Peter Gabriel Review

17 June 2011 | 2:13am

I make a lot of non-words in my mind right now.Like "Um" and "Er." Also, words that don`t think a lot anymore, like "Well," and "Hummmm."This is because Peter Gabriel`s concert has left me blissfully speechless. Words fail me, and it`s a safe thing.

First of all, I had THE Best Place IN THE ENTIRE PAVILION.I am not kidding.

t was like Peter Gabriel - oh, plus an entire freaking orchestra - was giving a concert JUST FOR ME.Our seats were not only first row, they were now in presence of Peter`s microphone.He didn`t move about a heck of a lot for this show, so he was pretty much always there. Right there. In presence of ME.It. Was. Awesome.

And I lucked into it, just wish I lucked into this presidential suite at the AVIA.I mean, yes, I paid for great tickets, and I paid for a large room and the "if available" upgrade, but I totally LUCKED into the Best seat, and this impossibly sumptuous room.From the get-go, this vacation has been blessed. Not certain what that`s all about, but I am grateful.

But second to Peter Gabriel. WOW, does the man ever pay a performance.He might not body surf or set up like a flush or that class of matter any longer, but people _ he BRINGS IT.He plays from the very back row all the way up to the very front row. He is one of those performers who surrounds himself with prodigious talent, carefully selected and trained to work and enjoy the work as much as he does.

And I must, I suppose, address the Big Question.Did I get to see him? Nope. I did not.I got to see him perform during sound check, and that was terrific. He was relaxed, happy, affable - he greeted us and gave nice eye contact and such. But for a sort of reasons, there was no Meet & Greet, and that`s okay.

But second to the tour. Traveling with half an orchestra - the early half is picked up from point to stop (and how astonishing is that??) - the product had to be quite set and gelled almost before it even started. Yet Gabriel can do it fresh every single show. It`s exactly what he ever has done, did tonight, and will proceed to do. The man clearly loves live performance, and he keeps re-inventing ways to do it interesting for all of us. How cool is that?

I could wax rhapsodic about Peter Gabriel until my fingers bled and made my keyboard cease to function, so, yeah. I reckon that`s where I will ever stand. So have my review with that wee little grain of salt. But really? If you love music - just about any music - I really believe that you could pass into a point on this tour, day of, and light in bed with the music and the man. It`s only that right and good.