Pittsburgh Pictures, Set List And Reviews

It’s too late – to be grateful…

David Bowie played the 92nd show of his A Reality Tour at the Benedum Centre in Pittsburgh, PA, last night.

Those of you puzzled by today’s lyric quote, above, will understand when I tell you that the encore was truncated to just one song for last night’s show, due to very strict curfew rules. By all accounts David made up for it with a highly-charged Ziggy Stardust.

Here’s, the officially-confirmed 26-song setlist courtesy of HNB:

Pittsburgh May 17th 2004

01 Rebel Rebel
02 New Killer Star
03 Cactus
04 Sister Midnight
05 Hang On To Yourself
06 All The Young Dudes
07 Fame
08 China Girl
09 The Loneliest Guy
10 The Man Who Sold The World
11 Hallo Spaceboy
12 Sunday
13 Heathen (The Rays)
14 Under Pressure
15 Station To Station
16 Ashes To Ashes
17 Quicksand
18 Life On Mars?
19 Changes
20 The Supermen
21 Modern Love
22 Pablo Picasso
23 White Light, White Heat
24 I’m Afraid Of Americans
25 “Heroes”

(Encore)
26 Ziggy Stardust

BowieNetter NAZZZ66 posted a great review on the MBs which members can read here, and from which also, this snippet:

By Now I am sure you have seen the Set list from last night’s show in Pittsburgh…and there is little that I can add in regards to the performance, other than I thought it would’ve been difficult to top the show In Hershey. Well, once again I am wrong! 😛 Last night’s show was pretty intense and David was confidently focused on the Delivery of the material.

Biiiiig Stand out was Station To Station! Oh My God! The Duke was back for an instant, only to be dispatched to the de-contamination chamber of David’s soul, once the song ended and the next began.

Three Hunky Dory songs back to back! YAY! Not in order but there was Quicksand, Life On Mars, (incredible Mike/David duet beginning, would love to see Mike Garson and David Bowie Cabaret tour!) and Changes. David Turns to Gail and says “Ch Ch Ch.. You know THAT one?” with a teasing wicked grin on his face.

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Also from BowieNetter stevevolk is this marvellous review worth posting here in its entirety… particularly as he didn’t post it on the boards…

Well, that may have been the best I’ve ever seen him–and oh, have I seen him.

I’m from Pittsburgh, originally, but this was the first time I ever caught the Dame in my hometown, and I’m pleased to say it was like a home crowd for David Bowie.

Bowie changed my life, early, giving me an influence at a tender age that was so profound that it would be hard for me to sort out all the ways it altered my course. Anyway, last night’s crowd in Pittsburgh slathered DB in hot buttered love after nearly every song and he seemed genuinely disappointed when the curfew imposed by management proved unshakeable. Last night was one of those 30-plus song nights in his heart, I think, but we didn’t quite make it that far.

I took an ex and maybe future girlfriend to the show–her first ever Bowie concert, which for me was an exercise in opening up a big part of my own life to someone very special to me. She is so removed from all things Bowie that afterward she made observations like, “I think he might be from outer space” without realizing that particular observation has been made before. What a moment!

DB is 57 now, yet the same thoughts people had when they saw him appear as Ziggy Stardust are evidently still being had today–and by Bowie virgins at that. “I think he might be from outer space,” she said, which about sums him up, doesn’t it? That voice, really the sheer audacity to sing like that–so dramatic, so emotional, so Anthony Newley, so rock and roll supper club.

“It feels good just to look at him, doesn’t it?” she asked. Yeah, “Moondust will cover you” offers two promises–obliteration and benediction, the saving grace of moondust. Somehow just looking at him does suggest such things are possible.

I looked over at her during “Under Pressure” right after Bowie pointed toward the ceiling (excuse me, the sky) with both hands and jabbed his fingers upward, punctuating every time Gail shouted “Love, love, love.” Bowie mouthed the words, too. Such a genuine moment: When I looked at my girl she was swooning, eyes closed, her face tilted up toward the sky.

Bowie showed off last night. Close fans know the way he will, every so often, during “Changes,” sing “Time– Ti -hi – hi- hime!” his voice suddenly ascending it’s own stairway to heaven and hitting an impossibly high note. He did it last night, and God how I hate to dwell on this man’s age–but he is 57! Jesus God he is 57 and would you just watch him go.

I’ve seen him enough now to know that often his physicality dictates how great a night it will be, and last night’s show was intensely physical from the jump. He stared into the palm of his hand as if it were a mirror, preening during “Fame” and I knew he was locked into the words of his songs and was gonna give ’em to us like little jewels from his pocket. I had told this girl that, hey, there is a particularly spiritual section of the show I think you’ll enjoy, which to me meant the “Sunday,” “Heathen,” “Under Pressure” triumvirate. But fuck me if all of it isn’t spiritual–if the whole damn show doesn’t offer up nourishment for the ghosts we are.

“I thought the whole show was spiritual,” she told me afterward, “but I thought maybe it was just me.” Nah, it’s not just you.

He can sing “Heroes” a thousand times more and it will still offer catharsis. I hope he sings “The Loneliest Guy” for years to come–that may have been the most intimate moment I’ve ever had with David Bowie. My oh my if it didn’t feel like he was singing to each of us individually. I hope I’m not giving anything away, but the critic from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette walked over to me and said, “That was awesome–so chilly and dramatic.”

Yeah, I think they turned up the air-conditioning for that tune.

Well, I could go on and on, and I’m afraid I have. If I had the time I’d make it shorter.

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Thanx for sharing, Steve. You write very well indeed… but, I guess you know that.

I’ll leave you all with links to a couple of great online reviews from the Pittsburgh Tribune and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

A Reality Tour continues tomorrow at the Milwaukee Theatre.

***Well, I’ll be Damned. The talented lady holding her painting of David turns out to be none other than BowieNetter strangeronthetown, aka April. Members can view a larger version of her painting, plus some of her shots from the show and a brief review by clicking here.