FAN CONCERT REPORTS
USA, PA, Philadelphia
Wachovia Center
(Monday 29th March 2004)
Report: Philly Show Personal Review
From: Ragged and Naive
OH MY!!!!! It's driving me crazy that there's nothing out there yet (either on official site or in Philly News online) about the show last night. So for my own sanity, I'd like to tell you what I saw and felt.
I cannot really begin to express how exceptional it was!!!! After following the tour online for 8 months and pacing until the show was rescheduled from DECEMBER it was just more than I was prepared to see/hear/experience and I ended up in full blown weeping during "Heroes"!
A couple of things:
Polyphonic Spree (in DB's words "a bit like Hair meets the Flaming Lips") was just terribly hokey. Their music (sans lyrics) was good in the polyphonic sense - was it ever! There were some great sections, but all in all it sounded a lot alike by the end and the most applause they got from the very anxious audience was when they announced that it was their last song (which then took about 10 minutes and four or five movements!) I wouldn't worry about showing up in time to see them, although DB seems to like them so make your own opinion.
Gail Ann Dorsey was phenomenal!!!! I mean, you think, she's going to sing Freddy Mercury's part in Under Pressure and it will be good, but not, you know, Freddy Mercury. OOOOOHHHHHHHH mama! Girl has a set of pipes on her that sent shivers from my head to my feet! She was OUTSTANDING!!! And her mom was there and that's always a warm fuzzy.
The buggered up Quicksand was such a nice candid moment in a well rehearsed and enthusiastic show... it was just so intimate to have him back up from the mic, shake his head and smile and tell us all that he was "drawing a blank"! They switched right into Life on Mars and at then after DB's "I'll be buggered if I don't get it right" comment back to Quicksand for a successful and emotional performance. So nice to see DB the vulnerable real human that we all love and forgive and laugh with and applaud.
DB was chatty during the whole show, I think owing to his fondness for Philly and Gail Ann's origins there. His energy level was up, he truly rocked the place for most of the evening. He never looked tired or even close to his age... I really see him as ageless, especially compared to his peers in the business. Fun moment of the night came when he was waiting for equipment changes and said "so how about that election? Anyone for John Kerry?" After about 3 seconds of cheers, the boos began and DB laughs and says "look what I started mum!"
The stage and light show were great also, although there are these very scary head shaking bears (and a quick shot of Mickey Mouse) that really disturbed me during I'm Afraid of Americans.
Of course, the most memorable song moments:
Sing along with All The Young Dudes
Wham Bam Thank You Mam
Ziggy Five Years - what an amazing and timely song to include Heroes - more emotion than I was prepared for - so powerful... even if you think it's overdone, it was so new and so good it really took me by surprise.
OK, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for having a read. I'm going to the Hershey and DC shows and working on my tix for the Holmdel show as well. I told my husband I smiled and laughed so much that I have (at 29 years old) new and permanent laugh lines around my eyes... I could feel them imprinting! Happy to have them. I'll write again if the need arises, until then, the sun machine is coming down and I'm gonna have a party!
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Report: Philadelphia
From: John Midget Dewees
To all the young dudes out there...
Dude it was one of the best shows I have ever seen.
Under Pressure was unbelievable. I might just pickup and follow Bowie you know what I mean... become a full time Bowiehead
Later dudes.
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Report: Philly
From: Kate
The concert at the Wachovia in Philly was AWESOME!!!
Great concert. He was so full of himself, loved it.
But the warm up band... who was it, 'Party by the Stream' I think they were.... they sucked. I don't know how they ever got into the music business.
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Report: Philly - Heavy!
From: Donovan
Dude that was one of the best shows I have seen ever. Definitely the best Bowie show (out of 6 I have seen since 1987).
Rebel Rebel opener right into a smokin' Hang Onto Yourself! The band was awesome; Earl Slick is no Ronno but he does the job, the highlight IMHO was Mike Garson (of Aladdin Sane piano solo fame). He even teased the 'Aladdin' theme during Ashes to Ashes. Unbelievable. Even the newer stuff which I am not very crazy about came over good. I particularly dug Heathen out of the newer songs.
Unlike other review I was not crazy about the Under Pressure, I thought they sort of mangled it, but again that is only my opinion, anyway it was good to hear the song and to know it is not forgotten judging by the overwhelming audience response.
Holy s he did some great stuff, All The Young Dudes, incredible. The highlight for me was when he went to do 'Quicksand', forgot the 2nd verse, then stopped it, they did Life on Mars? with brilliant piano by Garson, then somehow thru' the mist of time Bowie recalled Quicksand and did it spine-tingly perfect!
God damn it this is the best concert I have seen in a long time. The 3-song encore was phenomenal, all Ziggy, although I would have preferred Starman over Suffragette City, I would certainly be out voted by most. the Five Years was dynamite and a welcome surprise.
You must see this concert even if u have to travel vast distances. I am going to Jones Beach NY on June 4 and I can't wait baby. Dig it!!
(A Reality World Tour: North American Leg)