Back to Front was a concert tour by Peter Gabriel, a retrospective performance based on every song from his 1986 multi-platinum album So played in sequence.[1] The backing band included musicians that Gabriel toured with in 1986–87 in support of the album's initial release.
| Tour by Peter Gabriel | |
 | |
| Start date | 9 September 2012 |
|---|---|
| End date | 10 December 2014 |
| Legs | 2 |
| No. of shows |
|
| Peter Gabriel concert chronology | |
Each night of the tour was recorded and released both separately and as part of a box set entitled Back to Front: Encore Series. The releases were limited editions and available exclusively from Gabriel's official website.[2]
On 23 June 2014, Real World Records and Eagle Rock Entertainment released the live album and film Back to Front: Live in London, recorded at the O2 concerts.
Gabriel played new original songs, "O But" and "What Lies Ahead", during the tour.[3] John Cusack appeared at the 6 October 2012 concert in Los Angeles, recreating a scene from Say Anything... (1989).[4]
Dave McKenna of The Washington Post described the 14 October 2012 concert in Fairfax as "great".[5]
Personnel
edit- Peter Gabriel – vocals, piano, keyboard, tambourine
- David Rhodes – guitar and backing vocals
- Tony Levin – bass guitar, upright bass, synthesizer, backing vocals
- David Sancious – keyboards, accordion, acoustic guitar
- Manu Katché – drums, shaker
- Jennie Abrahamson – backing vocals, tambourine, 12 string acoustic guitar
- Linnea Olsson – backing vocals, synthesizer, cello
Tour crew
edit- Tour manager: Dave Taraskevics
- Lighting designer: Rob Sinclair
Set list
editAcoustic (with house lights left on):
- "Daddy Long Legs" (new unfinished song, also known as "O But", released as Playing For Time on i/o in 2023 with a full band and orchestral arrangement. Replaced by new unfinished song "What Lies Ahead" in late 2014)
- "Come Talk to Me"
- "Shock the Monkey"
- "Family Snapshot"
Electric:
- "Digging in the Dirt"
- "Secret World"
- "The Family and the Fishing Net" or "Darkness" (December 2014)
- "No Self Control"
- "Games Without Frontiers" (in Herning and Amsterdam only)
- "Solsbury Hill" (played after "Washing of the Water" for first show in Quebec City)
- "Washing of the Water" or "Humdrum" (2012 tour), "Why Don't You Show Yourself" (2013 and 2014 tours)
So:
- "Red Rain"
- "Sledgehammer"
- "Don't Give Up"
- "That Voice Again"
- "Mercy Street"
- "Big Time"
- "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)"
- "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)"
- "In Your Eyes"
Encore:
- "Here Comes the Flood" (played 11 times in mid 2014)
- "The Tower That Ate People"
- "Biko"
Tour dates
edit| Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance | Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | |||||
| 16 September 2012 | Quebec City | Canada | Colisée Pepsi | 8,652 / 10,006 | $914,352 |
| 18 September 2012 | Montreal | Bell Centre | 11,902 / 11,902 | $1,277,415 | |
| 19 September 2012 | Toronto | Air Canada Centre | 11,267 / 12,159 | $1,098,899 | |
| 21 September 2012 | Philadelphia | United States | Wells Fargo Center | 11,773 / 12,809 | $1,111,651 |
| 23 September 2012 | Wantagh | Jones Beach Theater | 10,602 / 13,995 | $991,035 | |
| 24 September 2012 | Boston | TD Garden | 5,671 / 9,215 | $519,413 | |
| 26 September 2012 | Auburn Hills | The Palace of Auburn Hills | — | — | |
| 27 September 2012 | Chicago | United Center | 9,886 / 10,863 | $967,504 | |
| 30 September 2012 | Morrison | Red Rocks Amphitheatre | 8,631 / 8,631 | $787,067 | |
| 2 October 2012 | San Jose | HP Pavilion at San Jose | 6,964 / 7,500 | $710,388 | |
| 5 October 2012 | Las Vegas | PH Live Showroom | — | — | |
| 6 October 2012 | Los Angeles | Hollywood Bowl | 15,482 / 17,416 | $1,527,290 | |
| 8 October 2012 | San Diego | Valley View Casino Center | — | — | |
| 9 October 2012 | Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara Bowl | 3,972 / 4,549 | $432,182 | |
| 13 October 2012 | Uncasville | Mohegan Sun Arena | 4,150 / 4,497 | $379,490 | |
| 14 October 2012 | Fairfax | Patriot Center | 5,812 / 5,812 | $546,621 | |
| Europe | |||||
| 28 September 2013 | Herning | Denmark | Jyske Bank Arena | 6,500 | — |
| 30 September 2013 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Ziggo Dome | — | — |
| 1 October 2013 | Brussels | Belgium | Forest National | 8,000 | — |
| 3 October 2013 | Vienna | Austria | Wiener Stadthalle | 10,000 | — |
| 5 October 2013 | Belgrade | Serbia | Kombank Arena | — | — |
| 7 October 2013 | Milan | Italy | Mediolanum Forum | 11,000 | — |
| 8 October 2013 | Geneva | Switzerland | Geneva Arena | 8,000 | — |
| 10 October 2013 | Prague | Czech Republic | O2 Arena | 12,000 | — |
| 11 October 2013 | Leipzig | Germany | Arena Leipzig | 10,000 | — |
| 13 October 2013 | Stuttgart | Schleyerhalle | 12,000 | — | |
| 15 October 2013 | Paris | France | Palais Omnisports de Bercy | 16,000 | — |
| 16 October 2013 | Düsseldorf | Germany | ISS Dome | 10,000 | — |
| 18 October 2013 | Hamburg | O2 World Hamburg | 12,035 / 12,730 | $876,611 | |
| 19 October 2013 | Berlin | O2 World Berlin | 13,468 / 13,468 | $1,060,450 | |
| 21 October 2013 | London | England | The O2 Arena | 22,584 / 27,739 | $1,762,780 |
| 22 October 2013 | |||||
| 24 October 2013 | Glasgow | Scotland | SSE Hydro | — | — |
| 25 October 2013 | Manchester | England | Phones 4u Arena | 14,057 / 15,105 | $913,023 |
| 29 April 2014 | Frankfurt | Germany | Festhalle Frankfurt | 11,000 | — |
| 30 April 2014 | Munich | Olympiahalle | 11,000 | — | |
| 2 May 2014 | Cologne | Lanxess Arena | 15,000 | — | |
| 3 May 2014 | Hanover | TUI Arena | 12,500 | — | |
| 5 May 2014 | Bratislava | Slovakia | Slovnaft Arena | — | — |
| 6 May 2014 | Budapest | Hungary | Budapest Sports Arena | — | — |
| 8 May 2014 | Bucharest | Romania | Romexpo Pavilionul Central | — | — |
| 12 May 2014 | Łódź | Poland | Atlas Arena | 13,000 | — |
| 13 May 2014 | Ostrava | Czech Republic | ČEZ Aréna | — | — |
| 16 May 2014 | Vilnius | Lithuania | Siemens Arena | — | — |
| 17 May 2014 | Riga | Latvia | Arena Riga | — | — |
| 20 May 2014 | Helsinki | Finland | Hartwall Arena | — | — |
| 22 May 2014 | Stockholm | Sweden | Ericsson Globe | 10,950 | — |
| 23 May 2014 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum | 7,000 | — |
| 25 May 2014 | Berlin | Germany | Waldbühne | 20,000 | — |
| 12 November 2014 | Brussels | Belgium | Palais 12 | 9,000 | — |
| 13 November 2014 | Strasbourg | France | Zénith de Strasbourg | 8,000 | — |
| 15 November 2014 | Nantes | Zénith de Nantes Métropole | 8,000 | — | |
| 16 November 2014 | Toulouse | Zénith de Toulouse | 8,000 | — | |
| 18 November 2014 | Zürich | Switzerland | Hallenstadion | 7,212 / 13,000 | $597,346 |
| 20 November 2014 | Turin | Italy | Pala Alpitour | — | — |
| 21 November 2014 | Bologna | Unipol Arena | — | — | |
| 23 November 2014 | Graz | Austria | Stadthalle Graz | 4,000 | — |
| 24 November 2014 | Salzburg | Salzburgarena | — | — | |
| 28 November 2014 | Birmingham | England | LG Arena | — | — |
| 30 November 2014 | Sheffield | Motorpoint Arena Sheffield | — | — | |
| 1 December 2014 | Cardiff | Wales | Motorpoint Arena Cardiff | — | — |
| 3 December 2014 | London | England | SSE Wembley Arena | — | — |
| 4 December 2014 | Newcastle | Metro Radio Arena | |||
| 7 December 2014 | Liverpool | Echo Arena Liverpool | — | — | |
| 8 December 2014 | Aberdeen | Scotland | AECC Arena | 4,600 | — |
| 10 December 2014 | Dublin | Ireland | 3Arena | — | — |
- Cancellations and rescheduled shows
| 5 October 2013 | Zagreb, Croatia | Arena Zagreb | Venue changed to Kombank Arena, Belgrade, Serbia[6] |
| 10 May 2014 | Kyiv, Ukraine | Palace of Sports | Canceled[7] |
| 26 November 2014 | Lyon, France | Halle Tony Garnier | Canceled[8] |
References
edit- ^ "Peter Announces North American Tour 'Back To Front' To Celebrate 25th Anniversary of 'So' - PeterGabriel.com". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "Back to Front 2013: Encore Series - PeterGabriel.com". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "Peter Gabriel Debuts New Song 'What Lies Ahead' in Concert". RollingStone.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "John Cusack Appears with Boombox at Peter Gabriel Concert". PasteMagazine.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ McKenna, Dave (15 October 2012). "Peter Gabriel's 'So' still so great". Retrieved 19 January 2018 – via www.WashingtonPost.com.
- ^ "Zagreb Show Cancelled, Belgrade Show Announced - PeterGabriel.com". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "Back to Front show in Kiev cancelled - PeterGabriel.com". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ "PG's Lyon show cancelled - PeterGabriel.com". PeterGabriel.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
External links
editWikimedia Commons has media related to Back to Front Tour.