Favourites : David Bowie, Earthling

I remember talking to someone after the last Bowie Concert in Wellington (Didn't it rain!) and they complained that he had not played many hits.   To me at the time I thought it was an impressive set, demonstrating Bowie's willingness to explore and play with his back catalogue, while also stretching the listeners' worlds if they had not listened for to him for 10-15 years.

I was more than happy because the band played a great versions of The Man Who Sold The World (he's playing Nirvana someone was overheard as saying) and one of my favourite Bowie songs I'm Afraid of Americans from Earthling.  I recently upgraded my copy of Earthling from a CD I bought in Brunei to a nice new vinyl copy.


Here is the setlist that night

1. Rebel Rebel

2. New Killer Star

3. Reality

4. Fame

5. Cactus

6. Afraid

7. All the Young Dudes

8. China Girl

9. Slip Away

10. Space Oddity (Teaser)

11. Starman

12. A New Career in a New Town

13. The Loneliest Guy

14. The Man Who Sold the World

15. Hallo Spaceboy

16. Sunday

17. Under Pressure

18. Life on Mars?

19. Be My Wife

20. Days

21. Hang on to Yourself

22. Changes

23. Ashes to Ashes

24. White Light/White Heat

25. I'm Afraid of Americans

26. "Heroes"

Encore

27. Five Years

28. Suffragette City

29. Ziggy Stardust

At that time his last two albums were being heralded as a bit of return to form (thanks Tony Visconti). I like those two albums a lot but I think that calling them a return to form just really means that some people weren't listening and while I still find Outside rather impenetrable I really enjoy both hours (and I make no apology for that) and particularly earthling.