It's impossible to imagine the landscape of 80s music without Genesis and Phil Collins.
The band may have been around for more than a decade before that, but it was the 1980s - and the growing influence of drummer turned frontman Phil Collins - that cemented the band's place in music history.
Like most concerts, The Last Domino? tour, which reunites the core trio of Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford for the first time in 14 years, was hit by the emergence of Covid.
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But after the cancellation of last year's tour, Genesis finally made it to Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena last night for a two-date performance.
Given the unexpectedly long wait, it's unsurprising that the audience leaps to its feet as the band, fleshed out with Daryl Stuermer on bass, and Collins' son, Nic Collins on drums, finally takes to the stage.
A standing ovation before a single note has been played.
Much has been made of the ailing health of 70-year-old Collins, who remains seated throughout the gig. While fellow bandmate Tony Banks has played coy in press interviews when pressed on the band's future, Collins has been unequivocal. This tour is his swansong when it comes to live shows.
And that makes things bittersweet, as Collins' voice has lost none of its magic.
That's immediately evident as the rousing instrumental of Behind The Lines gives way to the soaring power chords of Turn It On Again.
The audience is up and dancing, thousands of voices joining Collins as he hits the song's final verse 'turn it on, turn it on, turn it on again'.
Without pause we're into the next song, Mama, a hauntingly dark tune that sees the stage flooded with red light - Collins staring deeply into the camera that's tracking back and forth across the stage, laughing coldly.
He may be seated, but there is no doubt about who is commanding the stage - and the audience.
"Hello Liverpool", Collins says, "are you still top of the league?"
The question is greeted with cheers and boos, and he laughingly admits he's forgotten it's a 'two club city.'
He talks about the last 18 months, and how different things are, before introducing the next song - Land of Confusion.
"It's had a few revisions to make it more applicable to these times", he tells the crowd as the Rutherford's guitars kick in. Behind the band videos of falling toilet rolls, and businessmen marching on motorways in face masks play out.
He may not be playing the drums anymore, but his feet and hands tap to keep the beat, backing singers Patrick Smyth and Daniel Pearce holding the high notes.
The audience is drafted in again for Home By The Sea, the singer encouraging us to help him 'summon the spirits', green light and dry ice spilling across the stage and dripping into the crowd.
Fading Lights, The Cinema Show and Afterglow follow, rousing applause erupting as each song ends.
The set itself is incredibly impressive, the huge light rig that sits above the stage subtly changing shape to stunning effect. Large screens behind the band alternating between live footage of the musicians, and animated visuals.
That's All, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Follow You Follow Me and Duchess give way to No Son of Mine and the complex Firth of Fifth. A sweeping and twisting journey through the band's impressive and era-spanning back catalogue.
There's another pause in the music as the frontman talks the audience through the 'domino effect', encouraging each section of the arena to make as much noise as possible when the lights fall on them.
Then it's into the home stretch of Domino, Throwing It All Away, the brooding masterpiece Tonight, Tonight, Tonight and the fabulous Invisible Touch.
After playing for two hours straight they have more than earned their rest, as they take a bow and move to the wings of the stage.
But they are soon back, jumping straight into an encore of I Can't Dance, Dancing With the Moonlit Knight, and The Carpet Crawlers.
The final notes still echoing around the arena, the band comes together for another bow.
The newer members peel silently away, leaving Rutherford, Collins and Banks centre stage - the crowd now deafening with its appreciation.
A fabulous evening that felt like a very fitting farewell for the music legends.
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