Genesis To Kick Off North American Reunion Tour In Toronto

Genesis is the first book in the bible, and the prog-pop trio of the same name will be the first band to play Toronto's BMO Field when they launch their first North American tour in 15 years there on Sept. 7.

Tony Banks, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford (sadly, no Peter Gabriel) will not only open the North American leg of their world tour in Toronto, they'll also hold their rehearsals in Ontario's capital. The tour is being promoted by Toronto's Michael Cohl, the man behind mega-tours by U2, The Who, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand and The Rolling Stones, who've used Hogtown as their North American preparatory base for their past few tours.

"Genesis is absolutely one of the world's most exciting bands of all time," Cohl said during a New York City media conference that was carried online on Wednesday. "They have always been an amazing concert experience and I'm thrilled that fans will be able to see them perform again live for the first time in 15 years."

People hoping to hear sappy ballads from Walt Disney movies will be out of luck, however, as Collins said that no solo material would be performed by Genesis. Collins bailed on the group to pursue a career on his own.

"We're still great friends and we've been great friends since I've left the band," the frontman said. "We've talked about it all the time to do something, and now seemed to be as good a time as ever."

Montreal's Olympic Stadium will host Genesis, also featuring longtime sidemen Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar, on Sept. 14. No other Canadian dates have been announced.The original Genesis lineup formed in 1966, and the British band reached their commercial peak in the late '70s and early '80s after Gabriel's departure. They've sold more than 130 million albums over the years, and will add to that total with Rhino's April 24 release of Genesis: 1976-1981. The collection will be the first of three boxed sets to encompass the group's career. The six-CD/six-DVD package includes the five studio albums recorded during its titular years and a bonus disc featuring rare tracks taken from EPs and B-sides.

Tickets for fan club members go on sale on Thursday, while tickets for the Toronto show will be made available to the public at large on Monday at prices ranging from $57 to $227 (plus applicable charges). Go here for more information.