Peter Gabriel Plays First Headlining Show in 9 Years

Peter Gabriel returned to the stage with a performance at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland.

The show marked Gabriel’s first headlining gig since 2014. More recently, he embarked on the Rock Paper Scissors collaborative tour with Sting in 2016.

The Poland concert was the first in Gabriel’s highly anticipated world tour, and the legendary singer delivered a heavy dose of new material, along with old classics.

The night began with a pair of acoustic renditions, as Gabriel performed “Washing of the Water” and “Growing Up.” Things quickly got bigger from there, as the singer rolled into “Panopticom,” the lead single from his upcoming album, i/o.

The track was one of 10 songs to make its live debut on the night. “Four Kinds of Horses,” “i/o,” “Playing for Time” and “The Court” were also played in concert for their first time, while “Olive Tree,” “Home,” “Road to Joy” and “Live and Let Live” were given their world premieres (an unnamed, never-before-heard song was also performed). Gabriel has been putting out tracks from i/o on every full moon, and the latter collection of songs still remain unreleased.

The 1986 classic “Sledgehammer” closed Gabriel’s initial set. After a brief intermission, he returned with a second round of tunes, which included “Darkness,” “Don’t Give Up” (originally a duet with Kate Bush), “Red Rain” and “Solsbury Hill.” For an encore, Gabriel performed his beloved track “In Your Eyes,” then returned for a second encore with “Biko.” Videos from the performance and a full set list can be found below.

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Sledgehammer’ at 2023 Tour Opener

i/o will be the tenth studio album since Gabriel’s departure from Genesis in 1975. It also marks his first album of original material in more than two decades.

“It’s been a while and I am now surrounded by a whole lot of new songs and am excited to be taking them out on the road,” Gabriel said when the initial i/o tour dates were announced. “Look forward to seeing you out there.”

A North American leg of the tour will kick off Sept. 8 in Quebec. Gabriel will then wind his way through 25 stops across the U.S. and Canada, before concluding the trek Oct. 21 in Houston.

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Growing Up’ at 2023 Tour Opener

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Red Rain’ at 2023 Tour Opener

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Home’ at 2023 Tour Opener

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Don’t Give Up’ at 2023 Tour Opener

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Big Time’ at 2023 Tour Opener

Watch Peter Gabriel Perform ‘Biko’ at 2023 Tour Opener

Watch Highlights From Peter Gabriel’s 2023 Tour Opener

Peter Gabriel, Tauron Arena, Kraków, Poland, 5/18/23
1. “Washing of the Water”
2. “Growing Up”
3. “Panopticom”
4. “Four Kinds of Horses”
5. “i/o”
6. “Digging in the Dirt”
7. “Playing for Time”
8. “Olive Tree”
9. “Home”
10. “Sledgehammer”
11. “Darkness”
12. “Love Can Heal”
13. “Road to Joy”
14. “Don’t Give Up”
15. “The Court”
16. “Red Rain”
17. (Unknown)
18. ”What Lies Ahead”
19. “Big Time”
20. “Live and Let Live”
21. “Solsbury Hill”
22. “In Your Eyes”