David Bowie performed at New York’s Madison Square Garden on 1 September 1987, as part of the Glass Spider Tour.
It was the 46th date of the tour, which began on 30 May in Rotterdam, and the first of two consecutive nights at MSG.
Bowie’s guitarists were Carlos Alomar and Peter Frampton. Erdal Kızılçay played keyboards, trumpet, congas, and violin, and Richard Cottle was on keyboards, saxophone, and tambourine. Carmine Rojas played bass guitar and Alan Childs was on drums and percussion.
Bowie had first performed at Madison Square Garden on 19 and 20 July 1974, during the Diamond Dogs Tour, and again on 26 March 1976 for the Isolar Tour. He returned there on 7, 8, and 9 May 1978 for the Isolar II Tour.
He played another three dates there at Madison Square Garden during the Serious Moonlight Tour, on 25, 26, and 27 July 1983.
On 9 January 1997 a special 50th birthday celebratory concert took place at Madison Square Garden, with Bowie sharing the stage with Foo Fighters, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Pixies’ Frank Black, Sonic Youth, and Lou Reed. Bowie’s final show at the venue was on 15 December 2003 during A Reality Tour.
The setlist
- ‘Up The Hill Backwards’
- ‘Glass Spider’
- ‘Up The Hill Backwards’ (Reprise)
- ‘Day-In Day-Out’
- ‘Bang Bang’
- ‘Absolute Beginners’
- ‘Loving The Alien’
- ‘China Girl’
- ‘Rebel Rebel’
- ‘Fashion’
- ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’
- ‘All The Madmen’
- ‘Never Let Me Down’
- ‘Big Brother’
- ‘Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family’
- ‘’87 And Cry’
- “Heroes”
- ‘Sons Of The Silent Age’
- ‘Time Will Crawl’
- ‘Young Americans’
- ‘Beat Of Your Drum’
- ‘The Jean Genie’
- ‘Let’s Dance’
- ‘Fame’
- ‘Time’
- ‘Blue Jean’
- ‘Modern Love’
Also on this day...
- 1990: Live: Vechtewiese, Schüttorf
- 1984: Single release: Blue Jean
- 1972: Live: Top Rank Suite, Doncaster
- 1972: UK single release: John, I’m Only Dancing
- 1967: Recording: Let Me Sleep Beside You, Karma Man
- 1965: Recording: Silly Boy Blue, Baby That’s A Promise, Over The Wall We Go
Want more? Visit the David Bowie history section.