Glasgow Pictures, Set List And Reviews

"Now it's time to close our eyes, Now it's time to say goodbye."

So I said "So long" and I waved bye-bye...

David Bowie ended the final show of the European leg of his A Reality Tour in Glasgow last night with his usual style and brilliance, and a little extra for good measure. It's hard not to be whisked along by the sheer enthusiasm of an audience this good and David responded with an evening of total entertainment, confirming for many why he's still the best solo rock act in the world today.

The 28-song set was a perfect balance of old and new, and though the usual ovation for Life On Mars? was there, (if cut a little short by the relatively quick launch into Ashes To Ashes) there was no doubting this crowd's enthusiasm for Starman which received the kind of reaction normally reserved for Life On Mars?.

"He took it all too far but boy could he play guitar."

Even though Glasgow was the final date of this European jaunt, the sadness was short lived when David confirmed he would return next year with the following statement: "Not only is this the last show of the tour, but it's the last show that we'll ever do, until... The T In The Park, Next year. So, you know... see you there!"

Tickets go on sale for T In The Park this coming Monday December 1st. More on that particular show and The Isle Of Wight festival announcement shortly.

David also referred to the fact that Scotland hadn't originally been pencilled in when he said something along the lines of: "I'll make sure we come back here. I won't make that mistake again."

There was a touching moment when David grabbed a banner, (made by BowieNetter Charlie) after a very emotional version of All The Young Dudes and just before China Girl. The banner read "THIS ONE'S FOR DEAN" and David held it aloft, saying: "Those of you that know, understand what this is all about."

Glasgow was without doubt one of the best shows of the tour, but don't take my word for it... read on after the setlist for a few snippets of reviews from this morning's Scottish press:

Glasgow November 28th 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fame
05 Fashion
06 Cactus
07 Afraid
08 All The Young Dudes
09 China Girl
10 The Loneliest Guy
11 The Man Who Sold The World
12 Hallo Spaceboy
13 Sunday
14 The Jean Genie
15 Under Pressure
16 Life On Mars?
17 Ashes To Ashes
18 Starman
19 Be My Wife
20 Let's Dance
21 Never Get Old
22 Changes
23 I'm Afraid Of Americans
24 "Heroes"

(Encore)
25 White Light, White Heat
26 Five Years
27 Suffragette City
28 Ziggy Stardust

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Excerpts of reviews of David Bowie at the Glasgow SECC November 28th 2003

"I think I'm going to have to rethink this ridiculous one glove idea!"

The Scotsman - Five Star review by Fiona Shepherd

NOW is a good time to be David Bowie, and a good time to be a fan of David Bowie. The Thin White Duke looked more dazzling than ever, his voice is in supple shape and, thanks to his wonderful intuitive band, everything else sounds great too.

...In 2003, this ultra-cool 50-something has wired back into the spirit, the strut and the stance that makes him peerless still. And, by his own announcement, he?s going to do it all again at next year?s T in the Park.

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The Herald

...The 56-year-old has consistently proved through this current tour that age is no barrier to performance. He wowed fans with a raft of classics, obscure gems, and tracks from Reality, his new album.

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The Sun

DAVID BOWIE gave his Scots fans a Reality check last night. The rock legend put on a stunning show for an 8,000 sell-out crowd at the SECC in Glasgow as he wound up the British leg of his world-wide tour.

The 56-year-old superstar wowed fans by opening with classic hit Rebel Rebel before plugging songs from his new album, Reality. ...It was Bowie at his best.

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David and the band now have a week off before the madness starts again on Saturday the 6th of December, at The Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.

David On Parky Tonight

DB and the band rehearsing a tune for the Parkinson show on Thursday.

Switch on the TV, we may pick him up on Channel 1...

Those of you who visit the MBs will most likely already be aware of David's appearance on BBC1's Parkinson show here in the UK this evening. But, just in case you're not... you are now!

At the taping of the show on Thursday, David performed a strident version of Ziggy Stardust and a beautifully fragile rendition of The Loneliest Guy. He also went on to have a chat with Parky and the conversation flowed freely covering subjects such as; Big Bowie-eyed Little Richard, poorly-fixed popstar hairpieces, gay Martians, reaching seventy, Mr Jones Snr's excursions into showbiz and much, much more.

Tune into BBC1 at 9:30pm this evening. Includes contributions from Clive James and Mrs Victoria Posh.

Wembley Second Night Pix, Set List And Review

Five Years... That's not all we got. DB on the second night of Wembley.

Screaming above Central London...

Sorry for the delay in posting this one folx, I've been waiting for the results of a black and white roll of film I shot, and hopefully you'll think the result (above) was worth the wait.

There were numerous changes to the setlist last night compared to the previous evening's entertainment. These changes included one song, Starman, which must be just about the last of the rehearsed songs. Having said that, I know there were some fans outside that managed to hear another song being soundchecked that wasn't played on the night... and it wasn't Win!

"And just in time for Christmas... I give you The Reindeer!"

The audience were up for it again, and proved that at least David Bowie fans aren't "too London" to have a good time. Anyway, here's the 26-song setlist followed by a review of the show from regular BowieNet contributor, LizSK2:

Wembley November 26th 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fashion
05 Cactus
06 Hang On To Yourself
07 Starman
08 China Girl
09 The Loneliest Guy
10 The Man Who Sold The World
11 Hallo Spaceboy
12 Sunday
13 Under Pressure
14 Life On Mars?
15 Ashes To Ashes
16 Be My Wife
17 Fantastic Voyage
18 She'll Drive The Big Car
19 The Jean Genie
20 Afraid
21 I'm Afraid Of Americans
22 "Heroes"

(Encore)
23 White Light, White Heat
24 Five Years
25 Suffragette City
26 Ziggy Stardust

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David Bowie at Wembley Arena: November 26th 2003

"I may be afraid of Americans, but flying cars don't bother me none!"

For me this was the end. No Glasgow trip possible so last night at Wembley was the culmination of my Reality tour. After 9 gigs (not including Poughkeepsie and Riverside), 12 flights, one hospital visit and more trains, buses and taxis than I care to look at my bank balance over, for me it ended last night in London.

As he raised his arms and sang the last words at the end of Ziggy I shed a happy tear for all the friends I?ve made and songs I?ve heard. It wasn?t the first tear shed. Five Years in Lyon saw to that. Then there was almost getting thrown out of the gig during NKS in Copenhagen, getting lost in Rotterdam, getting elbowed in Frankfurt, 9 hours of driving for Hanover, group hugs and tits out (Keiths?, not mine!) in Manchester, at the front again in Dublin (Eamonn rocks!)? the list goes on and on. So much has happened since October 7th. I stepped into Wembley Arena last night with a huge amount of personal sadness that it was all about to end.

The show has become so familiar, but no less thrilling, to me. The music starts and David's voice booms out something along the lines of: ?That?s good, let?s try that again?. The lights go out and the animation starts. Rebel Rebel (usually!) opens the show perfectly.

I had hoped tonight would be different to Tuesday?s show since the second nights played in the same venue usually are: I wasn?t disappointed. Fashion instead of Fame, Big Car, an early inclusion of Hang on to Yourself, Be My Wife, Jean Genie, White Light White Heat and Starman for the first time on this tour! It?s always a pleasure to hear Fantastic Voyage too. I?ve never been so floored by a vocal as I am by Gail?s in Under Pressure, the notes she hits are quite astounding. Every member of the band fits perfectly and certainly Gerry has added a dimension to the music I?ve never heard before.

"But I never wave bye bye..." DB says goodnight to Wembley.

It seemed to me that seeing both nights at Wembley presented a complete picture of the show. The audience, shackled by seating and over zealous security, were appreciative though I was surrounded by the kind of fan who is rather happy to hear the hits and has a bit of a sit down during the songs they don?t know. You could spot every BNetter in the audience a mile off: they were the ones punching the air during the ?ready, set, go!? portion of NKS!

Seeing DB in such a mainstream venue it did make me think about his appeal and the reaction to Life on Mars was the best example of it. There?s something about LOM at the moment that is really getting to me: I can barely get through it without choking up, something that has never happened before to me. Seeing the massive sing-a-long and standing ovation I realised that DB, to us, is this familiar character who every so often tells us silly jokes, hangs out a bit on the MBs and plays shows for us alone. To the other 95% of the audience last night he was an untouchable icon, they were listening to one of the greatest songs ever written and couldn?t quite believe he was standing right there belting it out. When you're in a massive arena and he's being appreciated by 10,000 it makes you realise who he really is.

Watching him hold every single person in Wembley enraptured was wonderful and it made me even more grateful that I?ve been able to share so many moments like that over the last 7 weeks.

My thanks go to: David and the band; to my BNet family who made me so welcome in so many European destinations; tvqb and coco for the best after party in history and to Blammo for putting up with my incessant waffling.

Now we?re sending DB across the ocean to carry on this amazing spectacle outside Europe. Treat him well, look after his voice and his belt, enjoy the rest of the tour. I know you will. Bye bye David, we love you.

Liz Tray

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That's it folx. Here's to tomorrow night's last European show in Glasgow.

Rest In Peace Bowienetter Dean Andrews

All of you that visit the BowieNet message boards are no doubt aware of the tragic death of BowieNetter Dean Andrews (wordonawing). It feels a little uncomfortable to be posting this at thanksgiving, but I'm sure you'll all want to reflect a moment on this sad loss.Dean was killed in a road traffic accident in Wembley at around 7:50pm on Tuesday evening as he made his way on foot to the David Bowie concert at the Arena.Though I didn't really know Dean personally (I had my first and last conversation with him in Dublin at the weekend) it's obvious from the many messages on the boards that he was dearly loved by many of you, and that he will be very much missed.It seems that Word On A Wing (the song which inspired the user name that Dean chose) will forever be associated with Dean, and our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones at this terrible time.

Wembley First Night Pix And Set List

David Bowie transports Wembley to 1972 for Five Years.

A London boy, oh a London boy...

David Bowie played his first night at Wembley Arena last night to an uncharacteristically warm reception... for a London audience. There were even similar scenes to Dublin after Life On Mars?, and again David seemed genuinely moved.

"Ziggy Plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayed.... Guitaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar."

The main set list was the same as the first night of Dublin, but Slip Away and Heathen were dropped from the encore. Anyway, here's the 25-song setlist from last night:

Wembley November 25th 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 Afraid
07 All The Young Dudes
08 China Girl
09 The Loneliest Guy
10 The Man Who Sold The World
11 Hallo Spaceboy
12 Sunday
13 Under Pressure
14 Life On Mars?
15 Ashes To Ashes
16 The Motel
17 Loving The Alien
18 Never Get OId
19 Changes
20 I'm Afraid Of Americans
21 "Heroes"

(Encore)
22 Bring Me The Disco King
23 Five Years
24 Hang On To Yourself
25 Ziggy Stardust

Hopefully the Dublin pattern will continue for tonight's second show, that would mean a much longer set, like the second Dublin show.

Footage Of Db In Paris And Halloween In Cologne

Why is DB outside Austin Powers' dressing room? Click on his hat to find out.

Paris or maybe Hell...

I'm sure many of you who have been to any of the recent European dates are used to the sight of a particularly cool looking young dude called Anthony darting hither and thither with a camera glued to his head. Well, this budding director remains busy and has provided a couple more wonderful little films for your enjoyment.

Firstly we have some great footage backstage in Paris, with David chatting to designer Hedi Slimane and lots of other great stuff backstage with the band etc. Plus we have an absolutely hilarious remake of Hitchcock's The Birds, starring David and Gail. This latter film also answers the question of what the eerie little song Gail and Cat were singing on Halloween night in Cologne was.

"So we asked a simple black bird, who was happy as can be." Crow + GAD + DB = FUN!

Click on either of the stills on this page to take you to the video page of the Virtual Ticket section, and be prepared for some very big fun. Thanx to Anthony for this priceless stuff, and stay tuned to BowieNet for much more.

Post 4752

Dublin Second Night Pix, Set List And Review

DB in Dublin. Good to see he's feeling himself again.

Last night they (really) loved you...

Perhaps buoyed from the reception he received during the first show at the Point Depot in Dublin, David Bowie played the longest set of his A Reality Tour last night. Just ten minutes under the three hour mark, the 35-song set featured a few of the less familiar songs that have been played on the tour, such as Sister Midnight, Days, Be My Wife, Fantastic Voyage and Breaking Glass.

The mood was at fever pitch again, and the crowd roared as David once more declared "Our day will come" in Gaeilge, confirming what the crowd thought they had heard the night before.

Eat yer heart out Rolf. DB shows Dublin who the real Stylophone King is.

I decided to rough it with the animals down the front for the first time in a long time, and I have to say I had the time of my life. It's such a great atmosphere down there, and it makes it easier to understand why people feel the need to queue from 10:30am in the freezing cold!

Anyway, here's that incredible two hours and fifty minutes, 35-song setlist followed by a review of Saturday night's show from the Irish Independent:

Dublin November 23rd 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 Sister Midnight
07 Afraid
08 All The Young Dudes
09 Days
10 Be My Wife
11 China Girl
12 The Loneliest Guy
13 The Man Who Sold The World
14 Fantastic Voyage
15 Hallo Spaceboy
16 Sunday
17 Under Pressure
18 Life On Mars?
19 Battle For Britain (The Letter)
20 Fall Dog Bombs The Moon
21 Ashes To Ashes
22 The Motel
23 Loving The Alien
24 Breaking Glass
25 5:15 The Angels Have Gone
26 Never Get OId
27 Changes
28 I'm Afraid Of Americans
29 "Heroes"

(Encore)
30 Bring Me The Disco King
31 Slip Away
32 Heathen (The Rays)
33 Five Years
34 Hang On To Yourself
35 Ziggy Stardust

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Starman Ziggy Stills Knows How To Shine: Maurice O?Brian ? Review from Dublin 1st night at the Point 22nd November

"Oiche Mhaith." David Bowie and band say goodbye to Dublin after promising to be back next year!

It's over 30 years since that famous alter ?ego Ziggy Stardust fell to earth and reinvented the idea of what a rock star should be. With his sexed-up glam style and screwed-up hairdo, for a generation his music proved every bit as life-changing as Dylan?s before him.

But though it may have changed him, David Bowie proved that he?s still chasing time with a vengeance by treating fans to breathtaking shows at the Point Depot. Those lucky enough to get their hands on tickets were left in little doubt that the Thin White Duke can still lay claim to the title of Rock ?n? Roll?s greatest showman.

And what a show. Playing a set that touched all the best moments of his extensive career, the sense of occasion was made all the more special by the fact that Bowie chose his Irish Dates to record a live DVD top be released worldwide.

The accompanying light and visual spectacle was a sight to behold, but never threatened to outshine the real star of the show. Gliding onto the stage after his ultra-cool band, a magnificent reworked version of Rebel Rebel set the tone for the night.

Looking amazingly young, and of course stylish, for his 56 years, Bowie still manages to project more charisma during one song than most modern-day stars manage in a career.

The songs sound as fresh as ever, and a piano-led Life On Mars provided ample proof of what a remarkable voice he still possesses, but it was the life and energy breathed into classics such as Heroes and majestic set closer Ziggy Stardust that really hit home.

After a captivating two hours, an Oiche Mhaith and one final delighted bow to acknowledge the standing ovation from the audience, he was gone.

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So there you have it, can't wait to see what's said about last night's show.

Dublin First Night Pix And Set List

DB does his best to ignore a bloke filming a Mekon on the first night of Dublin.

We're today's scrambled creatures, locked in tomorrow's Dublin feature...

"If we're going to film a DVD anywhere, this is the place to do it. I know it, you know it and they (the film crew) know it!" That's how David Bowie explained the presence of cameras at the first of two shows at the Point Depot in Dublin last night.

And the decision to film these shows was a good one. This was one of the most emotionally-charged audiences I have ever had the privilege to be a part of... and it made for some very touching moments. The ovation at the end of Life On Mars? being one such moment... David was visibly moved by the overwhelming appreciation from this great crowd.

Another emotional moment... David with 12-string performing Five Years.

The fact that David had bothered to learn a few words of Gaeilge would have probably won over the crowd, especially considering the significance of the first words he used, which raised a few eyebrows and had many locals wondering if they were hearing things! But, in the event, it made no difference, this crowd was won over from the moment the giant video screens flickered into life with the cartoon Bowie and band grinding out that jam that I really must find out the name of.

Local boy Gerry Leonard was another clearly touched by the response of the crowd to his introduction by David, and it was lovely to see him grinning throughout, a grin that got wider every time David uttered a word in Gaeilge.

Here's the 27-song setlist:

Dublin November 22nd 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 Afraid
07 All The Young Dudes
08 China Girl
09 The Loneliest Guy
10 The Man Who Sold The World
11 Hallo Spaceboy
12 Sunday
13 Under Pressure
14 Life On Mars?
15 Ashes To Ashes
16 The Motel
17 Loving The Alien
18 Never Get OId
19 Changes
20 I'm Afraid Of Americans
21 "Heroes"

(Encore)
22 Bring Me The Disco King
23 Slip Away
24 Heathen (The Rays)
25 Five Years
26 Hang On To Yourself
27 Ziggy Stardust

After the show I joined a whole bunch of BowieNetters at an after show party, kindly organised by BowieNetter Eamonn, where the craic was good and the Guinness cold. Much fun was had by all, as evidenced by AndyAndy's pictures on the MBs. The tour continues with a second show in Dublin tomorrow.

Recent Releases Round-up

But don't forget your date with me

There are a few recent releases that may have got a little lost in the excitement of the European leg of David Bowie's A Reality Tour... And what better day to remind you of them than a good old traditional shopping day like Saturday! And so, without further ado...

There seems to have been some speculation on the MBs about the release date of the Tour Edition of Reality that we first told you about well over a month ago. (10.14.2003 NEWS: SPECIAL DVD EDITION OF REALITY DUE NEXT MONTH & 10/26/03 NEWS: REALITY TOUR EDITION BONUS DISC) Well, as you know, the album came out this week in Europe, but here's the information we have right now for some of the other territories, and we'll give you those TBCs as soon as we have them.

November 17th - UK / Europe - ie whole of Europe, France, Germany etc.
December - Australia / NZ (date tbc)
February 2004 - Japan (date tbc)
December 9th - Canada - Canadian edition only which features just five tracks from the Riverside show, New Killer Star, Never Get Old, Days, Reality and Bring Me The Disco King.

As I'm sure you all remember, this version of Reality is the tour edition which comes with a bonus DVD of the Reality tracks from the Riverside show back in September. I should point out that, unlike the actual broadcast, the DVD is not a 5:1 mix... as Tony Visconti has pointed out:

"I supervised the live 5.1 sound that went out to the cinemas only. After that I went on to produce a new album with the Finn Brothers (Neil Finn and Tim Finn) so I wasn't available to work on this DVD."

So there you have it. The 5:1 that was mixed for the broadcast can't be used for the DVD as it's a different signal... or something technical like that... Personally, I still think it's pretty good value for a free DVD!

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It seems that Club Bowie isn't for everybody, particularly those that can't dance, Keiths for example, and indeed my good self before anyone demands a demonstration. Anyway, we told you about this a month ago and it's out this week too... It's a great way of collecting all these rare and unreleased mixes without shelling out the couple of zillion quid or so it would cost you to get all the original pressings.

Here's the full track-listing for Club Bowie again for those that missed it the first time we told you about this release last month. (10/30/03 NEWS: NINE TRACK CLUB BOWIE CD DUE NEXT MONTH)

1 The Scumfrog vs Bowie - Loving The Alien
2 David Bowie - Let's Dance (Trifactor vs Deeper Substance Remix)
3 David Guetta vs David Bowie - Just For One Day (Heroes) (Extended Version)
4 The Scumfrog vs David Bowie - This Is Not America
5 Solaris vs Bowie - Shout (Original Mix)
6 David Bowie - China Girl (Riff & Vox Club Mix)
7 David Bowie - Magic Dance (Danny S Magic Party Remix)
8 David Bowie - Let's Dance (Club Bolly Extended Mix)
9 Video of David Bowie - Let's Dance (Club Bolly Mix)

Having said all that about saving money, if you're as anal a collector as myself, the promos, (of which there were several) will set you back a few bob. Particularly the one on the left, above, that contains an unreleased mix of Starman that didn't make it to the final release.

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Another recent release that seems to have slipped through the net, is the budget double CD issue of the Philip Glass "Heroes" and Low Symphonies. If you're already familiar with this stuff, you'll know just how good it is, if you're not... buy it now!

Here's the tracklisitng of both discs, in the order they were originally issued... ie: "Heroes" Symphony followed by Low Symphony.

Disc: 1
1 "Heroes"
2 Abdulmajid
3 Sense Of Doubt
4 Sons Of The Silent Age
5 Neukoln
6 V2 Schneider

Disc: 2
1 Subterraneans
2 Some Are
3 Warszawa

Philip has spoken of completing the trilogy with a Lodger Symphony... Here's a tip, PG: Do it now!

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This coming Monday the 24th sees the next single release from The Dandy Warhols, and it's another track from Welcome To The Monkey House. Plan A is the third single from the album, and it contains a live acoustic version of The Jean Genie.

The track features Courtney Taylor-Taylor on vocals accompanied by Brent DeBoer on guitar, and it was recorded live to minidisc at Hotel Tocq, Milan, Italy on March 28 this year. On this version, Courtney has The Jean Genie gender confused although mainly female, while Courtney himself becomes confused after the second verse and chorus declaring: "Alright, that's all I know. I don't know the third verse. I even think it's a good excuse to e-mail Bowie... OK, that's enough of that... Thanks man."

Well Courtney, you almost got there. This is the bit you need to learn if you're considering a full live version with the whole band:

He's so simple minded he can't drive his module
He bites on the neon and sleeps in a capsule
Loves to be loved, loves to be loved

(Chorus twice... End)

OK kidz... I think that's about it. Happy shopping!

Watch Parkinson On Bbc1 In 30 Mins

Apart from the great guests, there may be a little bit of info you'll be interested in, which I'm not allowed to tell you about just yet.

David Talks About His Home Life In The Es

No one over here reads the papers pal...

The London Evening Standard published a brief but nonetheless interesting interview with David yesterday. If you didn't get a copy of the newspaper itself, the whole thing is available online, from where, this excerpt:

It must be hard, one imagines, to make new friends - real friends - when you are an internationally famous superstar surrounded by sycophants. Not least because there must be an ever-present fear that any new friendship might be exploited or betrayed for gain by selling stories to the press. Bowie insists he is not concerned by such thoughts.

"I'm not a terribly suspicious person," he insists. "But it's funny you should say that because I've recently got friendly with a father and his little boy I met in the park with my daughter. He's there every single weekend and we really buddied up to each other. But we've only talked about music twice in all that time."

Yet their initial encounter demonstrated the gulf that fame can create when it comes to forming new relationships with "ordinary" people. "The first time we started talking, he said: 'I would never have thought I'd find you in a park.' And it kind of upset me: why wouldn't you believe that I would take my own daughter out? But," Bowie sighs wearily, "I suppose that's the impression that one has of celebrity.

"It's about how you want to live your life, isn't it? I certainly don't want to live it in the full glare and I want to be able to go where I want to go in an anonymous fashion. Which is where my baseball cap comes in. I've found that, if I hide the hair under a cap I somehow become almost invisible. I blend in so much with the rest of humanity it makes me feel almost normal!"

If you're an online subscriber to the This is London website, you can read the whole thing here. However, if some naughty chap has copied and pasted it onto the MBs, there's not much I can do about that. Lord knows what will happen if you click on the cutting above!

Happy Birthday Again Gail Ann

Gad wonders if there is anybody out there... over to you kidz!

Now, Not tomorrow, (or) Yesterday...

Well, nobody seemed to be bothered by our bogus Gail Ann Dorsey happy 41st birthday wishes yesterday.

* Obviously this was a dry run to try and get you all to make some noise at Birmingham, but apart from the little pockets of well-wishers that we told you about in last night's report, frankly the response was pathetic!

So, now that it's her real birthday today, you have a second chance to pass on your birthday wishes en mass in Birmingham again this evening... and this time, let's make sure your presence is felt!

Do have a wonderful birthday evening Gail... and perhaps your boss will actually acknowledge this special date onstage tonight, instead of ignoring the fact that it wasn't your birthday yesterday!

Don't forget, you can also help Gail get more cash for a bigger birthday cake by purchasing her new album, I Used To Be..., at the show tonight or here online. As I said yesterday, in not so many words, it's a jolly lovely recording!

*The fact that we have wished GAD a happy birthday on the 19th for the past three years, and people on the MBs and other fan sites have laboured under the same illusion too, is neither here nor there!

Birmingham Set List And Pix Plus More Reviews

DB attempts to pluck GAD's strings in Birmingham tonight. Pic by Celine Caux.

Black Country Rock...Part 2

The second Birmingham show of David Bowie's A Reality Tour took the NEC by storm this evening, on what really was Gail Ann Dorsey's 41st birthday this time. (See earlier news piece.)

A 28-song set was played again, but with some significant changes, including the re-introduction of the following: Sister Midnight, Fall Dog Bombs The Moon, All The Young Dudes, Battle For Britain (The Letter), Days, Fantastic Voyage and Hang On To Yourself.

After the confusion of Gail's birthdate (How did that happen?), David, who obviously knew the real date all along, decided to celebrate publicly with thousands of Bowie fans at the NEC. After Under Pressure, DB got Gail to stand at the front of the stage facing the audience while he went and fetched her a birthday cake, complete with lit candles.

"God's a bitch!" DB explains why the candles are out!

However, as he approached the birthday girl from behind, the onstage fan blew out the candles! David rescued the moment by explaining that God had blown them out because he's a bitch... or something along those lines.

Thanx once more to the quite brilliant, and very French Celine Caux for the fantastic shots from tonight's show, and to the diminutive, but equally French, Adeline Cantais for last night's Birmingham show picture. Thanx also to the regulars that phone in the setlist etc., including Susans and Lord Of The Things.

Odd eyes himself in Birmingham tonight. Supposedly 56!

Here follows this evening's setlist, but keep reading for a snippet from a review of last night's NEC show and a couple more from Monday's Manchester show. Click on the links to read the full reviews.

Birmingham November 20th 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Sister Midnight
04 Reality
05 Fame
06 Cactus
07 Fall Dog Bombs The Moon
08 China Girl
09 All The Young Dudes
10 The Loneliest Guy
11 The Man Who Sold The World
12 Hallo Spaceboy
13 Sunday
14 Under Pressure (Followed by a mass sing-a-long of Happy Birthday for GAD)
15 Life On Mars?
16 Ashes To Ashes
17 Battle For Britain (The Letter)
18 Loving The Alien
19 Days
20 Never Get OId
21 Changes
22 I'm Afraid Of Americans
23 "Heroes"

(Encore)
24 Fantastic Voyage
25 Heathen (The Rays)
26 Five Years
27 Hang On To Yourself
28 Ziggy Stardust

The tour continues with two shows in Dublin at the weekend. Here follows those reviews...

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Birmingham Post - Bowie wows NEC by Andrew Cowen

"Who mentioned Manchester?" David Bowie squares up for
the first night in Birmingham. Pic by BNetter Adeline Cantais.

It's also fortuitous that his past couple of albums have seen him on consistent writing form. Heathen showed that the old master still had the imagination to wed the avant garde to hook-laden populism while this year's Reality is his best effort since Scary Monsters.

With a crack band too, including shaven-headed bassist Gail Ann Dorsey and Old Mucker Mike Garson on keyboards, strangely, for a man used to reinventing himself, the show was played pretty much straight down the middle.

Bowie himself looked remarkably fresh faced, far younger and healthier than anyone with his past dare hope for. A decorative stage set and excellent lighting set the scene but with the singer in top form vocally, little was needed in the way of props.

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Bolton Evening News - David Bowie, hip again after all those years by KAREN STEPHEN

THERE'S only one really weird thing about pop's most celebrated oddball these days . . . his voice. It's not natural to be able to sing like that, especially at the age of 57. (Blam note: Or even at the age of 56) Time hasn't stood still for David Bowie, it's gone in reverse. He looks and sounds better than he did 20 years ago.

And at the Manchester Arena on Monday night the Thin White Duke showed why he is hip again after all these years. Bowie is pure class. He let his band make the big entrance and then strolled on stage to astonish the masses with his powerful and flawless new take on the 1974 gem, Rebel Rebel.

...With all this adulatory prose you could be forgiven for thinking that Bowie was preaching to the converted. Wrong. I wasn't a die-hard fan before. I am now.

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BBC Manchester - David Bowie at the MEN Arena

His genius is in his unpredictability, and it was this loose gun approach that pushed the energy into this performance. Life On Mars was stripped down to reveal his stunning voice, Fame received a welcome airing, The Loneliest Guy saw him lost in a breathtaking moment, Heroes broke out of its bleakness to reveal a truly empowering sound, and the beautiful Five Years unexpectedly showed its face.

Bowie drew attention to the crowd several times, a little perplexed that his all action performance wasn't drawing more of a reaction from the assembled. The truth is it was. If the audience were subdued, it was because they stood in awe. After all, it's not every day you see your god.

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Japanese Dates And New Zealand Pre-sale Today

It happens today...

We have now received ticketing information regarding the following shows in Japan and New Zealand, which can also be found in the Reality Tour Calendar:

Saturday 14 February - Wellington, New Zealand - Westpac Stadium
Monday 08 March - Tokyo, Japan - Budokan
Tuesday 09 March - Tokyo, Japan - Budokan
Thursday 11 March - Osaka, Japan - Castle Hall

The New Zealand pre-sale starts here on BowieNet TODAY at 3:00pm NY time, which I understand is 9:00am Thursday NZ time.

We will also have a pre-sale for the above Japanese shows, but we don't have a firm date yet. Hopefully we'll be able to give you a little more notice than we have for the NZ show. You can purchase your tickets for the New Zealand date by going here in just under three hours.

Happy Birthday Gail Ann

The very lovely Ms Dorsey at the recording of Traffic in Paris.

She got everything...

I'm sure you'll all want to join me in wishing the hugely talented and quite beautiful Gail Ann Dorsey a very happy 41st birthday. Should make for a great atmosphere in Birmingham this evening, where I'm sure you'll all be able to pass on your birthday wishes en mass!

Why not make her birthday all the more special by purchasing her new album, I Used To Be..., at the show tonight, or here online. It's a fucking fine recording!

Birmingham First Night Pix And Set List

DB shows off his new flying saucer hairdo in Birmingham
this evening. Picture by BowieNetter Adeline Cantais.

Black Country Rock...

David Bowie played the first of two shows at the NEC in Birmingham this evening, on what was his bass player's 41st birthday. Isolated pockets of the audience were determined to let Gail know that they knew it was her birthday, and the lovely lady spent much of the evening wearing her best Cheshire Cat grin as a result.

There was some typically playful behaviour from David, including the acceptance of a letter from a girl at the front, which he tried, unsuccessfully, to return to her to look after, and there was also the generous offer of tea and cakes for everyone present.

DB in Brum this very evening. Picture by Celine Caux.

David's sonic trick with the microphone stand during Hallo Spaceboy seems to be a regular feature of the song now... Never let it be said that this man doesn't have great mic technique. The one thing I'm hearing from fans on a regular basis is how David is in magnificent voice right now, and indeed, just how good this band is.

David broke the run of three nights of the same set with an impressive 28-song set that witnessed the return of Disco King, Slip Away and Heathen in the first half of the encore, with the usual three Ziggy songs performed for the second half of the encore.

Some are describing the evening as having two encores due to the usual walk off at the end of Heathen, but it really was just one encore of six songs. Anyway, here's that full 28-song setlist:

Birmingham November 19th 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 The Jean Genie
05 Fame
06 Cactus
07 China Girl
08 Afraid
09 Fashion
10 The Loneliest Guy
11 The Man Who Sold The World
12 Hallo Spaceboy
13 Sunday
14 Under Pressure
15 Life On Mars?
16 Ashes To Ashes
17 The Motel
18 Loving The Alien
19 Never Get OId
20 Changes
21 I'm Afraid Of Americans
22 "Heroes"

(Encore)
23 Bring Me The Disco King
24 Slip Away
25 Heathen (The Rays)
26 Five Years
27 Suffragette City
28 Ziggy Stardust

Thanx yet again to BowieNetters Adeline Cantais and Celine Caux for the wonderful photos. The tour continues with a second show in Birmingham tomorrow.

Manchester Reviews And Pictures

DB at the MEN Arena by BowieNetter Adeline Cantais.

Last night they loved you...

David Bowie's show at the MEN Arena in Manchester last night is receiving very favourable reviews... a few of which I've posted links to below, along with a snippet from each. Click on the links to read the full reviews. Many thanx to BowieNetter Adeline Cantais for the wonderful shot above.

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The Manchester Evening News online by Eric Jackson - Five out of five

He [Bowie] connected with the Manchester audience throughout. I don't suppose he had to inform us that he'd bought a raincoat that day from Kendals, but such banter at least shows he's making an effort.

The songs were what really mattered, though, and Bowie served up gem after gem. Life On Mars was sublime, with just Mike Garson on piano for accompaniment, and Under Pressure saw Gail Ann Dorsey, the bassist, sing the Freddie Mercury part of the duet.

It was the cue for the crowd to get on their feet, and they hardly sat down thereafter. Equally animated was Bowie who flitted between the stage and an elevated platform to whip the audience into a frenzy.

At the end he thanked the Manchester faithful for making the start of the tour such a pleasure, but really, the pleasure was all ours. Pure genius.

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The Times online - All the old dude had, he's still got. By David Sinclair - Four out of five

But the focus was entirely on Bowie who, together with the band who have played on his last two albums, performed a breathtaking selection of songs from every stage of his career.

From a sublime version of The Man Who Sold The World to the chunky, garage rock of the Pixies song Cactus, from his last but one album, Heathen, Bowie performed with complete authority but also a strange kind of charm ? as if the battles with his myth and the baggage of his past were now resolved. It wasn?t just the self-deprecating grandad remark; his whole attitude seemed to be more relaxed and purposeful than before.

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The Guardian by Dave Simpson - Four out of five

After two return-to-form albums, 2002's Heathen and this year's Reality, presumably the thin white duke at last feels he has new material to hold up against the oldies. And yes, Reality is utterly ferocious. The swaggering New Killer Star has the indescribable but unmistakable feel of a Bowie classic. In fact, there aren't nearly enough new songs aired.

Changes, Under Pressure and the rest are delivered to perfection. Possibly because Bowie has finally given up smoking, or adopted even tighter trousers, he has reawakened a vocal range that has long lain dormant, even reaching the infamous "vision of swastikas" line in China Girl for the first time since it was recorded. If anyone doubts that Bowie looks fantastic too, five TV screens dazzle with his image. His Low-era haircut has been transplanted onto the body of a 24-year-old, while the creaking jeans reveal the bits that were once hurriedly airbrushed off the sleeve of Diamond Dogs.

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Congratulations David...Great stuff. On a final note, the picture I posted in yesterday's news of Lard and DB at BBC Manchester, did feature a fair bit of PhotoShop work by me, and despite the fact that nobody seemed to notice, I have posted the untouched original below... apologies to Lard, who is actually thinking of getting his hair done like he has it in yesterday's picture.

Those of you that missed David's appearance on Mark and Lard yesterday can hear the whole thing now by clicking on Lard's hooter.

An untouched Lard waves cheerfully to the camera as DB wonders if there's more to life!

A Reality Tour continues with the first of two shows in Birmingham tomorrow.

Bowie In The Uk: Manchester Setlist

Mark 'Lard' Riley looking particularly happy with himself for getting the Bowie
look down pat. However, the joy soon turned to tears, as he discovered his
faux pas in a mirror... he had combed his parting over to the wrong side!

The church of Manchester, love, is such a holy place...

David Bowie played his first UK show of his A Reality Tour in Manchester tonight... but, not before he stopped in at the BBC for fifty minutes of fun with Mark and Lard. a few of the subjects covered included: Mark Radcliffe's architectural review of The Lowry; a spot of wine-tasting including a fine vintage Merthyr Tydfil; a new blow-up Reality sex toy; Link Wray and his mail-order '56 Supro guitar; The NGO/Waterloo Sunset cyber single (NGO was played) and downloading music via iTunes; Thespians in The Daily Sport; Rachel Stevens latest single, Funky Dory, with the sample from Andy Warhol, and her fine set of lungs; vices... or the lack of them; Comedy DVDs and much much more. You'll be able to listen to the whole thing once it's been archived on the official Mark and Lard site.

After the interview/discussion had finished David left the studio to dash to the soundcheck, only to return moments after leaving to wish my dear wife Gae a speedy recovery. Thanx for that David... you completely brightened what would otherwise have been a thoroughly miserable day for Gae.

As for this evening's show itself, David was in fine voice and had a bit of fun early on by teasing the audience for the less than energetic reception. He apparently joked that he was just back from Europe, and that Manchester had a lot to live up to, before delivering a rallying cry along the lines of: "C'mon kids, wake up! Your grandad?s here..." or words to that effect... I know the accuracy of that will be contested, as I've already been given several versions of what David actually said.

Anyway, the crowd soon rose to the occasion and it seems a top night was had by all. Again the 23-song setlist was identical to that of the previous two shows and here it is:

Manchester November 17th 2003

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Reality
04 Fame
05 Cactus
06 Afraid
07 China Girl
08 The Loneliest Guy
09 The Man Who Sold The World
10 Hallo Spaceboy
11 Sunday
12 Under Pressure
13 Life On Mars?
14 Ashes To Ashes
15 The Motel
16 Loving The Alien
17 Never Get OId
18 Changes
19 I'm Afraid Of Americans
20 "Heroes"

(Encore)
21 Five Years
22 Suffragette City
23 Ziggy Stardust

The tour continues with the first of two evenings in Birmingham on Wednesday.

A Reality Tour Hits The Uk Today

It happens today...

David Bowie continues his A Reality Tour in Manchester today with the first of six UK dates. Above is the official UK tour poster, which utilises a picture taken at Riverside back in September by yours truly. BowieNetters can view a slightly bigger version by clicking on it.

Don't forget to tune into the Mark and Lard show from one of the clock pm, UK time this afternoon. (11.09.2003 NEWS: DB AT THE BBC ON MONDAY NEXT) David is expected to be on air sometime between fourteen and fifteen hundred hours, live from the BBC's Manchester studios.