PLAYS LIVE

I was 15 y/o the first time that I heard this album. I was hypnotized by the cover art and the music from the two vynils because I didn't know much about this great musician except some albums with Genesis and a few songs from the fourth previous studio albums.

Well, my first conclusion after all this years is that Mr. Gabriel is a genious if we talk about live performances. Plays Live begins with the mysterious Rhythm of the Heat, a song which sounds like a prelude to the 80's african-influenced Gabriel-era. From this moment, the albums turns into a mixture of songs that touches art rock such as Intruder, I Have the Touch, Not One of Us and I Don't Remember; pop rock songs like I Go Swimming, Shock the Monkey and Solsbury Hill; and the awsome classics from the first years of Gabriel career, wirh some soft touches of prog and the awsome talent of Mr. Gabriel to create simple but powerful atmospheres and characters: Family Snapshot, The Family and the Fishing Net, San Jacinto and No Self Control.

The last three songs of the album are anthological: the beautiful Humdrum, a very powerful and almost prog version of On the Air and the emotive homage to Steven Biko. IMO this is a great live piece, not just for the extraordinary performance of Peter Gabriel but for the excellent work of his musicians, Jerry Marotta, the eternal Tony Levin, David Rhodes and the underrated Larry Fast.

Is not a complex album, full of complicated solos and weird songs. It just Peter Gabriel singinf in concert some of the great songs of his first solo careers years. And that simple fact is enough for me...

4*!!