Gabriel’s music gets new life with orchestra

June 19, 2011|By Sarah Rodman, Globe Staff

PETER GABRIEL AND THE NEW BLOOD ORCHESTRA

At: Comcast Center, Friday, 8 p.m. Tickets: $40-$165. 800-745-3000, www.livenation.com

When Peter Gabriel hits the stage at the Comcast Center on Friday, fans can expect a very different twist on songs from the British rock legend’s nearly 35-year solo career, which has produced hits like “Solsbury Hill,’’ “Sledgehammer,’’ and “In Your Eyes.’’

Gabriel, 61, is performing with a 46-piece orchestra composed of his own touring troupe supplemented by local musicians in each city. The tour had its genesis in a few orchestral dates Gabriel did to promote his 2010 covers album “Scratch My Back,’’ in which he radically reworked songs by Paul Simon, Neil Young, Radiohead, and others. (The proposed companion piece called “I’ll Scratch Yours,’’ with the covered artists returning the favor on Gabriel songs, has yet to materialize, although several tracks have trickled out.)

When Gabriel embarked on a brief tour for “Scratch,’’ he says he realized they were short of songs, so they started fiddling with some of his own material with orchestral arranger John Metcalfe and really enjoyed it. Thus, the “New Blood’’ tour was born. We caught up with Gabriel recently by phone from London.

Q. I’m curious about the arrangements because the advance word on the tour was “no guitars, no drums.’’ But don’t orchestras have drums in them?

A. Well they do. And we do use them. The way I try to justify it is, it’s not a drum kit.

Q. Ah, yes, because it seems like some of the songs you’re doing — “The Rhythm of the Heat’’ and “Red Rain’’ — require at least percussive elements.

A. There are indeed percussive elements. But in some cases, for example “Rhythm of the Heat,’’ where there was a big drum section at the end on the record, in this orchestral version I asked John to transpose some of the rhythmic patterns of the drums onto the orchestral instruments. There is a bit of percussion as well, but [other instruments] are doing 95 percent of the percussion job.

Q. So it sounds like you really are breaking the songs down, not just adding some sweetening strings or an oboe solo.

A. Exactly. And that was really important from the outset, to not keep a band and add an orchestra, but really say, “This is a separate medium. Let’s throw away the old and work on the new palette.’’

Q. How did you pick the songs? Are there some that you feel you have to do because they were hits?

A. Well, there’s no “Sledgehammer’’ for example. So I didn’t feel compelled. I think [the hits that are in the setlist] are there because they seemed they would work well in that orchestral environment.