Peter Gabriel, SSE Wembley Arena

Peter Gabriel is known as one of pop music’s most forward-thinking musicians, but over the past few years he has taken the time to explore his own past. 2011’s New Blood saw him record orchestral versions of songs from his back catalogue, while last year’s And I’ll Scratch Yours compiled covers of his work from David Byrne, Lou Reed and Brian Eno, among others. This winter, he returns to the road with his Back to Front Tour, whose three sections delve into the contrary extremes of his career.
The concert opens with a suite of solo acoustic songs, before Gabriel runs through some of the most iconic and experimental moments of his career – expect the cinematic ‘Family Snapshot,’ the Steve Reich-inspired ‘No Self Control’ and the evergreen ‘Solsbury Hill.’ Then, for the second half of the show, the band will offer up the entirely of So, Gabriel’s world-beating 1986 album. Every one is of these songs is a distinct art-rock gem, from the satirical funk of ‘Big Time’ to the haunting ‘Mercy Street,’ about poet Anne Sexton. And then there’s the Kate Bush duet ‘Don’t Give Up,’ the tender ‘In Your Eyes,’ the political ‘Red Rain’and the smash ‘Sledgehammer.’ The encore will close with ‘Biko,’ Gabriel’s epic tribute to the anti-apartheid activist.
Whether as part of Genesis or throughout his solo work, Peter Gabriel has always pushed the boundaries of pop. His six-album stint as Genesis frontman, during which they recorded their best-loved albums, saw him sing about classical mythology, the apocalypse and nursery rhymes. As a solo artist, he brought African music to Western pop, and explored wildly divergent styles. In addition to his musical work, he is the founder of annual world music festival WOMAD and a devotee of numerous humanitarian causes. He has been induced twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as both a member of Genesis and a solo artist.