Part I of he long awaited Bowie Review:
Many years ago in Phoenix, my best friend Lizzie and I relaized a lifelong aspiration and saw David Bowie in concert with Nine Inch Nails on the “Outside” tour. Spaz girl that I am, I forgot the tickets, which we realized when we were halfway there, We had to turn back and start over and missed the opening band (does anybody remember Prick? Thought not)
While that was a great show in many ways, I think that we both came away a tiny bit disappointed. Partly this was the fault of the Nine Inch Nails fans, who were rude and loud and threw ice at His Royal Bowieness, costing us an encore and prompting the Man himself to stop midsong and adress the audience with in an elegant tone of gracious disdain: “Excuse me, would you like us to continue the show? All right, then. Thank you.”
Also, Bowie was in the midst of one of his “no hits” phases and refused to play the classics of his catalogue. So while there were lots of nods to the past, especially the “Scary Monsters” LP, we heard none of the anthems of our teenage fandom. Plus, one must admit, the songs on “Outside” are for the most part rather creepy and depressing.
So in many ways, Phoenix 1995 was a bust Bowiewise for us. Lizzie has since had the oppurtunity to see concerts in both Las Vegas and San Francisco. And, enviably, was noticed by Bowie at the San Francisco show, even if it was just for entering the venue slightly late. “Fashionably” late is, in case you haven’t noticed, sort of our M.O. when it comes to things of this nature:)
And late we were once again. I blame mapquest, but then again, I was in charge of the mapquesting. And somebody who shall remain nameless got a bit insecure about their outfit and hair arrangement choices…We headed out a bit late, with the Chrisful one and the Lovely Miss Thea in tow, and a truckful of caffeine and Luna bars, with “Reality” blasting from the speakers.
Anyway, the short version is that we once again missed the opening act. It’s getting to be a tradition, like going to late night diners and ordering the hashbrowns afterwards (although this time we did drive through Jack In The Box and bacon cheese potato wedges – we’re getting lazy in our old age.) So, no Macy Gray for us. We settled in nicely just as the intermission began, and even had time to acquire food and beer (my god, does the Dodge Theatre make an excellent Chicken Caesar Salad…) and awaited the culmination of our pilgrimage…
(To Be Continued.)