Live: Arie Crown Theater, Chicago

David Bowie performed at Chicago’s Arie Crown Theater on 17 April 1978, as part of the Isolar II Tour.

It was the first of two consecutive nights at the venue, and the 14th date of the tour, which began on 29 March in San Diego.

Bowie’s guitarists were Carlos Alomar and Adrian Belew. Simon House was on electric violin, Sean Mayes played piano, and Roger Powell was on keyboards and synthesizers. George Murray played bass guitar and Dennis Davis was on drums.

The Auditorium Theatre is a 4,000 seater and felt tiny after the stadiums. I was looking forward to this as I like to feel in touch with the whole audience. Unfortunately though, with the rig behind the proscenium arch and an orchestra pit beyond that we couldn’t even see the front rows.

After the show Carlos, Coco and I found our way to a gay bar half a block away. It was pouring with rain and I carried Coco piggy-back as the streets were awash. The place was so full we had to fight our way to the bar. The guys on the door were friendly and wondered if David would be along later. I doubted it but didn’t say so. The club-goers were decidedly cool though – we were a long way from the friendly south.

Bowie had previously performed at the Arie Crown Theater on 22 and 23 October 1974 during the Diamond Dogs Tour.

The setlist

• ‘Warszawa’
• “Heroes”
• ‘What In The World’
• ‘Be My Wife’
• ‘The Jean Genie’
• ‘Blackout’
• ‘Sense Of Doubt’
• ‘Speed Of Life’
• ‘Breaking Glass’
• ‘Beauty And The Beast’
• ‘Fame’
• ‘Five Years’
• ‘Soul Love’
• ‘Star’
• ‘Hang On To Yourself’
• ‘Ziggy Stardust’
• ‘Suffragette City’
• ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide’
• ‘Art Decade’
• ‘Alabama Song’
• ‘Station To Station’
• ‘Stay’
• ‘TVC 15’
• ‘Rebel Rebel’