From 2010 to 2012 Joby Burgess toured and recorded with Peter Gabriel as his only percussionist for the orchestral projects ‘Scratch My Back’ and ‘New Blood’.
There were no drums and no guitars, just a full orchestra performing superlative arrangements by John Metcalfe.
In spring 2010 Peter began the ‘New Blood’ tour, playing selected shows in Europe and North America in support of the album release. The tour continued in the autumn of the same year and included a show at the First Century Roman amphitheatre in Verona, Italy: Anfiteatro Arena Di Verona.
The show, on 26 September 2010, was captured by Anna Gabriel and the material she shot forms the basis of two films: ‘Scratch My Back’ and ‘Taking The Pulse – Live in Verona’.
‘Taking The Pulse’, captures the second half of the live show, that featured orchestral arrangements of Peter’s own songs. At the time these were wholly new to the audience, but went on to form the basis of the subsequent ‘New Blood’ album.
Joby was heavily featured in these shows, playing a mixture of mallet percussion, hand percussion, cinematic effects and thunderous drums.