John Topley's WeblogPeter Gabriel Growing Up Live at London Wembley ArenaFriday, 30 May 2003I must admit to not knowing much about Peter Gabriel before going into this concert on 21 May. I knew that he used to be in Genesis when they were good and I knew his big hits like Sledgehammer but that was about it. I came away feeling that I still didn't know much about him but more importantly, knowing that I'd experienced nearly two and a half hours of a visual/audio spectacular. I put visual before audio deliberately because what was occurring on stage took slight precedence over the actual music. I should point out that this is one of a few gigs I've been to where I've not known most of the set list, and being exposed to unfamiliar songs in such a setting isn't the best way to get acquainted. Gabriel took to the stage ten years after he'd last toured Britain and played opening song Here Comes the Flood alone at the keyboard. He looks different from when you last saw him. His head is shaven and he has a wispish, white goatee beard – a look that brings to mind a Lord of the Rings wizard. The outer rim of the huge circular stage (set in the middle of the arena) then started to revolve. This was the first of many tricks from the performing area, conceived by previous Gabriel collaborator, theatre director Robert Lepage. The stage was constantly being re–configured, which meant that everyone got a good view of Gabriel and the top–flight musicians he'd surrounded himself with. At one point a silk circle above the stage lowered a giant egg which was suspended a few metres off the stage for a few songs whilst images were projected onto it. Later on, the egg peeled away to reveal a sphere which was illuminated as the moon and then a ball of fire. During Growing Up, the sphere itself peeled away to leave a giant clear plastic inflatable golf ball, into which Gabriel climbed. He then precariously propelled the ball around the perimeter of the stage and bounced it up and down in time with the music, all whilst still singing. For Downside Up , Gabriel duetted with his daughter Melanie, which entailed them both singing whilst walking upside down around a circular gantry. Quite a feat to behold! The versatile gantry served as a platform for Gabriel to film his audience using a TV camera during the satirical Barry Williams Show. Everyone in the all–seater arena rose when Gabriel and his band belted out classics Solsbury Hill (Gabriel on a bike at the time) and Sledgehammer. Support act The Blind Boys of Alabama were left singing beautiful harmonies alone on stage during the extended closing number Sky Blue. The show finished with Gabriel returning to perform Father, Son on the keyboard, a song which he dedicated to his father. A fantastic concert. 5/5.
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