Peter Gabriel - Biko - Live at WOMAD 1982

Peter Gabriel performing 'Biko' on Friday 16 July 1982, at the first WOMAD Festival, that took place at the Royal Bath and West Showground, near Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
"The only way we have a hope of doing this all again is with your support." - pg, 1982.
In the band are Peter, David Rhodes (guitar), Jerry Marotta (drums), Larry Fast (keyboards), Peter Hammill (guitar) and John Giblin (bass). They are joined by Ekome Dance Company.
This video premiered as part of WOMAD at Home 2020 on womad.co.uk where the WOMAD team were pleased to bring an essence of the festival online instead.
Biko is originally taken from Peter Gabriel's third solo album:
smarturl.it/PeterGabriel3
BIKO
September '77
Port Elizabeth weather fine
It was business as usual
In Police Room 619
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
- The man is dead
The man is dead
When I try to sleep at night
I can only dream in red
The outside world is black and white
With only one colour dead
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja,
- The man is dead
The man is dead
You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flame begins to catch
The wind will blow it higher
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
- The man is dead
- The man is dead
And the eyes of the world are watching now
Watching now

[@heatherc2939]

I was 24 in Toronto, so over Genesis w/out Peter. This. This. In concert. My life changed. I now donate to Amnesty, UN, and my local mental health agency. It's as much as I can do in my limited capacity. We're we that young?

[@harrycaul2494]

I was there in crowd that night, aged 16. I wasn't a Gabriel fan, but this song blew me away and put the hairs up on my neck, it was an incredible atmosphere in there. Kate Bush was standing next to me wearing a Barbour jacket and with a flat cap on. Echo and The Bunnymen were superb too, as were The Drummers of Burundi

[@mariabolland8433]

You jammy swine is all I can say. Wow how fantastic I'm made up for you. I've seen Gabriel live twice I've played Biko over a billion times & it always makes me cry blood runs cold & yes those hairs! Unbelievable how hatred some people are & then there's us who are not hatred. Love & peace to all who read this. Maria from Liverpool UK ❤

[@kimsmith5442]

Biko forever his memorial . Mr. Biko changed the world. He will never be forgotten. 🙏🏻🙌

[@SuperLuBruxa]

Simply SPECTACULAR 🎉🎉🎉

[@kimsmith5442]

I think I was 16 when I saw this. It woke up the world. We need more to be memorialize in the fight for freedom in this tied world.

[@tipsterbl]

I saw this Peter Gabriel tour. I saw every Genesis, Gabriel and Collins tour that I could and it was many.

[@annalyon8443]

now THAT is a spiritual experience.

[@dansmithwave]

Only just come across this. I was at that show and have to confess that for many years I told anyone who would listen that I had seen Peter Gabriel play Biko live with the Drummers of Burundi. It was only a couple of years ago that I read an article which pointed out that it was Ekome Dance Company. Woops. Anyway, so happy to see this video and find it really was as good as I thought. It was such a great time for music - so much variety from 1979-1983 - one of the true golden periods.

[@rpraelsporcupine3112]

Oh, please, Mr. Gabriel, you have us begging here for some more songs from this concert! Don’t leave us in agony, release this concert, please!

[@leonardopintor9599]

Qq111

[@garryharris3476]

Fabulous Peter. We seem to have lost our way and forgotten that people have the power to change the world.

[@johnpdavie]

So fantastic to see this. I'm there, grinning and clapping in the front row with my home made 'PeterGabriel' white banner, aged 17, having queued up all day outside the Showering Pavilion. Please release more from this concert.

[@azcomeazgo]

That's a very nice banner for home made. I love how you folded it up in a ritualistic manner at the end. This must have been an amazing experience.

[@pattistilwell7424]

Hi John, how are you doing. I trust you are safe and in good health.........I'm looking for new friend OK!

[@richardbligh-smith2541]

John ... unless there is another white banner then I have to challenge you there !! I am the 18 year old in the Genesis Wind & Wuthering tour jacket at the middle front with the Peter Gabriel flag (painstakingly created at home from a white sheet, black spray paint, sellotape and cut up cornflake boxes ;-)).... it's a shame you can't post pictures on here as I still have both the jacket and the flag (and the OCD characteristics that made me fold the flag up neatly before the gig had totally finished !!!). Great gig .. I know you will have been there with another banner :-)

[@johnpdavie]

@@richardbligh-smith2541 Hi. OK, now I am beginning to doubt myself, but I am sure I made a banner using a white sheet and felt-tip pen..... I do believe you, but, how very odd. Have you seen the South Bank show bit of this concert? Anyway, I believe you live not far from me (I live in Halifax). Maybe one day we could get together over a pint (perhaps at this year's WOMAD? and discuss this important issue face-to-face....

[@goconnell3740]

This is the best performance of "Biko" that I have seen! If you look at the audience, they are also thoroughly enjoying it as well! Back then people knew how to simply enjoy the moment - there are no mobile phones trying to record the concert!

[@petermunoz8554]

Wow. I have never seen this footage. Simply spectacular. I seen him several times back in 80's and sings this song as a last performance. Peter the Great. 🙂

[@maryharlow420]

Peter! 1982? Guess we all looked as good as you then...and now!!! You never fail to shiver me spine...30 years now...and 3 live shows..hope you hit San Fransisco soon..miss and love you

[@mareehayes1103]

thanks..😊

[@mlmcproductions4191]

Steven Biko and Nelson Mandella were both leaders in the South African struggle against Apartheid. Steven Biko never survived his arrest experience. A symbol of the struggle of racism then as well as now. Decades later under Nelson Mandella's leadership, South Africa's political world did change.

[@meloukamelouk7944]

Merci ❤ à Péter Gabriel pour ce morceau tellement puissant.

[@redrocks1983]

I got to see this magnificent human being perform this epic song Live in 1986 in Denver, CO. ☮️ ❤️

[@paulhiggins1485]

I would pay good money to see this whole set .. we all knew from Southbank that it had been filmed .. the quality and sound are beautiful .. I hope you release it !!!

[@johnnyrotten4657]

The audio is excellent in this video.

[@geltech6490]

a proper release of the whole performance would be a true blessing. please, peter!

[@cristinebowen4116]

Just discovering this live version and, wow. Just wow.

[@marcweiss547]

Saw him play this a dozen times in Chicago in the 80's. Some of the best times in my youth. All acting as one, unforgettable. Completely unforgettable

[@lo9012]

As a kid, i never heard of Biko until my teacher showed the film one day in class. Heartbreaking and we all cried (majority white classmates and me a latina). We had so many arts for humanity events going on in the 80s it definitely made an impact on my fellow youth. Please keep sharing, thank you.

[@micheltrias6924]

I was young in 82, i remember this show in Bordeaux on Quinconce place under big top, i remember the ticket was Purple I've been captivated ever since. I have see many times Peter Gabriel concert, latest time was on Tolosa for So anniversary I still completly fan, i hope he come back on stage for have this pleasure

[@lilomarquardt622]

Peter Gabriel ist der Beste Künstler und Sänger und Musiker der Welt ❤❤❤❤

[@pamelahaldane5722]

Still gives me goosebumps

[@maximelenglet5456]

Ultimate Biko performance. Please release the whole concert on Real Worlds Records !

[@paulhiggins1485]

would make a perfect partner piece to the Rockpalast gig

[@pauldevine8090]

Just in case you aren't aware, you got your wish :) It comes out in July

[@lydiabergmann4521]

A powerful and colourful performance supported by the audience to lift up together the voices for a man who gave his life in the fight for freedom. May the Lord bless everyone who was there to experience the freedom we are offered by our heavenly father in Jesus Christ and his kingdom on the way to this suffering world. John 8, 36 🌾 📖 ❤️🙏

[@monicacubberly-early1901]

Exceptional performance by an exceptional artist Peter Gabriel. Thank you so much for sharing and God bless all from Patrick

[@tomasbeltralopez4481]

Thank you Peter for music !!!

[@ismaelalcazar2758]

What An Amazing Performance, Thanks Peter Gabriel, You're The Best!!!!!

[@galto770]

Peter war schon immer speziell, einfach genial 👌

[@stivenvolcan7299]

Great Peter Hammill in the choir!

[@carlosalomar2211]

He was on the Womad record (1982) and Peter Gabriel IV (1982)!.....

[@getrudkluge7797]

Einfach nur super❤❤❤❤.Toller Sänger.

[@theworldaccordingto4555]

Great performance of this track! More!

[@annegabriele2188]

Simples Fantastic!!!!!! No Handy, simples people that like to hear wonderful Music and have joy. Great Performance!!!!!! legandary song!!!!!!!!!

[@drummerman122]

One of the best songs ever written.

[@kimsmith5442]

Indeed! Woke up the world. I only wish we had musicians now that would do the same. If I could sing, I would do it myself

[@erminiadegregori3138]

Steven Bikko. Unforgettable hero

[@chrisbywater275]

Apparently not judging by that spelling

[@Phobero]

OK that was nice - keep'em coming! 🙂

[@stefanotucciarelli7331]

Davide, porca paletta ma perche dobbiamo sorbirci da anni le peggio schifezze di Peter quando in archivio avrà centinaia di queste chicche che pagherei a peso d'oro se le pubblicasse ufficialmente. Propongo una manifestazione di protesta davanti ai cancelli della Real World :-)

[@astridsegall6013]

Puede perder todo el lunes si nadie lo ayuda ante la corte suprema en Londres.

[@MartinCleverly]

I was there that night. Epic performance by PG. Also watched my brother's band King Trigger play earlier in a marquee.

[@FesterWerks]

Oh my... PLEASE release this whole set. The 82 tour was a mind blower for me... It was the first non-headbanging rock concert I went to. The intro at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, MI was amazing. Musicians each with a drum at the top of the stadium seating area entrance. Not sure if it was a song or just a arrangement they played as they walked down the steps and up to the stage. (if it was a song, it was Rhythm of the Heat) . And I could of sworn he was holding the beam of light in his hand. I could go on and on about this show. I would really love to see this live show in its entirety!

[@henrycodm896]

Behold excellence put into motion. Praise God.

[@louismdx]

A l'époque j'étais allé en stop pour ce festival je suis arrivé le lendemain de ce concert ,que des regrets,je me suis bien rattrapé quand vous étes venus en france, toujours de super moments qui restent gravés dans ma mémoire.merci pour toutes ces émotions et ces musiques qui m 'on permis de traverser la vie dans les moments pas faciles,et encore maintenant.

[@carlosjavierramirez9252]

Biko, un himno inmortal!!!!!

[@pattistilwell7424]

Hi, how are you doing. I trust you are safe and in good health.........I'm looking for new friend OK!

[@ewawitkowska9736]

Love this songs ❤

[@ewawitkowska9736]

@Peter Gabriel Than you very much for the beautiful music that I met at the beginning of the 1980s,I was a teenager then, I listened to Genesis and Peter ,for me it is beautiful that I grew up on such wonderful musicians and Music, greetings from Poland 😀👍👍

[@ewawitkowska9736]

@Peter Gabriel ok 😀👍

[@ewawitkowska9736]

@Peter Gabriel Hello , I also don't have time this week ,wall write to each other next week I have a lot of work ,best regards😀❤

[@jackstraw6760]

Just once I would like to listen to this version of this song without a commercial.

[@garydoyle3336]

Wow nearly 40 years ago! I remember it well. Hitched it from newquay to the womad festival in Shepton Mallet, me and my mate sat on a wall smashed out of our faces watching some guy coming out of a door throwing stuff in a bin and going back in again. I said "he's got to be going somewhere",so we prised the door open,ran up some stairs and ended up behind the bar. Someone said "your not allowed behind the bar" and opened the hatch and pushed us out into the crowd and there we were looking at Peter gabriel on stage and that performance of Biko was pure atmospheric and didn't cost us a penny 😂 happy days

[@johnnyrotten2259]

Song to be played at my funeral

[@gilireland-ashley5449]

Unbelievable! This entire performance is sitting in the archive vaults?

[@MrGavin42]

We can only hope. I know that parts of this show are in the South Bank Show episode about Peter. Think they show most of Rhythm of the Heat in that.

[@carlosalomar2211]

Peter has it all on his archives!.....

[@jadecole6918]

I know this is the first time I've seen this...

[@annmurraymcblain9078]

I want to marry you RYAN

[@pattistilwell7424]

Hi, how are you doing. I trust you are safe and in good health.........I'm looking for new friend OK!

[@riccardomusiu510]

Oh Wow this is amazing!!! Grande Peter, sei Immenso!!!!! Grazie mille!! Thank you so much!!! The best!! 🇮🇹❤🇬🇧🌍✊❤

[@therealintruder]

Spot the Italian wristband holding a recording walkman? yep... that was my PG concert #5 :-)

[@edzts]

The Intruder at the end, so cool

[@GenesisMuseum]

must be funny to see yourself so clearly on video after all those years :)

[@therealintruder]

@@GenesisMuseum freakin' amazing, my friend!

[@redaissancey6423]

@@therealintruder Is your tape of this show released? Would be a treasure to have more alternate sources for WOMAD 82.

[@therealintruder]

​@@redaissancey6423 on the plus side, the totally new setlist was a gift of heaven as I didn't (couldn't) shout my lungs out over every song as I usually did ;-) but on the minus side, quality is quite poor compared to what is already circulating so believe me, it's noy really worth it...

[@alansmith8195]

Saw a really early version of this at the 1979 Reading Festival that no-one really understood.... Years later we saw it performed at Wembley for the Nelson Mandela concert in '88. The whole, massive crowd sang along, it was spine tingling.

[@TominTexa7]

so the song was at least that old!

[@lindamon5101]

EPIC💚💚💚😍😍😍💗💗💓💓💓💗💗💞💕💞💕💞💕

[@JohnnyCatFitz]

Almost 40 years ago.

[@mcrobell]

Peter Gabriel, Sempre el millor. Moltes gràcies per ser-hi!!

[@pattistilwell7424]

Hi, how are you doing. I trust you are safe and in good health.........I'm looking for new friend OK!

[@marcosangulo8208]

Primera vez que la oía hoy,y me impresionó por la Belleza de la Canción,Piter Gabriel es uno de mis Artistas Preferidos

[@Spiderific]

Wow. What a performance!

[@china1984able]

Six of the Best was the encore. Amazing!

[@sergiob924]

Listening to Peter's always a great emotion...Thanks. Very, very good !!!

[@hansverbakel770]

Wow! That was amazing! I never thought I would see a video of Peter at the very first WOMAD festival.

[@allsaintschruchofenglandpr9299]

You can also see a few segments (Rhythm of the Heat) on the very end of the South Bank Show about the recording of the 4th album.

[@TheStircrazys]

a mazing still gives me shivers down my spine

[@pattistilwell7424]

Hi, how are you doing. I trust you are safe and in good health.........I'm looking for new friend OK!

[@MetteC5]

Thank you so much for uploading this absolute gem!

[@adventureswithfarmertroy]

🙏Spectacular😎🎥🎬 🎶

[@mariolajuchniewicz9775]

To jest to !pozdrawiam

[@massimilianomariamichetti4965]

Sempre il migliore.

[@jofraser-ur8tg]

I am in awe

[@АндрейБек-Назаров]

Питер ты супер!! ❤

[@stephaniewhite5644]

So beautiful!

[@amck3345]

Amazing to see this..cheers

[@Every_Day_islike_Sunday]

This is so very beautiful.

[@simonwhite2890]

Sound quality is wonderful

[@gr1th1n13]

Love WOMAD so much. ❤️ wish I could of been at this one. Thank you for posting. ❤️

[@shazzchristy9948]

Classic 💚

[@BerndHeinz58]

great, thank you

[@pattistilwell7424]

Hi Bernd, how are you doing. I trust you are safe and in good health.........I'm looking for new friend OK!

[@mareehayes1103]

thanks ..⛈🤟

[@AlessandroNotari-u5y]

❤ GREAT GABRIEL GREAT SONG ALL YUO ARE GREAT S

[@marcosangulo8208]

Excelente Artista Piter y su Grupo Musical

[@RosyAfterglow]

Thank you for this! Always cry with this song 😭

[@dbaenniteol4694]

That gives me hope one day we might see a full length video from one or more Plays Live tour shows, my favorite PG tour, with my favorite PG line-up (including the FABULOUS Larry Fast/Synergy)... That and ELP's complete Cal Jam '74 show (not that 50 min edited crap) are the ones I'm waiting (decades) for.

[@Josh7510]

The actions of some are the catalyst of change......

[@drfrenchy9602]

You are Legend for me ❤️

This song was very important i. The 1980's. i didn't realize that WOMAD had al🎉 started this early.

[@emilio6891]

sublime

[@mariobart1654]

The outside word's black and white. We don't need one colour dead........ I grow up with this music since I didnt understood the meaning. Has the word changed much? God bless You Peter.

[@fredziffle447]

. . . with only one colour dead

[@mariobart1654]

@@fredziffle447 Really? Which one?

[@fredziffle447]

@@mariobart1654 those are the correct lyrics - in South Africa, non-whites were killed by the government

[@marileneboschofsky1418]

Nothing has changed

[@mariobart1654]

@@marileneboschofsky1418 Unfortunately not. It's even worse, than we can imagine. Sorry for that. Just stay by The God.

[@bossmare1480]

🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘❤ Peter Gabriel is the greatest in my books.

[@nickyleach]

Thank you so much for posting this new video! This is epic! One of my favorite of your songs, Peter.

[@ams2108]

Absolutely phenomenal - I've never seen this clip before! I love the ending as all the musicians & singers leave the stage until there is only 1 left. I actually sang a slightly trimmed back version of Biko in a folk club once, just me and a pal (Gerry, I think - it was a long time ago!) with his electric guitar!

[@carlosalomar2211]

Then watch Peter Gabriel live in Athens (POV-1987). It ended the same way!....

[@keithrollinson7586]

I was there - we drove down from Reading after work!

[@keithrollinson7586]

@Peter Gabriel great gig!

[@keithrollinson7586]

@Peter Gabriel 😀

[@agnieszka1094]

Dzięki takim ludziom jak Piotr świat jeszcze nie zeszedł na psy dzięki uwielbiam cię Aga❤❤❤❤❤❤❤​@@keithrollinson7586

[@marcosangulo8208]

Excelente Cancion

[@amangogna68]

Great singer nice song and amazing band !

[@sabineamdii-pehart-fj7iy]

Biko has made the way for Mandela. But today nobody talk about Biko. He was Freedom for South Afrika.

[@carlosalomar2211]

Great song, superb performance. Legendary concert and record!....

[@brunoprimas1483]

I like the tape he uses to hold down the "drone" note on the Prophet.

[@carlosalomar2211]

Yeah, nice touch!....

[@johnpdavie]

As copied by their fans Elbow years later in Lippy Kids.

[@TominTexa7]

what time mark was this?

[@brunoprimas1483]

​@@TominTexa71:24

[@hilltopmusicshop6566]

He was such a wee lad back then!

[@genesisreunion2020]

Superb

[@astridsegall6013]

Que memorias de 38 años. WOMAD. 💖

[@JessanDunnOtis]

E x t r a o r d i n a r y. Thank you, again and as always, Peter Gabriel and all. Many blessings.

[@davidrobinson7123]

Was meant to be working that gig didn't get on site till the Sunday

[@eloisazamora6131]

C'est une de plus belles chanson de Teter Brian Gabriel!!! ✌🎗💛🌼🌼

[@realityjunky]

The story of this activist has been kept alive for 46 years because another activist/artist wrote this song. I can only hope it lasts another 46 years. Yila Moja!