petergabriel.com

Yep - it's been worth the wait. Very, very impressive. Congratulations to Peter, Blue Leach, Eagle Vision and everyone involved. Now, as someone who hasn't seen the U2 live in IMAX 3D, or that Glee 3D one, or even that Justin-what's-his-name one, I don't have a lot to compare New Blood Live to as far as the concept of 3D concert films go, but the whole 3-Dimensional environment is very effective, particularly of the shots within the orchestra and a lot of the on-screen visuals (some which have been admittingly enhanced). And the sound mix is absolutely amazing. But the main thing everyone who plans to see this at the cinema needs to know is this - this is NOT exactly the same as the planned DVD/Bluray release. There are five tracks not in this cinema version. Missing are: Wallflower, Boy in the Bubble, The Drop, The Power of the Heart and Downside Up. Beyond mentioning that, I don't want to spoil anything. And to be honest I would really need to see it again to comment properly as I was too busy playing the "first night/second night" game. Those that went both nights know that the first night was the "main" night where they used a massive camera on a crane along with two large cameras on dolly tracks down the front, while the 2nd night was a much more pared down setup with hand held cameras down the front and more on-stage camera work. So the bulk of the footage is indeed from night one, with various bits and pieces from night two. In my humble opinion - if you've had even just a slight interest in this whole New Blood shinanigans, this concert recording is absolutely essential. It's a great time to be a Peter Gabriel fan.

Thanks for the review.

Thanks for the review MrGreggles. I will be playing the 1st night, 2nd night game when I get to see it on Sept. 6th. Were there many people in the theater with you? I wish they had used the big camera the 2nd night because in my opinion it was definitely the better performance for both Peter and I think the audience reacted more the 2nd show than the first. I can't wait!

Excellent, thanks for the review.

Getting excited now!

Absolutely, agree MrGreggles, I was spellbound from the start, just incredible. It was the most impressive of experiences, theatrical, passionate and intimate. I normally can't abide the 3D thing, but this took you into the stage, up close and personal. It was, I have to say, a very emotional experience. Like many I have grown-up with the music, - throughout the show many memories and emotions were evoked. I got flashbacks on periods of my life associated with the pieces. During Biko, I recalled all the emotions of standing watching Peter at the anti-apartheid demo on Clapham Common, a student full of ideals that were in good part sparked by Peter. Peter should be immensely proud of this body of work. The new arrangement is respectful yet bold. The tunes and words are so familiar, -yet they hit me with their renewed passion and soulfulness. Alongside my years of connection with Peter's work, I have developed a passion for orchestral classical music. Here we experienced, literally at one point, the power of Beethoven and the intensity of Shostakovich. The ending of Rhythm of the Heat – ‘how was he going to do this without drums?' - brilliant and to me reminiscent of the ending of Sibelius symphony 5. I felt completely involved and connected to the experience. There were moments of tension, surprise, sadness and sheer joy. The performance style moved from actor, to humbled accompaniment to the brilliant orchestra, to inspirational leader, to party host. Total respect, gratitude and admiration to everyone involved in this project. Can't wait to experience it again!

The reports sound just the way I could enjoy the two nights: Emotional, surprising and exciting. Good they took the first night as base- in my opinion. Sad, but in some way understandable, some important songs are missing: Perfection beats emotion?

Just out of interest, were there any shots of the audience at all?

There's plenty of general shots from the crane overlooking the crowd throughout the whole performance, but there aren't really any specific close ups of individuals per se. There's a few tighter crowd shots during "Biko" (including some impressive 3D fist pumps!) and even some shots of the upstairs crowd at one point. There are a few shots looking out into the crowd from the stage throughout the concert prior to "Solsbury Hill" but from memory most of these shots seemed to be from the second night. But from "Solsbury Hill" onwards once the crowds moved down towards the front there are lots of shots looking out into the crowd from the stage (mainly because the cameras down the front couldn't really move anymore) and it's a mix of footage from both nights (Most of the "Solsbury Hill" footage seemed to be from the first night, most of "Dont Give up" from the second night.) I only really remember two shots of specific individuals - a close up of a woman during (I think) "Biko" and a guy leaning forward towards the stage taking a photo with his camera during (I think)"In Your Eyes". Generally speaking though, if you were down the front on either night there is a very good chance you'll get your 15 seconds of fame.

Thanks for that. I was near down the front on the first night with a friend and I shall tell him to get ready for his 15 secs LOL. He actually shook Peter's hand as he passed by during Solsbury Hill. If that's in, I think he will explode! We're going to both screenings on 11th Sep and 15th Sep just to make sure Looking forward to the 3D and the sound. It really has to be seen on the big screen especially as I don't have a 3D TV/BluRay player. I shall be going for the Deluxe Version.

I think I may have my 15 seconds of fame then if they include the Solsbury Hill crowd for the 2nd night. I was right at the teleprompter at the stage with a camera man trapped at my back. I was thinking the only thing that might show up in the movie would be my hand in the air during the" BOOM, BOOM, BOOM " in Solsbury Hill, since the camera man was literally wedged in behind me facing the stage. I was wearing a navy blue batik top, and a black and red beaded thick bracelet. We'll see. It will be fun to try to spot friends during the movie.

I really hope the second night solsbury hill is in for the bit when he swung the camera right out and then it goes full circle and almost hit the conductor, that i was right at the front on the second night. I really wish they put both nights on the dvd as an extra.

When I think about it, "Perfection beats Emotion" is a good cause for divorce and father disappointment!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj0u8Gmq38M Perhaps he's not the man and father I thought he was!

Last Thursday night in Perth, 11 people (eleven!) watched the 3D movie on the big screen. What the.?! But I admit, without the e-mail alert I'd have missed it too. While the ‘Big Screen Event' dropped part of the full DVD tracklist, it was truly great to have the opportunity to watch at least some of it properly; meaning: On a really big screen with excellent sound (How ultra-cool! MUCH appreciated, thanks!). What can I say? To compare the DVD to ‘New Blood Live' is a bit like looking at apples and oranges. Live orchestra sound with spectacular lighting and theatrics plus the unique once-only-effect do add up to something incredibly powerful and very special. If the performance is good, it floors you. PG live certainly does. It's still impossible to capture that sort of thing (here's hoping for virtual reality, one day). In the meantime, this 3-D DVD indeed surpasses all previous recording attempts and delivers something that is quite unavailable to the average concert-goer. You find yourself not just on stage, up close and personal with the orchestra (practically sitting in their laps); you're also viewing from above; you're right in the front row, have Peter leaning over you or share his view of the audience. The 3D vision and the careful editing allow you to linger at each vantage point for just long enough to "feel yourself be there". Hovering so close also visually elevates the orchestra's huge role in this production sufficiently to help you finally appreciate what everyone is actually up to. Watching the teamwork becomes a source of delight: All the different ways to cheat the ‘no drums' rule are taken to a positively fiendish level in "Rhythm Of The Heat". Powerful in any of its incarnations, here the track somersaults into an entirely new rhythmic dimension, thanks to the marvellous John Metcalfe and his breathtaking arrangements. Watching Ben Foster conduct, you expect him to catch fire or start levitating any second - he's so intense. Peter's voice is in fine shape throughout and happily those cool tour visuals are now safely recorded. Since the stage lighting had ample time to evolve with lots of touring, it now all works superbly well in complementing the music: From the first scratchy sounds of "Intruder" via the utter bleakness of a starkly b/w "Mercy Street" to the "Nest", which sails as the very last piece of music for the night, it's pure magic. There are (of course) additional new 3D effects, assisted by sound editing in what I can only describe as ‘waves'. Yes, it does work and the performances come across emotionally powerful. New associations abound. For instance, I'd always looked at "Red Rain", as something like ‘Peter's private inferno', but this time around it provoked a new and different reaction. For whatever reason I found myself sharply reminded of Krishnamurti's appeal to "focus on dropping your defenses to allow awareness of the ongoing pain and suffering around the world – it's a very powerful experience" (true). Mulling over such philosophical issues (why on earth do we constantly waste all this enormous mental effort just to keep unpleasant truths at arm's length, if all it does is weaken us?), I was also wondering why this particular song had never triggered anything quite like that kind of response before. Had I simply changed? Or did I really see something new here? I suspect that many others may share a similar experience and will also discover yet another new angle or approach to Peter's music in this multimedia recording. After all, here is a carefully packaged total overdose of 3-D visual info, alongside wonderful music and lyrics - never just Pop or Rock (or whatever), it's always more: Rich, rewarding, powerful, intriguing and slightly uncomfortable fare, forever scratching the surface and prompting you not just to enjoy, but also to question and to think. BTW, it's hard to stay in your seat, too. Judging by the obvious success of the recent years' orchestral tour-de-force, PG's material also lends itself brilliantly to artistic re-interpretation. It really gets quite difficult not to gush even more. Worth seeing? You bet!

Eleven folks in Perth - wonderful Thx

11 folks in the cinema? Pathetic!

I don't expect huge crowds to see this movie in the US No car crashes.

I'm expecting that my four tickets might be the only 4 sold in the theater in the city I live in. I won't bother anyone then if I stand, dance, point, talk. Our theaters here tend to attract an older/retired crowd, and the word orchestra in the title might attract a few that don't know what they are getting into. It will be interesting. My husband has promised to go with me to the 9/12 movie. He hasn't been to any of the SMB or New Blood shows, as I've traveled all over to see PG.

Thanks for the reviews all!

"I really hope the second night solsbury hill is in for the bit when he swung the camera right out and then it goes full circle and almost hit the conductor, that i was right at the front on the second night." Yes, it is! And it's quite funny!!