Steve Hackett – Best of Genesis & Solo Gems
11 October @ 7.45pm
About Steve Hackett – Best of Genesis & Solo Gems
Following his stunning sell-out Friars date in September 2024, Steve Hackett returns to Friars Aylesbury, the place where Genesis began. Most people thought that the 2024 performance was Steve’s best ever Friars show.
Friars was closely involved with Genesis throughout their early career, their first Friars appearance being in 1970 when they were paid the princely sum of £10 for two 45-minute sets.
In 1972, Friars thought the band was in danger of splitting up, so a special Genesis Convention gig was organised at Watford Town Hall in June of that year to celebrate how good they were and to attract some press attention. It worked, and Genesis eventually went on to be one of the biggest bands in the world.
Genesis’ Mike Rutherford said in 2021 that if it wasn’t for Friars, the band may well have split up at that time. In 2022, David Stopps presented Steve Hackett with the FA Cup (the Friars Aylesbury Cup).
Steve Hackett’s timeless guitar work was woven throughout Genesis’ classic 70’s catalogue of albums. In recent years, he and his outstanding touring line-up of Nad Sylvan (vocals), Jonas Reingold (bass, backing vocals), Rob Townsend (saxophone, flutes, additional keyboards), Roger King (keyboards) and Craig Blundell (drums and percussion) have brought many of these albums back to great acclaim.
For the 2026 tour, there will be two changes to the band. Lalle Larsson has taken over on keyboards from Roger and Felix Lehrmann will take over from Craig on drums.
Says Steve: “I’m really looking forward to returning to Aylesbury in 2026.”
Steve Hackett joined Genesis at the beginning of 1971 and first played Friars Aylesbury in June 1971. He quickly gained an international reputation as the guitarist in the band’s classic line up alongside Peter Gabriel, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins.
Steve’s intricate guitar work was a key element of Genesis albums from Nursery Cryme (1971) to Wind And Wuthering (1977), including the classic Selling England By The Pound.
After leaving Genesis at the end of 1977, Steve’s solo career, which now spans more than 30 albums, has demonstrated his extraordinary versatility with both electric and acoustic guitar.
Steve is renowned as both an immensely talented and innovative rock musician and a virtuoso classical guitarist and composer and this was recognised in 2010 when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. He has also worked alongside Steve Howe of YES in the supergroup GTR.
Hackett’s compositions take influences from many genres, including jazz, classical and blues. For his studio works, The Night Siren (2017) and At The Edge Of Light (2019), Hackett explored the influences of world music.
Recent tours have seen Hackett celebrate his time with Genesis, including a spectacular 2018 tour in which he realised a long-held ambition to perform the works of Genesis live with his band and an orchestra.
The lockdown enforced by the 2020 global pandemic proved to be a particularly creative period for Hackett. He began by releasing Selling England by the Pound & Spectral Mornings: Live at Hammersmith, a live recording of 2019’s hugely successful tour celebrating that Genesis classic together with the 40th anniversary of one of his most-loved solo albums.
Lockdown also gave Hackett the opportunity to write and record two new studio albums in 2021: the UK Classical Chart hit Under A Mediterranean Sky and the hit rock album Surrender of Silence.
Hackett and his band enjoyed a return to touring with Genesis Revisited – Seconds Out + More! (2021) and Genesis Revisited – Foxtrot At Fifty (2022) both of which included Friars Aylesbury dates.
Subsequently, the live album Genesis Revisited – Seconds Out + More!, released in 2022, became Hackett’s most successful-ever live album, reaching number 28 in the UK Album Chart and achieving the highest-ever chart positions in several European countries.
He also released the live album from the 2022 tour – Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights – Live in Brighton.
Steve’s autobiography, A Genesis In My Bed, was published in 2020. Steve talks candidly about his early life, his time with Genesis, and, in particular, his personal relationships with the other band members, with great insight into the daily goings on of this major rock band.
This will be Steve Hackett’s 16th Friars appearance.
Tickets
Please see important booking information below.
Booking information
Ticket prices:
From £57.06
Tickets are subject to a transaction fee of £3.95
Dates & times:
Sunday 11 October 2026 at 7.45pm
Running time:
This show has an interval
Location:
Main Auditorium
Age guidance:
Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
About O2 Academy Oxford
The Edwardian building on Cowley Road has been hosting live music for decades. But prior to being a music venue, it was a Cooperative party hall. It was originally known as The Venue and then the much-respected Zodiac, both of which paved the way for O2 Academy Oxford, which officially launched in September 2007, with performances from New Young Pony Club, The Magic Numbers and Young Knives.
Since then, the O2 Academy Oxford has established itself as one of the city’s greatest venues for live music and club nights, with some of the best gigs to date coming from Ed Sheeran, Foals, Stereophonics, Ozzy Osbourne, Babyshambles, Hozier and Royal Blood. Visit the venue information page for further details, including opening times, getting there, age restrictions and more.
