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Peter Gabriel - Growing Up Live CD (album) cover

GROWING UP LIVE

Peter Gabriel

 

Crossover Prog

4.53 | 217 ratings

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Gatot
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars In 2002 and 2003 Peter Gabriel went on the road again with his "Growing Up" tour, once more collaborating with Robert Leppage. Performing in thirty-two cities across the USA, Canada and Europe, this film was recorded over two nights of the Filoforum, Milan in May 2003.Muisicians involved include: Ged Lynch (drums), Tony Levin (bass, vocal), David Rhodes (guitar, vocals), Richard Evans (guitar, mandolin, whistle, vocals), Rachel Z (keyboard, vocals), Melanie gabriel (vocals), Peter Gabriel (vocals, keyboard) and some special guests. I think Peter Gabriel has selected well qualified musicians to support the tour. As for my personal taste, I'd prefer Manu Katche looks after drum stools because he is a terrific drummer with unique style - especially on live performance. I like his performance during previous Peter Gabriel's "Secret World" DVD. However, Ged Lynch is an excellent drummer. It's a matter of personal taste only.

The Amazing Show

IMHO this is one of the best live performance videos I've ever seen. I cannot say that this is just a video that cast a live music performance but it covers the whole lot: the music, the overall live set and a film in itself. Gabriel has brilliantly selected part of his best songs (there are still many best songs of Gabriel!) and positioned each song in a such a way that produces ultimate satisfaction to the audience. Gabriel and the band have demonstrated a flawless stage act during the show. To provide better meaning of the show, he articulates the performance with the help of various equipment such as: giant rubber ball, bicycle, steel platform, boat, camera, etc. The other interesting part is on video shooting. In typical live performance, the stage and the artists on stage are the focus of video shooting. It's not the case with this video: all behind the scene crew - technician, roadies those who work beneath the stage are also part of the video shoot. This has created better appreciation on how big the efforts have been made for the show. Salute to Gabriel and Leppage!

The show begins with Gabriel alone walks on stage and communicates with the audience thru a body language - sort of welcoming them to the show. On the way he walks I can see how mature and charismatic Gabriel is. He can make the audience in his control. No music at all that accompanies him on stage. Having walked all angles of circular stage he then moved to the place where the keyboard located. And .. he starts singing "Here Comes The Flood" with he himself plays the keyboard. Wow! What a warm opening, Mr. Gabriel! That's enough to set the whole atmosphere of the show!

The show flows with next song from UP album "Darkness" with full band and his daughter Melanie Gabriel acts as backing vocals, "Red Rain", "Secret World". During "Sky Blue", at the end of the song there are guest appearance of The Blind Boy of Alabama.

Excellent attraction happens during "Downside Up" where Peter and Melanie sing together with an upside down position; both of them are hung underneath a huge steel platform. They walk along circle steel platform while singing! What an excellent and unexpected performance! "The Barry Williams Show" continues with Gabriel with his camera does his act on the steel platform - this time in normal position.

The great song "Mercy Street" is performed differently than studio version. It opens with a choir. It is performed wonderfully with Melanie sitting on the boat that moves around the stage. Very good song and great performance!

My best of the best, great of the great part is when it comes to "Signal to Noise" that features Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (unfortunately he does not appear on stage). The song itself is a wonderful composition. I knew this song the first time before UP album was released, ie. when Peter Gabriel performed on stage with Yousou Ndour on "Paris concert for amnesty international". It's much better performed in this video than the studio or Paris concert. I cannot believe that human being could ever create this well- researched (in terms of sounds) and well-thought-of song. Every detail of this track is really great! Many melodies in its musical segments are really wonderful and memorable. Usually, I don't want to be disturbed by anything else when watching (and listening to) this track. I'm so "entrance" with it. The tagline melody is great, combined with excellent orchestration at the background. The additional vocal of Nusrat is terrific. Many sound explorations are produced brilliantly in this track. I like the piece when GABRIEL sings "Turn up the signal wipe out the noise!" followed by David Rhodes simple (but nice!) guitar rhythm and programmed drumming. WOW! What a wonderful piece here!!!! It makes me cry from my heart. The ending part of this track is really stunning with orchestration and percussion / drums sounds rising up until it ends. It seems like Ged Lynch performs his drum solo (backed with orchestration) inside the slowly moving down steel platform.

Well my friends, really apologize for long write up. I just couldn't help it. The video is so amazing that actually impossible to be expressed in written words. You have to watch it yourself - would be better if you have a large screen using projector and decent home theater set. Guarranteed!!! - you will be hooked to the show from beginning to end. I envy on people who at that time watched the show in Milan by their own eyes! It's something that I believe they will never forget the rest of their life. It's a fantastic show! By the time I write this review I've watched the video (in its entirety) more than 6 times - with each time I repeat "Signal to Noise" minimum 3 times.

"Turn up the signal wipe out the noise!".

Progressively yours, GW - Indonesia.

Gatot | 5/5 |

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