London, Ontario 26th(?) March 1976 - Submitted by Jim Fisk

The following pictures are of great historical significance. They are from the first show of the Trick Of The Tail tour, the first show with Phil as the frontman. The actual date is difficult to pinpoint, but is likely to have been around the 26th March 1976. These photos were taken on slide film and are reproduced by kind permission of Jim Fisk

Jim wrote these words which were on the old Genesis-Web memory bank.
"London, Ontario, Canada. The first paying audience after Pete's departure. The London Arena (since demolished) can hold a few thousand at the most and is more used to rollerskates than rockers. Before the show, I wander in with my Dark Side of the Moon stickered briefcase (a roadie?) and watch them setup. Everyone is ejected for the sound check. Come show time we race up to 3rd-ish row on the hard concrete floor. When the lights dim, the place, small as it is, is packed. Phil perhaps a little tentative at first, but the crowd responds and so does Phil. Bill Bruford, in his Boston Bruins T-Shirt is Mr. Perfection, as usual. I'd missed the Lamb Lies Down tour in Toronto for a Physic's exam (poor choice) and my bud's were concerned Phil couldn't cut it. He cut it good. Robbery, Assault and Battery and Phil is dressed the part. "A Flower???" he says as the huge green and yellow tulip? explodes into view. I'm snapping pictures and I'd swear Phil and Mike are posing for me. Over 23 years later and as I look at them now, they still amaze me. Mike's double necking is masterful. But the Phil and Bill percussion duel is incredible. Speed, technical excellence, and musical, too. Tony is perched on the edge of the small stage. Quiet, just doing his job and doing it well. Steve, all in white, soars to heights unreachable by mortal man. In the small hall, the sound seems to wrap around us. Bass pedels grab my guts and shake like there's no tomorrow. Encore, Encore!! Sure, I regret like hell not seeing Peter do the Lamb (although he did a bit in his first solo tour), but when the house lights came up (Damn them!), we knew we'd witnessed a once in a lifetime event."

Robbery

A Flower?