A Reality Tour (film)
Encyclopedia
A Reality Tour is a DVD
released in 2004 of David Bowie
's performance at Point Theatre
in Dublin, Ireland in 2003 during the Reality Tour
.
) and "Under Pressure
" (with Queen
). There is a bit more focus, however, on tracks from the albums released since the Earthling World Tour in 1997, Heathen (2002), and Reality, whose tracks constitute 10 of the 30 songs performed.
The only exception from his latest albums is 'hours...' (1999); no tracks from this album were included on this DVD, possibly due to poor reception of the album, and no songs from the album were included in his touring repertoire. Other albums with no appearance included the cover album Pinups (1973), the ill-received Never Let Me Down
(1987), the albums produced with the band Tin Machine
, and Black Tie White Noise
(1993). Aladdin Sane
(1973) also made no concert appearance in the video, although songs from the album appeared on the tour.
A notable inclusion into the performance was the set of three songs from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust as the final encore. Though Bowie had performed the pieces many times through his career, the pieces had not been toured since 1978 when the live interpretations were featured on the Stage album.
The interpretations presented often a heavier and more complex sound than those of the album releases to suit the band for which the Reality album had been written; a more dynamic "Rebel Rebel
" which later saw a release as a bonus track was arranged as an opener which included notably some audience participation and Bowie finishing his performance with the Irish
phrase "Tiocfaidh ár lá", which means "Our day will come". Use of audience vocals appear in a number of tunes, including "All the Young Dudes
", in which Bowie's voice was somewhat out of range to sing the chorus, and "Life on Mars?
", which the audience faithfully sang along to.
The track listing for this concert by DVD chapter is as follows:
Artistic effects were often used as well, amongst them color distortions (most notably during "Ashes to Ashes") the altering of footage speed (in the opening before "Rebel Rebel"), and rhythmic repetition of footage (the thrashing in "Hallo Spaceboy"). Many were simply embellishing, although some blurred the staging and caused the music to become desynchronized with the musicians. Some interludes into the background footage were used, such as an artistic film of a forest during "The Loneliest Guy" and an introductory clip from The Uncle Floyd Show to "Slip Away" to provide context for the lyrics.
The film has been edited from its original concert appearance; the two sets performed in Dublin on November 22 and 23 do not match entirely with the set from the film. Bowie's signature greeting to every city during the tour, "Hello... you crazy bunch of motherfuckers" was not included in the film, and was possibly intentionally cut or omitted from the performance for censorship purposes.
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
released in 2004 of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's performance at Point Theatre
Point Theatre
The Point Theatre was a concert and events venue in Ireland, that ran from 1988–2007, enjoyed by in excess of 2 million people. It was located on the North Wall Quay of the River Liffey, amongst the Dublin Docklands...
in Dublin, Ireland in 2003 during the Reality Tour
A Reality Tour
A Reality Tour was a worldwide concert tour by David Bowie in support of the Reality album. The tour commenced on 7 October 2003 at the Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark continuing through Europe, North America, Asia, including a return to New Zealand and Australia for the first time since the 1987 Glass...
.
Repertoire
The set list includes tracks spanning Bowie's 30 plus years in the music business, from The Man Who Sold the World (1970) all the way to Reality (2003), along with collaborations such as "Sister Midnight" (with Iggy PopIggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
) and "Under Pressure
Under Pressure
"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" (with Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
). There is a bit more focus, however, on tracks from the albums released since the Earthling World Tour in 1997, Heathen (2002), and Reality, whose tracks constitute 10 of the 30 songs performed.
The only exception from his latest albums is 'hours...' (1999); no tracks from this album were included on this DVD, possibly due to poor reception of the album, and no songs from the album were included in his touring repertoire. Other albums with no appearance included the cover album Pinups (1973), the ill-received Never Let Me Down
Never Let Me Down
Never Let Me Down is an album by David Bowie, released in April 1987. Written over a 3-month period and recorded in Switzerland, Bowie regarded the album at the time as a "move back to rock 'n roll music...
(1987), the albums produced with the band Tin Machine
Tin Machine
Tin Machine was a hard rock band formed in 1988, famous for being fronted by singer David Bowie. The group recorded two studio albums before dissolving in 1992, when Bowie returned to his solo career...
, and Black Tie White Noise
Black Tie White Noise
Black Tie White Noise is an album by David Bowie. Released in 1993, it was his first solo release in the 1990s after spending time with his hard rock band Tin Machine, retiring his old hits on his Sound+Vision Tour, and marrying supermodel Iman Abdulmajid. This album featured his old guitarist from...
(1993). Aladdin Sane
Aladdin Sane
Aladdin Sane is the sixth album by David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1973 . The follow-up to his breakthrough The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, it was the first album Bowie wrote and released as a bona fide rock star...
(1973) also made no concert appearance in the video, although songs from the album appeared on the tour.
A notable inclusion into the performance was the set of three songs from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust as the final encore. Though Bowie had performed the pieces many times through his career, the pieces had not been toured since 1978 when the live interpretations were featured on the Stage album.
The interpretations presented often a heavier and more complex sound than those of the album releases to suit the band for which the Reality album had been written; a more dynamic "Rebel Rebel
Rebel Rebel
"Rebel Rebel" is a song by David Bowie, released in 1974 as a single and on the album Diamond Dogs. Cited as his most-covered track, it was effectively Bowie's farewell to the glam movement that had made him a star.-Music and lyrics:...
" which later saw a release as a bonus track was arranged as an opener which included notably some audience participation and Bowie finishing his performance with the Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
phrase "Tiocfaidh ár lá", which means "Our day will come". Use of audience vocals appear in a number of tunes, including "All the Young Dudes
All the Young Dudes
All the Young Dudes is an album by Mott the Hoople, released in 1972. Their initial album for the CBS Records label , it was a turning point for the then-struggling British band. They were about to break up when David Bowie stepped in and gave them the song "All the Young Dudes"...
", in which Bowie's voice was somewhat out of range to sing the chorus, and "Life on Mars?
Life on Mars?
"Life on Mars?" is a song by David Bowie first released in 1971 on the album Hunky Dory. The song—which BBC Radio 2 later called "a cross between a Broadway musical and a Salvador Dalí painting"—featured guest piano work by keyboardist Rick Wakeman. When released as a single in 1973,...
", which the audience faithfully sang along to.
Track listing
The track listing for this concert by DVD chapter is as follows:
- "Concert Introduction" – 2:42
- "Rebel RebelRebel Rebel"Rebel Rebel" is a song by David Bowie, released in 1974 as a single and on the album Diamond Dogs. Cited as his most-covered track, it was effectively Bowie's farewell to the glam movement that had made him a star.-Music and lyrics:...
" (from Diamond DogsDiamond DogsDiamond Dogs is a concept album by David Bowie, originally released by RCA Records in 1974. Thematically it was a marriage of the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and Bowie's own glam-tinged vision of a post-apocalyptic world...
) – 3:25 - "New Killer StarNew Killer Star"New Killer Star" is a song written and performed by David Bowie in 2003 for his album Reality. This was the first single from the album and released on DVD only, except in Italy and Canada...
" (from Reality) – 4:55 - "RealityReality (David Bowie song)"Reality" is a song written by David Bowie and the title track of his 2003 album of the same name. The song presents a Bowie saying about aging, death, and reflecting on his youth and past...
" (from Reality) – 4:21 - "FameFame (David Bowie song)"Fame" is a song recorded by David Bowie, initially released in 1975. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the week of September 20, 1975.-Song development:...
" (from Young AmericansYoung Americans (album)Young Americans, released in 1975, shows off David Bowie’s 1970’s shift to his “obsession” with soul music . For this album, Bowie let go of the influences he had drawn from in the past, replacing them with sounds from “local dance halls”, which, at the time, were blaring with “…lush strings,...
) – 4:11 - "CactusCactus (song)"Cactus" is a song by the American alternative rock band Pixies, and is the eighth track on their 1988 album Surfer Rosa. It was written and sung by the band's frontman Black Francis and produced by Steve Albini.-"Pixies":...
" (from Heathen) – 2:34 - "Sister MidnightRed Money"Red Money" is a song written by David Bowie and Carlos Alomar. The song had originally appeared on The Idiot as "Sister Midnight" with lyrics by Iggy Pop...
" (originally from The IdiotThe Idiot (album)The Idiot is the debut solo album by American rock singer Iggy Pop. It was the first of two LPs released in 1977 which Pop wrote and recorded in collaboration with David Bowie...
by Iggy PopIggy PopIggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
) – 4:37 - "AfraidAfraid (David Bowie song)"Afraid" is a song written by David Bowie for the album Heathen in 2002. It was originally intended for the unreleased album Toy in 2001 and was even featured in a commercial for XM Satellite Radio that same year....
" (from Heathen) – 3:26 - "All the Young DudesAll the Young Dudes (song)"All the Young Dudes" is a song written by David Bowie, originally recorded and released as a single by Mott the Hoople in 1972. NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray have described the track as "one of that rare breed: rock songs which hymn the solidarity of the disaffected without...
" (from Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture) – 3:25 - "Be My WifeBe My Wife"Be My Wife" is a song and single by David Bowie.Arguably the most conventional track on Low, "Be My Wife" toned down the electronic feel of the rest of the album...
" (from Low) – 3:12 - "The Loneliest GuyThe Loneliest Guy"The Loneliest Guy" is a song written by David Bowie in 2003 for his album Reality. It's a slow-tempo minimalistic piece in which, according to James E...
" (from Reality) – 4:00 - "The Man Who Sold the WorldThe Man Who Sold the WorldThe Man Who Sold the World is the third studio album by David Bowie. It was originally released on Mercury Records in November 1970 in the United States and in April 1971 in the UK. The album was Bowie's first with the nucleus of what would become the "Spiders from Mars", the backing band made...
" (from The Man Who Sold the World) – 4:04 - "Fantastic VoyageFantastic Voyage (David Bowie song)"Fantastic Voyage" is a song written by David Bowie and Brian Eno in 1979 for the album Lodger."Fantastic Voyage" has exactly the same chord sequence as "Boys Keep Swinging", from the same album.Musicians...
" (from LodgerLodger (album)Lodger is an album by British singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in 1979. The last of the 'Berlin Trilogy' recorded in collaboration with Brian Eno , it was more accessible than its immediate predecessors Low and "Heroes", having no instrumentals and being somewhat lighter and more pop-oriented...
) – 3:06 - "Hallo SpaceboyHallo Spaceboy"Hallo Spaceboy" is a song by David Bowie from his 1995 album Outside, and was issued as a single in 1996. Bowie and Brian Eno co-wrote the song...
" (from Outside) – 5:27 - "Sunday" (from Heathen) – 5:49
- "Under PressureUnder Pressure"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" (a single by Bowie and QueenQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
from the Queen's Hot SpaceHot SpaceHot Space is the tenth studio album by British rock band Queen, released in May 1982. Marking a notable shift in direction from their earlier work, Queen employed many elements of disco, pop music, R&B and dance music on Hot Space, being partially influenced by the success of their 1980 hit...
) – 4:17 - "Life on Mars?Life on Mars?"Life on Mars?" is a song by David Bowie first released in 1971 on the album Hunky Dory. The song—which BBC Radio 2 later called "a cross between a Broadway musical and a Salvador Dalí painting"—featured guest piano work by keyboardist Rick Wakeman. When released as a single in 1973,...
" (from Hunky DoryHunky DoryHunky Dory is the fourth album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released by RCA Records in 1971. It was Bowie's first release through RCA, which would be his label for the next decade...
) – 4:47 - "Battle for Britain (The Letter)" (from EarthlingEarthling (album)Earthling is an album by David Bowie released in February 1997 via BMG. The album showcases an electronica-influenced sound partly inspired by the Industrial and drum and bass culture of the 1990s.-Album background and development:...
) – 4:40 - "Ashes to AshesAshes to Ashes (David Bowie song)"Ashes to Ashes" is a single by David Bowie, released in 1980. It made #1 in the UK and was the first cut from the Scary Monsters album, also a #1 hit. As well as its musical qualities, it is noted for its innovative video, directed by Bowie and David Mallet...
" (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)Scary Monsters is an album by David Bowie, released in September 1980 by RCA Records. It was Bowie's final studio album for the label and his first following the so-called Berlin Trilogy of Low, "Heroes" and Lodger . Though considered significant in artistic terms, the trilogy had proved less...
) – 5:29 - "The Motel" (from Outside) – 6:00
- "Loving the AlienLoving the Alien"Loving the Alien" is a track from the album Tonight by David Bowie. One of only two tracks on the album written solely by Bowie, the song was a surprisingly late release as a single , reputedly because Bowie read a review saying it would make a good single.It was remixed as a single...
" (from Tonight) – 5:16 - "Never Get OldNever Get Old"Never Get Old" is a song written by David Bowie in 2003 for his album Reality. It was the second single released from the album, but only in Japan...
" (from Reality) – 4:18 - "ChangesChanges (David Bowie song)"Changes" is a song by David Bowie, originally released on the album Hunky Dory in December 1971 and as a single in January 1972. Despite missing the Top 40, "Changes" became one of Bowie's best-known songs. The lyrics are often seen as a manifesto for his chameleonic personality, sexual ambiguity,...
" (from Hunky Dory) – 3:48 - "I'm Afraid of AmericansI'm Afraid of Americans"I'm Afraid of Americans" is a song and single by David Bowie from the 1997 album Earthling. The song, co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno, was originally written during Bowie's studio sessions for the 1995 album Outside but was not released until a rough mix appeared on the soundtrack to the film...
" (from Earthling) – 5:19 - "Heroes" (from "Heroes") – 7:25
- "Bring Me the Disco KingBring Me the Disco King"Bring Me the Disco King" is a song written by David Bowie in the early 90's. It was first recorded for Black Tie White Noise in 1993 and then for Earthling in 1997, but never made it to the final release of these albums...
" (from Reality) – 8:03 - "Slip AwaySlip Away"Slip Away" is a song written by David Bowie for the album Heathen in 2002. This is a tribute to Uncle Floyd and it was originally intended with that name for the unreleased album Toy in 2001.-Live versions:...
" (from Heathen) – 6:23 - "Heathen (The Rays)Heathen (The Rays)"Heathen " is a song written by David Bowie in 2002 and is the title and closing track for the album Heathen.A withdrawn press kit containing a CDR with a 4'01" "US Radio Mix" indicates that there were plans to release the track as a single....
" (from Heathen) – 6:01 - "Five YearsFive Years"Five Years" is a song written by David Bowie and released in 1972. It was the opening track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars....
" (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a 1972 concept album by English musician David Bowie, which is loosely based on a story of a rock star named Ziggy Stardust. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music...
) – 4:40 - "Hang on to YourselfHang on to Yourself"Hang On to Yourself" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 and released as a single under the name Arnold Corns. A re-recorded version was released on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars...
" (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) – 2:59 - "Ziggy StardustZiggy Stardust (song)"Ziggy Stardust" is a song written by David Bowie in 1972 for the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The name Stardust was inspired by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy...
" (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) – 4:40 - "Concert Exit and Credits" – 2:09
Cinematography
The film was a relatively straightforward presentation of the performance in Dublin Ireland, with footage of all the musicians in Bowie's band as well as the lighting/staging effects used, such as the large platforms onstage, the hanging head tree branches, and the artistic footage played on the background video screens. Several different angles were used of Bowie onstage including cameras placed behind Bowie as well as cameras from the audience, and footage was also included of backstage preparations for the performance during the opening, intermission, and ending credits.Artistic effects were often used as well, amongst them color distortions (most notably during "Ashes to Ashes") the altering of footage speed (in the opening before "Rebel Rebel"), and rhythmic repetition of footage (the thrashing in "Hallo Spaceboy"). Many were simply embellishing, although some blurred the staging and caused the music to become desynchronized with the musicians. Some interludes into the background footage were used, such as an artistic film of a forest during "The Loneliest Guy" and an introductory clip from The Uncle Floyd Show to "Slip Away" to provide context for the lyrics.
The film has been edited from its original concert appearance; the two sets performed in Dublin on November 22 and 23 do not match entirely with the set from the film. Bowie's signature greeting to every city during the tour, "Hello... you crazy bunch of motherfuckers" was not included in the film, and was possibly intentionally cut or omitted from the performance for censorship purposes.
Personnel
- David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
– lead vocals, guitar, stylophone - Earl SlickEarl SlickEarl Slick is a guitarist best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, Jim Diamond and Robert Smith, although he has also worked with other artists , John Waite, and even released some solo recordings.In the early 1970s, Earl Slick gained his...
– guitar - Gail Ann DorseyGail Ann DorseyGail Ann Dorsey is an American musician considered one of the premier bass guitarists and vocalists within the alternative rock scene. With a distinguished career as a session musician, it has been most notably her long association performing in David Bowie's band, from 1995 to the present day,...
– bass, vocals - Gerry "Spookyghost" Leonard – guitar
- Sterling CampbellSterling CampbellSterling Campbell in New York City, New York, is an American rock drummer who has worked with numerous high-profile acts. He rose to attention in 1986, touring with Cyndi Lauper on her her True Colors World Tour, in 1986, and in 1987, joined Duran Duran...
– drums - Mike GarsonMike GarsonMike Garson is an American pianist, most notable for his work with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan, Free Flight, and The Smashing Pumpkins.- Early career :...
– keyboards - Catherine Russell – keyboards, backing vocals, guitar, percussion