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Earthling Tour
Tour by David Bowie
Bowie performing at the Ruisrock festival in Finland
Location
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South America
Associated album Earthling
Start date7 June 1997
End date7 November 1997
Legs3
No. of shows83
David Bowie concert chronology

The Earthling Tour was a concert tour by the English musician David Bowie, in promotion of his album Earthling, released in 1997, The tour started on 7 June 1997 at Flughafen Blankensee in Lübeck, Germany, continuing through Europe, North America before reaching a conclusion in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 7 November 1997.

Background and history

Immediately following his 1995-96 Outside Tour, Bowie went into the studio with his live band to record Earthling (1997) in mid-1996. [1] Bowie first publicly performed new material from these sessions in late 1996, playing " Telling Lies" and sometimes " Little Wonder" at shows on the US East Coast in September and October. On 9 January 1997, the day after he turned 50, Bowie held a 50th birthday concert for himself, performing tracks off the album, as well as a selection of songs from his back catalogue. He played to nearly 15,000 fans at New York's Madison Square Garden. [2] Bowie was joined onstage by artists including Billy Corgan, Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Black Francis, Robert Smith and Lou Reed, to perform many of his songs. [2] Other non-performing guests included Beck, Moby, Julian Schnabel, Prince, Charlie Sexton, Fred Schneider, Christopher Walken, Matt Dillon and Bowie's wife Iman. Artist Tony Oursler designed some of the artwork for the video backdrop that played behind the band onstage. The event was recorded for a pay-per-view special commemorating the event, [3] [4] and a portion of the proceeds from the event were donated to the charity Save the Children. [2] Tim Pope, who had previously worked with Bowie directing his 1987 video for " Time Will Crawl", directed the 50th Anniversary video, [5] and Duncan Jones, Bowie's son, was one of the camera operators at the event. [6] A month later on 3 February, Earthling was released and Bowie promoted it with appearances on Saturday Night Live (8 February) and The Tonight Show (11 February). The Pay-Per-View broadcast of the birthday concert followed on 8 March. [7]

Bowie and his band began rehearsing for the tour in April 1997, and expected the tour to last "from May through Christmas" (1997). Bowie predicted a "really extensive, a long, long tour". [8] During rehearsals for the tour, Bowie re-recorded updated studio versions of some of his older songs, including " The Man Who Sold the World" and " Stay". These updated versions were performed during the tour, though the latter wouldn't be officially released until 2020 as part of the EP Is It Any Wonder? [9]

The original concept was to perform two sets: one regular and one dance-oriented, incorporating drum and bass. [10] This idea was abandoned, owing to the antipathy of critics and audiences. [5] After the performance at the Muziekcentrum Vredenburg in Utrecht, on 11 June 1997, elements of each were incorporated into one set. "He hated playing things just like the record," recalled guitarist Reeves Gabrels. "He wanted me to dress songs up in the clothes we're wearing now." [11]

The 14 October 1997 show at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York – broadcast on MTV's Live from the 10 Spot – was added at short notice due to cancellation by The Rolling Stones. The following show on 15 October 1997 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York was part of the GQ Awards.

A live album from the European leg of the tour made it to the mixing stage- Bowie, Gabrels and Mark Plati were all involved- but Virgin, the band's label, cancelled the release. [5] The release was eventually made available, albeit with a different track listing than originally envisioned, to BowieNet subscribers as the release LiveAndWell.com, which was re-released in 2021. [5]

Tao Jones Index

A mannequin wearing a Union Jack coat
The Union Jack coat, worn by Bowie on the tour, on display at the David Bowie Is exhibition in 2018.

Bowie and the band performed a small number of "secret" shows under the name "Tao Jones Index", deliberately playing without people knowing who they were. [12] "Tao Jones Index" was a pun based on Bowie's real name, David Jones, and the 1997 Bowie Bond issue (Tao is pronounced "Dow", as in Dow Jones Index from the US stock market). [13] According to Gabrels, drummer Zachary Alford likely came up with the name, [14] and they only played as Tao Jones Index "a half dozen [times] or fewer", eventually wearying of the project as fans began to recognize Bowie and call out for him to play his hits. [15] The sets were, according to Gabrels, less strictly drum and bass so much as "dance remixes": "We were inspired by the various remixes of Earthling songs to reclaim & remake them as a live band." [16] The band played their normal instruments, but without amplifiers, and Alford played electronic drums. [17] There was only one official release from any of the Tao Jones Index's performances: a 12" single of " Pallas Athena" and " V-2 Schneider" (1997). [18]

One live performance was 10 June 1997, from which the live versions of "Pallas Athena" and "V2-Schneider" were recorded; another live performance was on 19 July 1997 Phoenix Festival; their performance in the BBC Radio 1 dance tent preceded the regular performance on the main stage the following day.

Look at the Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)

Look at the Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)
Live album by
David Bowie
Released12 February 2021
Recorded20 July 1997
VenueLong Marston, England
Label Parlophone
David Bowie chronology
LiveAndWell.com
(2021) 		Look at the Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)
(2021) 		Something in the Air (Live Paris 99)
(2021)

The band's performance on 20 July 1997, recorded at Long Marston, England during the Phoenix Festival, was released in a live album entitled Look at the Moon! in February 2021. [19] The concert was released in two limited editions: a 2 CD-set or a 3-LP set. [19] This live album was the fourth in the 6-concert series Brilliant Live Adventures. [20] Look at the Moon! reached number 16 on the UK albums chart, [21] and number 92 in Ireland. [22]

Look at the Moon setlist

  1. " Quicksand"
  2. " The Man Who Sold the World"
  3. " Driftin' Blues"/" The Jean Genie"
  4. " I'm Afraid of Americans"
  5. "Battle for Britain (The Letter)"
  6. " Fashion"
  7. " Seven Years in Tibet"
  8. " Fame"
  9. "Looking for Satellites"
  10. " Under Pressure"
  11. " The Hearts Filthy Lesson"
  12. " Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)"
  13. " Hallo Spaceboy"
  14. " Little Wonder"
  15. " Dead Man Walking"
  16. " White Light/White Heat"
  17. " O Superman"
  18. " Stay"

Tour band

Tour dates

Date City Country Venue
Warm-up shows
17 May 1997 Dublin Ireland The Factory Studios
2 June 1997 London England Hanover Grand [24]
3 June 1997
5 June 1997 Hamburg Germany Große Freiheit
Europe
7 June 1997 Lübeck Germany Flughafen Blankensee
8 June 1997 Offenbach am Main Bieberer Berg Stadion
10 June 1997 [a] Amsterdam Netherlands Paradiso
11 June 1997 Utrecht Muziekcentrum Vredenburg
13 June 1997 Essen Germany (Cancelled) Essen Stadium
Dortmund Westfalenhalle
14 June 1997 Paris France Parc des Princes
16 June 1997 Rezé La Trocardiére
17 June 1997 Bordeaux La Médoquine
19 June 1997 [b] Clermont-Ferrand Maison des Sports
21 June 1997 Leipzig Germany Go Bang Festival, Agra Hall
22 June 1997 Munich
24 June 1997 Vienna Austria Sommer Arena [25]
25 June 1997 Prague Czech Republic Congress Centre
28 June 1997 Oslo Norway Kalvoeya Festival
29 June 1997 Turku Finland Ruisrock Festival
1 July 1997 Zagreb Croatia Dom Sportova
2 July 1997 Pistoia Italy Piazza del Duomo
4 July 1997 Torhout Belgium Torhout Festival
5 July 1997 Werchter Werchter Festival
6 July 1997 Ringe Denmark Midtfyns Festival
8 July 1997 Brescia Italy Stadio Mario Rigamonti
10 July 1997 Naples Neapolis Festival
11 July 1997 Arbatax Rocce Rosse Festival
13 July 1997 Frauenfeld Switzerland Out in the Green
15 July 1997 Madrid Spain (Cancelled) Las Ventas
Aqua Lung
16 July 1997 Zaragoza Pabellón Príncipe Felipe
17 July 1997 San Sebastián Velodromo De Anoeta
19 July 1997 [c] Stratford upon Avon England Phoenix Festival
Long Marston Airfield
20 July 1997 [d]
22 July 1997 Glasgow Scotland Barrowlands
23 July 1997 Manchester England Manchester Academy
25 July 1997 Malmö Sweden Mölleplatsen
26 July 1997 Stockholm Lollipop Festival
27 July 1997 Gdańsk Poland (Cancelled) Stadion Lechii
29 July 1997 Lyon France Fourvière
30 July 1997 Juan-les-Pins Pinede Gould
1 August 1997 Birmingham England Que Club
2 August 1997 Liverpool Royal Court
3 August 1997 Newcastle upon Tyne Riverside
5 August 1997 Nottingham Rock City
6 August 1997 Leeds Town & Country Club
8 August 1997 Dublin Ireland Olympia Theatre
9 August 1997
11 August 1997 London England Shepherd's Bush Empire
12 August 1997
14 August 1997 Budapest Hungary Student Island Fest
North America
6 September 1997 Vancouver Canada Plaza of Nations
7 September 1997 Seattle United States Paramount Theater
9 September 1997 San Francisco The Warfield
10 September 1997 Los Angeles Hollywood Athletic Club
12 September 1997 Los Angeles Universal Amphitheatre
13 September 1997
15 September 1997 San Francisco The Warfield
16 September 1997
19 September 1997 Chicago The Vic Theater
21 September 1997 Detroit State Theatre
22 September 1997
24 September 1997 Montreal Canada Metropolis
25 September 1997
27 September 1997 Toronto Warehouse [26] [27]
28 September 1997
30 September 1997 Boston United States Orpheum Theatre [28]
1 October 1997
3 October 1997 Philadelphia Electric Factory
4 October 1997
7 October 1997 Fort Lauderdale Chili Pepper
8 October 1997
10 October 1997 Atlanta International Ballroom
12 October 1997 Washington, D.C. The Capitol Ballroom
13 October 1997 New York City The Supper Club
14 October 1997 [e] Port Chester Capitol Theatre
15 October 1997 [f] New York City Radio City Music Hall
17 October 1997 Chicago Aragon Ballroom
18 October 1997 Saint Paul Roy Wilkins Auditorium
23 October 1997 Mexico City Mexico Foro Sol
South America
31 October 1997 Curitiba Brazil Paulo Leminski Concert and Entertainment Hall
1 November 1997 São Paulo Ibirapuera Arena
2 November 1997 [g] Rio de Janeiro Citibank Hall
5 November 1997 Santiago Chile Estadio Nacional de Chile
7 November 1997 Buenos Aires Argentina Estadio Arquitecto Ricardo Etcheverri
Notes
  1. ^ Performed as Tao Jones Index and tracks released on LiveAndWell.com
  2. ^ Tracks released on LiveAndWell.com
  3. ^ Performed as Tao Jones Index
  4. ^ Performance recorded and released on Look at the Moon!
  5. ^ Performance on MTV's Live at the 10 Spot
  6. ^ Performance at the GQ Awards; tracks released on LiveAndWell.com
  7. ^ Tracks released on LiveAndWell.com

Songs

From Space Oddity

From The Man Who Sold the World

From Hunky Dory

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

From Aladdin Sane

From Live Santa Monica '72

From Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture

From Young Americans

From Station to Station

From Low

From "Heroes"

From Lodger

From Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

From Let's Dance

From Tin Machine

From Tin Machine II

From Black Tie White Noise

From Outside

From Earthling

Other songs:

Songs performed in snippet for the intro of "The Jean Genie":

  • "Driftin' Blues"
  • "Baby What You Want to Do"
  • "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl"

References

  1. ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 430–433, 600–601.
  2. ^ a b c Schneider, Tresa (28 February 1997), "David Bowie: Spectacular and Acclaimed 50th Birthday Concert to Air as a Television Pay Per View Event", MSOPR.COM, archived from the original on 7 April 2014, retrieved 18 November 2013
  3. ^ Kemp, Mark (6 March 1997), "All The Young Dudes", Rolling Stone magazine (755): 24
  4. ^ Earthling David Bowie Celebrates 50th Birthday With Triumphant Sold-out Concert At Madison Square Garden Before 14,500 Fans, 23 January 1997, archived from the original on 19 May 2016, retrieved 5 July 2013
  5. ^ a b c d Pegg 2016.
  6. ^ O'brien, Kerrie (11 January 2016). "Did you know ... 20 facts about David Bowie". Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  7. ^ David Bowie Launches New Album 'earthling' With Network Television Appearances, A Pay-per-view Concert, A National Radio Broadcast, And Star On Hollywood Blvd's Walk Of Fame, 30 January 1997, archived from the original on 9 January 2014, retrieved 5 July 2013
  8. ^ Laban, Linda (13 February 1997), "Bowie Hits a Fab 50", The Seattle Times: E3
  9. ^ "David Bowie Is it Any Wonder? Streaming EP of unreleased & rare material". 14 February 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  10. ^ "David Bowie: The FI Interview" by J.D. Considine, Fi magazine, October 1997, pp 36-41
  11. ^ DeMain, Bill (April 2018). "Reeves Gabrels talks about David Bowie". Classic Rock. No. 247. p. 58.
  12. ^ @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "Did you know that David Bowie had a secret live drum and bass project?!" ( Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Pallas Athena 1997 version". Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
  14. ^ @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "That special gig in Dublin was a dress rehearsal for the Earthling tour itself" ( Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ @turguin (4 October 2020). "How many times did you guys perform as the DJI?" ( Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "It wasn't drum and bass so much as dance remixes" ( Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "We played our instruments, but without amplifiers" ( Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "The only live recording of Tao Jones Index that was released is Pallas Athena and V2-Schneider" ( Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ a b Kreps, Daniel (29 January 2021). "David Bowie's 'Brilliant Live Adventures' Series Continues With 1997 Festival Gig". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  20. ^ "BLA part 4 - Look At The Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)". David Bowie Official Website. 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  21. ^ "OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART RESULTS MATCHING: LOOK AT THE MOON". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  22. ^ "LOOK AT THE MOON - LIVE PHOENIX FESTIVAL (Charts)". Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Discogs – Zachary Alford – Profile & Discography". Discogs. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  24. ^ "Discogs – Song & Dance – 1997 unOfficial 2CD, Dancing Horse (DH-017) Japan ~ Live at Hanover Grand Theatre, June 1997". Discogs. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  25. ^ "Discogs – Live in Vienna Arena 1997 unOfficial 2CD, Phantom Private Records (WADB01/02) Germany ~ Live at Sommer Arena, Vienna, 24 June 1997". Discogs. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  26. ^ "Discogs – The Chaos Girls – 1998 unOfficial 2CD, Montserrat Records (BRCD 2900/1) Germany". Discogs. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  27. ^ "Discogs – Jungle Fever – 1998 unOfficial 2CD, Montserrat Records (BRCD 2902/03) Germany ~ [[CFNY-FM|the CFNY Studios]], Toronto 1997-09-26th". Discogs. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  28. ^ "Discogs – Adventures in Cyberspace – 1997 unOfficial 2CD, Dancing Horse (DH-020) ~ Boston's Orpheum Theatre, 1 October 1997 Cybercast". Discogs. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2015.

References

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