Peter Gabriel Shares ‘Scratch My Back’ & ‘Taking The Pulse – Live in Verona’ Concert Films

Peter Gabriel shared two concert films from Italy for streaming in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The legendary singer-songwriter offered up Scratch My Back and Taking The Pulse – Live in Verona.

Both films were captured at the Anfiteatro Arena Di Verona in 2010 by Peter’s daughter Anna Gabriel. The performances feature the New Blood Orchestra, conductor Ben Foster, orchestra leader Louisa Fuller, vocalists Melanie Gabriel and Ana Brun, pianist Tom Cawley and musical director John Metcalfe.

Peter Gabriel detailed the film releases in a statement. Read it below:

For almost fifty years I have loved Italy, the people, the culture, the food, the history and more recently the island of Sardinia.

Italy offered us work when there was none, especially each summer in the 70s, gigs were always found and some of our best and most chaotic tour experiences were when we were driving ourselves all over the country for a hodge-bodge of brilliant gigs, from seaside discos to football pitches in the mountains.

Both Genesis and my music found wonderful and passionate audiences that used to sing along with us throughout the gigs and whenever I was doing a live album I would always ask first whether it could be arranged in Italy.

I speak some Italian – really badly, but enough for it to feel like our home from home. It really hit us hard as a family, to watch the daily reports of deaths and devastation that this brutal virus has brought.

Ten years ago, I asked my daughter Anna to film the show that we were planning to play with an orchestra at the Arena di Verona, which is an extraordinary place in which to be able to perform. Although I was recovering from a cold and not quite hitting the notes as I wanted, Anna did a wonderful job with her collaborator Andrew Gaston, and a great team, in capturing a very special night.

The films she made have not been seen by a wide enough audience. Now many of us are at home and isolated, so we wanted to make them available to anyone interested, on the Real World Vimeo channel with the sole request that you consider contributing to one of these organisations raising money to fight the virus:

Civil Protection Department

Italian Red Cross

If you prefer to donate some money more locally, then please do that instead.

We are thinking of all our friends and fans and everybody who has been hit in one way or another by this virus in Italy and around the world. We are also worried we are not far behind you in the UK.

Really looking forward to seeing you all when this genie is back in the bottle.

Enjoy the films and stay safe,

– PG

Watch both films below:

Scratch My Back

Taking The Pulse – Live in Verona

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Source: JamBase.com