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Bowie Gives a Focused Show in Intimate Small-Club Setting

Sep 12 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, playing 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.³⁴ 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,⁵⁶ and a portion of the proceeds from the event were donated to the charity Save the Children.⁷ Tim Pope, who had previously worked with Bowie directing his 1987 video for "Time Will Crawl", directed the 50th Anniversary video,⁸ and Duncan Jones, Bowie's son, was one of the camera operators at the event.⁹ 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.¹⁰

Bowie and his band began rehearsing for the tour in April 1997, and expected the tour to last through the end of the year, calling it a "really extensive, a long, long tour" in an interview with the press in February that year.¹¹ 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?¹²

The original concept was to perform two sets: one regular and one dance-oriented, incorporating drum and bass.¹³ This idea was abandoned, owing to the antipathy of critics and audiences.¹⁴ 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."¹⁵

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. Bowie and the band also performed at KROQ's "Almost Acoustic Christmas" show in December 1997.¹⁶

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.¹⁷ 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 2021.¹⁸

For some shows on the tour, Bowie wore outfits designed by Donna Karan.¹⁹

Tao Jones Index

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.²⁰ "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).²¹ According to Gabrels, drummer Zachary Alford likely came up with the name,²² 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.²³ 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."²⁴ The band played their normal instruments, but without amplifiers, and Alford played electronic drums.²⁵ 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).²⁶

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.

Reception

The San Francisco Examiner had praise for the tour, saying "The chameleon can rock".²⁷ The Los Angeles Times complimented his artistic reinvigoration.²⁸

Look at the Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)

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 2021.²⁹ The concert was released in two limited editions: a 2 CD-set or a 3-LP set.³⁰ This live album was the fourth in the 6-concert series Brilliant Live Adventures.³¹ Look at the Moon! reached number 16 on the UK albums chart,³² and number 92 in Ireland.³³

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

• David Bowie – vocals, guitar, alto & baritone saxophone
• Reeves Gabrels – guitar, backing vocals
• Gail Ann Dorsey – bass guitar, vocals, keyboards
• Zack Alford³⁴ – drums, percussion
• Mike Garson – keyboards, backing vocals

Tour dates

Songs

From Space Oddity

• "Space Oddity"

From The Man Who Sold the World

• "The Man Who Sold the World"
• "The Supermen"

From Hunky Dory

• "Quicksand"
• "Andy Warhol" (Acoustic)
• "Queen Bitch"

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

• "Moonage Daydream"
• "Lady Stardust" (Acoustic)

From Aladdin Sane

• "Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)" (Acoustic)
• "Panic in Detroit"
• "The Jean Genie"

From Live Santa Monica '72

• "My Death" (originally from La Valse à mille temps (1959) by Jacques Brel; written by Brel & Mort Shuman)
• "I'm Waiting for the Man" (originally from The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) by The Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed; outtake from various Bowie sessions 1966-72)

From Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture

• "White Light/White Heat" (originally from White Light/White Heat (1968) by The Velvet Underground; written by Lou Reed)

From Young Americans

• "Fame" (Bowie, John Lennon, Carlos Alomar)

From Station to Station

• "Stay"

From Low

• "Always Crashing in the Same Car"

From "Heroes"

• ""Heroes"" (Bowie, Brian Eno)
• "V-2 Schneider"

From Lodger

• "Look Back in Anger" (Bowie, Eno)
• "Repetition" (Acoustic)

From Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

• "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)"
• "Fashion"

From Let's Dance

• "China Girl" (Acoustic)

From Tin Machine

• "Heaven's in Here" (Only performed in snippet solo throughout "The Jean Genie")
• "I Can't Read" (Bowie, Reeves Gabrels)

From Tin Machine II

• "Shopping for Girls" (Acoustic)

From Black Tie White Noise

• "Pallas Athena" (Tao Jones Index version)

From Outside

• "Outside" (Bowie, Kevin Armstrong)
• "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" (Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Mike Garson, Erdal Kızılçay, Sterling Campbell)
• "Hallo Spaceboy" (Bowie, Eno)
• "The Motel" (Bowie, Eno)
• "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)" (Bowie, Eno, Gabrels)
• "I'm Deranged" [Jungle Mix] (Bowie, Eno)
• "Strangers When We Meet"

From Earthling

• "Little Wonder" (Bowie, Gabrels, Mark Plati)
• "Looking for Satellites" (Bowie, Gabrels, Plati)
• "Battle for Britain (The Letter)" (Bowie, Gabrels, Plati)
• "Seven Years in Tibet" (Bowie, Gabrels)
• "Dead Man Walking" (Bowie, Gabrels)
• "Dead Man Walking Moby Mix 1]" (Bowie, Gabrels)
• "Telling Lies"
• "The Last Thing You Should Do" (Bowie, Gabrels, Plati)
• "I'm Afraid of Americans" (Bowie, Eno)
• "I'm Afraid of Americans" [Nine Inch Nails V1 Mix] (Bowie, Eno, Reznor)

Other songs:

• "Can't Help Thinking About Me" (early non-album single (1966))
• "All the Young Dudes" (from All the Young Dudes (1972) by Mott the Hoople; written by Bowie)
• "Under Pressure" (originally a single (1981) by Bowie and Queen later found on Hot Space the following year; written by Bowie, John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor)
• "Is It Any Wonder?" (Instrumental jam based on "Fame", reworked as "Fun" for a BowieNet release)
• "O Superman (For Massenet)" (from Big Science (1982) by Laurie Anderson; written by Anderson)

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

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

References

• Buckley, David (2005) [1999]. Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-75351-002-5.
• Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0.

References

1. Pegg 2016, pp. 430–433, 600–601. - Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=LqFkDQAAQBAJ ↩

2. 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 http://www.msopr.com/press-releases/david-bowie-spectacular-and-acclaimed-50th-birthday-concert-to-air-as-a-television-pay-per-view-event/ ↩

3. 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 http://www.msopr.com/press-releases/david-bowie-spectacular-and-acclaimed-50th-birthday-concert-to-air-as-a-television-pay-per-view-event/ ↩

4. "Happy Birthday Bowie – relive his most awesome party, attended by Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters and more". NME. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2024. https://www.nme.com/blogs/happy-birthday-bowie-his-most-awesome-party-50-2594385 ↩

5. Kemp, Mark (6 March 1997), "All The Young Dudes", Rolling Stone magazine (755): 24 /wiki/Rolling_Stone_(magazine) ↩

6. 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 https://web.archive.org/web/20160519002427/http://www.davidbowie.com/news/earthling-david-bowie-celebrates-50th-birthday-triumphant-sold-out-concert-madison-square ↩

7. 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 http://www.msopr.com/press-releases/david-bowie-spectacular-and-acclaimed-50th-birthday-concert-to-air-as-a-television-pay-per-view-event/ ↩

8. Pegg 2016. - Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=LqFkDQAAQBAJ ↩

9. 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. https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/3657581/did-you-know-20-facts-about-david-bowie/ ↩

10. 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 https://web.archive.org/web/20140109020601/http://www.davidbowie.com/news/david-bowie-launches-new-album-earthling-network-television-appearances-pay-view-concert ↩

11. Laban, Linda (13 February 1997), "Bowie Hits a Fab 50", The Seattle Times: E3 /wiki/The_Seattle_Times ↩

12. "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. https://www.rhino.com/article/david-bowie-is-it-any-wonder-streaming-ep-of-unreleased-rare-material ↩

13. Considine, J.D. (October 1997). "David Bowie: The FI Interview". FI magazine: 36–41. ↩

14. Pegg 2016. - Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=LqFkDQAAQBAJ ↩

15. DeMain, Bill (April 2018). "Reeves Gabrels talks about David Bowie". Classic Rock. No. 247. p. 58. /wiki/Classic_Rock_(magazine) ↩

16. Hendrickson, Matt (22 January 1998). "Random Notes". Rolling Stone. No. 778. p. 14. /wiki/Rolling_Stone ↩

17. Pegg 2016. - Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=LqFkDQAAQBAJ ↩

18. Pegg 2016. - Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0. https://books.google.com/books?id=LqFkDQAAQBAJ ↩

19. Dunn, Jancee (19 March 1998). "Wear it loud!". Rolling Stone. No. 782. p. 59. /wiki/Rolling_Stone ↩

20. @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. https://x.com/reevesgabrels/status/1312693951632216064 ↩

21. "Pallas Athena 1997 version". Archived from the original on 27 February 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20100227151211/http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Singles/PA1997/Title.html ↩

22. @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. https://x.com/reevesgabrels/status/1312745760946089985 ↩

23. @turguin (4 October 2020). "How many times did you guys perform as the DJI?" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter. https://x.com/turguin/status/1312764622735171584 ↩

24. @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "It wasn't drum and bass so much as dance remixes" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter. https://x.com/reevesgabrels/status/1312743393676718081 ↩

25. @reevesgabrels (4 October 2020). "We played our instruments, but without amplifiers" (Tweet). Retrieved 4 October 2020 – via Twitter. https://x.com/reevesgabrels/status/1312742318215180288 ↩

26. @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. https://x.com/reevesgabrels/status/1312752637553582080 ↩

27. "Bowie rocks the Warfield". SFGate. 10 September 1997. Retrieved 10 September 2024. https://www.sfgate.com/style/article/Bowie-rocks-the-Warfield-3101191.php ↩

28. "Bowie Gives a Focused Show in Intimate Small-Club Setting". Los Angeles Times. 12 September 1997. Retrieved 10 September 2024. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-12-ca-31322-story.html ↩

29. 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. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-bowie-brilliant-live-adventures-look-at-the-moon-1120853/ ↩

30. 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. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/david-bowie-brilliant-live-adventures-look-at-the-moon-1120853/ ↩

31. "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. https://www.davidbowie.com/blog/2021/1/29/bla-part-4-look-at-the-moon-live-phoenix-festival-97 ↩

32. "OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART RESULTS MATCHING: LOOK AT THE MOON". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021. https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/look-at-the-moon/ ↩

33. "LOOK AT THE MOON - LIVE PHOENIX FESTIVAL (Charts)". Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021. https://acharts.co/album/160806 ↩

34. "Discogs – Zachary Alford – Profile & Discography". Discogs. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015. http://www.discogs.com/artist/258947-Zachary-Alford ↩

35. "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. http://www.discogs.com/release/2344278 ↩

36. Performed as Tao Jones Index and tracks released on LiveAndWell.com /wiki/LiveAndWell.com ↩

37. Tracks released on LiveAndWell.com ↩

38. "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. http://www.discogs.com/release/5606266 ↩

39. Performed as Tao Jones Index ↩

40. Performance recorded and released on Look at the Moon! ↩

41. "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. http://www.discogs.com/release/5439385 ↩

42. "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. http://www.discogs.com/release/6934671 ↩

43. "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. http://www.discogs.com/release/6836489 ↩

44. Performance on MTV's Live at the 10 Spot /wiki/List_of_programs_broadcast_by_MTV#Music_shows_2 ↩

45. Performance at the GQ Awards; tracks released on LiveAndWell.com ↩

46. Tracks released on LiveAndWell.com ↩