Peter Gabriel - Growing Up Live

Rating:
Summary: Almost Surreal - Every song is worth the money
Review: Don't think too much about this one, it is worth every cent.

Peter Gabriel is the one of the most creative (if not the most) artists in popular music, this DVD is a good example of his endless search to deliver something different,unique and attractive. The DVD is a non-stopping pleasure to the eyes. My sound system is not good enough to determine the quality of the sound, but for a good stereo system it sound as good as any movie.

I went to the concert and this was almost better than being there. Picture was excellent, I viewed it on a 57" with a progressive scan DVD player and it was almost movie-like quality. Peter Gabriel always go beyond createvelly, you can see his input in the camera shots and picture composition - Not like other DVDs I've recently seen (i.e. Rolling Stones Four Licks). Better than any DVD concert I've ever seen.

The extras are OK but not great. I would have expected more from him on the "The making of Up". The Tony Levin section is not a big deal, but fun.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Horrendous
Review: I have never been disappointed by a Peter Gabriel performance...until now. I am really glad I didn't spend the $150 for tickets to see his show in NYC. What was up with the monks who sat under the stage and changed the stage sets inbetween songs? They also followed him around with a camera. Very creepy. Peter looked like he went to a Star Wars garage sale and layered on his purchases.

His entrance was very undramatic and not like him at all. It worked alright just not what I expected. His voice was stressed and he looked very uninterested in being there. The studio overdubbing of the vocals was too much. So much that it sounded bad after overmixing.

His background singer is NO Paula Cole and whatever New Jersey diner he found her at, she needs to be returned.

The whole performance was painfully performed, painfully shot and only need be bought to complete your collection.

Rating:
Summary: Not quite what this tour deserved
Review: Yeah, only four stars (though I'd actually have given it 4 1/2 if allowed). It's not that this concert video doesn't make most other concert videos look and sound like a 12-inch black-and-white TV picking up signals from the next state over. Plus, it's Peter Gabriel, whom at this point I would consider pretty much unrivaled as both a singer-songwriter and as a showman in both his generation and my younger one. Buying this disc should be a no-brainer for most who love music. As sometime happens, however, the formidable strengths of this DVD do make the weaknesses stand out in sharper relief.

First, while I can appreciate the perspective of the Amazon reviewers who have weighed in on the opposite side of the issue, I am a confessed member of the "Why, dear Hamish, *why* show the stagehand-cam seemingly every thirty seconds?" club. I have no doubt that they're all wonderful people, and as a stage-crew geek from way back who generally finds behind-the-scenes stuff rather fascinating, I would have watched (and most likely applauded) any 30-minute "Life of an Orange Person" documentary that might have been included on the disc. Yet are the Orange People really more interesting than, say, the stage manager or the sound mixer, who never get shown? Either way, I'm fairly certain that they can't possibly be more interesting than the onstage view during the single bar of music that represents the very pinnacle of "Red Rain" -- but Hamilton decides to show us them right then anyway, and it takes a lot away from what I recall from the actual tour was one of the show's most powerful early moments. In short: if I couldn't see it when I was there, I'm actually not nearly as excited about seeing it randomly interspersed now as the director seems to think I should be.

Second, that goes for the audio as well. During the tour, the sound mix blew me out the back of a local outdoor amphitheatre whose acoustics are not exactly widely respected. Here, though...well, I love surround sound as much as the next person, but there are a number of moments on this disc where it seems artificially overutilized to the point that it genuinely detracts. David Rhodes's guitar did not pan magically from the far left of the soundstage to the far right and back again within the space of two bars at any point during the actual concert -- and if that's actually how Gabriel wanted it to sound live, consider me thankful that his efforts were stymied successfully by the gods of real-world (no pun intended) concert acoustics. Ditto for the horn samples on "The Barry Williams Show," which are endearing on the album but downright jarring when pushed entirely out to the surround channels on this disc. No matter how carefully you may have calibrated your home theatre with the white-noise generator, trust me on this one: crank the surround channels down substantially before viewing this video. (At least under Dolby 5.1. I can't address the DTS mix.)

Third, the track listing is definitely imperfect. "No Way Out" -- for my money the finest song on Gabriel's latest album -- didn't make the set list. Nor did "The Tower," the uptempo, techno-influenced track from _Ovo_ and _Red Planet_ which brought the house down very nicely on the second leg of the tour. Nor did "San Jacinto," which Gabriel performed occasionally on this first leg but unfortunately not in Milan. Instead we get "Animal Nation," an inane and tedious song whose very existence represents the one time in Gabriel's career when I have been genuinely tempted to ask him what on earth he was thinking. And then, the painfully cheesy, "Animal Nation"-themed, audience-singalong band introductions which go on for something like thirty minutes after that song normally would have had the common decency to end. If Gabriel truly loves this collection of astonishing musicians as much as he clearly seems to, he should have asked Hamilton to highlight them during the actual concert portion -- as was done so wonderfully on _Secret World Live_ -- rather than overcompensating with a staged love-fest as he does here.

Fourth, Mac users may experience trouble accessing the interactive "Growing Up" feature. While the packaging claims that it's compatible with OS X, my top-of-the-line laptop running the latest version of that operating system can't find it anywhere, and Gabriel's website (at least so far) contains nothing in its technical-support FAQ for the disc that would explain why.

Have I turned you off this disc yet? So help me, I didn't mean to. It is still Peter Gabriel, and Peter Gabriel live for that matter. The man is an international treasure whose concerts are all but unrivaled. If these renditions of "Red Rain," "Mercy Street," "Digging in the Dirt," and "Signal To Noise" don't take you to a very good place, you may need to check yourself for a pulse. At the same time, I would have to agree with the reviewers who have recommended _Secret World Live_ over this disc if you're just getting started with Gabriel's concert videos. There is simply a greater feeling of intimacy (free of the wrong kind of technological intrusions) in that earlier film, and I can't help but miss it here.

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE !!!
Review: I had the opportunity to be in Italy for the concert last May and with authority can say that this DVD is amazing and it keeps all the emotions just like being there.
The sound and video shots are 5 stars and believe it's true. If you read reviews saying negatives things it's because they don't appreciate a great work.
I recommend you to buy this DVD definitively.

Rating:
Summary: Gabriel does it again
Review: Compared to Secret World Live this is a very different concert movie with a completely different feel. There are many different camera views being used. Sometimes you're watching the show in the audience, sometimes you're soaring over the stage like an eagle and sometimes you're right there on stage with the band, just inches away from the face of a musician. Crystal clear professional shots are alternated with half-blurred home movie-like shots. Most of the footage is slightly dark, but this does create the right atmosphere.
One of the most special things are the orange crew. Those who have seen the show live know that there's a small army of orange-clad crew members walking around and under the stage (re)arranging the stage settings during the show and filming the musicians for the big projection screens which hang high above the stage. Normally a concert movie goes through a lot of pain and effort not to show any other camera's or crew members. Not this one. You can actually watch the orange crew fully at work and the camera even dips below the stage every now and then to see what they are up to, making the concert movie sort of a documentary at the same time. The latter might not be to everybody's liking since it takes away a bit of the magic in the show. Personally I like this approach a lot since it makes you feel like you're part of the whole thing, much more than in the Secret World gig.
For Growing Up Live there was basically one round stage and a round scaffolding which is lowered during certain parts of the show. Band members also move to different spots on the stage, which also has a rotating outer ring. Thereby the lack of space to move around compared to Secret World is partially compensated. Nevertheless, this show feels less dynamic than the previous one, but at the same time this creates a more cozy atmosphere. Bravely opening and closing the show on his own with Here Comes the Flood and Father and Son suits this atmosphere very well.
The Barry Williams Show is the only song where a lot of tinkering with the footage has been done. Using lots of static, test images and control room switchboards the atmosphere of a TV show behind the scenes is created. Nice ! Less pleasing are the visual slow motion and split-second still effects in Sledgehammer which are a bit tiring to watch and soon become rather annoying.
Instead of the often overused overlaid images this concert movie switches to split screen images every now and then with the upper part and lower part of the screen showing different perspectives.

Another fine thing as far as concert registrations are concerned is the fact that in a Peter Gabriel show there's lots of rearrangements and new additions to songs, making it a new adventure from the audio side as well. And what about throwing in a brand new song, Animal Nation ? Surely not one of his best, but with some fine audience participation in the end section.

Compared to Secret World Live the concert sounds much more 'live'. It was no big secret that Secret World had a lot of overdubs. This seems to be less the case on Growing Up Live. Still, this concert most probably has it's own share of minor 'cheating'. For instance, a song like Growing Up sound very different in the vocal department compared to e.g. Digging in the Dirt or Sky Blue. Then again, considering that it must me darn hard doing some decent singing while walking around in a big plastic ball I can live with this. ;-)
I found the collective Secret World band tighter and better than the band for Growing Up Live, nevertheless there's a lot of splendid musicianship to enjoy. Also, unlike the show I saw in Rotterdam, the Blind Boys of Alabama actually join the band on stage for Sky Blue. And that's just one of the treats in this amazing show, all of which are captured on this DVD. Every song has it's own atmosphere and special effects or theatrics. The spooky little house hiding the drummer in Darkness, the egg descending from the ceiling in Secret World, Peter and his daughter walking on the ceiling in Downside Up, Peter walking on the rotating stage in Sky Blue, the camera in Barry Williams Show, the flaming globe in More Than This, Melanie in the boat moving around the stage in Mercy Street, Peter in the big ball in Growing Up, the little bike in Solsbury Hill, the transmission pillar in Signal to Noise, the lightbulb jacket in Sledgehammer, you name it.

Another integrated part of the whole visual spectacle is the Italian audience, which is marvellous. I can see why Peter prefers to shoot his concert movies here. They are very enthusiastic, as one can see and hear during songs like Digging in the Dirt, Sledgehammer and Animal Nation.
Whereas the concert itself was excellent, I found the DVD extra's to be quite disappointing. There's some still photographs of the tour, accompanied by an interesting ballad version of More Than This in the background. The 'making of' documentary The Story of Growing Up was rather disappointing. Not only does it feature some material that was already available in the sneak-preview on the Secret World
DVD. It is also quite short (less than 10 minutes)

Last but not least: the packaging. The DVD comes in a slip-case and folds open until you have the DVD with two booklets on each side, thereby displaying the trinity earth, moon and sun. The two booklets contain credits and nice pictures of the show and behind the scene. All done in a very tasteful way.
To sum up: a great concert movie and some disappointing extra's. Still highly recommended because of the main feature, but adding up to a bit less than the Secret World Live DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!!
Review: After seeing this tour live at the Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, Illinois, This was a must buy DVD. The picture quality is very crisp, sound is even better. I would highly reccomend this DVD to any Peter Gabriel fan. Lets all hope he tours again!!!

Rating:
Summary: A great keepsake from an awesome tour
Review: My wife and I were fortunate enough to have seats some 40 feet from Peter Gabriel's stage when he toured in Michigan for the Growing Up tour in 2002. We sat at about eye-level to the musicians, watching in rapt fascinating their every move.

I saw Peter Gabriel in the early '90s when he performed his Us tour, chronicled in Secret World Live. I was blown away by the spectacle of it all then...

...but even more so this time.

Sure, he's older. Maybe he's even gained a few pounds. But how many of us aren't older, and a little heavier than we'd like to be? That's life.

But, holy cow, does this man have style. And a flair for the dramatic. His stage performances are nothing short of electrifying. And surprising. A feast for the eyes as well as the ears. True theater.

Plus, he never fails to surround himself with the very best musicians in the world to bring his musical creations to life.

Growing Up Live was a wonderful reminder for us. There may be a few overdubs. There may be a few too many camera cuts. But this package, like Peter Gabriel's concerts themselves, is first-rate. Tony Levin's tour photographs are a wonderful addition, as is "The Story of Growing Up."

But the real showcase is the show itself, peppered with astounding visual treats and classic songs.

You can offer as much nit-picky criticism as you want about Peter Gabriel, but I say he is one of the world's finest and most consistently fascinating musicians.

Growing Up Live is well worth the price -- especially if you were there, watching the show unfold.

Highest recommendation!

Rating:
Summary: peter gabriel growing up live
Review: If you have DTS or 5.1 capability this is the best concert video around. Absolutely brilliant sound. Wonderfully filmed. Hamish Hamilton is by far the best concert director i can think of. Get this DVD with U2's Slane Castle DVD, another Hamish Hamilton masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: Look at the freaking tracklisting!
Review: Just the songs performed at this show alone warrants an immediate purchase of this DVD!

And what a performance this was! As we all know, Peter Gabriel does not disappoint when it comes to the theatrics involved in his concerts. As if the songs don't already speak for themselves, he adds human-sized hamster balls, walking upside-down, riding bicycles around the stage, and amazing lighting effects that make George Lucas look like Woody Allen.

This is what concerts SHOULD be! Watching this makes me think of how boring most other performers are and how creative you can be as an artist. Peter Gabriel is brilliant and this DVD is proof.

The audience really gets involved in the show as well... singing the intro to Sledgehammer and singing along with Peter on his new song "Animal Nation." There is a certain joy that is emitted from this show. At other points, you'll get chills.

For me, the standouts were "Red Rain", "Secret World", "Sky Blue" (which features the magnificent Blind Boys of Alabama coming out of the bottom of the stage), the tender opening of "Here Comes the Flood", and the even more touching closer "Father, Son."

This performance is not only amazing just for the fact that Peter is getting up there in age, but it works on so many different levels. From the creativity to the superior sound to the tremendous range of emotions it evokes, Growing Up is an essential DVD even for someone who isn't a fan of Peter Gabriel.
I repeat: This is what concerts should be.

Rating:
Summary: Somewhat Disappointed
Review: I am a huge Peter Gabriel fan. I think a lot of times people let their "admiration" of the performer cloud their reviews. I will try and review the video itself.

I bought this video because the "Secret World" concert video is probably the best video own. This video does not even come close to Secret World.

First of all, Peter is noticably older. I have nothing against rock stars aging, however Peter looks like hell in this video. You can be older and still look good. He is wearing this robe that looks like something from Obi Wan Kanobe's (from Star wars) wardrobe. Its so unflattering and it also makes him look 100 pounds overweight and bloated. The backup singers look so frumpy as well.

I also found all the computers and keyboards on stage annoying. He would just sit (or stand) at these "machines" and sing and play music along with the rest of the band doing the same thing. I like rock stars that move, dance, get involved with the concert. This added to his "old and bloated" look. It gave the video a very "laboratory" kinda feel. Like he was a mad scientist in his lab making music. When he rode his bicycle around, I thought "he's too old now to move around on his own. The bicycle should have been a wheelchair"

I agree with the other reviewer on the footage of the stage help. They are wearing BRIGHT orange jumpsuits like convicts in prison and they are filmed quite regularly. WHY???!!! Who wants to see the stage help? A lot of times they are sitting waiting for their next task and its like watching a bunch of bored union workers on a cigarette break. There is no artistic value in this. I found it distracting. You see footage of the stage help filming the video. Shouldnt they be "invisible"?

In Secret World, (his previous concert video) he was so animated. He involved and showcased everyone in the band. The viewer grew to know the others in the band and grew to love them. Ample time was spent featuring them, especially Paula Cole. It looked like everyone was having so much fun. In this video, the band and backup singers mean nothing and add nothing.

In Growing Up Live, there is none of this. The band is simply support. Just like the roadies in the orange jumpsuits. I couldnt tell you one memorable thing about any of the supporting band. This is different than Secret World where I was blown away by Paula Cole and enjoyed her tremendously.

I also found a lot of the performances of many of his staple songs to be "same old thing". The same female vocal style and thing in "In your eyes", the same Dance choreography in "Sledgehammer" (and in In Your Eyes), the same old musical variations in "Solsbury Hill" as Secret World.

On the positive site, the sound is incredible in DTS. The video quality is great and far superior to Secret World. I loved the video editing. I loved some of the songs that are not in Secret World like Mercy Street. The stage is incredily visual and changes and is mesmarizing.

However I would simply buy Secret World and pass on this video. In fact I'll sell you my copy of Growing Up. Watched only twice.