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Outside Tour
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| Tour by David Bowie | |||||||
Poster to the concert in Dortmund, Germany | |||||||
| Location |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associated album | 1. Outside | ||||||
| Start date | 14 September 1995 | ||||||
| End date | 14 October 1996 | ||||||
| Legs | 3 | ||||||
| No. of shows | 99 | ||||||
| David Bowie concert chronology | |||||||
| |||||||
The Outside Tour was a tour by the English rock musician David Bowie, opening in September 1995 and lasting over a year. The opening shows preceded the release of the 1. Outside album which it supported. The tour visited stops in North America and Europe.
The US leg of the tour was supported by Nine Inch Nails as part of their extended Self Destruct Tour, who segued their set with Bowie's to form a continuous show. Morrissey was the support act for the entire European leg, but withdrew from the tour after nine dates. On some US dates, Prick opened before Nine Inch Nails, and on some occasions, Reeves Gabrels performed songs from his album The Sacred Squall of Now in addition to performing with Nine Inch Nails and David Bowie.
An official live recording from the tour, Ouvrez le Chien (Live Dallas 95) was released in July 2020, and another, No Trendy Réchauffé (Live Birmingham 95), was released in December 2020.
In a 2012 Rolling Stone reader's poll, the tour (pairing Nine Inch Nails with Bowie) was named one of the top 10 opening acts in rock history.[1]
Background
[edit]Bowie released his album Outside in late September 1995, having recorded it from early 1994 through early 1995,[2] for which this tour was named. It was Bowie's first solo tour since he retired his hits during the 1990 Sound+Vision Tour, and his first performances on stage since The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992.[3] Initial tour rehearsals were held at the Complete Music Studios in New York before moving to the Mullins Center, where Nine Inch Nails joined the rehearsal.[4]
Of the material for this tour, Bowie said, "We're going to play some older material, sure, but not obvious things. I found, while rehearsing for the [Outside] tour, that older songs I haven't played for years suddenly fit in with this new material quite well – things like ... "Joe the Lion." So I'm quite looking forward to it."[5] Other songs from Bowie's back catalog that he performed during the tour include "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)", "Look Back in Anger", "Andy Warhol" and "Breaking Glass".[6]
Bowie said of why he chose to tour with Nine Inch Nails, "I personally did like the combination of NIN and me, but my fans didn't. Bad luck!! It also was an extremely young audience, between about 12 and 17 years old. My starting point was simply: I've just made an adventurous album, what can I do now to turn the concerts as adventurous. Looking at it in that way, it seemed logical to confront myself with the NIN audience. I knew it would be hard to captivate them by music they never heard, by an artist whose name was the only familiar thing."[7]
Trent Reznor has gone on record numerous times as being heavily influenced by David Bowie,[8] and further collaborated with Bowie by remixing "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" and later on 1997's "I'm Afraid of Americans" single. When asked in 1995 if his album Outside was influenced by Nine Inch Nails, Bowie answered, "the band that I was actually quite taken with was three guys from Switzerland call The Young Gods ... I’d been aware of them previous to knowing about Nine Inch Nails."[9]
Set and costume design
[edit]For the tour, Bowie went with a modest stage design ("some banners, some mannequins") and avoided the theatrical presentation like his previous Glass Spider Tour in 1987 and Sound+Vision Tour in 1990.[6] The stage "resembled a building site, with paint splashed crumpled sheets draped about", and included an old fashioned table and chair in one corner, onto which Bowie would occasionally climb during shows.[4] Above the stage, a neon sign displayed the phrase "Ouvrez le Chien", a partial lyric from Bowie's 1970 song "All the Madmen", which he repeated in his 1993 song "The Buddha of Suburbia".[10] During the US portion of the tour, an additional neon sign hung above the stage displayed phrases like "Strange Ko", "Noise Angel", "Man Made" or "Street Volva" that changed nightly.[4]
Bowie had a few outfits for the tour which varied between the European and US shows, and included three jackets designed by Alexander McQueen.[4][11]
Performance notes
[edit]
Bowie opened an interview for the tour with USA Today on the opening day of the tour, on 14 September 1995 with the question "How do you commit commercial suicide? Well, you do this: play songs from an album that hasn't been released yet, and complement it with obscure songs from the past that you've never done on stage."[12]
American industrial rock band Prick opened some nights on the US leg,[4] and for some shows, Gabrels would perform songs from his then-new album The Sacred Squall of Now.[13] During the tour, as Nine Inch Nails reached the conclusion of their performance, the two bands played together with both Nine Inch Nails and Bowie and his band performing "Subterraneans", "Hallo Spaceboy" and "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)", followed by two Nine Inch Nails songs "Reptile" and "Hurt" after which Bowie continued with his own set alone.[8] A review of the opening night of the tour said that "Moving from NIN to Bowie was like moving from Kansas to Oz. Instead of the stark white stage light beating down like investigation lamps, the stage became awash in color and texture."[14] The same review acknowledged that the shift in music puzzled some in the audience, but overall called the show "an impressive body of new music, splendidly delivered".[14] A review of the following night in Mansfield, Massachusetts was unkind, saying that by the end of the set, "Bowie proved he was not up to sharing the stage with NIN, yet insisted on dragging out his overlong performance to its embarrassingly self-indulgent end."[4]
Early in the tour, the "almost 100% Nails audience" provided a challenge to Bowie, who said "In those first weeks, we had to adjust emotionally to the fact that we were going to be challenged every night to get in sync with what people were coming to the show for. But then you start to recognize that if you're going to continue, you'd better enjoy what you're doing. The more we did that, the more it communicated to the audience. That's how it went from survival to being a good tour."[15]
Bowie signed copies of his album at a local record store while in New York on 26 September 1995.[4]
Morrissey was slated to be the opening act of the European tour, but he suddenly and unexpectedly quit just before the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre performance on 29 November 1995.[16] The support slot was filled on later dates by The Gyres, Echobelly, Placebo, Electrafixion (with Ian McCulloch) and a variety of local bands.
After the 20 February 1996 show in Paris, the band took a break until June, but when the shows resumed the band did not include George Simms, Pete Schwartz or Carlos Alomar,[4] who left the tour with Bowie's blessing to care for his wife, Robin Clark, who had taken ill.[17] Shows from this "Summer Festivals" leg often included yet-to-be-released tracks from Bowie's upcoming Earthling album.[4]
The Kremlin Palace Concert Hall performance on 18 June 1996 was recorded and a 50-minute broadcast was later shown on Russian Television. Other television coverage included the entire 22 June Loreley Festival performance on German TV (Rockpalast) and excerpts from the Phoenix Festival performance on 18 July broadcast on British TV with BBC Radio broadcasting a six-song selection from the performance. One song from this performance, "The Hearts Filthy Lesson", was released on the live CD LiveAndWell.com (1999/2021). The Tel Aviv and Balingen dates were both broadcast on FM radio in their respective countries.[18]
Live recordings
[edit]Dallas, Texas (Ouvrez le Chien (Live Dallas 95))
[edit]| Ouvrez le Chien (Live Dallas 95) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live album by David Bowie | ||||
| Released | 3 July 2020 | |||
| Recorded | 13 October 1995 | |||
| Venue | Starplex Amphitheater, Dallas Texas USA | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| David Bowie chronology | ||||
| ||||
The 13 October 1995 show, recorded at the Starplex Amphitheater in Dallas Texas, was released on music streaming platforms as David Bowie Ouvrez le Chien (Live Dallas 95) in July 2020[19] and on CD and vinyl on 30 October 2020.[20] The streaming release includes two live songs recorded at the Birmingham performance as well.[21] Ouvrez le Chien charted at #32 on the UK albums chart.[22] "Ouvrez le Chien" is a partial lyric from Bowie's 1970 song "All the Madmen", which he repeated in his 1993 song "The Buddha of Suburbia".[10] This release is part of the 6-album set Brilliant Live Adventures.[23]
Set list
[edit]- "Look Back in Anger"
- "The Hearts Filthy Lesson"
- "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty)"
- "I Have Not Been to Oxford Town"
- "Outside"
- "Andy Warhol"
- "Breaking Glass"
- "The Man Who Sold the World"
- "We Prick You"
- "I’m Deranged"
- "Joe the Lion"
- "Nite Flights" (Scott Walker)
- "Under Pressure"
- "Teenage Wildlife"
- "Moonage Daydream" (recorded at Birmingham, England) (streaming only)
- "Under Pressure" (recorded at Birmingham, England) (streaming only)
Birmingham, England (No Trendy Réchauffé (Live Birmingham 95))
[edit]| No Trendy Réchauffé (Live Birmingham 95) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live album by David Bowie | ||||
| Released | 20 November 2020 | |||
| Recorded | 13 December 1995 | |||
| Venue | National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham England | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| David Bowie chronology | ||||
| ||||
The 13 December 1995 performance at the National Exhibition Centre (Hall 5) in Birmingham, England, billed as the Big Twix Mix Show with Alanis Morissette, Lightning Seeds and Echobelly as support acts, was filmed by BBC TV with excerpts broadcast at a later date. Two songs from this show, "Under Pressure" and "Moonage Daydream", were released as b-sides on Bowie's "Hallo Spaceboy" (1996) single[21] as well as part of the Ouvrez le Chien release. In late 2020, it was announced that Bowie's show, in its entirety, would be released as No Trendy Réchauffé (Live Birmingham 95) on 20 November 2020. The show contains two performances of "Hallo Spaceboy"; one was intended as the video for the song's official single, but that plan was cancelled after the Pet Shop Boys remixed the single instead.[24] Bowie biographer Nicholas Pegg called the release "bloody marvellous. Tight, urgent, muscular renditions of Scary Monsters, Hallo Spaceboy, The Voyeur, Oxford Town. Possibly the best band he ever had."[25] "No trendy réchauffé" is a partial lyric from the song "Strangers When We Meet", which is included in the setlist for this show. The release is part of the 6-album set Brilliant Live Adventures.[23]
No Trendy Réchauffé hit number 43 on the Scottish album charts.[26]
Set list
[edit]- "Look Back in Anger"
- "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)"
- "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)"
- "The Man Who Sold the World"
- "Hallo Spaceboy"
- "I Have Not Been to Oxford Town"
- "Strangers When We Meet"
- "Breaking Glass"
- "The Motel"
- "Jump They Say"
- "Teenage Wildlife"
- "Under Pressure"
Encore:
- "Moonage Daydream"
- "We Prick You"
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (version 2)
Personnel
[edit]- David Bowie – vocals
- Reeves Gabrels – guitar
- Carlos Alomar – guitar, backing vocals
- Gail Ann Dorsey – bass guitar, vocals
- Zack Alford[27] – drums
- Mike Garson – piano
- Peter Schwartz – synthesizer, musical director
- George Simms – backing vocals, keyboards
- Michael Prowda - monitors
- Steve Guest - FOH
Tour dates
[edit]| Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | ||||
| 14 September 1995 | Hartford | United States | Meadows Music Theatre | 30,000/30,000 |
| 16 September 1995 | Mansfield | Great Woods Arts Center | 19,000/19,000 | |
| 17 September 1995 | Hershey | Hersheypark Stadium | 30,000/30,000 | |
| 20 September 1995 | Toronto | Canada | SkyDome | 46,000/46,000 |
| 22 September 1995 | Camden | United States | Blockbuster Center | 25,000/25,000 |
| 23 September 1995 | Burgettstown | Star Lake Amphitheater | 23,000/23,000 | |
| 27 September 1995 | East Rutherford | Meadowlands Arena | 40,000/40,000 | |
| 28 September 1995 | ||||
| 30 September 1995 | Cuyahoga Falls | Blossom Music Center | 23,000/23,000 | |
| 1 October 1995 | Tinley Park | New World Music Theatre | 28,000/28,739 | |
| 3 October 1995 | Auburn Hills | The Palace of Auburn Hills | 20,000/22,000 | |
| 4 October 1995 | Columbus | Polaris Amphitheater | 20,000/20,000 | |
| 6 October 1995 | Bristow | Nissan Pavilion | 25,000/25,000 | |
| 7 October 1995 | Raleigh | Walnut Creek Amphitheatre | 20,000/20,000 | |
| 9 October 1995 | Atlanta | Lakewood Amphitheatre | 18,000/18,900 | |
| 11 October 1995 | Maryland Heights | Riverport Amphitheatre | 20,000/20,000 | |
| 13 October 1995 | Dallas | Starplex Amphitheatre | 20,000/20,000 | |
| 14 October 1995 | Austin | South Park Meadows | 16,000/17,000 | |
| 16 October 1995 | Denver | McNichols Sports Arena | 17,000/18,500 | |
| 18 October 1995 | Phoenix | Desert Sky Pavilion | 20,000/20,100 | |
| 19 October 1995 | Las Vegas | Thomas & Mack Center | 14,700/15,300 | |
| 21 October 1995 | Mountain View | Shoreline Amphitheatre | 22,500/22,500 | |
| 24 October 1995 | Tacoma | Tacoma Dome | 23,000/23,000 | |
| 25 October 1995 | Portland | The Rose Garden | 19,490/21,000 | |
| 28 October 1995 | Inglewood | Great Western Forum | 35,000/35,000 | |
| 29 October 1995 | ||||
| 31 October 1995 | Los Angeles | Hollywood Palladium | 3,450/3,700 | |
| Europe | ||||
| 14 November 1995 | London | England | Wembley Arena | 50,000/50,000 |
| 15 November 1995 | ||||
| 17 November 1995 | ||||
| 18 November 1995 | ||||
| 20 November 1995 | Birmingham | National Exhibition Centre | 30,000 | |
| 21 November 1995 | ||||
| 23 November 1995 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | (Re-scheduled for 5 December 1995) King's Hall - Played Zenith de Paris (MTV EMA) performed The Man Who Sold The World | |
| 24 November 1995 | Dublin | Republic of Ireland | Point Depot | 13,000/13,000 |
| 26 November 1995 | Exeter | England | Westpoint Arena | 7,500/7,500 |
| 27 November 1995 | Cardiff | Wales | Cardiff International Arena | 12,500/12,500 |
| 29 November 1995 | Aberdeen | Scotland | Exhibition Centre | 8,500/8,500 |
| 30 November 1995 | Glasgow | Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre | 10,000/10,000 | |
| 3 December 1995 | Sheffield | England | Sheffield Arena | 26,000/26,000 |
| 4 December 1995 | (Cancelled) Sheffield Arena | |||
| 5 December 1995 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | King's Hall | 6,540/6,974 |
| 6 December 1995 | Manchester | England | (Re-scheduled) Nynex Arena | |
| 7 December 1995 | Newcastle upon Tyne | Newcastle Arena | 11,000/11,000 | |
| 8 December 1995 | Manchester | Nynex Arena | 21,000/21,000 | |
| 13 December 1995 | Birmingham | National Exhibition Centre (Hall 5) (Big Twix Mix Show) |
15,000/15,000 | |
| 17 January 1996 | Helsinki | Finland | Helsinki Ice Hall | 8,200/8,200 |
| 19 January 1996 | Stockholm | Sweden | Globe Arena | 16,000/16,000 |
| 20 January 1996 | Gothenburg | Scandinavium | 14,000/14,000 | |
| 22 January 1996 | Oslo | Norway | Spektrum | 9,700/9,700 |
| 24 January 1996 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Valby-Hallen | 15,000/15,000 |
| 25 January 1996 | Hamburg | Germany | Sporthalle | 7,000/7,000 |
| 27 January 1996 | Brussels | Belgium | Vorst Forest Nationaal | 8,000/8,000 |
| 28 January 1996 | Utrecht | Netherlands | Prins Van Oranjehall | 6,000/6,000 |
| 30 January 1996 | Dortmund | Germany | Westfalenhalle | 16,000/16,000 |
| 31 January 1996 | Frankfurt | Festhalle | 13,500/13,500 | |
| 1 February 1996 | Berlin | Deutschlandhalle | 10,000/10,000 | |
| 3 February 1996 | Prague | Czech Republic | Sportovni Hala | 15,000/15,000 |
| 4 February 1996 | Vienna | Austria | Stadthalle | 16,000/16,000 |
| 6 February 1996 | Ljubljana | Slovenia | Hala Tivoli | 6,000/6,000 |
| 8 February 1996 | Milan | Italy | Palatrussardi | 8,479/8,479 |
| 9 February 1996 | Bologna | Palasport Casalecchio | 5,271/5,271 | |
| 11 February 1996 | Lyon | France | Halle Tony Garnier | 17,000/17,000 |
| 13 February 1996 | Geneva | Switzerland | SEG Geneva Arena | 9,500/9,500 |
| 14 February 1996 | Zürich | Hallenstadion | 11,000/11,000 | |
| 16 February 1996 | Amnéville | France | Le Galaxie | 12,000/12,000 |
| 17 February 1996 | Lille | Zénith de Lille | 6,000/7,000 | |
| 18 February 1996 | Rennes | Salle Expos-Aeroport | 3,000/3,000 | |
| 20 February 1996 | Paris | Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy | 19,095/19,095 | |
| Total | 1,040,925 / 1,050,958 (99%) | |||
"Summer Festival" tour dates
[edit]| Date | City | Country | Venue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | |||||
| 4 June 1996 | Tokyo | Japan | Nippon Budokan | ||
| 5 June 1996 | |||||
| 7 June 1996 | Nagoya | Nagoya Century Hall | |||
| 8 June 1996 | Hiroshima | Hiroshima Postal Savings Hall | |||
| 10 June 1996 | Osaka | Osaka-jo Hall | |||
| 11 June 1996 | Kitakyushu | Kyushu Welfare Pension Hall | |||
| 13 June 1996 | Fukuoka | Fukuoka Sunpalace | |||
| Europe and Middle East | |||||
| 18 June 1996 | Moscow | Russia | Grand Kremlin Palace | ||
| 20 June 1996[a] | Reykjavík | Iceland | Laugardalshöll | ||
| 22 June 1996[b] | Sankt Goarshausen | Germany | Freilichtbühne Loreley | ||
| 23 June 1996[c] | Lisbon | Portugal | Passeio Marítimo de Alcântara | ||
| 25 June 1996 | Toulon | France | Zénith Oméga de Toulon | ||
| 28 June 1996 | Halle | Germany | Freilichtbühne Peißnitz | ||
| 30 June 1996[d] | Roskilde | Denmark | Darupvej | ||
| 1 July 1996 | Athens | Greece | Leoforos Alexandras Stadium | ||
| 3 July 1996 | Tel Aviv | Israel | Yarkon Park | ||
| 5 July 1996[e] | Torhout | Belgium | Achiel Eeckloo Rockweide | ||
| 6 July 1996[f] | Werchter | Festival Park Werchter | |||
| 7 July 1996[g] | Belfort | France | Presqu'île de Malsaucy | ||
| 9 July 1996 | Rome | Italy | Stadio Olimpico | ||
| 10 July 1996 | Fontvieille | Monaco | Chapiteau de l'Espace Fontvieille | ||
| 12 July 1996[h] | Alt Camp | Spain | El Pla de Santa Maria | ||
| 14 July 1996 | Sankt Pölten | Austria | Grabung Domplatz | ||
| 16 July 1996 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Rotterdam Ahoy | ||
| 18 July 1996[i] | Stratford-upon-Avon | England | Long Marston Airfield | ||
| 20 July 1996[j] | Balingen | Germany | Messegelände Balingen | ||
| 21 July 1996 | Bellinzona | Switzerland | Piazza del Sole | ||
| North America | |||||
| 6 September 1996 | Philadelphia | United States | Electric Factory | ||
| 7 September 1996 | Washington, D.C. | Capital Ballroom | |||
| 13 September 1996 | Boston | Avalon | |||
| 14 September 1996 | New York City | Roseland Ballroom | |||
Cancelled shows
[edit]| 4 December 1995 | Sheffield | Sheffield Arena | Poor ticket sales |
| 15 June 1996 | Saint Petersburg | Palace Square (White Nights Festival) | Sponsor pulled out of the show |
Notes
[edit]- ^ The 20 June 1996 concert in Reykjavík was part of the Arts Festival.
- ^ The 22 June 1996 concert in Sankt Goarshausen was part of Rockpalast Open Air.
- ^ The 23 June 1996 concert in Lisbon was part of Super Bock Super Rock.
- ^ The 30 June 1996 concert in Roskilde was part of Roskilde Festival.
- ^ The 5 July 1996 concert in Torhout was part of Torhout/Werchter Festival.
- ^ The 6 July 1996 concert in Werchter was part of Torhout/Werchter Festival.
- ^ The 7 July 1996 concert in Belfort was part of Eurockéennes.
- ^ The 12 July 1996 concert in Alt Camp was part of Doctor Music Festival.
- ^ The 18 July 1996 concert in Stratford-upon-Avon was part of Phoenix Festival.
- ^ The 20 July 1996 concert in Balingen was part of Open Air Balingen.
Songs
[edit]From The Man Who Sold the World
From Hunky Dory
From The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
- "My Death" (originally from La Valse à mille temps (1959) by Jacques Brel; written by Brel & Mort Shuman)
From Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture
- "White Light/White Heat" (originally from White Light/White Heat (1968) by The Velvet Underground; written by Lou Reed)
From Aladdin Sane
From Diamond Dogs
From Low
- "Breaking Glass" (Bowie, Dennis Davis, George Murray)
- "What in the World"
- "Subterraneans"
From "Heroes"
- "Heroes"
- "Joe the Lion"
From Lodger
- "DJ" (Bowie, Brian Eno, Carlos Alomar)
- "Look Back in Anger" (Bowie, Eno)
- "Boys Keep Swinging" (Bowie, Eno)
- "Yassassin" (Rehearsed but not performed)
From Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
From Tin Machine II
- "Jump They Say"
- "Nite Flights" (originally from Nite Flights (1978) by The Walker Brothers; written by Noel Scott Engel)
From Outside
- "Outside" (Bowie, Kevin Armstrong)
- "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" (Bowie, Eno, Reeves Gabrels, Mike Garson, Erdal Kızılçay, Sterling Campbell)
- "A Small Plot of Land" (Bowie, Eno, Gabrels, Garson, Kızılçay)
- "Hallo Spaceboy" (Bowie, Eno)
- "The Motel" (Bowie, Eno)
- "I Have Not Been to Oxford Town" (Bowie, Eno)
- "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)" (Bowie, Eno, Gabrels)
- "We Prick You" (Bowie, Eno)
- "I'm Deranged" (Bowie, Eno)
- "Thru' These Architect's Eyes" (Bowie, Gabrels)
- "Strangers When We Meet"
From Earthling
- "Little Wonder"
- "Seven Years in Tibet"
- "Telling Lies"
Other songs:
- "Under Pressure" (originally a single (1981) by Bowie and Queen from Queen's Hot Space (1982); written by Bowie, John Deacon, Brian May, Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor)
- "Hurt" (from The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails; written by Trent Reznor)
- "Reptile" (from The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails, written by Reznor)
- "All the Young Dudes" (originally recorded in 1972 by Mott the Hoople, written and produced by Bowie)
- "Lust for Life" (originally recorded in 1977 by Iggy Pop, written by Bowie and Pop, produced by Bowie)
References
[edit]- ^ "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Opening Acts in Rock History". Rolling Stone. 11 July 2012. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
- ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 423–430.
- ^ Pegg 2016, pp. 596–597.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Alexander, Alex (1998), Outside Tour Ultimate Guide
- ^ Hendrickson, Mark (November 1995), David Bowie: Outside Looking in, archived from the original on 28 March 2002, retrieved 1 August 2013
- ^ a b Pareles, Jon (29 September 1995), "POP REVIEW; Bowie and Nails Mesh (Sometimes)", New York Times, archived from the original on 20 May 2013, retrieved 29 October 2013
- ^ "Can the Real David Bowie Rise, Please?", HUMO, 5 December 1995, archived from the original on 16 June 2013, retrieved 6 June 2013
- ^ a b Weisel, Al (2 November 1995), "Performance: Nine Inch Nails / David Bowie", Rolling Stone magazine (720): 28
- ^ Newquist, HP (January 1996). "No Longer A Lad Insane". Guitar. Archived from the original on 6 January 2011.
- ^ a b Pegg 2016, p. 19.
- ^ "David Bowie, Alexander McQueen, and the Making of That Iconic 90s-Era Union Jack Coat". vanityfair.com. Vanity Fair. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ Gundersen, Edna (14 September 1995), "Cover Story: Bowie, Beyond fame and fashion", USA Today: D1-2
- ^ Pegg 2016, p. 598.
- ^ a b Catlin, Roger (15 September 1995). "Bowie opens tour with a splash - and Nine Inch Nails". The Hartford Courant.
- ^ Sprague, David (February 1997), "David Bowie Interview", Pulse Magazine: 34–37, 72–73
- ^ Nicholas Pegg, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2004, ISBN 1-903111-73-0
- ^ Carlos Alomar, David Bowie: He was incredibly powerful. B28CZF6he4o.
- ^ "1996". davidbowie.com. David Bowie. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ "Ouvrez Le Chien streaming next week". David Bowie Official Website. 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Ouvrez Le Chien out now". David Bowie Official Website. 30 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ a b "David Bowie's 'Ouvrez Le Chien' Live Album Set for Streaming Release". Rolling Stone. 25 June 2020. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "David Bowie > Artists > Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Archived from the original on 30 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ a b "David Bowie Brilliant Live Adventures Six Album Series Kicks Off October 30". Rhino Entertainment. 2 October 2020. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (9 November 2020). "David Bowie's 'Brilliant Live Adventures' Set to Continue With 'No Trendy Réchauffé'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ @nicholaspegg (19 December 2020). "In happier news, I'm now playing the new live Bowie album No Trendy Réchauffé, recorded at the Birmingham NEC in 1995" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 27 November 2020 - 03 December 2020". Official Charts. 4 December 2020. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
- ^ "Discogs - Zachary Alford - (profile & discography)". Discogs. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
Sources
[edit]- O'Leary, Chris (2019). Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016. London: Repeater. ISBN 978-1-91224-830-8.
- Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0.
References
[edit]- David Buckley, Strange Fascination: The Definitive Biography of David Bowie, Virgin Books, 1999, ISBN 1-85227-784-X
Outside Tour
View on GrokipediaBackground
Development and Announcement
The Outside Tour was developed to support David Bowie's album 1. Outside, recorded from May 1994 to February 1995 and released on September 25, 1995.[5] This marked Bowie's first solo concert tour since the Sound+Vision Tour in 1990.[6] The tour was officially announced on September 3, 1995, with initial promotion emphasizing the album's industrial and experimental themes through a co-headlining arrangement with Nine Inch Nails for the North American leg.[7] Planning encompassed 98 shows across North America and Europe, structured in three legs beginning September 14, 1995, at Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut.[8] The tour evolved from the album's vision as the first installment of a planned trilogy of concept albums, developed with Brian Eno, emphasizing experimental and narrative elements in live performance.[5]Rehearsals and Preparation
Rehearsals for the Outside Tour began in the summer of 1995, with initial sessions held at Complete Music Studios in New York. As the tour approached its opening date, the production moved to the Mullins Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, for final preparations, including joint sessions with co-headliners Nine Inch Nails.[9] A key aspect of the preparation was the integration of new material from the 1. Outside album with established Bowie classics, creating a cohesive live experience that blended the album's experimental themes of art, ritual, and dystopia with hits like "The Man Who Sold the World" and "Heroes." Rehearsal recordings from this period capture early run-throughs of tracks such as "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" and "A Small Plot of Land," highlighting the effort to balance the album's dense, narrative-driven sound with dynamic stage delivery. The preparation phase presented early challenges in adapting 1. Outside's multimedia concept—originally envisioned as a non-linear audio-verité opera with spoken-word segments and industrial soundscapes—to the live stage, requiring innovations in lighting, projections, and band orchestration to evoke the album's ritualistic and futuristic atmosphere without overwhelming the concert flow.[10] These efforts culminated in a tour format that emphasized theatricality, with Bowie and the band refining transitions and improvisational elements during the summer sessions to ensure the show's conceptual integrity.Production Design
Set Design
The set design for David Bowie's Outside Tour, overseen by production and lighting designer Roy Bennett, emphasized a minimalist and industrial aesthetic, aligning with the album's dystopian themes while eschewing the elaborate theatricality of his earlier productions like the Glass Spider Tour.[11] The stage featured a modest arrangement including industrial banners and scattered mannequins positioned as static props to suggest an abandoned or surveilled environment.[12] A key visual element was a prominent overhead sign displaying "Ouvrez le Chien" in French, translating to "Open the Dog," which served as a recurring motif drawn from the tour's live album title and evoked the narrative's surreal undertones; this sign, often framed in a cinematic style, hung above the performance area alongside bilingual English variants like "Open the Dog." Additional mannequins, some masked and suspended from the ceiling, reinforced the eerie, mannequin-like characters central to the Outside concept, creating a sense of detachment and voyeurism without overpowering the live performance.[13] Multimedia integration played a crucial role in immersing audiences in the album's futuristic dystopia, with large-scale video projections by artist Tony Oursler displaying abstract visuals, distorted imagery, and thematic motifs such as surveillance and decay projected onto screens and stage surfaces.[14][15][13] These elements, including dynamic lighting sequences that flashed and swerved like alien signals, enhanced the atmospheric tension during key songs, transforming the stage into a narrative extension of the album's storyline. As the tour progressed across its legs—from the initial co-headlining stint with Nine Inch Nails in large amphitheaters and arenas, to subsequent solo European dates in varied indoor venues—the stage layout evolved to accommodate differing space constraints and capacities. Early setups utilized expansive floor space for banners and projections in outdoor-style amphitheaters seating up to 20,000, while later configurations scaled down for arenas like Wembley Stadium, focusing on vertical elements such as suspended mannequins and overhead signage to maintain intimacy and visual impact in tighter environments. This adaptability ensured the design's core industrial sparsity remained consistent, prioritizing the music and thematic immersion over grandeur.[14][3]Costume Design
The costume design for David Bowie's Outside Tour emphasized a dystopian, industrial aesthetic inspired by the album's cyberpunk narrative of art crime and futuristic decay.[16] Bowie's wardrobe featured custom pieces that blended tailored sophistication with raw, handcrafted elements, including a lightweight dark grey-blue 3/4-length frockcoat designed by Alexander McQueen. This single-breasted coat, made from 55% terylene, 30% wool, and 15% mohair with a taupe faux silk lining, incorporated metal hook-and-eye closures, peak lapels, flap pockets, and back vents for a structured yet fluid silhouette suitable for dynamic stage movement.[17] Complementing this were Bowie's self-designed outfits, such as a blue linen long-sleeve shirt hand-painted with black, white, blue, and maroon blotches to evoke a subtle tie-dye effect, paired with cream linen trousers adorned in an abstract pattern of white, green, pink, blue, black, purple, brown, and red paints. These pieces, fastened with plastic buttons, metal hooks, and buckles, captured a tribal, sinister vibe aligned with millennial anxieties.[18][19] Industrial-themed accessories, including metallic buckles and distressed fabrics, further enhanced the rugged couture, integrating seamlessly with the tour's minimalist stage elements like banners and mannequins.[20] Costumes played a pivotal role in character-driven performances, allowing Bowie to embody figures from the Outside storyline, such as the detective Nathan Adler, whose art-crime investigations formed the album's core. The hand-painted linens and McQueen frockcoat facilitated fluid shifts between Adler's noir investigator persona and other entities like the surrealist Baby Grace Blue, using wardrobe changes to visually delineate the hyper-cycle diary entries and surreal vignettes enacted live.[21] These elements heightened the immersive storytelling, tying personal adornment directly to the tour's conceptual exploration of identity and dystopia.[18]Concert Performances
Format and Structure
The concerts of David Bowie's Outside Tour were typically structured as immersive, multi-act performances lasting 2 to 2.5 hours, designed to weave together material from the 1995 album 1. Outside with select classics from Bowie's catalog, creating a dynamic flow that emphasized artistic reinvention over straightforward hits.[10] This division into acts allowed for varied pacing, starting with atmospheric openings by the backing band and building through high-energy segments, often incorporating subtle production elements like lighting shifts to delineate transitions.[3] The overall organization prioritized thematic cohesion, featuring a significant portion of the setlist drawn from the new album's experimental soundscapes alongside obscure tracks from Bowie's 1970s and 1980s output, avoiding mainstream anthems to maintain a focused, avant-garde tone.[10][8] A key feature of the North American leg was the inclusion of collaborative segments with opening act Nine Inch Nails, where Bowie would join Trent Reznor and the band onstage for a transitional sequence of roughly five numbers, blending industrial rock influences before segueing into Bowie's core performance.[10] These joint appearances, exclusive to the U.S. dates from September to October 1995, added an element of spontaneity and cross-generational dialogue, with Reznor remaining for portions of Bowie's set to enhance the shared sonic palette.[22] This format not only extended the evening's energy but also underscored the tour's exploratory ethos, bridging Bowie's evolving artistry with contemporary alternative scenes. To evoke the conceptual plot of 1. Outside—a dystopian tale of art, murder, and identity in a near-future world—the shows incorporated narrative interludes through theatrical staging and sequential song ordering that mirrored the album's storyline.[13] These elements, including character-inspired visuals and moody transitions, created a quasi-cinematic arc without overt spoken dialogue, immersing audiences in detective Nathan Adler's investigation and the broader themes of societal decay.[23] This structural choice reinforced the album's liminoid space, transforming individual concerts into narrative experiences that prioritized conceptual depth over linear entertainment.[24]Performance Highlights
The North American leg of the Outside Tour was marked by a co-headlining partnership with Nine Inch Nails, where the bands alternated sets before converging for collaborative encores that fused Bowie's experimental rock with Trent Reznor's industrial aggression. A standout moment was their joint performance of "Hallo Spaceboy," showcasing Reznor's vocals alongside Bowie's, creating a visceral onstage synergy.[25] Morrissey opened the European leg as support act but withdrew after nine dates in November 1995, reportedly due to Bowie's repeated requests for him to perform a Bowie song during soundchecks, compounded by Morrissey's struggles with depression. This abrupt exit necessitated adjustments to the tour's opening lineup, shifting from Morrissey's introspective style to varied acts and thereby influencing the transitional energy leading into Bowie's headline performances.[26] Following a break after the February 1996 Paris concert, the tour resumed in June with significant personnel shifts, reducing the band from eight to five core members—David Bowie on vocals and saxophone, Reeves Gabrels on guitar, Mike Garson on keyboards, Gail Ann Dorsey on bass, and Zachary Alford on drums—to foster a tighter, more improvisational dynamic in the summer festivals leg. Later shows in this phase also introduced previews of material from Bowie's upcoming album Earthling, including live debuts of "Telling Lies," "Little Wonder," "Seven Years in Tibet," and "Dead Man Walking," which injected emerging drum 'n' bass elements into the tour's evolving sound.[2][27]Live Recordings
Ouvrez le Chien (Dallas, 1995)
Ouvrez le Chien was primarily recorded on October 13 and 14, 1995, at the Starplex Amphitheatre in Dallas, Texas, during the North American leg of David Bowie's Outside Tour.[4][28] The performance captured Bowie and his band delivering a high-energy set heavy on material from the 1995 album 1. Outside, blended with selections from his broader catalog, reflecting the tour's experimental art-rock intensity. Nine Inch Nails served as the opening act, contributing to the evening's industrial atmosphere, though the recording focuses solely on Bowie's headlining set.[4][29] The album, titled Ouvrez le Chien (Live Dallas 95), was released digitally on July 3, 2020, through Parlophone Records as part of the ongoing archival series of Bowie's live recordings. Produced by Bowie himself, it was recorded by engineer Steve Guest and mixed by David Richards at Mountain Studios in Switzerland, with assistance from Sam Curtis on tracks 15 and 16. Physical editions, including CD and double LP formats, followed later in 2020 via Parlophone and Rhino Records. The title, translating roughly to "Open the Dog" in French, nods to a surreal phrase from the 1. Outside narrative, emphasizing the tour's thematic eccentricity.[30][31][32] The tracklist spans 16 songs, with 14 drawn from the October 13 show and the final two from October 14, to preserve the raw, unpolished vibe of the tour's U.S. performances:- Look Back in Anger
- The Hearts Filthy Lesson
- The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)
- I Have Not Been to Oxford Town
- Outside
- Andy Warhol
- Breaking Glass
- The Man Who Sold the World
- We Prick You
- A Small Plot of Land
- Nite Flights ("Motel")
- Under Pressure
- Hallo Spaceboy
- Boys Keep Swinging
- Jump They Say
- The Last Thing You Should Do [33][34]
No Trendy Réchauffé (Birmingham, 1995)
No Trendy Réchauffé (Live Birmingham 95) is a live album capturing David Bowie's performance on December 13, 1995, the final show of the Outside Tour in 1995, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Arena in Birmingham, England.[36][37] The recording features the full concert set, showcasing Bowie's vocals and saxophone alongside the touring band's dynamic interplay, including Reeves Gabrels on lead guitar and Carlos Alomar on rhythm guitar.[36] Produced by Bowie himself, the album preserves the raw energy of the event, with select tracks like "Moonage Daydream" and "Under Pressure" having been previously mixed by David Richards for the "Hallo Spaceboy" CD single.[36] The album was released posthumously on November 20, 2020, by Parlophone Records as the second installment in the Brilliant Live Adventures (1995-1999) series of limited-edition live recordings.[37][38] Available in CD and double vinyl formats, it highlights the tour's evolution with a setlist blending tracks from the Outside album, such as the industrial-tinged "Hallo Spaceboy," alongside reinterpreted classics like "The Man Who Sold the World."[39] This release serves as a companion to the earlier Ouvrez le Chien from the U.S. leg, emphasizing European adaptations.[36] Representing the tour's matured industrial sound after the North American dates, the Birmingham performance demonstrates a refined intensity in the band's execution, with heavier electronic and abrasive elements underscoring Bowie's experimental phase.[36] The album's 15 tracks, totaling around 75 minutes, capture the tour's conceptual depth, prioritizing atmospheric tension over straightforward rock structures.[40]- Look Back in Anger
- Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
- Reptile
- Hallo Spaceboy
- The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (as Beauty)
- I Have Not Been to Oxford Town
- Outside
- Hearts Filthy Lesson
- Andy Warhol
- The Man Who Sold the World
- We Prick You
- A Small Plot of Land
- Nite Flights ("Motel")
- Under Pressure
- Boys Keep Swinging[41]
Touring Personnel
Core Band Members
The core band for David Bowie's Outside Tour (1995–1996) consisted of a tight-knit group of musicians tasked with bringing the album's experimental, narrative-driven soundscape to the stage. David Bowie served as lead vocalist, saxophonist, and occasional guitarist, guiding the overall artistic direction. Reeves Gabrels handled lead guitar and backing vocals, providing the tour's sonic edge with his signature effects-laden playing that echoed the album's industrial and avant-garde textures. Mike Garson contributed keyboards and piano, reprising his role from the album sessions to deliver intricate atmospheric layers and jazz-inflected improvisations central to tracks like "The Hearts Filthy Lesson." Gail Ann Dorsey played bass guitar and provided vocals and backing vocals, anchoring the rhythm section while adding vocal harmonies that enhanced the live intimacy of Bowie's performances. Zachary Alford rounded out the core on drums, delivering the propulsive, drum-and-bass-infused grooves that adapted the album's complex rhythms for high-energy arena settings.[2] This lineup was instrumental in translating the Outside album's multifaceted arrangements—characterized by Brian Eno's ambient influences, industrial noise, and multimedia storytelling—into a cohesive live format. Gabrels' guitar work, often employing loop pedals and distortion, captured the album's abrasive edges, while Garson's keyboard textures recreated the synthetic and piano-driven atmospheres without relying on extensive pre-recorded elements. Dorsey and Alford's rhythm section simplified the album's polyrhythmic and electronic percussion for organic, band-driven propulsion, allowing Bowie to emphasize vocal dramatics and saxophone solos in a theatrical presentation that included costume changes and narrative interludes. The core group's familiarity with Bowie's oeuvre enabled fluid transitions between new material and classics, ensuring the tour's sets maintained narrative flow despite the album's conceptual density.[3][10] Mid-tour, after the European arena dates concluded in February 1996, the core lineup underwent changes as the tour shifted to the summer festival extension. Guitarist Carlos Alomar, additional keyboardist and musical director Peter Schwartz, and backing vocalist and keyboardist George Simms, who had been part of the initial configuration, departed after the indoor European shows, streamlining the band to its essential five-piece for the festival legs. This adjustment allowed for a more agile setup, focusing on the core members' interplay to sustain the tour's intensity through its 92 performances.[3][2]Support Acts and Guests
During the North American leg of the Outside Tour, Nine Inch Nails served as the co-headlining support act, performing before transitioning into a five-song joint set with David Bowie's band.[42] This collaborative format featured performances of "Subterraneans," "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)," "Reptile," "Hallo Spaceboy," and "Hurt," blending industrial rock intensity with Bowie's experimental style for a seamless show experience.[43] The partnership stemmed from Bowie's admiration for Nine Inch Nails' album The Downward Spiral, limiting the joint run to six weeks to accommodate Trent Reznor's schedule.[42] For the European leg beginning in November 1995, Morrissey acted as the opening performer, co-headlining select dates to promote his album Southpaw Grammar.[44] His stint lasted nine shows, concluding abruptly before the November 29 performance in Aberdeen due to reported conflicts, including poor crowd reception that left many attendees departing early.[45] Following Morrissey's exit, support acts included The Gyres, Echobelly, Placebo, and various local bands for the remaining European dates.[1] Guitarist Carlos Alomar was occasionally spotlighted on acoustic for songs like "My Death," adding intimate layers to the theatrical closers.[46] These appearances contributed to the tour's dynamic shifts, echoing collaborative highlights in the main performances.[43]Tour Schedule
North American Leg
The North American leg of David Bowie's Outside Tour commenced on September 14, 1995, at the Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut, and concluded on October 31, 1995, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California, encompassing 27 performances across the United States and Canada. Co-headlined with Nine Inch Nails, the itinerary focused on large-scale arenas and amphitheaters, including the SkyDome in Toronto (September 20), the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey (September 27 and 28), and the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California (October 28 and 29). This phase of the tour emphasized Bowie's new industrial rock direction from the album Outside, with Nine Inch Nails providing opening sets and occasional joint encores featuring collaborations like "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" and "Reptile."[47][22] Logistically, the leg involved extensive cross-continental travel, with the band and crew relying on a combination of chartered flights for long distances—such as from the East Coast to the West—and tour buses for regional moves, allowing for tight scheduling amid the co-headlining arrangement. Rehearsals took place at the opening venue in Hartford from September 11 to 13, setting the stage for a production that incorporated multimedia elements and elaborate staging to evoke the album's dystopian themes. A notable highlight was the September 18 charity benefit at the Grand Ballroom in New York City's Manhattan Center, supporting the Joseph Papp Public Theater, where Bowie shared the bill with guests including Iggy Pop, Heavy D, and Salt-N-Pepa.[3] Attendance for the leg was strong, with many shows selling out and drawing capacities ranging from 10,000 to over 20,000 per night at venues like the Hersheypark Stadium (September 17) and the Shoreline Amphitheatre (October 21), reflecting broad appeal from both Bowie's established fanbase and younger audiences attracted by Nine Inch Nails. Reception trends showed enthusiastic responses to the innovative pairings and heavy emphasis on new material, though some observers noted a divide between fans expecting classic hits and those embracing the experimental edge, leading to vibrant but occasionally polarized crowd energy that evolved positively as the tour progressed.[3][10]European Leg
The European leg of David Bowie's Outside Tour began in late 1995, marking the international expansion of the production following its North American debut, and continued through February 1996 with a focus on arena shows across the continent. This phase encompassed approximately 42 performances in the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Central Europe, France, and other regions, showcasing the tour's elaborate staging—featuring industrial-themed sets, multimedia projections, and Bowie's ensemble of Reeves Gabrels, Erdal Kızılçay, Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey, and Zachary Alford—in diverse settings from indoor arenas.[3][48] The leg opened with a high-profile residency at Wembley Arena in London from November 14 to 18, 1995, comprising five sold-out nights that attracted around 10,000 fans per performance and included an FM radio broadcast on the 17th, highlighting the tour's emphasis on theatrical spectacle with songs from the Outside album interspersed with classics like "The Man Who Sold the World." Subsequent UK and Irish dates in November and December 1995 covered venues such as the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham (November 20–21), Point Depot in Dublin (November 24), and Nynex Arena in Manchester (December 8), with Morrissey serving as special guest for the initial dates; these arena shows typically ran about two hours, allowing for full set lists that evolved nightly to incorporate audience energy and regional nods, such as extended improvisations in Scottish locales. Attendance across these UK legs averaged 8,000–12,000 per show, reflecting strong domestic demand for Bowie's return to experimental rock.[49][3][48] In early 1996, the tour shifted to continental Europe with dates from January 17 to February 20, starting in Scandinavia at Helsinki Ice Hall (January 17) and progressing through Globe Arena in Stockholm (January 19), Spektrum in Oslo (January 22), and Valbyhallen in Copenhagen (January 24), before hitting major halls like Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany (January 30), Deutschlandhalle in Berlin (February 1), and Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in France (February 20). These performances adapted to varied audience sizes, with capacities from 5,000 in smaller halls like Prague's Sportovni Hala (February 3) to over 15,000 at Bercy, and set times occasionally shortened in transit-heavy itineraries to maintain the core Outside narrative while featuring local openers or encores tailored to cultural contexts, such as "Heroes" extensions in Berlin. The leg also ventured into emerging markets like Slovenia's Hala Tivoli in Ljubljana (February 6) and Italy's Palatrussardi in Milan (February 8), underscoring the tour's role in bridging Eastern and Western European scenes post-Cold War.[48][3]Summer International Leg
The tour extended into summer 1996 with an international festival and arena phase from June 4 to July 21, adding 27 outdoor and indoor performances across Asia, Russia, Iceland, the Middle East, and Europe. This leg began in Japan with six dates, including Budokan Hall in Tokyo (June 4–5) and Osaka Castle Hall (June 10), followed by Moscow's Kremlin Palace (June 18) and Reykjavik's Laugardalsholl (June 20). European festivals included Loreley Festival in Germany (June 22, TV broadcast), Super Bock in Portugal (June 23), Roskilde Festival in Denmark (June 30, before ~90,000 attendees), Werchter Festival in Belgium (July 6), Eurockéennes de Belfort in France (July 7), Phoenix Festival in the UK (July 18), and concluded at Bellinzona Open Air Festival in Switzerland (July 21). Additional stops encompassed Athens (July 1) and Tel Aviv (July 3). Sets were condensed to 75–100 minutes for multi-act events, emphasizing Outside material and hits like "Let's Dance," with portable staging for the outdoor format. Two dates in St. Petersburg, Russia (June 15–16), were cancelled.[3][50][48]Cancellations and Changes
Morrissey served as the opening act for the initial dates of the Outside Tour's European leg but withdrew after performing at only nine shows, reportedly due to frustration with his role as a support artist rather than a co-headliner. This abrupt departure occurred before the scheduled Aberdeen concert on 29 November 1995, leading to the cancellation of Morrissey's remaining appearances, including planned dates in Glasgow, Sheffield, Manchester, Newcastle, and additional European cities. To address the vacancy, Bowie quickly arranged replacements, enlisting emerging acts such as Echobelly, Placebo, The Gyres, and Electrafixion, alongside local bands and DJ sets, to maintain the tour's momentum without significant interruptions to his own performances. The tour itself experienced few direct cancellations for Bowie's headline slots, with one notable exception being the Belfast show at King's Hall, originally set for 23 November 1995, which was postponed due to Bowie's scheduling conflict with hosting the MTV European Music Awards in Paris. The concert was successfully rescheduled for 5 December 1995, allowing the tour to proceed as planned. Additional cancellations included the second Sheffield date on 4 December 1995 and two St. Petersburg shows in June 1996. No major shows were cancelled due to illness, though logistical adjustments like the Belfast rescheduling highlighted the challenges of coordinating an international itinerary. These modifications had minimal overall impact on the tour's scope and success, as Bowie completed the bulk of the scheduled dates across North America, Europe, and international extensions, sustaining high audience engagement despite the support act upheaval. The changes underscored Bowie's adaptability in managing disruptions while preserving the tour's artistic vision.Musical Content
Set List Overview
The Outside Tour's set lists generally featured 20 to 25 songs, strategically interweaving material from David Bowie's 1995 album 1. Outside—such as "The Hearts Filthy Lesson," "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty)," "Outside," and "A Small Plot of Land"—with established hits including "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)," "Look Back in Anger," and "Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)."[51] This core structure emphasized a narrative arc, opening with atmospheric pieces like "The Motel" or "Subterraneans" to establish the tour's dystopian theme, transitioning through high-energy rockers and experimental tracks, and building to climactic renditions of fan favorites.[8] Set lists varied modestly across performances to maintain dynamism, but maintained a consistent balance of roughly 40-50% new 1. Outside songs with the remainder drawn from Bowie's 1970s and 1980s catalog, including covers like "Under Pressure" (with Queen) and "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails) in select North American shows.[51] Encores typically comprised 2 to 4 songs, often closing with anthemic selections such as ""Heroes"" or "Boys Keep Swinging" to energize audiences, following a main set that highlighted the band's improvisational interplay.[8] Notable variations emerged between the 1995 North American leg and the 1996 European dates; the former focused heavily on 1. Outside promotion with occasional Nine Inch Nails collaborations, while the latter introduced previews from the upcoming Earthling album, integrating tracks like "Hallo Spaceboy" into the sequence for a forward-looking evolution.[51] These adjustments reflected Bowie's adaptive approach, ensuring the set list evolved with the tour's progression without altering its foundational mix of innovation and accessibility.Songs Performed
The Outside Tour repertoire encompassed over 30 songs, with a strong emphasis on material from David Bowie's 1995 album 1. Outside, which provided the tour's conceptual foundation, alongside selections from his glam rock, Berlin Trilogy, and later periods, as well as select covers. This diverse catalog, performed across 92 shows from September 1995 to July 1996, balanced promotion of the new release with reinterpretations of earlier works to evoke a cohesive artistic narrative.[3] The setlists prominently featured tracks from 1. Outside, with at least 10 songs from the album receiving live airings, including high-frequency staples like "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" and "The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty)." Other eras contributed significantly: songs from the glam period, such as "Moonage Daydream" from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars; Berlin-era selections like "Breaking Glass" from Low and "Look Back in Anger" from Lodger; and selections from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), including the title track. Covers added industrial and collaborative edges, notably "Under Pressure" with Queen, Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt," and "Reptile." The following table summarizes key songs by source album or origin:| Album/Source | Key Songs Performed |
|---|---|
| 1. Outside (1995) | The Voyeur of Utter Destruction (As Beauty), The Hearts Filthy Lesson, Outside, We Prick You, Strangers When We Meet, A Small Plot of Land, I Have Not Been to Oxford Town, The Motel, I'm Deranged, Thru' These Architect's Eyes[51] |
| Earthling Previews (1997) | Hallo Spaceboy[51] |
| Glam Era (1971–1973) | The Man Who Sold the World, Moonage Daydream, Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?), All the Young Dudes, Diamond Dogs[51] |
| Berlin Trilogy (1977–1979) | Breaking Glass (Low), Look Back in Anger (Lodger), "Heroes" ("Heroes"), Subterraneans (Low), Boys Keep Swinging (Lodger), D.J. (Lodger), Joe the Lion ("Heroes")[51] |
| Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980) | Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), Teenage Wildlife[51] |
| Early 1970s | Andy Warhol (Hunky Dory)[51] |
| Later Solo/Tin Machine (1983–1993) | Jump They Say (Black Tie White Noise), Baby Universal (Tin Machine II), White Light/White Heat (Velvet Underground cover)[51] |
| Covers & Collaborations | Under Pressure (Queen & Bowie), Hurt (Nine Inch Nails), Reptile (Nine Inch Nails), Nite Flights (Walker Brothers), My Death (Jacques Brel), Lust for Life (Iggy Pop)[51] |
