#5 David Bowie

27th November, 1995

Cardiff CIA

Support: Morrissey! No kidding. He turned up. Didn’t vanish till Glasgow. Did have a hot band, though.

Recommend the bootleg of this show: “What a Fantastic Santa’s Cap!” [DAT recording]

As the lights dim for the main event, some midi-sequenced percussion fills the auditorium. Banners, like flags advertising exhibitions in an art gallery, hang from the roof, fluttering. The stage appears cluttered with debris (the kind of paraphernalia associated with an Alice Cooper performance), with body parts and corpses. High above the stage is a huge sign, “Ouvrez le Chien!.” It recalls the chorus of an old Bowie song from his album, ‘The Man Who Sold The World.’ The song? ‘All the madmen.’ Welcome to the crazed zone. This could be interesting. There is a table and one chair on the stage. As you take in the set, the sequenced beats cease and we hear the first notes of the immense ‘The Motel.’ Garson’s tumbling piano notes weave against Gail-Anne Dorsey’s phasey flanging high bass notes. We hear Bowie before we see him. He’s singing in a deep register this ponderous slow song out of sight. It’s a brave and challenging opening. Suddenly there is movement way down to the side of the stage near some limbs and cloth. Bowie’s been hiding among the props. He raises himself to a standing position for the rest of the tune. It builds to a mighty crescendo with Gabrels’ thunderous guitar crashing against the orchestral ambience of the other instruments. It’s some opening. Credit has to be given to the band-leader, Peter Schwartz, who is a specialist in TV & film scores. Somewhere I have an article on his preparations for this tour. He had an arsenal of hard drives and fully-loaded samplers to replicate the complex nature of the multitrack recordings of ‘1. Outside.’ The sound quality was sensational. You knew this wasn’t going to be an ordinary night.

Look Back In Anger

Bowie delved into his 70s back catalogue to revamp some of the more edgy tunes in his repertoire. They also seemed to fit the overall magnificent gloom. It further seeded another germ for the future, where he would “pair” contemporary material with past glories (e.g. Heathen with Low in 2002). ‘Look Back In Anger’ had been the link for the new partnership with the guitar genius, Reeves Gabrels, so it’s little wonder that this got a severe workout on this tour. It also contained that tonal drop Bowie loved at this time (e.g. Outside). So, Lodger gets a nod, then.

The Heart’s Filthy Lesson

Thunderous bass from Gail and a barrage of sounds from Schwartz’s arsenal of samplers introduces the melodically-challenged beast that is “The Heart’s Filthy Lesson.” Bowie sings it as if he himself is in pain. A wonderfully unpleasant concoction of aural insanity. This is Bowie back to his challenging best. “Paddy? Who’s been wearing Miranda’s clothes?” Such a nice tune it was selected for the run-out on the harrowing film ‘7even.’ Magic.

Scary Monsters & Super Creeps

Another track plundered from the past. In the USA Bowie dueted with Trent Reznor on this track and a number of others. He shared the bill with Nine Inch Nails and their set would merge into Bowie’s as the two bands mixed each other’s material. It caused much consternation among fans and critics, many assuming Bowie to be cashing in on other’s success. Many reviews on both sides of the Atlantic referred to droves of fans leaving the arenas when Bowie started his set. Clowns.

Scary Monsters allowed Gabrels to unleash his inner Vai, Satriani, Zappa or whatever. The solos were blistering. One of the highlights of a remarkable set. Gabrels is the most important factor in Bowie’s later career integrity. It’s a travesty that the releases of these live shows are so half-baked. What a band!

The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty)

Probably the centre-piece of this show and group of superlative musicians. This is one of many outstanding compositions on the album. Here Gabrels is given licence to tear up his fretboard as if he’s been hypodermically injected with some of the unpleasant fluids mentioned in the non-linear hyper-cycle. A magnificent song-structure matched by a powerful vocal from Bowie makes for a jaw-dropping performance.

I Have Not Been To Oxford Town

One of my ex-colleagues (sadly now deceased) used to work at a local radio station and I overheard him telling someone one day that there were no tracks on Bowie’s new album which could be played on the radio, so unsuitable were they! Strange how rumours take on mythic proportions so quickly. Anyway, this song was a cert for a single, with its radio-friendly catchy chorus. It’s one of Bowie’s most accessible tunes. It’s likely that the lyrics were problematic. “Baby Grace was the victim.” A fine opening. Alomar plays a delightfully funky chop on the verses and a merry time is had by one and all. A great sing-a-long. “All’s well, the twentieth century dies!”

Outside

A little bit of ‘Look Back In Anger’ again, then it’s virtually note-for-note of Bolan’s ‘Nameless Wildness’ for the melodic motif. Bowie sings some his best elliptical imagery on top and, hey presto, it’s another weird one. Life is getting fisted.

Andy Warhol

A deliriously syncopated of the ‘Hunky Dory’ classic follows. Gabrels mangles the notes as the madness continues. Glorious.

The Man Who Sold The World

A beautiful reworking of the classic song, bearing little musical resemblance to the original version. Immediately a classic and one of the rare occasions where a remake beats the original. Hats off to Brian for that.

A Small Plot of Land

Possibly the most difficult song for an audience to handle, but long one of my favourite Bowie things. It’s ponderous, doomy and morbid. Bowie monologues in character about smashing someone with a spade. Murder as art. Some thought he was murdering art. Some critics chose this song to take the opportunity to pay a visit to the convenience. Heathens.

Boys Keep Swinging

Another from ‘Lodger.’ This time the band play their own instruments, but the sense of chaotic pandemonium careers on. Girls are swinging too. Everybody’s swinging and enjoying themselves.

Strangers When We Meet

A carry-over from the magnificent ‘Buddha of Suburbia’ sessions and another Bowie classic. Understated and casually brilliant.

Jump (They Say)

A genuine surprise. Despite its depressing and all too real background it becomes a highlight. A great tune.

Hallo Spaceboy

So radio-unfriendly were these songs that the Pet Shop Boys reworked this one into an electro pop track and had a massive top 20 hit with it. I prefer this version by miles. Gail has a torrid time on the bass with this one. Its tempo is frantic and the bass drives it incessantly. “You’re released but your custody calls.” Opaque lyrics and and dramatic ensemble playing. Another masterpiece.

Breaking Glass

Back to ‘Low.’ Bowie is certainly bringing out the personal pain to mix with his fictional crime-narrative.

We Prick You

Suddenly we’re back into electro-dance territory and the sprawling catchiness of ‘We Prick You.’ The blending of sequenced material with Gabrels’ machine-gun guitar-shredding was a stroke of artistic genius.

Nite Flights

Scott Walker loomed large again at this time. Who’d have thought both Bowie & Walker would release (almost simultaneously) two of the darkest most challenging records? Serendipity. It’s not unfair to comment that Bowie’s version here is better, too, than the original.

My Death

Time for Carlos Alomar to get a look in. A completely different musician from Gabrels altogether. He plays some Spanish style guitar until the first chords of Brel’s ‘My Death’ become noticeable. Bowie hasn’t played this since the days of Ziggy with The Spiders. It’s long and emotional. It brings the house down.

DJ

It appears it’s time to unwind a bit. Again fro ‘Lodger’ we get a big surprise. I don’t get its inclusion. Maybe he’s having a go at the general radio backlash to the current album, but, whatever! It’s a jolly run-through.

Teenage Wildlife

Another classic from ‘Scary Monsters.’ This time we get a fantastic version of ‘Teenage Wildlife.’ Gabrels has a field day sprinting up and down his fretboard, as if he’s been brought back from the dead by Dr. Frankenstein! Like a demented chicken on speed!

Under Pressure

Encore time flushes out another surprise, which was to become a Bowie touring staple for many years afterwards. Gail-Anne Dorsey takes the role of Freddie Mercouri and bangs out a cracking duet which the audience love.

Moonage Daydream

What better finale than to end with a Ziggy classic. To Gabrels’ credit he eschews trying to out-do Ronson and plays it straight. It’s a great version and a fitting conclusion to a memorable Bowie show. Unquestionably, one of his best (if not THE best) bands.