Album Review: Steve Hackett - The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall (InsideOut Music 2025)
- Stuart Ball
- Jul 6
- 4 min read
Written: 6th July 2025
In recent years, Steve Hackett has been prolific both in terms of studio and live albums. The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall is his second live album of the year, following the release of the acoustic Live Magic at Trading Boundaries (review here). This latest release documents his solo show celebrating both the release of his latest studio album The Circus and The Nightwhale (review here) and the fiftieth anniversary of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.
The Circus and The Nightwhale is one of the best solo albums Hackett has ever recorded and deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as albums such as Spectral Mornings and The Voyage of the Acolyte. When I interviewed him around the time of its release, I asked if he would ever consider playing the whole thing, due to its conceptual nature. He stated it was something he might do, but for the next tour, there would be selected highlights. On The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall, the opening trio of songs are taken from The Circus and The Nightwhale. While it would have been good to have more (Ghost Moon and Living Love, for example), the three tracks here (People of the Smoke, Circo Inferno and These Passing Clouds) are excellent selections for showcasing the range of Hackett's songwriting. Each comes across with more bite and emotion than the already wonderful studio versions. Hackett’s angered guitar during the central part of Circo Inferno is particularly venomous, and the rich, gorgeous instrumental These Passing Clouds allows the band members to demonstrate just how virtuosic they are.
The following seven tracks delve into other eras of Hackett’s solo career. It should be mentioned that five of these tracks appeared on his last electric live album (Foxtrot at Fifty & Hackett Highlights) and three on the one before it (Genesis Revisited Live: Seconds Out & More). However, this is in no way a criticism of the performance but rather an observation on Hackett’s faith in these songs. Each one is note perfect and alluring. Every Day, which has long been a permanent feature of his setlist, seems particularly vibrant – I could listen to that solo all day – the lengthy and heart-stirring crescendo of Shadow of the Hierophant never fails to raise goosebumps, and Hands of the Priestess is the very essence of elegance.
On CD, the order of the actual concert is changed (the Blu-ray retains the original order) to allow all the tracks from The Lamb to be on one disc. The Cinema Show (which easily sits in my top five Genesis songs of all time) and Aisle of Plenty follow. These songs – alongside Firth of Fifth and Dancing With the Moonlit Knight from the same classic album – might be delivered with unerring musical mastery but feel wondrously alive and far from sterile. Beneath the precision lies a current of passion, a shared reverence that breathes warmth and spirit into every bar. The band does not just play the music; they inhabit it, letting it shimmer and surge with heartfelt vitality. Nad Sylvan is seemingly untouched by time; his phrasing on Aisle of Plenty is imbued with a haunting elegance.
The Lamb part of the concert presents nine key tracks that capture the essence of this iconic concept album. Right from the instantly recognisable piano introduction of the title track, the performance pulls you into Rael’s strange and vivid world. Steve Hackett shares the spotlight with Marillion’s Steve Rothery on Fly on a Windshield, where the two trade solos and intertwining touches, adding a fresh and dynamic edge to the piece. Broadway Melody of 1974 follows with its quirky undertones ahead of the deeply affecting Hairless Heart – a track I have always considered one of Genesis’s most emotionally stirring moments. Vocalist Ray Wilson joins for The Carpet Crawlers, lending a unique and soulful dimension to this fan favourite, making it feel both familiar and new.
The journey continues through The Chamber of 32 Doors, where the story’s tension thickens, then into Lilywhite Lilith, a haunting introduction to some of the album’s darker characters. The Lamia stands out with its rich textures and vivid storytelling, building to it which delivers a powerful and emotional conclusion to this selection. Throughout, Nad Sylvan’s vocals are impressively expressive, bringing warmth and nuance that breathes life into the material. The band’s performances are tight yet passionate, capturing the spirit of the original while offering something distinctly alive and immediate. While some fans might crave the full album or other tracks like In the Cage and The Colony of Slippermen, this set represents the closest we will get to a full live rendition on the album’s fiftieth anniversary (or indeed at any time). Hackett and his band have once again shown remarkable dedication and skill in honouring an album that remains essential to progressive rock history.
The concert ends with a rousing rendition of Los Endos (preceded by Craig Blundell’s spectacular drum solo), and with the whole thing lasting close to two and a half hours, no one can say that Steve Hackett does not give fans value for money at any of his shows.
The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall is a powerful celebration of Steve Hackett’s artistry, blending his latest solo work with timeless Genesis classics in a way that feels both fresh and deeply respectful. The performances are full of emotion, skill, and passion, making it essential listening for longtime fans and newcomers alike. It showcases Hackett’s continued creative vitality and his band’s exceptional musicianship, proving once again why he remains a vital force in progressive rock. Anyone interested in experiencing a masterful live show that honours a legendary legacy while pushing forward should definitely investigate this release.
The Lamb Stands Up Live at the Royal Albert Hall is released on 11th July 2025.
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