PETER GABRIEL
In The Big Room (Real World)
For some, a live Peter Gabriel album is a milestone event. Back in 2003, it had been 10 years since his last tour; the release of the Growing Up Live DVD that year was monumental for fans. This unique concert was recorded around the same time at Gabriel’s Wiltshire recording studio, Real World, in the space colloquially known as the Big Room and in front of an invited audience small enough for listeners to pick out their individual handclaps between songs.
As expected, the touring band, comprised of regulars like legendary bassist Tony Levin, are in expectational form, and the performances are relaxed and assured. Treats for those who own everything Gabriel released around that time are rarity Burn You Up, Burn You Down, the classic Games Without Frontiers and the fantastic The Tower That Ate People.
Without Gabriel’s usual high-concept theatrics, this stripped-back performance benefits from the focus being solely on the music – and there’s no DVD FOMO to worry about.
words JOHN-PAUL DAVIES
