A Reality Tour

 

This article is about the David Bowie concert tour. For the concert tour by Jessica Simpson, see Reality Tour (Jessica Simpson concert tour).

A Reality Tour

 

Tour by David Bowie

Associated albumReality

Start date7 October 2003

End date23 July 2004

Legs5

Shows70 in Europe
28 in North America
1 in the Atlantic
8 in Oceania
5 in Asia
112 in Total

 

A Reality Tour was a worldwide concert tour by David Bowie in support of the Reality album.[1] The tour commenced on 7 October 2003 at the Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark continuing through Europe, North America, Asia, including a return to New Zealand and Australia for the first time since the 1987 Glass Spider Tour.

The tour grossed US$46m, making it the ninth-highest grossing tour of 2004.

 

History

Bowie announced the tour in June 2003, intending to play to over a million people across 17 countries, and was billed as his first major tour since the Outside Tour of 1995.[3] Bowie promoted this tour with appearances on primetime television shows such as The Tonight Show and on AOL Sessions.[4] At over 110 shows, the tour was the longest tour of Bowie's career.[5]

Performance

Bowie sought to perform in the format of a stadium concert with less focus on elaborate staging and more focus on the musicians in his band. The stage featured a number of platforms, some extending into the audience, as well as multiple video-screens projecting artistic images and live footage of the concert along with many colored lights for effects. The stage was typically placed at one end of the stadium or arena with seating in the stands or on the field itself with a back-stage area on the far side of the stage.[6]

The musicians were dressed in casual but colorful outfits; nearly each musician had a set of outfits in different colors, such as Bowie's cut-off shirt and neckerchief or Gail Ann Dorsey's dress. Musicians were free to move about the stage as their instruments permitted with wireless amplification, though Bowie and Dorsey interacted most often as part of the acts.

Each concert began with an introduction on the main video-screen, during which the band would enter the stage and prepare the opening number. After the opener, Bowie would greet the audience with the flexible line, "Hello, [city name], you crazy bunch of motherfuckers" as a sign of welcoming. The performances, between the somewhat staged pieces, were informal often with a dialog between Bowie and his audience, jokes, band introductions, and the occasional "Happy Birthday To You".

Repertoire

The set list included tracks spanning Bowie's 30 plus years in the music business, from The Man Who Sold the World (1970) all the way to Reality (2003), along with collaborations such as Sister Midnight (with Iggy Pop) and "Under Pressure" (with Queen), and snippets and teasers of Bowie classics such as "Space Oddity" and "Golden Years". There is a bit more focus, however, on tracks from the albums released since the Earthling World Tour in 1997, Heathen (2002), and Reality. The only exception from his latest albums is 'hours...' (1999); no tracks from this album were included, possibly due to poor reception of the album. Other albums with no appearance included Space Oddity (1969), the cover album Pin Ups (1973), the ill-received Never Let Me Down (1987), the albums produced with the band Tin Machine, and Black Tie White Noise (1993).

A notable inclusion into the tour were the tracks from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, usually performed as the final encores. "Ziggy Stardust" was nearly always the finale of each concert.

The inclusion of tracks from Let's Dance and Tonight was also notable, considering a fan tendency to reject the albums as "too commercial", seeing the return of the singles "Modern Love", "Blue Jean", "Lets Dance," "China Girl", and a semi-acoustic version of "Loving the Alien".

Overall, the band had rehearsed around 60 songs for the tour.[5]

Tour inciden

Originally scheduled to play in 24 countries over a ten-month period, the tour was curtailed after the Hurricane Festival performance in Scheeßel, Germany on 25 June 2004, as a result of Bowie being diagnosed with an acutely blocked artery that required an angioplasty procedure.[7] The previous performance at the T-Mobile Arena, Prague, Czech Republic on 23 June 2004 had been interrupted as Bowie was forced to leave the stage believing he was suffering from a trapped nerve in his left shoulder. A previous incident in Oslo on 18 June 2004 saw Bowie being struck in the left eye with a lollipop thrown by a member of the audience.[8] On 6 May 2004, a performance at the James L. Knight Center, Miami, FL was cancelled after a lighting technician fell to his death prior to Bowie going onstage.[9]

Live recordings

Main article: A Reality Tour (film)

A DVD video of the Point Theatre, Dublin performances of 2003 was released as A Reality Tour in 2004. A CD of the same performances was released as A Reality Tour in 2010.

Tour Band

• David Bowie - vocals, guitars, stylophone, harmonica

• Earl Slick - guitar

• Gerry Leonard - guitar

• Mark Plati - bass guitar, guitar

• Gail Ann Dorsey - bass guitar, backing vocals

• Sterling Campbell - drums

• Mike Garson - keyboards, piano

• Catherine Russell - keyboards, percussion, acoustic guitar, backing vocals

Tour date

Date City Country Venue

Europe

7 October 2003CopenhagenDenmarkForum Copenhagen

8 October 2003StockholmSwedenGloben Arena

10 October 2003HelsinkiFinlandHartwall Areena

12 October 2003OsloNorwayOslo Spektrum

15 October 2003RotterdamNetherlandsAhoy Rotterdam

16 October 2003HamburgGermanyColor Line Arena

18 October 2003FrankfurtFesthalle Frankfurt

20 October 2003ParisFrancePalais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy

21 October 2003

23 October 2003MilanItalyForum D'Assago

24 October 2003ZurichSwitzerlandHallenstadion

26 October 2003StuttgartGermanyHanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle

27 October 2003MunichOlympiahalle

29 October 2003ViennaAustriaWiener Stadthalle

31 October 2003CologneGermanyKölnarena

1 November 2003HanoverPreussag Arena

3 November 2003BerlinMax-Schmeling-Halle

5 November 2003AntwerpBelgiumSportpaleis

7 November 2003LilleFranceZénith de Lille Grand Palais

8 November 2003AmnévilleGalaxie Amnéville

10 November 2003NicePalais Nikaia

14 November 2003MarseilleLe Dôme de Marseille

15 November 2003LyonHalle Tony Garnier

17 November 2003ManchesterEnglandManchester Arena

19 November 2003BirminghamNational Exhibition Centre

20 November 2003

22 November 2003DublinRepublic of IrelandPoint Theatre

23 November 2003

25 November 2003LondonEnglandWembley Arena

26 November 2003

28 November 2003GlasgowScotlandScottish Exhibition and Conference Centre

North America

13 December 2003MontrealCanadaBell Centre

15 December 2003New York CityUnited StatesMadison Square Garden

16 December 2003UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena

Atlantic

20 December 2003NassauBahamasThe Atlantis Paradise Island Hotel

North America

7 January 2004ClevelandUnited StatesCSU Convocation Center

9 January 2004Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn Hills

11 January 2004MinneapolisTarget Center

13 January 2004RosemontRosemont Theatre

14 January 2004

16 January 2004

19 January 2004DenverFillmore Auditorium

21 January 2004CalgaryCanadaPengrowth Saddledome

24 January 2004VancouverGeneral Motors Place

25 January 2004SeattleUnited StatesParamount Theatre

27 January 2004San JoseHP Pavilion at San Jose

30 January 2004Las VegasThe Joint

31 January 2004Los AngelesShrine Auditorium

2 February 2004

3 February 2004Wiltern Theatre

5 February 2004PhoenixDodge Theater

6 February 2004Las VegasThe Joint

7 February 2004Los AngelesWiltern Theatre

 

Oceania

14 February 2004WellingtonNew ZealandWestpac Stadium

17 February 2004BrisbaneAustraliaBrisbane Entertainment Centre

20 February 2004SydneySydney Entertainment Centre

21 February 2004

23 February 2004AdelaideAdelaide Entertainment Centre

26 February 2004MelbourneRod Laver Arena

27 February 2004

1 March 2004PerthSupreme Court Gardens

 

Asia

4 March 2004KallangSingaporeSingapore Indoor Stadium

8 March 2004TokyoJapanNippon Budokan

9 March 2004

11 March 2004OsakaOsaka-jo Hall

14 March 2004KowloonHong KongHong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

 

North America

29 March 2004PhiladelphiaUnited StatesWachovia Center

30 March 2004BostonFleetCenter

1 April 2004TorontoCanadaAir Canada Centre

2 April 2004OttawaCorel Centre

4 April 2004Quebec CityColisée Pepsi

7 April 2004WinnipegWinnipeg Arena

9 April 2004EdmontonRexall Place

11 April 2004KelownaSkyreach Place

13 April 2004Portland, OregonUnited StatesRose Garden Arena

14 April 2004SeattleKeyArena

16 April 2004BerkeleyBerkeley Community Theatre

17 April 2004

19 April 2004Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara Bowl

22 April 2004Los AngelesGreek Theatre

23 April 2004AnaheimThe Theatre at The Arrowhead Pond

25 April 2004LovelandBudweiser Events Center

27 April 2004AustinThe Backyard Amphitheater

29 April 2004The WoodlandsCynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

30 April 2004New OrleansSaenger Theatre

5 May 2004TampaTampa Bay Performing Arts Center

8 May 2004AtlantaChastain Park Amphitheater

10 May 2004Kansas CityStarlight Theatre

11 May 2004St. LouisFox Theatre

13 May 2004HersheyStar Pavilion

14 May 2004LondonCanadaJohn Labatt Centre

16 May 2004FairfaxUnited StatesPatriot Center

17 May 2004PittsburghBenedum Center

19 May 2004MilwaukeeMilwaukee Theatre

20 May 2004IndianapolisMurat Shrine

22 May 2004MolineThe Mark of the Quad Cities

24 May 2004ColumbusColumbus Veterans Memorial Auditorium

25 May 2004BuffaloShea's Performing Arts Center

27 May 2004ScrantonFord Pavilion at Montage Mountain

29 May 2004Atlantic CityThe Borgata Event Center

30 May 2004

1 June 2004Manchester, NHVerizon Wireless Arena

2 June 2004UncasvilleMohegan Sun Arena

4 June 2004WantaghTommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach Theatre

5 June 2004HolmdelPNC Bank Arts Center

 

Europe

11 June 2004AmsterdamNetherlandsAmsterdam Arena

13 June 2004[A]Isle of WightEnglandSeaclose Park

17 June 2004[B]BergenNorwayKoengen

18 June 2004[C]OsloFrognerbadet

20 June 2004[D]SeinäjokiFinlandProvinssirock

23 June 2004PragueCzech RepublicT-Mobile Arena

25 June 2004[E]ScheeßelGermanyEichenring

• On 19 August 2003 Bowie performed a one off show in Poughkeepsie, New York at The Chance, as a warm up show.

• On 8 September 2003 Bowie performed a show at the Riverside Studios in London which was a 'satellite show'. This was a live performance beamed via satellite to cinemas and theatres across Europe and due to time delay the following day across Asia, Australia, North and South America.[10][11]

Festivals and other miscellaneous performances

A This concert was a part of "Isle of Wight Festival"

B This concert was a part of "Bergen Festival"

C This concert was a part of "Norwegian Wood Festival"

D This concert was a part of "Provinssirock"

E This concert was a part of "Hurricane Festival"

Cancellations and rescheduled shows

12 November 2003ToulouseLe Zénith de ToulouseCancelled

6 December 2003Atlantic CityThe Borgata Events CenterRescheduled to 29 May 2004

7 December 2003FairfaxPatriot CenterRescheduled to 16 May 2004

9 December 2003BostonFleet CenterRescheduled to 30 March 2004

10 December 2003PhiladelphiaWachovia CenterRescheduled to 29 March 2004

12 December 2003TorontoAir Canada CentreRescheduled to 1 April 2004

6 May 2004MiamiJames L. Knight Center Cancelled

26 June 2004TuttlingenSouthside Festival Cancelled

29 June 2004ViennaSchloss Schönbrunn Cancelled

30 June 2004SalzburgResidenzplatz Cancelled

2 July 2004RoskildeRoskilde Festival Cancelled

4 July 2004WerchterRock Werchter Cancelled

6 July 2004Ile De GaouFestival de la Gaou Cancelled

7 July 2004CarcassonneFestival de la Cite Cancelled

10 July 2004KinrossBalado, T in the Park Cancelled

11 July 2004County KildareOxegen Festival Cancelled

14 July 2004BilbaoBilbao Festival Cancelled

16 July 2004CompostelaXacobeo Festival Cancelled

17 July 2004OportoThe Dragon Festival Cancelled

20 July 2004NyonPaléo Festival Nyon Cancelled

21 July 2004Monte CarloClub du Sporting Cancelled

23 July 2004CarhaixVieilles Charrues Festival Cancelled

Songs

Notation:

• DVD/CD Included on A Reality Tour and A Reality Tour

• CD Included on A Reality Tour

• iTunes Available as Digital download bonus tracks (iTunes) for A Reality Tour

From Space Oddity

• "Space Oddity"

From The Man Who Sold the World

• "The Man Who Sold the World" DVD/CD

• "The Supermen"

From Hunky Dory

• "Changes" DVD/CD

• "Life on Mars?" DVD/CD

• "Quicksand"

• "The Bewlay Brothers"

• "Queen Bitch"

From The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

• "Five Years" DVD/CD

• "Starman"

• "Hang on to Yourself" DVD/CD

• "Ziggy Stardust" DVD/CD

• "Suffragette City"

From Aladdin Sane

• "Panic in Detroit"

• "The Jean Genie"

From Diamond Dogs

• "Diamond Dogs"

• "Rebel Rebel" DVD/CD

From Young Americans

• "Win"

• "Fame" DVD/CD (Bowie, John Lennon, Carlos Alomar)

From Station to Station

• "Station to Station"

• "Golden Years"

From Low

• "Breaking Glass" CD (Bowie, Dennis Davis, George Murray)

• "Sound and Vision"

• "Always Crashing in the Same Car"

• "Be My Wife" DVD/CD

• "A New Career in a New Town"

From "Heroes"

• "Heroes" DVD/CD (Bowie, Brian Eno)

From Lodger

• "Fantastic Voyage" DVD/CD (Bowie, Eno)

From Scary Monsters

• "Ashes to Ashes" DVD/CD

• "Fashion"

From Let's Dance

• "Modern Love"

• "China Girl" CD (originally from The Idiot by Iggy Pop, written by Pop and Bowie)

• "Let's Dance"

From Tonight

• "Loving the Alien" DVD/CD

• "Blue Jean"

From Outside

• "Hallo Spaceboy" DVD/CD (Bowie, Eno)

• "The Motel" (Bowie, Eno) DVD/CD

From Earthling

• "Battle for Britain (The Letter)" DVD/CD (Bowie, Reeves Gabrels, Mark Plati)

• "I'm Afraid of Americans" DVD/CD (Bowie, Eno)

From Heathen

• "Sunday" DVD/CD

• "Cactus" DVD/CD (originally from Surfer Rosa by Pixies, written by Black Francis)

• "Slip Away" DVD/CD

• "Afraid" DVD/CD

• "I've Been Waiting for You" (originally from Neil Young by Neil Young, written by Young)

• "5:15 the Angels Have Gone" iTunes

• "Heathen (The Rays)" DVD/CD

From Reality

• "New Killer Star" DVD/CD

• "Pablo Picasso"

• "Never Get Old" DVD/CD

• "The Loneliest Guy" DVD/CD

• "Looking for Water"

• "She'll Drive the Big Car"

• "Days" iTunes

• "Fall Dog Bombs the Moon" CD

• "Try Some, Buy Some"

• "Reality" DVD/CD

• "Bring Me the Disco King" DVD/CD

Other songs:

• "A Hard Day's Night" (from A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles, written by Lennon and McCartney)

• "All the Young Dudes" DVD/CD (from All the Young Dudes by Mott the Hoople, written by Bowie)

• "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" (from Electric Warrior by T.Rex, written by Marc Bolan)

• "Do You Know the Way to San José" (from Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls by Dionne Warwick, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David)

• "Here Comes the Sun" (from Abbey Road by The Beatles, written by George Harrison)

• "It Can't Happen Here" (from Freak Out! by The Mothers of Invention, written by Frank Zappa)

• "Liza Jane" (the first ever Bowie's single, released under the name Davie Jones and the King Bees, written by Leslie Conn)

• "Puppet on a String" (a single by Sandie Shaw, written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter)

• "Rumble" (a single by Link Wray & His Ray Men, written by Milt Grant and Link Wray)

• "Sister Midnight" DVD/CD (from The Idiot by Iggy Pop, written by Pop, Bowie and Alomar)

• "Song 2" (from Blur by Blur, written by Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree)

• "Summertime" (from the opera Porgy and Bess, written by George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin)

• "Under Pressure" DVD/CD (a single by Bowie and Queen from the Queen's Hot Space, written by Bowie, John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor)

• "White Light/White Heat" (from White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground, written by Lou Reed)

• "Y.M.C.A." (from Cruisin' by Village People, written by Henri Belolo, Jacques Morali and Victor Willis)