Month: February 2004

Mother, she blew my brain, I will go back again…

As February draws to a close, we thought it would be a good time to look back at the previous month. I know there’s not a lot of logic in that statement, but what of it? Susans has finally found the strength to kindly continue with the BowieNet News Archive, after her previous work was lost during the BowieNet migration from V2 to V3.

I know you all understand what a valuable service this is, (I’d be lost without it) so please join me in thanking Susans for her hard work and go take a look at January by clicking on the image above.

Popular musics and aftershocks…

Here’s what you’ve been waiting for, kidz. Part 2 of our 3-part mini series created by young Anthony. Not much I can say about this one without giving the ‘plot’ away.

I can tell you that this film is entitled: “baseball hits, dinosaur jr, allman bros, devo, tin machine, and lodger. town pump, montana badlands.”

Did Ant mean baseball hits? Or Baseball hats? Did he mean microvable previously? Or did he mean Microwavable? Who knows, and more importantly, who cares? His head is clearly in a strange place, and these films are all the better for it.

Click on either of the above images to get to where the action is. We’ll give you the last instalment over the next couple of days. Thanx again Anthony.

We could play in lively parks throughout Finland…

As you should have all gathered via an e-mail from BowieNet by now, there will be another BowieNet pre-sale on Monday, March 1st at 5:00pm (EST).

Earlier the same day, 8:00am local time (7:00am GMT), tickets finally go on public sale for David’s Sunday June 20th appearance at the Provinssirock Festival in Finland. You can buy tickets for this one online via Lippupalvelu.

I’m raving mad and somewhat slightly dazed…

The second David Bowie show at the Rod Laver Arena has recently come to a triumphant close, and, as ever, Charly has kindly taken the time to make sure you lot are the first to see the set list. She also wrote a report entitled: Fifteen Marsupials and a Sheep Dog, but sadly it seems to be lost in the ether for now.

Apparently the title is a reflection of the general kookiness of David’s behaviour during this show. I pray the report does eventually arrive, as, judging by what Charly told me over the phone, there were a lot of quotes that bear repeating here.

Anyway, here’s the 28-song set list, which sees the return of a few songs not performed for a while. I think you’ll agree, the Melbournians have had pretty good VFM over the last couple of days:

Melbourne February 27th 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Fashion
04 Cactus
05 I’ve Been Waiting For You
06 All The Young Dudes
07 China Girl
08 The Man Who Sold The World
09 Pablo Picasso
10 Sound And Vision
11 Always Crashing In The Same Car
12 Breaking Glass
13 Be My Wife
14 Let’s Dance
15 Sunday
16 Heathen (The Rays)
17 Under Pressure
18 Life On Mars?
19 Looking For Water
20 Changes
21 Ashes To Ashes
22 I’m Afraid of Americans
23 “Heroes”

(Encore)
24 Never Get Old
25 Try Some Buy Some
26 Five Years
27 Hang Onto Yourself
28 Ziggy Stardust

UPDATE: Charly’s original report never arrived, so she’s very kindly rewritten it as best she can remember. Both the pictures here were taken by BowieNetter Fedup… and very good they are too.

Fifteen Marsupials And A Sheep Dog!

I don’t know what David Bowie had been sniffing before he came out on stage tonight, but whatever it was – I want some! To say he was in a chirpy, silly mood would be an understatement. He was hilarious and wouldn’t shut up. Breaking us in gently with the usual Rebel Rebel and New Killer Star, he was resplendent in the usual jeans and t-shirt declaring “Ah, Melbourne Darlings!” He announced “we’ve redecorated the set list so it’s a bit different tonight. That’s kept 30 of you happy”.

Fashion followed which was good to hear again, seems like ages, no doubt a damn sight longer for the resident Aussies. David stood at the front, shaking his head a little so that his fringe flopped down, “I shall be doing the rest of tonight’s show disguised as a sheep dog”. Ha ha, excellent. He then called out, “let me hear you say COBBLERS!” I bet the Aussies wondered what the hell he was on about.

Cactus was cool tonight, an extra long intro as Bowie just let it carry on a while before starting to sing. “You know before you change your guitars let’s think about doing Waiting For You. You see, I control the set list, they think they do but…………” After the Neil Young cover David said “I can see none of you are too grown up for a sing-a-long. I’m the only grown up here…. this side sing the chorus and this side sing the verse…… oh join in when you like”. All The Young Dudes was the result of this comical episode which always gets the crowd on their feet, if they’re not already.

David, seemingly impressed said “that was too good. Well I suppose you’d better sing the next song on your own”. Two lines of China Girl were played by the band, absent by Bowie other than him holding the microphone out over the audience. He signalled for the band to stop playing and the crowd kept singing. “Do you know, you’re the first audience that knew how to sing that”.

He then proceeded to tell us as about their trip to Healesville (the local wildlife park). He was apparently amused by grown ups cuddling wombats and such like (thoughts of me cuddling Koalas in Brisbane the other week sprang to mind). Two cuddly animals made it onto the stage, courtesy of the lovely Julie from Sydney (aka: iwishiwasiman2). David responded “I’m being rained on by Australasian animals”. (in Aussie accent) “David Bowie was hit by 15 marsupials and lay unconscious on the stage for the rest of the show. Thankfully he had a very talented audience who would sing the rest of the songs for him.”

Bowie announced that he was gonna do 4 songs from Low but said we shouldn’t join in as this was supposed to be his moody and lonely period, it pretty much followed with the standard up to the band intro. He then started telling us about his Zappy back in New York and how the wildlife in Australia had inspired him to think of this thing with a kangaroo suit on. He started going on about how kangaroos hop and Zappy’s glide so that wouldn’t work, but other kangaroos would get jealous so it would end up in a bloodbath. What???

The band intro lead them into Under Pressure and a couple of more familiar set songs before Bowie engaged in some amusing banter with Gerry. “You know, the other one that they know” which the two went round in circles over before Bowie declared “Oh fuck it, let’s give it a go. He was right, we certainly did know Ashes to Ashes, only too well.

The set ended fairly normally but no White Light White Heat tonight. Five encores was a bit more like it. Never Get Old was a welcome return to the set, been too long since he did that one. My personal favourite on the new album. Try Some Buy Some seems to be a regular one that he enjoys at the moment and the last three Ziggy songs.

What a great evening and way to end my tour of Australia.

A Reality Tour continues at the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth on Monday March 1st.

Every chance, every chance that I take, I take it on the road…

It’s time for more movies folx. As much as you clearly enjoyed the recent couple of shorts, (They’re such short shorts, We like short shorts – first e-mail with artist name wins a prize!) we thought we’d treat you to a whole four and a half minutes today.

It’s not just one single film either, it’s the first of a series of three that make up a whole. But, each can be enjoyed individually too, as you will no doubt discover after viewing today’s offering. The three stills here are all from part one, which Ant has titled: “microvable pork rinds, lottery tickets, hot dogs, and petrol. town pump, montana badlands.”

That title, along with the images displayed here, may be enough of a clue as to the viewable content, and, if you’re a BowieNet member you have the privilege of clicking on any of the stills above to find out exactly what is going on here. If you’re not a BowieNet member, you obviously don’t know what you’re missing!

We’ll give you the second instalment over the next couple of days. Thanx again to Anthony, and to David and the band for being such willing subjects.

The screwdriver, Is a tightening atrocity…

Those of you in the Melbourne area are probably at the Dingdong Lounge watching the Spooky Ghost show right now, that we told you about a few days ago. (02.11.2004 NEWS: BOWIE PARTIES AND SPOOKY DOWN UNDER)

If you’re not, you may want to console yourself with the new Spooky Ghost live recording, the Official Bootleg. Recorded live at the Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY, in the summer of 2003, this eight-track beauty is available now via the official Spooky Ghost site.

As if that wasn’t enough to tempt you there, then perhaps the news that you can also purchase the official double-ended Spooky Ghost Screwdriver (with both phillips and standard heads) from the same place, will excite you further. I’ve tested mine in real-life dramatic situations several times now, and I have to say, I think it’s more useful than even Doctor Who‘s Sonic Screwdriver.

Anyway, if you’re interested in either of these wondrous items, then click on the giant’s belt above, (without mousing over his huge knackers) and take a stroll around the Spooky store.

Strange, mad celebration…

David Bowie has just stepped off the stage at the Rod Laver Arena, and, as ever, the very lovely Charly has come through with the goods. Apparently David was back in the familiar stage outfit that he’s been wearing throughout A reality Tour. It seems the Zoot may have been a one off.

During the band introduction after Heathen David, accompanied by the band, sang Happy Birthday to Gerry. I have to hold up my hands and admit I’m not sure if it is actually Gerry’s birthday, (can’t find anything online) or whether this was just some kind of private joke?

In the event that it is Gerry’s birthday, perhaps you should take a look at yesterday’s news and go get a Spooky CD and Screwdriver for his birthday fund!

Anyway, here’s the 30-song set list, which I have to say is one of the best of the tour I’ve seen so far:

Melbourne February 26th 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Fame
04 Cactus
05 Reality
06 All The Young Dudes
07 China Girl
08 Hang Onto Yourself
09 The Loneliest Guy
10 The Man Who Sold The World
11 Pablo Picasso
12 Hallo Spaceboy
13 Sunday
14 Heathen (The Rays)
15 Under Pressure
16 Life On Mars?
17 Slip Away
18 Looking For Water
19 Starman
20 Quicksand
21 Days
22 White Light, White Heat
23 Ashes To Ashes
24 Panic In Detroit
25 I’m Afraid of Americans
26 “Heroes”

(Encore)
27 Try Some Buy Some
28 Five Years
29 Suffragette City
30 Ziggy Stardust

UPDATE: Here’s Charly’s report

Sell Me A Coat, er, Stylophone. By Charly.

Well – David Bowie rocked the roof off the Rod Laver Arena last night. Melbourne fans were excited, and they had good reason to be. Dressed in the trademark tour jeans and “metal world” t-shirt, the show started in the familiar way, Bowie was chatty and in good spirits. After Fame he looked down at a girl in the front row on the right and said “What a nice tiara. There’s a girl down here wearing a tiara”. I didn’t notice exactly what he’d seen myself.

He decided to ask us all who we were after Reality, looking down “So, what did you say your names were? Pass it on like Chinese whispers. Oh, Derek!” Continuing with All The Young Dudes and China Girl, Bowie then gave us another Eurovision kiss saying, “I don’t actually know what Eurovision is but I heard some of you talking about it before we came on”.

Hang Onto Yourself was welcome, one of my personal favourites, mad and frantic before taking the tempo down with The Loneliest Guy. David announced: “there’s a free copy of Reality under every seat in the building”. Strange, I couldn’t find mine 😉 Then we got a few regulars, including Heathen which was good to hear again. Leading into the band intro David said “It’s times like this I feel I should introduce my band. But this time is an exception. I’m gonna introduce you to my band.”

When he got round to Gerry they leapt into Happy Birthday – one can only surmise it was his birthday. After Under Pressure David looked up at the back of the arena, “I can see all of you at the back, the very top. You don’t believe me do you?” He then proceeded to describe a red cardigan he could see with a butterfly embroidered on it, pointing up towards the back row. “Not you, the one next to you there.”

Life On Mars was yet again, outstanding. The one song that could always guarantee a standing ovation (if we weren’t standing already). Slip Away was great, David knelt down on the platform right in front of me. Clutching his Stylophone he said, “I like these, they’re called Stylophones and I’ve got 7 or 8 with me.” He advised us he would be selling them after the show round the back and that he didn’t want to set a price now, but that he would sort it later. Heh heh.

After Looking For Water we got a couple of oldies, with him teasing: “When’s he gonna do an old one again? Well it might be now mightn’t it? What’s the chances? (not a lot of noise from the crowd) You’ve gone all shy.” Starman followed with a polite David saying “thank you, how ya doing, all right? Good evening, I’m David Bowie and this is my band!”

Quicksand was excellent, better than the first time he did it, sounded a bit more together. The practice had obviously paid off. Then David got all nostalgic. “I sometimes feel I wrote this song for so many people. It’s a new song, I hope you like it, it’s called Days.” The next 3 songs livened things up a bit with Panic In Detroit being another welcome addition (hope he keeps that in for a while now). “We’ve had a really lovely evening here tonight”, then 2 more songs before the encores. Try Some Buy Some was back in tonight before the familiar 3 show enders.

30 songs later, the time had flown, certainly didn’t seem like I’d been there for two and a half hours. Managed to get Bowie’s set list off the platform too, courtesy of Tristan The Hobbit.

A Reality Tour continues with a second show at the Rod Laver Arena tomorrow, Friday 27th.

NB: I have it on good authority that it actually WAS Gerry’s birthday.

UPDATE #2: Here’s a retrospective report of the same show from BowieNetter maeko.qinza… written tomorrow and illustrated with one of her excellent shots from the gig.

BowieNetters can click on David’s scarf for more of maeko’s pictures on the MBs.

The last time I had so much fun at any concert was probably the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2002. Last night in Melbourne, it was completely ballistic – dancing, jumping and singing along to every song with the people around me. Like the Chili Peppers, I was right up front against the barrier – but this time it was so close I could touch David’s shoes.

I just couldn’t believe it that he was just standing less than a meter away from me singing Life On Mars?. All night, it was just this overwhelming feeling that this man right there was the man who has brought so much into my life through his music. I was feeling rather helpless in a way that there was no way I could thank him just by being in the crowd. I think at one stage he recognised me from Rove because he looked directly into my eyes, pointed at me and bnetter iwishiwasiman and I pointed at him too and sang along with him to Reality. We were stoked.

My personal highlight was probably during all the Ziggy songs. Let me make something clear to you, David! You said that Ziggy means nothing to kids these days. He means everything to me. I’m 19 years old, but it was Ziggy that changed everything for me. The beginning of my Bowie fandom was very reminiscent of those kids in the early 70s. He changed my life and the way I saw things. During Starman – it was like I was at Top Of The Pops, dancing along like those kids in the background (but not so dodgy looking, I hope).

During Hang On To Yourself, Suffragette City and Ziggy Stardust – it was like I was at Hammersmith Odeon. Like those crazy girls in the front with their arms flapping everywhere. I used to just watch the Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture and be in tears by the end of it feeling sad that I wasn’t there to experience such a thing. But last night, even though there was no fancy outfits and make-up, it was the same man. And for that, I felt I was experiencing exactly the same thing. For Five Years – I absolutely cried. I managed to get his pick that he used to play it with and it means so much to me. One of the very first Bowie songs I learned to play on guitar too!

Ok, enough about me! Last night was also Gerry Leonard’s birthday so he got a Happy Birthday song from all of us! Gail Ann Dorsey was also really stoked to be playing at the home of the Australia Open that she brought in one of those big tennis balls to show everyone. At one stage David cut his finger or something and made this really funny sad face at the crowd and everyone was just going “Awwwwwww…”

For those interested (and I know there are many), he didn’t wear the Zoot suit. It was back to the black jacket with tail with that crinkly silvery jacket underneath, metal world t-shirt, tight black pants and that BELT.

We had a fantastic 30 song setlist and David captured the entire crowd with his lovely on-stage patter. He just kept playing the songs I really wanted him to play. One after the other. I just got so hypo! All he needs to do now is Breaking Glass ;).

It was yet another great night with my Bowie friends and meeting new people every night is just amazing. It has been said many times before but I’ll say it again – just one man can bring so many people together, and so much joy into their lives.

Thank you so much David. See you again tonight!