Live: Apollo, Glasgow

David Bowie performed at the Glasgow Apollo on 19 June 1978, as part of the Isolar II Tour.

He performed four consecutive nights at the venue on 19, 20, 21, and 22 June.

This was the 56th 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.

Monday was our first Scottish gig. It was early afternoon when we arrived at the theatre but already there were kids milling about and the lane beside the theatre leading to the stage door had a few policemen at each end to keep it clear.

The Apollo Theatre is an extraordinary old building, tall, rambling and full of dingy atmosphere, and we were soon making jokes about The Phantom Of The Opera. The theatre holds 300 with two balconies. Five years ago when we played here the top balcony was closed as unsafe. Now it had been strengthened and was open. I went up there gingerly to have a look, finding my way up through the labyrinth of dark passages and stairs. The balcony was so high and steep I wanted crampons. Far below was the stage and the rig. The neons were flashing and the whole contraption looked eerie, like Victorian sci-fi.

The Apollo was situated as 126 Renfield Street in Glasgow. It was open from September 1973 until June 1985, and was demolished in 1987 following a fire.

The setlist

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