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1987 Glass Spider Tour



David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour was designed as the most extravagant rock spectacle since his Diamond Dogs Tour back in 1974.  

Like that particular tour, Glass Spider involved stage designer Mark Ravitz in addition to choreographer Toni Basil (now having found her own 'fame' via the hit single 'Mickey').

The set incorporated a breathtakingly preposterous "Spider Environment": a network of scaffolding and catwalks, dwarfed by a 50-foot high spider whose glowing body and illuminated legs framed the split-level stage.  





The tour initially commenced on May 30 in Rotterdam, initially with a long script involving stage actors and dancers (some of this was pruned back before it reached Australia). 

The Australasian leg was marked by 15 concert dates - considerably more than Bowie's two previous world tours which also played down under.

In this case, the cities of Adelaide, Perth, Wellington and Christchurch were never treated to Glass Spider shows at all. Meanwhile, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne were host to multiple shows.




The Band



Carlos Alomar (guitar and musical director)

Present on Bowie's first two visits down under and returning for his third.


Peter Frampton (guitar)

A megastar in the 1970s but commercially struggling in the 80s, he was an old high school friend of David Bowie.


Erdal Kizilcay (keyboards, viola, trumpet, cornet, guitar)

A multi-instrumentalist from Turkey and present on Bowie's then current album.


Carmine Rojas (bass)

Present on Bowie's three previous albums but perhaps best known as Rod Stewart's bassist and musical director (having worked with him for some 13 years).


Richard Cottle (keyboards)

An extensive session and touring musician (PIL, The Alan Parsons Project, Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton, Maxi Priest, Mick Jagger among many others).


Alan Childs (drums)

Previously a drummer for Julian Lennon, Rod Stewart and many others.




Press Conference (Oct 27)



As part of promotions , a press conference was held at The Tivoli in Sydney - two days before the tour start in Brisbane.
Bowie at the Sydney Press Conference, 1987


Audio from the conference appeared in various formats as indicated by the 7 inch vinyl below.


The item to the left was limited to only 100 copies.




BRISBANE (Oct 29 & 30)



In Brisbane, two consecutive shows were held at the 13,500 capacity Entertainment Centre.

Located 16 kilometres north of Brisbane, the newly opened centre at Boondall was designed to resolve the problems of Lang Park where Bowie faced noise restrictions on his previous two visits (1978 and 1983).


The semi-rural surrounds of the BEC. After it's opening in 1986, it took over from Lang Park as Brisbane's major concert venue. In 2004, the centre would be the site of David Bowie's return to Australian stage after his longest ever hiatus.




SYDNEY (Nov 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 13 & 14)



In Sydney, ticket demand sustained an incredible 8 nights at the Entertainment Centre - Bowie's longest stay at any one venue on any one concert tour - a record he has not equalled or broken since
David Bowie Sydney concert, 1987 as featured on the 'Glass Spider' DVD.



Sydney also included a duet with guest guitarist Charlie Sexton. Bowie appeared visibly invigorated at the chance to bring a tougher guitar sound to the show and it was also the first time in many moons that he had picked up an electric guitar on stage. 


David Bowie Sydney concert, 1987 as featured on the 'Glass Spider' DVD.



The Sydney shows saw the recording of the official "Glass Spider" tour video, directed by David Mallet, and produced by Anthony Eaton.


Glass Spider VHS Release.



The footage from this also made it to DVD release in 2007. 

 

Glass Spider
Day-In Day-Out
Bang Bang
Absolute Beginners
Loving The Alien
China Girl
Rebel Rebel
Fashion
Never Let Me Down
Heroes
Sons Of the Silent Age
Young Americans
The Jean Genie
Let's Dance
Time
Fame
Blue Jean
I Wanna Be Your Dog
White Light White Heat
Modern Love




MELBOURNE (Nov 18, 20, 21 & 23)



Following the Sydney shows, the current home of Australian Open Tennis - Kooyong Stadium - was host to four David Bowie concerts.

The 8,500 capacity arena had been host to several rock concerts over the years including Led Zeppelin (1 concert in 1972), The Rolling Stones (3 concerts in 1973), Black Sabbath (1 concert in 1973) and Bob Dylan (3 concerts in 1986) among others.


Left: Ticket stub provided by Cass. Right: Recent aerial view of Kooyong. 



The first night was reportedly a blistering performance.

Unfortunately, nearby residents compained about noise, and as a result, sound levels were adjusted for the following nights. When Bowie announced this to the crowd on the second night, there was a long "booooo" in rightful protest to the residents!
Kooyong Stadium (21/11/87) - photos by Cass. Left: Bowie and Melissa Hurley during the third song "Bang Bang" in which he pulled her up on stage and danced with her. Right: Bowie with guitarist Carlos Alomar.



On the Wednesday, Bowie played "Time" in his gold suit while on the Saturday show, he substituted this for "I Wanna Be Your Dog".




Top left:
Bowie walks to his Mercedes before the second gig (20/11/87).

Bottom left:
Singing from the scaffolfing (21/11/87).

Photos from Cass.



The final Melbourne show was a unique one.

Due to high winds and heavy rain, much of the usual Spider set and production was abandoned. Bowie performed only with his band and not with the accompaning dancers that normally appeared on the tour.

The performance has gained a subsequent life via the bootleg recording He Never Let Us Down.



Melbourne Setlist
23 Nov, 1983

1. Day In Day Out
2. Bang Bang
3. Absolute Beginners
4. China Girl
5. Rebel Rebel
6. Loving The Alien
7. Scary Monsters
8. "Heroes"
9. Sons Of The Silent Age
10. Young Americans
11. The Jean Genie
12. I Wanna Be Your Dog
13. White Light White Heat
14. Let's Dance
15. Fame

Encore
16. Blue Jean
17. Modern Love


Cover of the bootleg "He Never Let Us Down". (Click for high res version).




An End to Kooyong

The David Bowie concerts at Kooyong might be the last world class events held at what was then a world famous venue.

The stadium still breathes life via the Kooyong Classic (an exhibition event) but in early 1988, the Australian Open was moved to Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park.

The residents also got their way of having rock concerts stopped at the venue.




AUCKLAND (Nov 28)


Five days after the final Melbourne gig, Bowie performed the last show of the tour in Auckland.

Again, the show took place outdoors at the Western Springs Stadium - the site of Bowie's 1978 national record audience and the 1983 world record audience. Chamber Music was the support with a quartet playing to the side of the stage.

There is some mixed response to Bowie's final ever show of the Glass Spider tour.

Some fans reported that the show did not equal the standards set in 1978 and 1983 and that was why Bowie cancelled the after party. The other claim was simply that Bowie was ill.



"I was there and i thought is was really good. But maybe it was cause I was in love with him and only 8."

~ quartknee

"I remember Frampton doing the opening break to 'Do You Feel Like We Do' and the stadium going bananas. God I wished he'd played on, but Bowie wasn't happy with the show as he cancelled the after show party. 'White Light White Heat' rocked though."

~ Mark Gillies, Auckland

"I was 15 and had a ball. We had a drinking session up the top of Mt Eden before. Our group won 80 bucks and free tshirts for holding up an 89FM banner that we had spray painted on an old sheet (no shame commercialism). After the concert we drove around Auckland listening to the radio which played only Bowie songs for 2 hours. I fell for the girl in the audience joke that Bowie did with Melissa Hurley for about 5 minutes.".

~ Miriam, New Zealand.

"My mate swears he saw Bowie throw-up at the side of the stage after a particularly gruelling dance routine. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was actually crook - and that was why he cancelled the after-party. We waited around after the gig and were delighted when stage-hands flew us assorted paraphernalia from the concert. I was thrown a pair of smallish grey pants – which I assumed had been props for the tour. Were they actually Bowie’s pants? After all - he’s a small guy? Well, I kept those pants for years – just in case they were in fact his. In the end, without any verification, I starting doubting their authenticity and decided to throw them out. Obviously, there was no ebay in those days…"

~ Sam Coley


Scan from TJNWorldEnterprises.




Ticket scan from Brian.


Having reached the very end of the tour, the "Glass Spider" stage set was ceremoniously burnt in New Zealand. "We just put it in a field and set fire to it" said David. This was apparently to save on shipping costs.  

Bowie also went on a holiday in Australia with his then girlfriend, Melissa Hurley.





Sarah Gabrels


During the course of the Australian leg of the tour, Bowie was given a tape by one of the press officers named Sarah Gabrels.

The tape contained demos by her husband Reeves, and within a matter of days it had sent Bowie in a new direction - one which he would later acknowledge as the oath to his salvation as an artist.



Concert Dates



The following are pointers to relevant pages at Teenage Wildlife

You can add information to these pages. 
 
 
Brisbane, Boondall Entertainment Centre 29 October, 1987
Brisbane, Boondall Entertainment Centre 30 October, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 03 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 04 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 06 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 07 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 09 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 10 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 13 November, 1987
Sydney Entertainment Centre 14 November, 1987
Melbourne Kooyong Stadium 18 November, 1987
Melbourne Kooyong Stadium 20 November, 1987
Melbourne Kooyong Stadium 21 November, 1987
Melbourne Kooyong Stadium 23 November, 1987
Auckland Western Springs Stadium 28 November, 1987



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