Phil Collins’ decade-long health struggles are well-documented, but the sight of him onstage is still quite jarring.
He emerged Wednesday from the wings at PPG Paints Arena, using a cane and taking measured steps as he basked in rapturous applause from a sellout crowd.
“Back surgery, bits falling off, foot’s f—d up,” he groused as he took a seat for the seventh stop on his 16-date U.S. “Still Not Dead Yet Live!” tour
Making his first solo appearance in Pittsburgh since 1997 — and his first stop in the city since Genesis’ most recent tour, in 2007 — the 68-year-old Collins led his 14-piece band through a spirited 19-song set.
Collins has lost a bit of his vocal range, with most songs rearranged in a lower key to accommodate him. But he’s still a capable, emotive singer, mustering necessary power on set-opening, soft-rock standards “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” and “Another Day in Paradise,” delivering each in a cross between a raspy burr and a honeyed purr — an understandable concession, considering this was his third show in four days.
Collins kept obscure songs to a minimum, including “Hang In Long Enough,” a deep cut from 1989’s “... But Seriously” spiced up by the four-piece Vine Street Horns and the propulsive drumming of his 18-year-old son, Nic, and “Who Said I Would” off 1985’s “No Jacket Required” later in the set.
He returned to more familiar territory with “Don’t Lose My Number,” contorting, twisting and rearing back in his seat to reach the upper limits of his register.
Collins’ flailing sparked a few anxious moments, what with him taking a backward spill off a chair during a show Sunday in Charlotte, N.C. No such incidents on Wednesday, fortunately.
Collins offered an apology before dipping into his storied band’s catalog — “The chances of me playing the Genesis songs you want to hear are pretty slim,” he confessed — but he offered a lovely, wistful “Throwing It All Away” and “Follow You Follow Me,” backdropped by a video retrospective of his Genesis cohorts. “We’re all still good mates,” Collins said, and gave a shout-out to guitarist Mike Rutherford on his 69th birthday. “He’s not here,” Collins explained, unnecessarily,
Collins delved into “Missed Again,” fueled by George Shelby’s sultry saxophone solo. Moments later, when introducing the band, Collins dug into his pocket and tossed a few coins in Shelby’s sax, appreciative for the assist. (No remuneration was forthcoming for lead guitarist Daryl Stuermer and rhythm guitarist Ronnie Caryl, despite Collins noting that the two have a combined 95 years’ service between his solo and Genesis work. Prodigiously bearded bassist Leland Sklar anchored the rhythm section.)
Collins’ son received the loudest applause — much to his father’s feigned chagrin — and Phil pulled up a chair and watched Nic and percussionist Richie Garcia’s 10-minute drum solo. Collins even joined in, lightly finger-tapping a cajon, a box-shaped percussion instrument stacked two-deep to help the sound resonate.
Collins later shared a touching moment with his son, who learned to play the piano to accompany his father on "You Know What I Mean" off his 1981 solo debut, “Face Value.” “I thought it would be a good idea if he listened to some of the old records,” Collins said of his son. “He found a song that he liked — just the one.”
A lush “Separate Lives” soared on the vocals of backup singer Bridgette Bryant, with Collins wisely letting her take full command.
Stuermer’s sizzling solo on “Something Happened on the Way to Heaven” elicited a thumb’s-up and a smile from Collins, and Stuermer’s eerie tones on “In the Air Tonight” cascaded forth as Collins stood at the microphone for the first and only time while delivering his most iconic song.
After a spin through The Supremes’ standard “You Can’t Hurry Love” and a reggae-tinged "Dance Into the Light," Collins segued into “Invisible Touch,” Genesis’ lone No. 1 U.S. hit, which started shakily before he found his vocal footing.
“Easy Lover” subbed in Arnold McCuller and Amy Keys to handle Philip Bailey’s vocals from the 1984 hit, with Keys straddling a bemused Collins and pressing his head into her chest.
A confetti-strewn “Sussudio” provided a full-band workout, leading to a brief respite before a one-song encore — a fitting “Take Me Home” that reinforced that Collins, as his whimsically titled tour suggests, isn’t dead yet.
SETLIST
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"
"Another Day in Paradise"
"Hang in Long Enough"
"Don't Lose My Number"
"Throwing It All Away" (Genesis song)
"Follow You Follow Me" (Genesis song)
"I Missed Again"
"Who Said I Would"
"Separate Lives" (Stephen Bishop cover)
Drum Trio
"Something Happened on the Way to Heaven"
"You Know What I Mean"
"In the Air Tonight"
"You Can't Hurry Love" (The Supremes cover)
"Dance Into the Light"
"Invisible Touch" (Genesis song)
"Easy Lover"
"Sussudio"
Encore
"Take Me Home"
First Published: October 3, 2019, 10:24 a.m.
Updated: October 3, 2019, 10:24 a.m.