The one word I’ve never associated Peter Gabriel with is boredom. Over the top perhaps, eclectic, Stanley Kubrick perfectionist, but never a bore. However with last year’s release of an all covers album entitled “Scratch My Back,” Gabriel has taken the idea of breaking down a song to the bare essences, to an all new level. At their best, the songs completely change their original feeling and become his own. His approach is much like singer Cat Power, who’s interpretation of other peoples songs are only recognized by the actually lyrics themselves. At their worst, the songs are just slow to the point of humdrum. Now on tour, Gabriel is taking that basic outline to the masses to let his legion of fans be the judge.
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Peter Gabiel and the New Blood Orchestra
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United Center
Chicago, IL
June 20, 2011
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Gone is his backbone of incredible musicians that served as a global pastiche of rhythmic sounds, whom have performed with him for decades. In their place are a slew of new musicians, conducted by Ben Foster, representing the New Blood Orchestra. In a live setting the cover songs play better than they did on the studio release. Perhaps it’s the visuals of the musicians performing it live, or even the different images being projected on the screens before you, that help to stimulate your senses through the often melancholy renditions.
Along with the covers, Gabriel has also taken the same approach to his back catalog. This tour consists of two acts. The first act has been focusing on the covers with the second act offering up a few hits but mostly delivering deeper cuts from his body of work. That isn’t to say there aren’t enough hits and fan favorites to satisfy. Well, it depends how big of a fan you are I suppose.
Fortunately, by the time the tour hit Chicago, the first act has radically changed its focus and is only showcasing four covers and now throwing in a few of his songs as well. The show, much like the covers album, opens with David Bowie’s classic, “Heroes.” However, Gabriel’s version squeezes all of the fun out of the tune. It’s a preview and teaser to the pace of the entire evening. Next up is a lesser known track from the Security album, entitled “Wallflower.” Yet, is nicely handled backed by the New Blood and maybe should have opened the show. Two of the best songs on the covers album is the Regina Spektor cover "Apres Moi” and Arcade Fire’s “My Body is a Cage.” Both songs played well live, where Paul Simon’s “The Boy in the Bubble,” although an entirely different and dark interpretation, was much like “Heroes” losing the energy from the original.
Closing out the first act, a song familiar to any Gabriel fan that’s seen him in the last few decades that usually signifies the end of the show, this time only represented the first act. “Biko” is one of those songs that transcends a typical rock and roll tune and introduced many to the atrocities of South Africa and apartheid it’s self. With the image of Stephen Biko displayed several times on stage, the familiar beats began until by the end, the whole audience is involved chanting his name in solidarity.
Act two started out promising with the fan favorite, “San Jacinto,” from 1982’s Security album. Here we see a bit of Gabriel’s former self as he starts to work the stage. Still, where is the man that use to command your attention live? A Peter Gabriel show use to be a theatrical experience. Not only was his live version as good if not better than the studio cuts, but his shows were right up there with top notch Broadway productions. These days, he mostly stands there almost looking boarded drinking tea. Instead of body surfing in the crowd or running away from stage lights that seem to come to life, he lets the orchestra have the spotlight. This is not the Peter Gabriel that showed us what a live rock show can and should be.
Tonight’s set did offer up some known tunes, many from the MTV friendly album, So. These songs included “Mercy Street,” “Red Rain,” “In Your Eyes” and “Don’t Give Up.” But other than say the single from US, “Digging in the Dirt,” none of the so called hits you would expect. There’s no “Sledgehammer” or “Shock the Monkey” for the fans or casual ones. There were fan favorites like “Rhythm of the Heat,” “Intruder” and from his debut, “Solsbury Hill.” Still with those songs offered up, the show didn’t quite feel like a Peter Gabriel concert.
Peter Gabriel at his best has always been the kind of artist to deliver the unexpected. With the New Blood Orchestra tour, it is without question an experiment and unique experience that he hasn’t offered in his previous tours. One just needs to be informed and prepared for what the tour is and what it is not. It is not a normal Gabriel tour by a long shot. So, if you can wrap your brain around that and you are a fan of swirling orchestra re-working of rock songs, this may be a tour for you.
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