DAVID BOWIE
OVERSEAS QUOTES, ‘A REALITY TOUR’
“Never motivated by half-measures, David Bowie's first world tour proper since 1995 has 17 countries in its sights over a seven-month campaign. On record, too, he is in his most productive form for a decade, with a fine new album, Reality…Bowie is 56, but has an almost teenage enthusiasm and vigour. Rarely can a rock legend have been sighted having such brazen fun with his own past without descending into nostalgia for its own sake…The vast Palais Omnisports, an 18,000-capacity sellout, is the kind of hangar in which good entertaining intentions can fade. But with the sonic choreography of a brilliantly cohesive band, a 135-minute concert became an intimate party.”
Paul Sexton, LONDON TIMES (Paris show review), October 21, 2003
“His group, perfected by years together, was a perfect arsenal…The warm reception which Reality had received, from both critics and the public—the album has already been awarded a Disque d’or in France—had doubtless inspired him with confidence. The live versions of tracks like ‘New Killer Star,’ ‘Fall Dog Bombs The Moon’ and ‘Never Get Old’ from his latest album were as impressive as his old classics…Bowie was in fantastic vocal form. Moving from arrogant glamour to affectedness, one minute a haughty crooner, the next a vulnerable troubadour, his music surpasses that of all the rockers of his generation.”
LE MONDE (Paris), October 23, 2003
“Recent tracks ‘New Killer Star,’ the agonizing ‘Fall Dog Bombs The Moon,’ Jonathan Richman’s reworked ‘Pablo Picasso’ and other milestones from a time gone by—from ‘Fame’ to ‘Let’s Dance,’ from ‘Fashion’ to ‘Ziggy Stardust,’ actualized by a sort of stark tension—all come together as if they were from the same epoch…A concert captivating through its fascination and calibrated immediacy—and which won overwhelming applause from an audience of all ages…The backing group is perfect: the sound clear as a bell, the music adventurous and the rhythm implacable.”
Cesare Romana, IL GIONALE (Milan), October 24, 2003
“The 18,000-strong audience were in seventh heaven by the time he reached the finale: ‘Let’s Dance,’ ‘Suffragette City’ and ‘Ziggy Stardust.’ Bowie had tricks up his sleeve to soften the hardest of hearts, in the form of some lesser-known jewels; ‘Hello Spaceboy’ was as impressive as ever, as was the brilliant ‘Sunday,’ taken from his penultimate album.”
Emmanuel Marolle, ENTERTAINMENT PAGE (Paris), October 21, 2003
“Born to be on stage, Bowie performed before he could sing, transforming himself as he breathed. He is an ecstatic Don Giovanni in ‘Fashion,’ a radical intellectual in ‘I’m Afraid of Americans’ and the great preacher in ‘Heroes.’ An enigma that drips electric poetry. With the profile of a statue or a portrait. Much more intriguing than a mere rock star.”
R.T., IL SECOLO XIX (Milan), October 24, 2003
“Well-known songs like ‘Fame,’ ‘Let’s Dance’ and ‘China Girl’ are followed by tracks from the current album Reality, such as the new single ‘New Killer Star.’ The audience enjoys both…Can one be 56 and still a sex symbol? David Bowie is living proof of it.”
Claudia Kneifel, MAIN POST (Stuttgart), October 2003
“As far as being a pop hero is concerned, there is only one comment to make: not even Robbie Williams has caused so many women to faint in the Schleyerhalle.”
Inge Bäuerle, KULTUR—MUSIC PAGE (Stuttgart), October 28, 2003
“…his singing just gets better and better and his stage performances are worthy of his persona. Which cannot be said for most of the survivors of his generation.”
ZURBAN (Paris), October 15, 2003
“…many-layered, high-velocity show.”
Massimo Gatto, AV DAILY (Milan), October 25, 2003
“…David has come back with a brilliant concert show…two hours of pure enjoyment…fantastic.”
THE CONCERT (Italy), October 24, 2003
“The way he stood there and held out his arms and head to the heavens, to the apocalyptic pulsating sounds of Heathen, with seven video screens above him, which showed a burning hell! His ‘I can feel it die’ came from his heart and was anything but your standard rock ‘n’ roll or anything else from pop culture.”
SUDKURIER (Stuttgart), October 28, 2003
“Bowie and his--to put it mildly--fantastic band...The sound was perfect! Clear, sharp, exactly loud enough and well-balanced. It more or less sounded like a dream from beginning to end…lively, energetic, happy, generous…he delivered a rock-solid concert, the kind younger artists could learn loads from, in front of 8,000 (sold-out) fans in the Oslo Spektrum last night.”
VERDENS GANG (Norway)
“…fantastic…Bowie as a charming and well-dressed leader of a rare band who delivered great and loud versions of everything presented…His charisma reaches the moon.”
DAGBLADET (Norway)
“The 8,000 tickets for Bowie's concert in Oslo was sold within the hour. It took less time for Bowie to impress devoted fans at the Oslo Spectrum Sunday night. From the first song, the new single ‘New Killer Star,’ we got the impression that Bowie meant ‘business.’ The sound was powerful…A very tight band and Bowie was in good shape…On his two latest releases, the excellent Heathen and the new Reality we meet a more relaxed and playful Bowie. A Bowie we also experienced in Oslo Spektrum Sunday night. Old favourites and new songs melted together in a favourable way… The songs reminded us once again what a great artist and songwriter Bowie was, and still is.”
ADRESSEAVISEN (Trondheim, Norway)
“Danish fans gave a warm reception to some of the brand new tracks from the Reality album, such as the rousing opening track ‘New Killer Star,’ the raw ‘Pablo Picasso’ and the ballad ‘Bring Me The Disco King’ which ended with a truly masterful jazz keyboard solo…Bowie once again proved that his crystal-clear voice is as powerful and resonant as ever…the agility with which Bowie himself, slim and youthful as ever in his fifties, monopolized the stage for the entire duration of the show was truly impressive…his singing was simply flawless.”
Torsten Holtz, ASSOCIATED PRESS (Denmark)
“…a veteran who is at once part of history and living in the present…35 years into his career, he takes the stage with a formidable six-piece band and gives a generous show.”
SYDSVENSKA DAGBLADET (Sweden)
“…the light, sound, staging and dramatics were phenomenal from start to finish, from the moment Bowie kicked off the show with ‘New Killer Star,’ the opening track on ‘Reality,’ until the classic guitar riff from ‘Ziggy Stardust’ rang out for the last time some two hours later to close the epic feast with a certainty and projection extending all the way to the very back row of the Forum…still singing fantastically…many of the (new) songs sounded like pure classics, such as the opening number, ‘New Killer Star,’ which held its own against glittering back catalogue songs such as ‘Fame’ and ‘Ashes to Ashes.’ Stronger still were many of the relatively new songs such as the gloomy ‘Sunday’ from Heathen and ‘I'm Afraid of Americans’ from Earthling.”
JYDSKE VESTKYSTEN (Sweden)
“David Bowie is an artist on the edge of time, a kingdom in which he restored his sovereignty with the monolithic Heathen and the freer version of Reality. An edge of time which Bowie showed he has transformed into a firm stage on the opening night of his ‘Reality’ tour…The decisive factor was that numbers from Heathen and Reality showed convincing strength and scope…Bowie’s new songs are in tune with the times, and seem both more vulnerable and open than before. Uncertainty is now the humble core of his music’s smouldering scenarios.”
Kim Skotte, POLITIKEN (Sweden)
“David Bowie is one of rock’s greatest entertainers--if not the greatest--and he has an amazing ability to catch and hold an audience. Like few others, he gives each individual member of the audience the feeling that he is singing for him or her alone. But he also manages to create a happy community with songs as the binding force, particularly the essential numbers, which always turn the audience into a jubilant mass choir.”
Uffe Christensen, JYLLANDS (Copenhagen)
“At Areena, Bowie performed a two-hour set with plenty of material from both Heathen and Reality. The highlight of the evening was Mike Garson and Bowie’s performance of the enveloping ethereal finale ‘Bring Me the Disco King,’ which easily stands comparison with the Bowie classics.”
IHMISET GLAMOUR (Finland)
“The maturity of Bowie’s fine-sounding voice was especially evident in the more recent pieces.”
ILTA-SANOMAT (Finland)
“Unpredictable and excellent as ever…Bowie was at one with his powerful group.”
Volker Beherens, KULTUR & MEDIAN (Hamburg)
“The message was loud and clear—this is about music, and great music at that. Two hours of it, with just the right mix of hits and material from the last two albums. Both categories were masterpieces: the gloomy pomp of Heathen and the wild joy of Reality—two sides of one coin…a fabulous show, that took your breath away and left you drained of emotion…It can’t get much better than this. It was a treat for those present to have witnessed such a reality.”
Ralf Dorschel, HAMBURGER MORGENPOST (Hamburg), October 2003
“Bowie was in formidable form and still singing fantastically…Both the scenery and the on-stage action were impressive, varied and well thought-out…many of the songs (from Reality) sounded like pure classics, such as the opening number, ‘New Killer Star,’ which held its own against glittering back catalogue songs such as ‘Fame’ and ‘Ashes To Ashes.’ Stronger still were many of the relatively new songs such as the gloomy ‘Sunday’ from Heathen and ‘I’m Afraid Of Americans’ from Earthling…the evening was a big hit, proving that the fact it says 1947 on Bowie’s birth certificate doesn’t rule him out as one of the most important and vital players on the contemporary rock and art scene.”
JEDSKY VESTKYSTEN (Sweden), October 7, 2003
“…Bowie is the veteran with the most young-at-heart outlook.”
TROUW (Holland), October 17, 2003
“…Bowie himself was notable for the strength of his voice…the last half hour took a truly majestic turn, thanks to impressive renderings of ‘Heroes’ and ‘Slip Away.’…a truly satisfying return.”
DE VOLKSKRANT (Holland), October 17, 2003
“Today, Bowie succeeds admirably in straddling the divided between his classic hits and modern tracks. The proof was in the pudding yesterday at the sold-out Hallenstadion concert…Numbers like ‘New Killer Star,’ Bowie’s musical answer to the events of September 11, blended seamlessly into the series of hits…Even in the more peaceful moments, his voice, with its many timbres, held us in thrall. As it did when he and his six-man band lowered the tempo a notch to suit the ballad-like ‘Slip Away’ and ‘Bring Me The Disco King,’ with Mike Garson’s jazzy piano solos.”
Marc Krebs (Zurich), October 25, 2003
“In a two-and-a-half hour show of old and new material, the singer changed seamlessly from the modern-day ‘realistic’ Bowie into the distinguished rocker of ‘Fame’ and ‘Fashion’ note, to the flamboyant Ziggy Stardust…The whole arena sang along at the tops of their voices and everyone in the seating area stood up to swing along.”
Judith van de Hulsbeek, METRO (Rotterdam) October 17, 2003
“He entranced his fans with expressive rock delivered by his powerful voice…although the performance, with its cleverly planned video show, proceeded in smooth harmony, it also had an air of spontaneity. And actually it was spontaneous: it was not until shortly before the curtain rose that Bowie had decided which songs he was going to perform that very night…a smashing success.”
EXPRESS (Koln, Germany)
“…the dark, provocative voice, still youthful and capable of giving you goose flesh.”
Christine Knauer, REUTLINGER GENERAL-ANZEIGER (Stuttgart), October 10, 2003
“A totally fantastic band…let rip again with ‘I’m Afraid of Americans.’ The track, from Bowie’s break-beat period, was played as euphoric rock funk and the cult song ‘Heroes’ as a hymn, sharpened by rock ‘n’ roll. It was a rich, new sound, in place of a tired rehash, with Bowie the beaming hero in glittering spotlight, the intellectual ‘New Killer Star.’”
Udo Eberl, SUDWEST PRESSE (Stuttgart), October 28, 2003
“The songs, aged and yet fresh as a couple of teenagers on their first date, spoke to all ages, and consequently illustrated that Bowie could be just as timeless as Handel, Beethoven or Chopin.”
Bart Steenhaut, DE MORGAN POST (Antwerp, Belgium), November 2003
“Bowie just keeps getting younger. At the rate he’s going, he’ll wind up a teenager again.”
Thierry Coljon, LE SOIR (Antwerp, Belgium), November 2003
“…there were 24 songs and nine encores. Nine encores!”
Anke Westphal, FEUILLETON (Berlin), November 5, 2003
“…as impressive as ever, with a dynamic show without any hitches.”
MOZ (Berlin), November 5, 2003
“…the concert of the year. A triumph…”
Stephan Schutze (Berlin), November 2003
“…performing better than ever and is still on another planet in terms of quality compared to any other solo artist. Watching him at the sold-out MEN Arena last night, at the start of his ‘Reality’ UK tour, was to be in the presence of something very special indeed. He did fast, he did slow; he did old, he did new; he did rock, he did spine-tingling a cappella. But whatever the style—and Bowie has dozens—there was neither a bum note nor a misjudged song.”
Eric Jackson, MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, November 18, 2003
“…he and his six-piece band sounded just great…a breathtaking selection of songs from every stage of his career. From a sublime version of ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ to the chunky, garage rock of the Pixies song ‘Cactus,’ from his last album, Heathen, Bowie performed with complete authority but also a strange kind of charm—as if the battles with his myth and the baggage of his past were now resolved…a splendidly paced set.”
David Sinclair, LONDON TIMES, November 2003
“After two return-to-form albums, 2002’s Heathen and this year’s Reality, presumably the thin white duke at last feels he has new material to hold up against the oldies. And yes, Reality is utterly ferocious. The swaggering ‘New Killer Star’ has the indescribable but unmistakable feel of a Bowie classic…when (he) touches on post 9/11 fear in ‘Sunday’ and gives ‘Five Years’ a renewed air of apocalypse, he taps into a new kind of disturbance.”
Dave Simpson, THE GUARDIAN (Manchester), November 18, 2003
“…Bowie’s voice, better than ever, capable of hitting every register of sensitivity, between absolute purity and saturation.”
Jean-Paul Germonville, L’EST REPUBLICAN (Amneville, France), November, 2003
“…the singer charmed his audience with his warmth and good humour. But also, and above all, by his voice, of an extraordinarily rich warmth, and by powerful music.”
LE REPUBLICAIN LORRAIN (Amneville, France), November 9, 2003
“…Bowie performed with greater energy zest and authority than most singers half his age. Accompanied by a fluent six-piece band in which barefooted bassist Gail Ann Dorsey and indefatigable drummer Sterling Campbell were outstanding, he poured heart and soul into this opening night.”
DAILY MAIL (Manchester), November 21, 2003
“Bowie’s vibrancy fills the hall. For more than two hours, he doesn’t stop. Bouncing around, shadow-boxing leaping around—none of which, it should be said, affects the strength and purity of what is still one of the great voices…The music is fantastic. It’s an immaculately-paced set…”
DAILY EXPRESS (Manchester), November 21, 2003
“…extraordinary band, too, the best he’s taken on the road in years…Vocally, Bowie is on his best form in ages.”
Molloy Woodcraft, THE OBSERVER (Manchester), November 23, 2003
“…Bowie still manages to project more charisma during one song than most modern-day stars manage in a career…The songs sound as fresh as ever…”
Maurice O’Brien, IRISH INDEPENDENT (Dublin), November 24, 2003
"Now is a good time to be David Bowie, and a
good time to be a fan of
David Bowie. The Thin White Duke looked
more dazzling than ever, his
voice is in supple shape and, thanks to
his wonderful intuitive band,
everything else sounds great too...A few
months ago he released Reality, his best album in 20 years, which
confidently recalls classic Bowie, from
Aladdin Sane to Scary Monsters.
He has also relaxed his unwritten rule
about limiting the amount of old material he plays live. At long last, he is
comfortable with the notion
that his audience might just get a kick out of
hearing lots of those
incredible songs they grew up with.
So he opened with ‘Rebel Rebel,’ and its
gloriously familiar rock’n’roll
riff was snapped up like a generous gift. He
stormed through the dynamic
comeback single ‘New Killer Star’ and the
garagey title track from Reality
before landing right in the clipped
swagger of ‘Fame’ and the raw quirky
funk of ‘Fashion.’"
THE SCOTSMAN (Glasgow), December 1, 2003
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