Back to Front Tour

Back to Front was a concert tour by Peter Gabriel, a retrospective performance based on every song from his 1986 multi-platinum album So played in sequence. The backing band included musicians that Gabriel toured with in 1986–87 in support of the album's initial release.

Each night of the tour was recorded and released both separately and as part of a box set entitled Back to Front: Encore Series. The releases were limited editions and available exclusively from Gabriel's official website.

On 23 June 2014, Real World Records and Eagle Rock Entertainment released the live album and film Back to Front: Live in London, recorded at the O2 concerts.

Gabriel played new original songs, "O But" and "What Lies Ahead", during the tour. John Cusack appeared at the 6 October 2012 concert in Los Angeles, recreating a scene from Say Anything... (1989).

Dave McKenna of The Washington Post described the 14 October 2012 concert in Fairfax as "great".

Personnel

 * Peter Gabriel – vocals, piano, keyboard, tambourine
 * David Rhodes – guitar and backing vocals
 * Tony Levin – bass guitar, upright bass, synthesizer, backing vocals
 * David Sancious – keyboards, accordion, acoustic guitar
 * Manu Katché – drums, shaker
 * Jennie Abrahamson – backing vocals, tambourine, 12 string acoustic guitar
 * Linnea Olsson – backing vocals, synthesizer, cello

Tour crew

 * Tour manager: Dave Taraskevics
 * Lighting designer: Rob Sinclair

Set list
Acoustic (with house lights left on):
 * 1) "Daddy Long Legs" (new unfinished song, also known as "O But", released as Playing For Time on i/o in 2023 with a full band and orchestral arrangement. Replaced by new unfinished song "What Lies Ahead" in late 2014)
 * 2) "Come Talk to Me"
 * 3) "Shock the Monkey"
 * 4) "Family Snapshot"

Electric:
 * 1) "Digging in the Dirt"
 * 2) "Secret World"
 * 3) "The Family and the Fishing Net" or "Darkness" (December 2014)
 * 4) "No Self Control"
 * 5) "Games Without Frontiers" (in Herning and Amsterdam only)
 * 6) "Solsbury Hill" (played after "Washing of the Water" for first show in Quebec City)
 * 7) "Washing of the Water" or "Humdrum" (2012 tour), "Why Don't You Show Yourself" (2013 and 2014 tours)

So:
 * 1) "Red Rain"
 * 2) "Sledgehammer"
 * 3) "Don't Give Up"
 * 4) "That Voice Again"
 * 5) "Mercy Street"
 * 6) "Big Time"
 * 7) "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)"
 * 8) "This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)"
 * 9) "In Your Eyes"

Encore:
 * 1) "Here Comes the Flood" (played 11 times in mid 2014)
 * 2) "The Tower That Ate People"
 * 3) "Biko"

Tour dates

 * Cancellations and rescheduled shows