Box"
7. "More Fool Me" or "Horizons"
8. "Supper's Ready"

Other songs that were performed during this tour:

• "The Battle of Epping Forest" (played on 19, 23, 25 September 1973, 11, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 28 October 1973, 10, 17, 22 November 1973, 1 December 1973, 13, 19, 20, 30 January 1974, 3, 5, 6 February 1974, 3, 22, 24 March 1974, 7, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 29 April 1974, 4, 6 May 1974)
• "The Knife" (played on 6, 9, 12, 19 October 1973, 22 November 1973, 3, 4, 5, 6 February 1974, 22 March 1974)
• "The Return of the Giant Hogweed" (played on 23, 25 September 1973, 12 October 1973)
• "Harold the Barrel" (played on 19, 20, 30, 31 January 1974, 4 February 1974)
• "Can-Utility and the Coastliners" (played on 18 October 1973)
• "Get 'Em Out by Friday" (played on 12 October 1973)
• "Twilight Alehouse" (played on 19 October 1973)

Tour dates

List of 1973 concerts

Date	City	Country	Venue
19 September 1973	Paris	France	Olympia Theatre
22 September 1973	Hamburg	Germany	Musikhalle
23 September 1973	Osnabrück		Stadttheater Osnabrück
25 September 1973
26 September 1973	Hamm		Kurhaus
27 September 1973	Darmstadt		Staatstheater Darmstadt
29 September 1973	Lausanne	Switzerland	Palais de Beaulieu
30 September 1973	Frankfurt	Germany	Festhalle Frankfurt
5 October 1973	Glasgow	Scotland	The Apollo
6 October 1973	Manchester	England	Manchester Opera House
7 October 1973	Oxford		New Theatre Oxford
9 October 1973	Glasgow	Scotland	The Apollo
11 October 1973	Southampton	England	Gaumont Theatre
12 October 1973	Bournemouth		Bournemouth Winter Gardens
15 October 1973	Brighton		Brighton Dome
16 October 1973	Bristol		Colston Hall
18 October 1973	Leicester		De Montfort Hall
19 October 1973	London		Rainbow Theatre
20 October 1973
23 October 1973	Liverpool		Liverpool Empire Theatre
25 October 1973	Sheffield		Sheffield City Hall
26 October 1973	Newcastle upon Tyne		Newcastle City Hall
28 October 1973	Birmingham		Birmingham Hippodrome
30 October 1973	Surrey		Shepperton Studios
1 November 1973
7 November 1973	Quebec City	Canada	Capitole Theatre
8 November 1973	Toronto		Massey Hall
9 November 1973	Kingston		Queen's University
10 November 1973	Montreal		University of Quebec Sports Arena
11 November 1973	Buffalo	United States	State University Auditorium
13 November 1973	Lawrence		Kosh Auditorium
15 November 1973	Upper Darby Township		Tower Theater
17 November 1973	Medford		Tufts University
18 November 1973	Paramus		Bergen Community College
22 November 1973	New York City		Felt Forum
24 November 1973	Princeton		McCarter Theatre
26 November 1973	Miami		Gusman Hall
27 November 1973	Rochester		Rochester Institute of Technology
29 November 1973	Columbus		The Agora
30 November 1973	Cleveland		Allen Theatre
1 December 1973	Buffalo		University of Buffalo
3 December 1973	Evanston		Northwestern University Cahn Auditorium
7 December 1973	Fort Wayne		Purdue University Fort Wayne, Student Union Ballroom
8 December 1973	Ypsilanti		Pease Auditorium
9 December 1973	Toledo		Hara Theatre
10 December 1973	Detroit		Ford Auditorium
17 December 1973	West Hollywood		Roxy Theatre
18 December 1973
19 December 1973

List of 1974 concerts

Date	City	Country	Venue
13 January 1974	Bristol	England	Bristol Hippodome
15 January 1974	London		Theatre Royal
16 January 1974
18 January 1974
19 January 1974
20 January 1974
26 January 1974	Brussels	Belgium	Forest National
28 January 1974	Winterthur	Switzerland	Eulachhalle
30 January 1974	Düsseldorf	Germany	Philipshalle
31 January 1974	Offenbach am Main		Stadthalle Offenbach
3 February 1974	Turin	Italy	PalaRuffini
4 February 1974	Reggio Emilia		Palasport
5 February 1974	Rome		Palazzetto dello Sport
6 February 1974	Naples		Teatro Mediterraneo
8 February 1974	Winterthur	Switzerland	Salle Vaubier
9 February 1974	Marseille	France	Palais des Sports
10 February 1974	Lyon		Palais d'Hiver
1 March 1974	Passaic	United States	Capitol Theatre
2 March 1974	Upper Darby Township		Tower Theater
3 March 1974
4 March 1974	Baltimore		East Wind Ballroom
5 March 1974	Washington, D.C.		Warner Theatre
7 March 1974	Fort Wayne		Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
8 March 1974	Atlanta		Fox Theatre
9 March 1974	Coral Gables		University of Miami, Maurice Gusman Concert Hall
12 March 1974	Nashville		Muther's Music Emporium
13 March 1974	Memphis		Ellis Auditorium
17 March 1974	Austin		Armadillo World Headquarters
20 March 1974	Phoenix		Phoenix Civic Plaza
21 March 1974	Santa Monica		Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
22 March 1974
24 March 1974	San Francisco		Winterland Ballroom
26 March 1974	Seattle		Seattle Center Arena
27 March 1974	Vancouver	Canada	PNE Garden Auditorium
2 April 1974	New York City	United States	Avery Fisher Hall
3 April 1974	Davenport		RKO Orpheum Theater
4 April 1974	Fort Wayne		Embassy Theatre
5 April 1974			National Guard Armory
6 April 1974	Toledo		University of Toledo, Student Union Auditorium
7 April 1974	Columbus		Agora Ballroom
10 April 1974	Philadelphia		Spectrum
11 April 1974	Chicago		Auditorium Theatre
12 April 1974	Indianapolis		Indiana Convention Center
13 April 1974	St. Louis		Kiel Auditorium
14 April 1974	Kansas City		Memorial Hall
16 April 1974	Detroit		Ford Auditorium
17 April 1974	Evanston		McGaw Memorial Hall
18 April 1974	Quebec City	Canada	Centre Municipal des Congres
19 April 1974	Ottawa		Ottawa Civic Centre
20 April 1974	Montreal		CEPSUM
21 April 1974
22 April 1974	Rochester	United States	Auditorium Theater
24 April 1974	Boston		Music Hall
25 April 1974	Allentown		Allentown Fairgrounds
27 April 1974	Buffalo		Century Theatre
28 April 1974	Cleveland		Allen Theatre
29 April 1974
1 May 1974	New York City		Academy of Music
2 May 1974	Toronto	Canada	Massey Hall
3 May 1974	Pittsburgh	United States	Syria Mosque
4 May 1974	New York City		Academy of Music
6 May 1974

Personnel

• Peter Gabriel – vocals, flute, percussion
• Tony Banks – Hohner Pianet, RMI Electra Piano, Hammond Organ, Mellotron, ARP Pro Soloist synthesizer, acoustic 12-string guitar, backing vocals
• Steve Hackett – electric guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, electric sitar
• Michael Rutherford – bass, bass pedals, acoustic and electric 12-string guitars, backing vocals
• Phil Collins – drums, percussion, backing vocals; lead vocals on "More Fool Me"

References

Citations

1. Welch, Chris (6 October 1973). "Genesis: Chapter and verse". Melody Maker. p. 13. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
2. Platts 2001, p. 71.
3. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 82.
4. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 83.
5. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 84.
6. Hewitt 2001, p. 39.
7. Bowler & Dray 1992, p. 85.
8. Hewitt 2001, p. 40.

Sources

• Hewitt, Alan (2001). Opening the Musical Box – A Genesis Chronicle. Firefly Publishing. ISBN   978-0-946-71930-3.
• Platts, Robin (2001). Genesis: Inside & Out (1967–2000). Collector's Guide Publishing. ISBN   978-1-896-52271-5.
• Bowler, Dave; Dray, Bryan (1992). Genesis – A Biography . Sidgwick & Jackson. ISBN   978-0-283-06132-5.
• Easlea, Daryl (2018). Without Frontiers: The Life & Music of Peter Gabriel. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9781787590823.