March 17, 1977 review: Peter Gabriel at the Century Theater

 


Peter Gabriel’s departure from Genesis in 1975 right after “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” shook up fans. Would they still love him as a solo act?

March 17, 1977

Never Know What’s Up

When Gabriel Blows In 

          Peter Gabriel’s reputation for transmogrifying himself is such that nobody in the nearly sold-out Century Theater Wednesday night is sure what form he would assume to make his entrance.

          Would he show up as a monster with a skin problem, as he did when he sang with Genesis? Or might he lurk in the shadows, waiting to zap you with his reflectorized contact lenses, as on his new solo LP?

          When the lights dimmed, the answer was neither of the above. His fans rose to see a figure not much different from Paul Simon at the piano. A robust, athletic Paul Simon in sneakers and a gray warm-up suit accented in white with colored stripes at the elbows.

* * *

WITHIN THREE numbers, he amazes the place. First, there’s his energetic pantomime. Then there’s the way he can change his voice until it sounds like the Hulk’s. And, most incredible, there are his bold forays into the audience.

          The spotlight finds him and his wireless mike in a box seat between the balcony and the floor. A few minutes later, he’s walking down the center aisle, singing and shaking hands with friendly aplomb.

          His expeditions give him a chorus of stubborn shouters, but his endless mimicry is unaffected. He sings about a man with no teeth as if he has no teeth. He recreates the Kinks’ Ray Davies in “All Day and All of the Night” and ‘60s pop stars in Motown’s “Ain’t That Peculiar.”

* * *

THE BAND reinforces Gabriel’s fanciful funning. Bassist Tony Levin takes a tuba solo. Guitarist Steve Hunter prowls in a leather suit under blond curly hair. Percussionist Jimmy Mahlen bounces on his toes like a boxer, between swipes at two big Chinese gongs suspended above his head.

          At one point, the four of them don mustaches and sing barbershop harmonies.

          For his encore, Gabriel makes his only costume change. Recognition of the leather jacket and jeans of the hero from Genesis’ “A Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” is instantaneous.

* * *

OPENING WAS the New York City quartet Television, who stand as staunchly against theatrics as Gabriel stands for them.

          Standing woodenly as they delivered their angular tunes, they were like nihilists let loose in the worldly splendor of Gabriel’s equipment and hanging lamps.

          Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Tom Verlaine, dressed in a black and two-tone blue shirt of aging rayon, appeared to be watching something crawling up his microphone as he spat out his chants.

          Verlaine is a fine guitarist despite a tendency to meander without regard to time or harmony on solos. The group’s blockish phrasing and atonal breaks built the proper intensity only once – in “Elevation” from their debut album. It was more than most of Gabriel’s fans expected of them.

* * * * *

IN THE PHOTO: Peter Gabriel on the first date of his tour in 1977.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTE: Peter Gabriel released his first solo album in February and began touring for it at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, N.J., less than two weeks before this date. Many of the shows can be heard on bootleg recordings, although there’s not one from the Buffalo show.

          Gabriel’s band was a killer. One of the guitarists was Steve Hunter, who producer Bob Ezrin had brought in for that first solo album and who had played with Mitch Ryder, Alice Cooper and Lou Reed. The other was playing under the assumed name of Dusty Rhodes and hid behind a curtain or offstage on all the dates. He was none other than Robert Fripp and he needs no introduction. Neither does bassist Tony Levin.

          Doing synthesizers was Larry Fast, who had worked with Yes, while Phil Aaberg, who is best known for his subsequent albums on Windham Hill, did the other keyboards. Drummer was Allan Schwartzberg, an extremely well-traveled session player who already had backed up James Brown, Harry Chapin, Tony Orlando and Dawn, plus Gloria Gaynor on what was considered the first disco record, “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Percussionist Jim Maelen also was much in demand as a session player and would go on to work with Roxy Music and John Lennon.

          As for Television, they had released their breakthrough album, "Marquee Moon," on the same date Gabriel's LP came out and their label put them on the Gabriel tour, hoping for some exposure. Gabriel's fans didn't like them. By May 1977, they were touring England with Blondie, which went much, much better.  

Here’s the Peter Gabriel setlist from setlist.fm.

Here Comes the Flood

On the Air

Moribund the Burgermeister

Waiting for the Big One

Indigo

Excuse Me

Solsbury Hill

Ain’t That Peculiar (Marvin Gaye cover)

Why Don’t We

Humdrum

Slowburn

All Day and All of the Night (Kinks cover)

Here Comes the Flood

Modern Love

Down the Dolce Vita

(encore)

Back in N.Y.C. (Genesis song)

No Television setlist for this show on setlist.fm. Here's what they played the previous night in Cleveland Music Hall: 

See No Evil

Venus

Friction

Elevation

Prove It

Marquee Moon

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