One magical moment...
The October issue of UNCUT magazine has a feature on the 50 Greatest Gigs of all time. Compiled from eyewitness accounts from invited "writers, friends and favourite bands", David Bowie's 1976 Wembley stint takes the #5 slot.
Here's an excerpt from the pull-page piece...
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5 - DAVID BOWIE - Wembley Empire Pool, May 3-8, 1976 by Chris Roberts
When the Station To Station tour played LA, the audience included EIton, Rod, Ringo, Christopher Isherwood and David Hockney. When it reached London, the audience included myself and two friends, having been driven all the way down from North Wales by a heavily bribed dad. To go to a city was exciting enough. To enter Wembley and wait for David Bowie to walk onstage - about 10 yards away, as blind luck would have it - was foreplay.
With time it's been rightly recognised as one of the best shows ever toured. With a great band (Cartos Alomar prominent), and inspired lighting (searchlights, follow-spots) drawn from German Expressionism, it was astounding. The Thin White Duke had slicked-back hair like a vampiric cabaret artiste, black waistcoat, all the cold charisma in the world. As a prelude, the eye-slicing scene from Buñuel and Dali's Un Chien Andalou was screened. (Blammo note: It was the whole film actually) Opening with the train sound-effects from Station To Station, the set focused on latter work, but also slipped in "Life On Mars", "Panic in Detroit", ^Fame" and "Rebel Rebel". Even "Sister Midnight". (Blammo note: Sister Midnight wasn't played at Wembley)
At the end of the first Wembley gig, it's documented, Bowie was so overcome by the ovation that he left in tears. Funny, I'd always thought that was us.
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Well, I was there at that first night, and I have to concur with Mr Roberts, it was a very emotional moment...not to mention one of the very greatest shows of all time.