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DB during ‘Heathen’ at the Boston Orpheum Theatre. Pic by
Mark Plati. Click for bigger version and another audience shot.
Someone passed some bliss among the crowd…
David Bowie played the last show of his string of seven East Coast dates at the Orpheum Theatre on Wednesday, and here are a couple of pictures taken on the night from Mark Plati and BowieNetter Stonefox. Here also follows excerpts from two reviews of the show. Click on the headings to see the full reviews.
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Bowie in Boston by BowieNetter Stonefox.
The Boston Globe – Bowie and his music still defying time By Jim Sullivan, Globe Staff
The classic British rock stars who have paraded through Boston in recent months – the Rolling Stones, the Who, Paul McCartney – have proved to be an admirably vital bunch. But David Bowie deserves a special place as grand marshal for the deft way he has of mixing the classic, the contemporary and the completely obscure with a refreshing vibrancy. The charismatic Bowie simply has a quality that keeps him out of the oldies bin regardless of the commercial fortunes of his new releases.
Throughout the show, Bowie affably threatened the audience with Russian poetry readings, joked that his all-black outfit was on loan from Johnny Cash and, following “China Girl,” tried to convince the audience that that song, plus “Ziggy Stardust” and “Let’s Dance,” were on his new album so they would go out and buy it.
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Return of ‘Bowie in Boston by BowieNetter Stonefox’.
The Boston Herald – David Bowie’s Orpheum concert shows that he’s still in Fashion by Sarah Rodman
”All things must pass,” sang David Bowie in ”Heathen,” near the end of his two-hour show at the sold-out Orpheum Theatre last night, and you think, yes, all things but David Bowie. You swear Bowie, 55, must have a portrait of himself in his attic that ages as he doesn’t – but that’s our rock ‘n’ roll Dorian Gray for you. Lithe, lean, dressed in black (like Johnny Cash, he said), hair blowing in wind generated by an electric fan.
You want to talk about a timeless catalog? Bowie’s got that in spades, and with ”Ziggy Stardust,” ”Life on Mars,” and others he dings the old nostalgia bell. It’s by having this depth of material – being so close to the front of so many different musical movements – coupled with a slammin’ latest CD (”Heathen”) that enables him to effortlessly bridge the years. Glam, funk, pop, punk, cabaret, covers – all put through the Bowie artistic filter and revved up as full-tilt rock ‘n’ roll.
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Boston enjoyed the same set as the previous three audiences had (If it ain’t broke…etc.) except for the addition of ‘Alabama Song’ between ‘Be My Wife’ and ‘Sound And Vision’:
Boston Orpheum Theatre
Sunday
Cactus
Breaking Glass
Fame
Ashes To Ashes
Slip Away
China Girl
5:15 The Angels Have Gone
Starman
Absolute Beginners
I’ve Been Waiting For You
Afraid
Fashion
Be My Wife
Alabama Song
Sound And Vision
Rebel Rebel
I’m Afraid Of Americans
Life On Mars?
“Heroes”
Heathen (The Rays)
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White Light, White Heat
Let’s Dance
Ziggy Stardust
Here are a couple of reviews of the Philly show that have just surfaced, illustrated with two more Mark Plati pictures from rehearsals that day. Thanx to BowieNetter Mandn for forwarding the Philadelphia City Paper review.
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MP and Slicky at The Tower, picture rather cleverly taken by Mark Plati.
Delaware County Daily Times – Is it any wonder, Bowie’s a legend by Andrew Cushman
The best thing about David Bowie’s concert at the Tower Theater this past Monday was that just before he thundered into the encore edition of “Ziggy Stardust,” he stepped to the mic and promised, “You will see us next year.” The fans who attended the set sure hope so.
Speaking of near-perfect, Bowie, who played the crowd like the crafty veteran performer that he is, was superb.
Bowie interacted with the crowd all night, saying he walked to the show from the 69th Street station, and later pulling out a talking James Brown doll, which was good for a chuckle.
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Kat and Jerry seem oblivious to the unheralded return of The Jakalope.
Philadelphia City Paper – Like Clockwork by A.D. Amorosi
Bowie’s voice — whether delivered through clenched teeth or in full yelp — still soars powerfully when in theatrical croon mode, still bites down archly and chews slowly Dada-ist texts in his clipped English accent. This is good. Any great actor should get better with age.
Bowie let newer tunes like “Heathen (The Rays)” bathe in the same brilliant dramatic light as his usual suspects, nursing each nuance of this apocalyptic paean to steel-and-glass-smashed skies. Few artists of his age and caliber can maintain the passion for artful new writing and performance like this. Bravo.
