"A Big Moment for the Little Dreams Foundation" - A special Phil Collins gig at the Grand Casino in Geneva, January 19, 2002. Review by Vero Pelletier.
You will never forget some shows. Not necessarily because it had the best visual or best sound but because there was a little something more; a small beat of the heart that Phil Collins and his musicians gave us last Saturday.
With his 'unplugged' taste and his intimate venue at the Grand Casino of Geneva, we had the pleasure to enjoy a great moment of good music and contagious fun. It was the first music event to raise money for the 'Little Dreams Foundation', created by Orianne and Phil Collins in 2000 (for more information, see www.littledreamsfoundation.com).
The show began with the performance of a talented 16 year old girl, one of the first 'protégées' of the Foundation, Mélody Perret. She had the opportunity to sing a duet of "Groovy Kind of Love" with her 'godfather' Phil Collins, assisted by the best musicians. After this first song (with Phil and Luis Conte on percussion), her stress visibly reduced, Mélody interpreted two other songs - one in English that her father wrote, "One Day", and one in French, "La vie ne m'apprend rien". The crowd gave her warm applause and you could see in her eyes that she had just realised a part of her "Little Dreams".
Then Phil came back alone and in very good French, welcomed and thanked everybody for being there. He sat at the piano and started the legendary "In the Air Tonight". Then his band joined him on stage and played "Against All Odds", "Another Day In Paradise"- in a brilliant new style - and with "One More Night" and Harry Kim's famous solo, the show slowly started.
After few notes of "Something Happened On The Way To Heaven" - touched with a new percussion beginning - the crowd was up dancing and the party could go on! But a touching moment made everybody sit down when Phil, still in French, told us that he had received a special request from a fan and thought that it was a good idea. So he announced to a lady in the room that her boyfriend wanted to marry her. After checking with her if it was a "yes" or a "no" (it was a yes!) Phil dedicated "You'll Be In My Heart" to the happy couple.
With "Separate Lives" and the magic of Phil, Amy and Arnold's voices mixed together, tears appeared in the eyes of a few people (ok, ok, I admit, I cried!) And what better way to change tears to smiles than the classic "You Can't Hurry Love" followed by the 80's "Easy Lover". Then we had the joy and surprise to hear "Lady Madonna" which was just the starter to the always popular party time song "Sussudio".
"The Way You Look Tonight" was dedicated to Orianne and then for the enjoyment of the crowd, Mike Rutherford joined his friend of 30 years and they performed "I Can't Dance", with most of the musicians following Phil around the stage doing 'the dance!'
And for dessert, as usual, a very rhythmic unplugged version of "Take me home" which was the end of a wonderful concert. It was a big moment to help realize some "little dreams"!
The band: