Messed!Up
A touch of nostalgia and pure joie de vivre filled an almost sold-out Hall 1 of the CCH Hamburg on April 30, 2025, as Mike and the Mechanics took to the stage as part of their “Looking Back – Living the Years 2025” tour. The tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of Mike and the Mechanics. The name of the tour, and the concurrently released best-of album Looking Back – Living The Years, references one of their biggest hits, “The Living Years.” The song from 1988 remains one of the band’s most well-known and emotionally resonant tracks, addressing the relationship between fathers and sons and the regret of unspoken words. Therefore, the title of the tour and the album serve as a tribute to the band’s long history and one of their most defining songs. A special moment right at the beginning: band founder Mike Rutherford, visibly marked by his hip fracture suffered in February, entered the stage with a crutch. But what followed was an impressive testament to his passion and willpower. From song to song, he gained confidence, eventually walking across the stage in the second half of the over two-hour concert, an image that fit almost symbolically with the Genesis cover “I Can’t Dance” and was met with frenetic applause from the audience.
The initial restraint in the audience didn’t last long. After just a few bars, the first people couldn’t stay in their seats any longer, and the band’s infectious energy quickly spread to the entire hall. The two charismatic frontmen, Tim Howar and Andrew Roachford, played a significant role in this. Rutherford himself emphasized Howar’s tireless energy, which is also known as a musical star from Broadway and the West End, brought to the stage with impressive charisma. Roachford, for his part, effortlessly transferred his positive vibes to the Hamburg audience and celebrated a rousing version of his hit “All I Need Is a Miracle.”
The brilliance of Mike and the Mechanics on stage was, of course, a testament to the entire band’s exceptional musicianship. Guitarist Anthony Drennan, hailing from Dublin, showcased his virtuosity throughout the evening, effortlessly switching between intricate solos and solid rhythm work on bass. Luke Joby, a talented keyboardist, producer, and songwriter in his own right, added rich textures and harmonies to the band’s sound, rounding out their sonic palette. Together, these accomplished musicians formed a cohesive and dynamic unit, perfectly complementing the energy of the frontmen and ensuring a truly brilliant performance.
The setlist offered a successful mix of some newer songs, from their albums Let Me Fly (2017) and Out of the Blue (2019), and the band’s unforgettable hits from the 80s and 90s. A particular highlight was the acoustic set in the middle of the evening, in which some Genesis classics were presented in a new guise. The fact that Nic Collins, Phil Collins’ son, was on drums added an almost magical touch to the evening, letting a hint of the Genesis legend waft through the CCH. Thus, the performance of Mike and the Mechanics, despite – or perhaps because of – Rutherford’s impressive presence, became a wonderful and unforgettable experience for everyone present.
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Photographer: Niko Schmuck
