This Week in 2018: Phil Collins Performs His First Latin American Dates In Two Decades

Yes, we know it may seem a little weird to be doing one of our This Week pieces on a week that’s taking place more or less right now, but it’s actually a pretty notable occasion: Phil Collins’ Not Dead Yet Live! tour has found him playing his first dates in Latin America in more than 20 years. 

The last time Collins took his live show south of the border – you know, down Mexico way? – was in 1995, when he was arguably still touring behind his 1993 album BOTH SIDES and on the cusp of entering the studio to record his 1996 album DANCE INTO THE LIGHT. If it seems like a lifetime ago to you, then you can only imagine how it feels to Phil, who in the interim has…

•    Gotten back together with his mates in Genesis to embark on Turn It On Again: The Tour.
•    Received the International Achievement Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors.
•    Recorded a covers album (GOING BACK).
•    Been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis.
•    Gone on hiatus.
•    Gone into retirement to focus on his family life.
•    Attempted to collaborate on some songs with Adele, which ended up being “a bit of a non-starter.”
•    Reissued his eight solo albums.
•    Come out of retirement.
•    Released his autobiography (NOT DEAD YET).
•    Kicked off a world tour.

So, yeah, Phil’s kept busy since the last time he was in Latin America to perform. On February 22, however, he started a series of dates which took him to Rio, Sao Paolo, and Port Alegre, Brazil; Monterrey and Guadalajara, Mexico; Lima, Peru, Santiago, Chile; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Bueno Aires, Argentina. On Friday, he’ll be playing San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. 

Don’t expect us to start regularly celebrating weeks like this, but with Phil Collins, we thought it was worthy of making an exception.