Genesis tribute act The Watch - Band on the Wall Manchester 22nd March 2026

“Take a little trip back from Trespass … to Wind and Wuthering”

Story by Liam Hughes

01/04/2026

The Watch is a five-member band from Milan, Italy, whose music is inspired by the classic progressive rock of the 1970s and in particular the music of Genesis.

They are considered by many to be the finest tribute to the Genesis Peter Gabriel period. Steve Hackett(Genesis guitarist) is quoted as saying about the band: "The Watch is a band of very talented people and I recommend them." The gig was sold out and totally packed with everyone in their places for an 8pm start, There was no support act, these guys were serious and playing to serious fans who wanted to hear it all. The show was billed as Tales from 1970-1976 and they were intending to play songs from the albums of that period Trespass, Nursery Chrymes, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, A Trick of the Tail, and from the Phil Collins fronted album Wind and Wuthering. There were so many Genesis T-shirts in the audience, mainly long time fans in their 60’s ish and perhaps some of their younger offspring who had Genesis instilled into them subconsciously over the years. Everyone seemed to know every lyric of every song and drank it all in, even the 23 minute encore of Suppers Ready. On stage the band, who are all truly excellent musicians, wore muted outfits. All fairly in keeping with Genesis of that period, apart from Peter Gabriel that is. Timelining out that early era of Genesis they had a stage backdrop of each album as they were travelling though it. It gave it a really atmospheric and nostalgic feel. They managed to play so much from that period that you’d be hard pressed to find anyone disgruntled that anything was missed out. The show ended with some heartwarming words from the band and left the audience walking away very happy, chatting and sharing stories.