Peter Gabriel
i/o The Tour, OVO Hydro, Glasgow 22nd June 2023
Once the front man for Prog rock royalty Genesis, Peter Gabriel has carved out a highly successful career since his first venture into solo stardom with his 1977 hit Solsbury Hill. 2023 see’s the impending release of his tenth solo album, and first collection of new material since the 2002 album ‘Up’, and many if not all of these new tracks would be showcased on I/O The Tour which tonight stops off in Glasgow, to play his first show since the Back to Front tour of 2014.
There is to be no support tonight, instead we are to settle back and zone in for three hours of Peter Gabriel doing what he does best. This isn’t just a gig to sing new songs, this is theatre, this is a show. Its an experience and a chance to see a master at work. It’s a very busy stage with fellow musicians of course and many instruments, but theres also a light show, a video back drop and a huge video ‘disk’ which at times hovers over the stage area, moving up and down and tilting back to front, yet constantly displaying animation and graphics relevant to the current music. Add two massive video screens either side of the main stage and you can imagine the scale of things.
We’re straight into the new recordings, as the evening opens with Washing of the Water. Peter and his ensembled band mates are sitting around a camp fire under a huge bright moon at the front of the stage. Every song creates an atmosphere, and has a story behind it explaining the making of the song or the meaning of the lyrics. A great insight to the music, and fascinating to listen to Gabriel explaining these. Panopticom and Four Kinds of Horses sees Gabriel retreat to the sanctuary of his keyboard, and the rest of the crew retire to their positions too.
The first well known track of the evening Digging in the Dirt from the 1992 album ‘Us’ went down a storm, before returning to the new material, which is also being well received. The set is split into two halves with the first act closing with Sledgehammer which got everyone on their feet. A tremendous performance of the 1986 classic from the album ‘So’. Time for a short break.
Set two starts with a track Darkness. The visuals are nothing short of spectacular and compliments the music perfectly. A highlight of the second set must be Don’t Give Up, originally duetted with Kate Bush but tonight those vocal duties are down to Ayanna Witter-Johnson, who accomplishes that task admirably. A beautiful song, performed with emotion.
A few bigger numbers completed the second set. Red Rain and Big Time were sandwiched between new track And Still, written about Gabriel’s mother who passed away a short time ago, a very poignant moment. Debut single from 1977 Solsbury Hill had everyone on their feet again to close the set. After a short break the band would return with a fabulous rendition of In Your Eyes before as is usually the case, the haunting, anti-apartheid protest song Biko ends the evening. Peter Gabriel leaves the stage during the song’s finale saying the thought provoking words ‘what happens next is up to you’. Food for thought.
Its been nine years since his last tour and that time has seen Peter Gabriel somewhat out of the public eye, however he has obviously kept himself busy writing the new material for this year’s latest record. On tonights showing that can only be as successful as his previous work. Interlaced with some of his older classic tracks, tonights show was sublime, a man still at the top of his profession. Peter Gabriel doesn’t just do concerts, he does life changing moments, and this was an evening never to forget. Just spectacular.
