Peter Gabriel has always been known for highly theatrical concerts - with Genesis, and then as a solo artist...and his costumes have ranged from a fox to a flower. For this concert, filmed in Italy in 1994 as part of his Secret World/"Us" album world tour, there are no costumes, but an elaborate set on a stage "in the round," to give all musicians access to all parts of the stage, much to the delight of the audience. He goes through most of the songs from the "Us" album, a highly underrated record that fans and non-fans alike unfairly compared to his 1986 commercial breakthrough "So." Each song features an amazing display of singing, lighting, camera work, choreography by not only Gabriel but the rest of his band (including a then-unknown Paula Cole), and stage sets ranging from a phone booth to a giant suitcase (where the band "disappears" into near the end of the concert) to a jellyfish-shaped dome that covers the stage at various points of the show.
There are no Genesis songs to be heard here, and very few from his pre-1986 albums - songs like Games Without Frontiers and the Lamb Lies Down on Broadway probably would not have worked with this set up, although Shock the Monkey might have worked. The combination of the music, the sets, and the powerful enthusiasm of the band brought me to tears several times. The duet Don't Give Up, where Cole steps in for Kate Bush to beguiling effect (her voice is much different than Bush's, making for an interesting, but just as powerful, interpretation), is just one highlight.
The BluRay was a bit pricy at $35 (currently on Amazon) but as a concert I think I will re-watch several times, worth it. I'm proud to have it on my shelf in my "Concert" section, next to Sting's 2001 "All This Time," the Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense," Neil Young's "Heart of Gold," and Elton John's "One Night Only" Madison Square Garden concert from 2000.
