Genesis fans expected to hear a 1981 hit. Phil Collins couldn’t see the point in singing it

Genesis’ 1981 hit ‘Abacab’ was not a guaranteed fixture in the band’s live shows: Phil Collins said he did not want to sing it because he did not know what it was about. The story illustrates how the band’s setlists changed across their long career, shaped by its evolving sound and the practical limits of a live performance.

The song’s title began as a label for musical sections marked A, B and C, and remained after the arrangement changed. Genesis also dropped and revived other songs from across its catalogue, from ‘Watcher of the Skies’ and ‘Supper’s Ready’ to ‘In Too Deep’ and ‘Misunderstanding’. On the 2021–22 Last Domino? tour, Collins focused on vocals while his son Nic played drums; the final show was at London’s O2 on 26 March 2022.