David Bowie - A Reality Tour

By Mark Rabinowitz in DVD Reviews | Music on October 18, 2004 5:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

From the moment David Bowie greeted the Dublin crowd with a shout of "tiocfaidh ar la" (pronounced "chucky ar la") Irish for "Our day will come" and a slogan for the Irish Republican movement, he had then in the palm of his hands. A surprise from a performer who is rarely overtly political in his public statements, but then, we've come to expect surprises from the man. This DVD was recorded at two shows in Dublin at The Point and I was lucky enough to attend both. From the opening chords of "Rebel Rebel" to the final, celebratory notes of "Ziggy Stardust," the erstwhile David Robert Jones had us in the palm of his hand. While the mood among many I spoke to was that the second night at The Point was the best Bowie show they had ever seen, the first was not far off that mark. The crowd at both had an energy I rarely see in US audiences and as one who's seen DB over 20 times (a pittance among my contemporaries) trust me when I tell you, a good audience at a Bowie show gives the man energy like nothing else.

Let it be known, I am not a fan of your straight-ahead concert film. I much prefer the ones that offer a little more. Films like Woodstock, Gimme Shelter and The Last Waltz. Films that offer more than what goes on on stage. That said, Bowie, band and film crew have collaborated to produce what is easily a world-class concert film starring one of Rock and Roll's true legends. What you get here is not only 30 brilliant songs ranging from 1970's "The Man Who Sold the World" to several cuts from Bowie's two most-recent releases ('02's Heathen and '03's Reality) but a document of a rock god who is clearly not content to sit on his arse and count his millions. Say what you will about Bowie, but an over-blown tour of $350 tickets and phoned in renditions of his hits is not what the man is about.

Working his way through songs from all phases of his career, Bowie gives a show that makes one excited to see what he comes up with next, rather than feel nostalgic for past glories. Newer songs like his fantastic take on The Pixies' "Cactus" and the even more recent "New Killer Star" sound perfectly at home nestled in among 1975's "Fame" and 1977's "Be My Wife." In fact, one of the best thing about this DVD (and the tour in general) is the generous amount of chestnuts one was likely to hear on a given night. On this DVD alone can be found "Sister Midnight," "Fantastic Voyage," "The Motel," and "Battle For Britain (The Letter)," not to mention a transcendent rip through Ziggy's "Hang On To Yourself" that tears the roof off the joint.

One doesn't often get a chance to throw around phrases like "living legend" and "rock god" without being at least a little hyperbolic, but in the case of David Bowie's Reality Tour it's all fair. He's been playing with much of the live band for many years running, having worked with keyboardist Mike Garson off and on since 1971 (He was a Spider from Mars) and guitarist Earl Slick since 1974's Diamond Dogs tour. The distinctive keyboards from Aladdin Sane? Garson. The signiture guitar sound from Station to Station? Slick. Bassist Gayle Ann Dorsey has been with Bowie for nearly 10 years and I can't imagine a live band of his without her. She takes Freddie Mercury's part on "Under Pressure," and makes it her own. If you are lucky enough to see them do that song live and don't get goose bumps, send me an email, and I'll refund your money. Catherine Russell on guitar, keyboards, vocals and percussion is a gem, as is drummer Sterling Campbell. Dublin native Gerry Leonard (aka Spooky Ghost) rounds out the cast as guitarist and bandleader and is the chief ~~architect~~ source of much of the innovative guitar sound ~~from~~ on the tracks from Heathen.

At the age of 57 and after a nearly 40-year career, Bowie has clearly earned the right to sit back, relax and enjoy life with wife Iman and young daughter Alexandria, but the artist and performer in him doesn't seem to let him. He has said that throughout most of his career he was never really comfortable on stage and that it's only over the past eight years or so when he's really enjoyed performing. It shows and A Reality Tour was one of the top-grossing tours of the past year. Not only that, it was actually well reviewed (except for an Ottawa paper that will remain nameless!). Not to take anything away from the Glimmer Twins, but when is the last time anyone has really been excited for a new Stones CD? Along with Peter Gabriel and Neil Young, David Bowie continues to produce thought-provoking work and tour the world, pushing the idea of what the "over 50" set of rock n' rollers can do.

To buy this fantastic DVD, please cllick here:
David Bowie: A Reality Tour