The Dome, Brighton

This was the first time I had ever seen Peter Gabriel live. I was obviously a Genesis fan, which was why most of us were there I would think. I did have an offer from my cousin Michael some years before to see Genesis on the Selling England tour in Brighton, but my mum said I was too young to be out late at night. I was 13 and very upset, I can tell you. Anyway, I eventually got to see Peter, and extremely excited I was too. Stuff that I remember very clearly about Brighton that night is Tony Levin being the consummate stooge to Peter, with joke references to towels. Peter appearing on the balcony above me with his Nady receiver microphone to sing the intro to, I think it was, Waiting for the Big One. I was puzzled to start with because Peter’s voice seemed to come out of keyboard player Bayete’s mouth. It was only because I saw people in front of me turning around to look that I realised. Tony came on from the back of the stage with a Tuba after the barbershop intro to Excuse Me to much hilarity. I remember songs that were in the early stages, one I recall Peter Calling Mickey Mouse. A song, which I assume was the origin of Indigo, was played with Peter singing his faux lyrics whilst his voice was affected by something like an Eventide Harmonizer to make him sound like one of the Chipmunks. He referred to a small spotlight on a curtain as his friend from outer space, and that was the reason behind the funny voice. I’m only assuming that was the song as I have a Live at the Roxy bootleg with that kind of daft performance on it. Peter was great with handling a stupid heckler who thought he was funny, he was introducing Down the Dolce Vita and mentioned that Gerry Marotta (I think) was Italian and ate a lot of spaghetti and would spend his time Down the Dolce Vita. But before Peter could say the song title, and idiot shouted out ‘Farting!’ I suppose a few people tittered, but I found it irritating.
There was a sort of low budget feel to the stage effects in comparison to that which Peter had been used to about two years before. Things like a small bell lowered down on a rope for him to strike during the tick tock bit in Dolce Vita stick in my mind, and of course the spotlight for a cum from outer space.
For me though, and a climax, was the encore of Back in NYC. Peter had changed from his judo or karate jacket into a leather jacket and a white t-shirt with a blue collar strip.
Support Nona Hendryx was excellent as well.

If anyone has an audio copy of this gig they can send me, or tell me where I can get a copy, I’d be truly grateful.
[vernham]