Struggling For Reality: David Bowie At The Greek

Something went amiss early in the show that affected things to come, but that didn’t stop Thursday night’s concert with David Bowie at The Greek Theater in Hollywood from being an extraordinary performance by a gifted group of artists. Halfway through the introductory film of animation and time-lapse photography of New York City, the video suddenly cut out and went black. The stage was quiet for a few moments until the lights came up and Mr. Bowie himself approached the front of the stage to greet the audience with an apology for the technical glitch. He called the band on stage and they kicked off the show with “Rebel Rebel.” For someone who has seen the show before, it was somewhat anticlimactic not to have the dramatic reveal of Bowie out of the shadows of the “Rebel” intro, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of this sold-out crowd.

It was a beautiful night in the Hollywood Hills under the stars, and speaking of stars, plenty were in attendance, including Brian Setzer, who was spotted in the crowd with a lovely lady on his arm. It’s been years since his Stray Cats days, but Mr. Setzer looked fit and spiffy in a sharp suit and his trademark bouffant hairdo. “Joey Soprano” was rumored to be in the crowd but that was unconfirmed.

The show got under way and in typical form, Mr. Bowie challenged his audience early on with newer material less familiar to more mature audience members. Poor Mike Garson had to jump right into one of his featured numbers (“The Battle For Britain”) soon after the show’s shaky start. Unfortunately, Garson’s timing against the backing tracks was off during his solo, but what could have been a train wreck ended up as little more than a few seconds of confusing dead air.

All the band members had their moments of imperfection, but they demonstrated what true professionals they are even under the awkward circumstances of The Greek’s recent renovation. As this was the first gig to grace the refurbished venue, the “spooky ghost” was definitely in the house, and that’s not a crack against the awesome Gerry Leonard! There were a few technical and musical glitches, though these were minor and only noticeable to experienced fans. Things really started to gel twenty minutes into the show once the band found their groove. The group pulled together and delivered blistering performances of “Hallo Spaceboy” and “Under Pressure” (featuring Gail Ann Dorsey’s outstanding vocalizations) among other highlights. The performances were not without questionable choices (this band doesn’t make “mistakes”), but their near-telepathic abilities for communication after years of playing together saved the day.

Bowie was in excellent voice this evening. He also looked great, as usual, even remarking at one moment that he felt like he was 50 again! It was a treat to see not a perfect show, but in fact a very real show including many of the challenges professional performers have to deal with on stage. Bowie was conscious of Griffith Park’s 11:00pm curfew (“this curfew shit” he called it once) and he kept asking his crew if he had time to play a few more numbers, though their slow responses irritated him at times. “Come on guys, get it together! Nobody’s telling me anything, so I’ll just keep going,” he said.

Bowie was also highly aware of his audience throughout the show. At one point, after a batch of newer material, he came down front and said, “I know what you’re wondering, ‘When is Bowie going to play something I know?’” He didn’t disappoint. The band launched into a blissful rendition of “All The Young Dudes” that kept the crowd on their feet dancing and singing the whole time. It wasn’t surprising, however, nor particularly disappointing that many audience members preferred to sit and listen during the quieter numbers. One of the great qualities of a Bowie concert is that there are plenty of crowd-pleasing Rock anthems juxtaposed gently alongside serious pieces that deserve more attentive listening. Perhaps only hardcore fans may have recognized “The Motel” or “The Loneliest Guy” but these songs were no less appreciated by casual listeners.

There was plenty of frivolity as well. Bowie started singing the Chinese version of “China Girl” but quickly stopped and restarted the band, explaining that he couldn’t remember any of his Mandarin. He also cracked jokes throughout the evening, including a quip that “The Loneliest Guy” wasn’t about a failed suicide attempt but was actually about his mother’s first divorce! There was also a touching story introducing one of the early songs (was it “The Man Who Sold The World”?), which expressed the sense of alienation Bowie felt as a teenager.

The stage video and lighting were striking as usual, though more subdued than in previous A Reality Tour performances. Gone were the overhead video screens displayed so prominently in other venues, and although the side screens at the Greek were too dim at times, they helped the mood during more ambient numbers by providing shots of Bowie in a dramatic silhouette. The new sound system at the Greek offered astonishing clarity for an outdoor venue. We didn’t miss a single word or note.

Opening act The Polyphonic Spree returned to the stage in colorful robes for the first encore number, “Slip Away”, though their participation was unnecessary and somewhat distracting. Bowie himself mentioned during his praise of the group that he didn’t “know if we [would] do it again” but that they were a fantastic support on the tour.

Missing from the set list was “Reality,” which seems a natural crowd pleaser, and all of the Low material, which had been such a highlight of the previous LA shows. Included were more recent numbers such as “Looking For Water” from Reality and Heathen’s “Sunday” and “Heathen (The Rays)” book-ended together, as well as a few classic treats for old timers, like “Quicksand” and “The Supermen,” an unnecessary addition, but quite nostalgic all the same. It was nice to hear some alternative choices from Hunky Dory but I missed “Life On Mars?” and “Changes” has yet to be performed at any of the Los Angeles shows.

No matter, Bowie & his company know how to please an audience and they did so admirably tonight with a great mix of songs new and old, well known and obscure. The crowd was mature and well behaved (most of them), and certainly appreciative.

Bowie was more than a gentleman throughout the evening. He exudes a charm and grace these days that is beyond resistance. One has the sense that no matter what happens, Mr. Bowie will keep his audience safe and warm. I wish I could see every show on this tour.