Bowie drags his fans back to the golden years
First Night David Bowie Astoria London
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.DAVID BOWIE couldn't receive any more adoring coverage if he passed away in a tragic pile up on the information superhighway. But with a new album, Hours, touted as a return to old glories, it seems the old chameleon has at last settled into a respectable dotage, rather than trying to keep up with the young folks.
Not that he needs to worry. His Internet obsession is well documented, yet more revolutionary has been his success in floating himself as a corporate entity. Yes, you too can own a piece of David Bowie. This may yet prove to be the second most influential action of his long and successful career, after his popularisation of that short at the sides, long on top hair style beloved by guests on The Jerry Springer Show.
Tonight's show, in this relatively small venue, sees this fifty-something apparently comfortable with himself and his back catalogue. He might be dressed like a chat show presenter in a fetching pink V-neck jumper and a pair of tight black flares, but the voice and the charm are intact. An opening "Life On Mars" to piano accompaniment provided by Seventies collaborator Mike Garson, is greeted with excited yelps. The band appear and the set flips between eras, mercifully leaving out most of the Eighties and the Tin Machine period. He even performs his first ever single as David Bowie - 1966's "Can't Help Thinking About Me". It's not great but it's fun to hear where he sprang from.
His backing musicians are a clean-cut bunch yet they prove capable of handling classics such as "China Girl" and the mechanical funk of "Stay", possibly one of the most coked-up tracks ever recorded. And although Hours may not be the new Hunky Dory "Seven" is lovely enough to deserve the comparison. The killer combination of "Changes" and glam rock's greatest moment "Rebel Rebel" conclude the set, the latter proving it costs a lot of cash to make a snare drum sound that cheap.
Bowie might be past his best work, but this enjoyable rifling through his less frequently presented back pages was surprisingly good fun.
Steve Jelbert
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments