Journey Through The Past : Bowie Live At QE II park in Christchurch in 1978

This would have been my first musical pilgrimage.  There have of course been many more but this was pretty special.  Bowie played two concerts in NZ that year and broke attendance records at Western Springs which I think still stand.

I had the choice of going to Auckland or Christchurch and chose Christchurch as I could scout the city for the next three years as I would be studying there.  I could also bunk down with my Aunt and Uncle, important as I was saving to be a student and needed to maximise my beer and music money.

I went down with my friend and future flatmate through uni Bruce Garland.  I remember turning up very early at QEII in the hope of catching site of the man as he came and went to sound check (of course he left that for others - but I am sure we got a few beers down).

Bowie's old schoolmate (and son of his woodwork teacher) Peter Frampton had played the same venue a week earlier and had apparently complained loudly onstage and off of the reflected sound off the stadium opposite.  It was going to be interesting whether this would have an impact on Bowie's concert.  Bowie certainly noticed it and in fact on one song (sorry my memory is not that good) encouraged the band to play to the echo.  That is what I consider makes a great showman and musician - someone who can work not only a crowd but also the venue if need be.  Mind you he had a great band with Carlos Alomar and Adrien Belew on Guitar, Simon House on violin, Roger Powell on Keyboards and Dennis Davis on Drums.

In 1979 Bowie would release Stage a double LP of the same tour with a very similar setlist (but in a very different order) to what we saw.   It became a party favourite - especially the blistering version of Station to Station.   Listening to the album after the show the quality of the show is obvious but sometimes it seems too clinical.   However a few other songs were highlights of the show and the album.  I particularly remember Kurt Weil's Alabama Song and Blackout from heroes.

The concert was well reviewed by most but I can remember one by Ray Columbus in particular, he was obviously sitting in the grandstand and had not done his homework.   He did not enjoy the show and the latter (now considered classic material) and complained Bowie did not play the hits.

I was happy though!