March 20th 1990 – Birmingham NEC
NO SUPPORT ACT – Not something you see on many tickets. Only certain artists can do this, most are contracted to have some form of support, but this is David Bowie, icon and god of music…..do what the Duck you like son!!!
For any number of reasons, I’d yet to see Bowie. At college a few guys went on the “Serious Moonlight Tour” 1983 – I was skint. Glass spider Tour in 1987….gone off his mediocre offerings around this time and wasn’t feeling like seeing him. I say the concert on TV not long after and regretted it, so this time it was going to happen!!
It was also a Greatest Hits Tour and Bowie had been very vocal that this would be the last time he would ever play the hits, so it seemed sensible to trust him and get on down there to soak up the atmosphere.
As I recall, it was a fairly simple stage and felt very much like you were in the presence of stardom and he was going to this his way…..up to you if you liked it or not! This was right up my street, as one thing that had bugged me was how safe Bowie had become on a few albums, so going back to a tight band was a relief! There was still quite an arty feel with videos and backdrops giving a typical Bowie vibe to the theatrical.
Don’t get me wrong though, I love artists who chop and change their styles. It is great if you find a band you can be loyal to all through their careers, but to me, it’s not an issue if there is a period you need to miss because it just doesn’t work for you personally…..there is no bad music, there is only bad music to your ear (hmmm…I may debate that point with myself sometimes hahaha). After all, Bowies first solo album was in 1967 and last one turned out to be in 2016……that’s most of my life!! Something was bound not to quite work.
For example, I never really got “Never Let Me Down” but loved “Tonight” but I still hear good tracks. I still struggle with “Young Americans” album, but others swear by it….that’s why I love music 🙂
Bowie was smiling a lot and enjoying the crowd having a chat and goading them to join in.
Such a pleasure to hear all the hits and it was quite a small band so there was no over the top stage show. I remember feeling a bit subdued because in my own head, if Bowie is playing the Greatest Hits, surely this could be the end? I need not worry on that front, for me, David Bowie did some of his greatest work after this period was underlined.
A brilliant rendition of “Queen Bitch” was sung with real feeling.
She’s so swishy in her satin and tat
In her frock coat and bipperty-bopperty hat
Oh God, I could do better than that
David Bowie – Queen Bitch
I love all the little interjections about where Bowie was when a certain song was written. It really was drawing a line under things with a little bit of background detail..
I forget to mention the full band line up:
David Bowie – vocals, guitar, saxophone
Adrian Belew – guitar, backing vocals
Erdal Kızılçay – bass guitar, backing vocals
Rick Fox – keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Hodges – drums
Admittedly, I wasn’t following Bowie’s band quite so closely at this period as he’d gone off to do Tin Machine (which I loved) so I think he had disbanded it? Very much seemed session musicians, no Carlos Alomar, Peter Frampton or even Earl Slick and none of the Tin Machine boys, but that didn’t matter either as this was definitely about Bowie tonight.
Really great to hear all the hits and to see the great man, we had quite a good view on the flat at the NEC and I would say the sound was a bit better again….sound technology was finally starting to come to the NEC. 😉
Set List
- Space Oddity
- Changes
- TVC15
- Rebel Rebel
- Golden Years
- Be My Wife
- Ashes to Ashes
- John, I’m Only Dancing
- Queen Bitch
- Fashion
- Life on Mars?
- Blue Jean
- Let’s Dance
- Stay
- China Girl
- Ziggy Stardust
- Sound and Vision
- Rebel Rebel
- Station to Station
- Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)
- Young Americans
- Panic in Detroit
- Suffragette City
- Fame
- “Heroes”
- Encore: The Jean Genie, Pretty Pink Rose (Adrian Belew cover), Modern Love
The Fan Club Years 
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