Genesis were one of the leading lights of the '70s British progressive rock movement that also spawned groups like Yes, ELP and Jethro Tull. But the band got off to a rather slow start – especially in America, where Genesis had a harder time breaking through than in their native England. They would eventually go on to massive touring success stateside, but Genesis made their U.S. debut on Dec. 11, 1972 with a sparsely-attended gig at Boston's Brandeis University.

Genesis had solidified what many fans consider their most classic lineup with the release of their previous album Nursery Cryme in 1971. Now consisting of singer Peter Gabriel, keyboardist Tony Banks, bassist Mike Rutherford, guitarist Steve Hackett and drummer Phil Collins, the group followed up with 1972's Foxtrot, which contained Genesis classics like "Watcher of the Skies" and the 24-minute progressive rock epic "Supper's Ready."

Foxtrot reached No. 12 in the U.K. charts, and with an American label finally firmly on board, Genesis performed at Brandeis University as a warm-up gig for the group's "official" American debut two days later at Philharmonic Hall in New York.

What Songs Did Genesis Play During Their First U.S. Show?

 

Shows from that era featured Gabriel in makeup and costume changes for every song in the set, which included such Genesis essentials as "The Musical Box," "Return of the Giant Hogweed" and "The Knife." But the highlight of the set was undoubtedly "Supper's Ready," which featured Gabriel ascending to the heavens via a system of wires at the song's conclusion.

READ MORE: All 180 Genesis Songs Ranked Worst to Best

Though the band's first U.S. "tour" basically consisted of just those two shows, they returned to America in 1973 for a series of higher-profile gigs, and once the word-of-mouth began to spread, Genesis ultimately went on to become a reliable arena-filling headline act by the mid-to-late '70s. In the '80s, the group – now led by Collins – would go on to become one of the largest concert draws in the world on the back of a vast catalog of pop hits.

Genesis Solo Albums Ranked

Projects recorded apart from one another allowed members of Genesis to explore areas of their songcraft that might have gone forever undiscovered.

Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso

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