Peter Gabriel –
Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Saturday June 17th, 2023
Set 1: Washing Of The Water/Growing Up/Panopticon/Four Kinds Of Horses/i/o/Digging In The Dirt/Playing For Time/Olive Tree/This Is Home/Sledgehammer.
Set 2: Darkness/Love Can Heal/Road To Joy/Don't Give Up/The Court/Red Rain/And Still/Big Time/Live And Let Live/Solsbury Hill.
Encore 1: In Your Eyes.
Encore 2: Biko.
So it's been a good while since the original Genesis Frontman has played a few shows but tonight's the night for it here in the land of Brum! A spectacle that was split into two halves and ran over two hours in duration with a smattering of classics plus new numbers from the I/O album too – now that's value for money!
The gig started with Peter talking about AI and I/O although it was proved difficult to hear what the Prog Legend was telling since there was lots of echo on the side of the arena. That's the issue with these big sheds at times although the rest was a fab mix when it came to the supreme musicianship and vocals overall!
Initially, the set-up started up with a campfire and friends gathering under the moon with Peter and the band in a semi-circle formation. Thus was a similar stance for the musicians in most of the show with the guitarist and bassist moving around more at the forefront of the stage area with Peter.
The touring band is made up of his long-term band members Tony Levin (Bass), Richard Evans (Guitar/Flute), Manu Katché (Drums) and David Rhodes (Guitar) plus newcomers, Ayanna Witter-Johnson (Cello/Piano/Vocals), Marina Moore (Violin/Viola/Vocals), Don McLean (Keyboards) and Josh Shpak (Trumpet/French Horn/Keys/Vocals).
Audience-wise, it was a seated affair with a very respectful and quiet large amass of fans. Most of the songs started low key or in other words, meaning slow which built as they progressed – leaning more towards the ambience and atmospherics than a bastion of loud racing sound.
A giant circular video screen in the middle of the stage was present that could be lifted, lowered or tilted. We were also treated to twelve drop-down screens that could be apart or combined together to create a wall, not to mention twelve circular mirrors that again they could be lifted, lowered or tilted. The said mirrors reflected the beam of lights that were fired from the stage floor. Each song had its own graphics/show created by Peter Gabriel's artist friends such as Ai Weiwei for example among others.
There was a grand helping AV to say the least that added to the overall mesmerising show since all the visuals were perfectly synchronised to the music to the second. All the musicians were dressed in black with the stage crew and sound guys etc. wearing orange jumpsuits which worked well aesthetically.
Mr. Gabriel, closed the first set with that 'So' hit single called 'Sledgehammer' – yep the one with the roller coaster, the dancing cooked chickens and the man himself with fruit in his mouth in the video whereby everybody in the arena were on their feet, singing, clapping and dancing throughout! It saw Peter dancing with the guitarist and bass player in sync – what a fab sight! The man was having a great time which thoroughly showed in own his happy face.
The second half of the show was a nice mix of songs that edged towards the old hits like 'Big Time', 'Salisbury Hill', 'Don't Give Up'. The latter mentioned number was a duet with the cello player that went down well with the crowd.
The most moving occasion though was the last song of the encore – 'Biko' about the South African, Anti-Apartheid Activist, Stephen Biko. The protest fists were in the air from musicians and the audience, not to mention a standing ovation too! When the music stopped, the 'Biko' chanting continued. The musicians left the stage one by one and the audience kept the chants going for a while. An incredible happening of a gargantuan level.
Peter is till at the top of his game which is no mean feat for a performer that stands at the grand age of 73! The voice is still fully intact and is as powerful as it was back in the heyday plus can still move a bit. There's no way you would compare his body-groove to the embarrassing dad dance that many others his age or younger are sadly guilty of!
I must say that it was really nice that the crew were acknowledged and thanked a number of times by the main man himself during the performance. Truly a fabulous show and well worth seeing if you have the chance!
Review By Glenn Milligan
Photographs By Haluk Gurer