David Bowie 2000 Mini Tour Era
Tour by David Bowie
Start date: 16 June 2000
End date: 27 June 2000
Shows: 4
Start date: 16 June 2000
End date: 27 June 2000
Shows: 4
Tour band
David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Earl Slick – lead guitar
Mark Plati – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar
Gail Ann Dorsey – bass guitar, guitar, clarinet, vocals
Sterling Campbell – drums, percussion
Mike Garson – keyboards, piano
Holly Palmer – percussion, vocals
Emm Gryner – keyboard, clarinet, vocals
David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica
Earl Slick – lead guitar
Mark Plati – rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar
Gail Ann Dorsey – bass guitar, guitar, clarinet, vocals
Sterling Campbell – drums, percussion
Mike Garson – keyboards, piano
Holly Palmer – percussion, vocals
Emm Gryner – keyboard, clarinet, vocals
2000 – THE GLASTONBURY & TOY ERA: PREPARATIONS (JAN – MAY)
📅 2000-01-08
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie celebrates his 53rd birthday. He begins conceptualizing the ‘Toy’ project, intending to re-record songs he wrote between 1964 and 1971. He discusses the project with producer Mark Plati, aiming for a ‘live-in-the-studio’ feel.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie celebrates his 53rd birthday. He begins conceptualizing the ‘Toy’ project, intending to re-record songs he wrote between 1964 and 1971. He discusses the project with producer Mark Plati, aiming for a ‘live-in-the-studio’ feel.
📅 2000-01-20
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie and Mark Plati begin archiving early 1960s acetates and demos. This research phase is critical for the ‘Toy’ project, as Bowie wants to capture the original ‘Mod’ energy of his youth while utilizing the sophisticated musicianship of his current band.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie and Mark Plati begin archiving early 1960s acetates and demos. This research phase is critical for the ‘Toy’ project, as Bowie wants to capture the original ‘Mod’ energy of his youth while utilizing the sophisticated musicianship of his current band.
📅 2000-02-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Preliminary demo sessions for ‘Toy’ begin. Bowie starts selecting obscure tracks from his early Deram and Pye years, including ‘Liza Jane’, ‘You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving’, and ‘Silly Boy Blue’.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Preliminary demo sessions for ‘Toy’ begin. Bowie starts selecting obscure tracks from his early Deram and Pye years, including ‘Liza Jane’, ‘You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving’, and ‘Silly Boy Blue’.
📅 1997-02-23
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Radio City Music Hall
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie attends the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. While not performing, he is a prominent figure in the industry, continuing to promote the digital-first philosophy he established with BowieNet.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Radio City Music Hall
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie attends the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. While not performing, he is a prominent figure in the industry, continuing to promote the digital-first philosophy he established with BowieNet.
📅 2000-02-29
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie holds a series of private meetings with Michael Almereyda. He discusses his role as Nikola Tesla in the upcoming film ‘The Prestige’ (although the film would not be released until 2006, the initial discussions and character research began in this period).
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie holds a series of private meetings with Michael Almereyda. He discusses his role as Nikola Tesla in the upcoming film ‘The Prestige’ (although the film would not be released until 2006, the initial discussions and character research began in this period).
📅 2000-03-10
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie invites guitarist Earl Slick to rejoin the band for the upcoming live dates and the ‘Toy’ recordings. This marks Slick’s first major collaboration with Bowie since the 1983 Serious Moonlight Tour.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie invites guitarist Earl Slick to rejoin the band for the upcoming live dates and the ‘Toy’ recordings. This marks Slick’s first major collaboration with Bowie since the 1983 Serious Moonlight Tour.
📅 2000-03-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: The song ‘Your Turn To Drive’ (originally titled ‘Toy’) is demoed. It is one of the few entirely new compositions written during this phase, intended to bridge the gap between the old 1960s material and the new millennium sound.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: The song ‘Your Turn To Drive’ (originally titled ‘Toy’) is demoed. It is one of the few entirely new compositions written during this phase, intended to bridge the gap between the old 1960s material and the new millennium sound.
📅 2000-04-12
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie begins a series of high-profile interviews for the ‘Bowie at the Beeb’ 3-CD set. He reflects on his BBC sessions from 1967-1972, which influences his decision to perform older material in the upcoming shows.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie begins a series of high-profile interviews for the ‘Bowie at the Beeb’ 3-CD set. He reflects on his BBC sessions from 1967-1972, which influences his decision to perform older material in the upcoming shows.
📅 2000-04-20
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie spends time at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries. Following minor health concerns earlier in the year, he begins a physical conditioning program to prepare for the high-energy demands of the Glastonbury headline set.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie spends time at the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries. Following minor health concerns earlier in the year, he begins a physical conditioning program to prepare for the high-energy demands of the Glastonbury headline set.
📅 2000-05-01
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ SIR Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Start of intensive rehearsals for the Glastonbury headline slot and the New York warm-up shows. The band includes Earl Slick, Mark Plati, Gail Ann Dorsey, Sterling Campbell, and Mike Garson.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ SIR Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Start of intensive rehearsals for the Glastonbury headline slot and the New York warm-up shows. The band includes Earl Slick, Mark Plati, Gail Ann Dorsey, Sterling Campbell, and Mike Garson.
📅 2000-05-10
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ SIR Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: During rehearsals, the band unexpectedly rediscovers the 1971 arrangement of ‘Wild Is The Wind’. Bowie is so moved by the rehearsal performance that he decides to make it the opening song for the Glastonbury set, replacing the originally planned ‘Station To Station’.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ SIR Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: During rehearsals, the band unexpectedly rediscovers the 1971 arrangement of ‘Wild Is The Wind’. Bowie is so moved by the rehearsal performance that he decides to make it the opening song for the Glastonbury set, replacing the originally planned ‘Station To Station’.
📅 2000-05-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ SIR Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Rehearsals focus on a ‘Greatest Hits’ set for Glastonbury, contrasted with the 1960s rarities for the Roseland Ballroom shows. Bowie chooses to wear his hair long, a visual nod to his 1971 Glastonbury Fayre appearance.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ SIR Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Rehearsals focus on a ‘Greatest Hits’ set for Glastonbury, contrasted with the 1960s rarities for the Roseland Ballroom shows. Bowie chooses to wear his hair long, a visual nod to his 1971 Glastonbury Fayre appearance.
📅 2000-05-24
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie records a promotional video message for the launch of the BowieNet version 2.0, further integrating his online community with his upcoming live activities.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie records a promotional video message for the launch of the BowieNet version 2.0, further integrating his online community with his upcoming live activities.
North America
📅 2000-06-07
🗒️ Notes: Publication of the ‘Glastonbury 2000 Diary’. In these entries, the upcoming festival return and the new band line-up featuring the return of Earl Slick are documented.
🗒️ Notes: Publication of the ‘Glastonbury 2000 Diary’. In these entries, the upcoming festival return and the new band line-up featuring the return of Earl Slick are documented.
📅 2000-06-16
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Roseland Ballroom
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: The first live performance of the year. This intimate show serves as a warm-up for Glastonbury. The setlist features the live debut of 1960s tracks ‘I Dig Everything’ and ‘The London Boys’.
📜 Setlist highlights: Wild Is The Wind, The London Boys, I Dig Everything, Seven, Stay.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Roseland Ballroom
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: The first live performance of the year. This intimate show serves as a warm-up for Glastonbury. The setlist features the live debut of 1960s tracks ‘I Dig Everything’ and ‘The London Boys’.
📜 Setlist highlights: Wild Is The Wind, The London Boys, I Dig Everything, Seven, Stay.
📅 2000-06-17
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Roseland Ballroom
🗒️ Notes: This second scheduled performance is cancelled. A diagnosis of acute laryngitis and bronchitis forces an immediate period of vocal rest to save the upcoming UK dates.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Roseland Ballroom
🗒️ Notes: This second scheduled performance is cancelled. A diagnosis of acute laryngitis and bronchitis forces an immediate period of vocal rest to save the upcoming UK dates.
📅 2000-06-19
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Roseland Ballroom
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: A special concert for the online community. The show is audio-streamed live on the internet. Special guest Thomas Dolby joins on keyboards for ‘”Heroes”‘.
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📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Roseland Ballroom
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: A special concert for the online community. The show is audio-streamed live on the internet. Special guest Thomas Dolby joins on keyboards for ‘”Heroes”‘.
Europe
📅 2000-06-25
📍 Glastonbury, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Worthy Farm – Pyramid Stage
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: A historic headline performance at the Glastonbury Festival. Bowie returns to the event for the first time since 1971, wearing a custom Alexander McQueen frock coat. The set is broadcast partially on television.
📜 Setlist highlights: Wild Is The Wind, Life On Mars?, Changes, Ashes To Ashes, Station To Station, “Heroes”.
📍 Glastonbury, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Worthy Farm – Pyramid Stage
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: A historic headline performance at the Glastonbury Festival. Bowie returns to the event for the first time since 1971, wearing a custom Alexander McQueen frock coat. The set is broadcast partially on television.
📜 Setlist highlights: Wild Is The Wind, Life On Mars?, Changes, Ashes To Ashes, Station To Station, “Heroes”.
📅 2000-06-27
📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ BBC Radio Theatre
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: An intimate performance recorded for a special radio and television broadcast. Bowie struggles with his voice due to ongoing laryngitis, leading to a restart of ‘Ziggy Stardust’ after forgetting the lyrics.
📜 Setlist includes: Absolute Beginners, Always Crashing In The Same Car, Cracked Actor, Starman.
📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ BBC Radio Theatre
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: An intimate performance recorded for a special radio and television broadcast. Bowie struggles with his voice due to ongoing laryngitis, leading to a restart of ‘Ziggy Stardust’ after forgetting the lyrics.
📜 Setlist includes: Absolute Beginners, Always Crashing In The Same Car, Cracked Actor, Starman.
The Toy Sessions
📅 2000-07-01
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Following the Glastonbury success, Bowie and his touring band (Slick, Plati, Dorsey, Campbell, Garson) begin intensive recording sessions for the ‘Toy’ album. The goal is to capture the live energy of the rehearsals in a studio setting.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Following the Glastonbury success, Bowie and his touring band (Slick, Plati, Dorsey, Campbell, Garson) begin intensive recording sessions for the ‘Toy’ album. The goal is to capture the live energy of the rehearsals in a studio setting.
📅 2000-07-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Recording of ‘Shadow Man’ and ‘Conversation Piece’. Bowie decides to revisit these 1960s outtakes with a more mature, soulful vocal delivery, contrasting the original 1968/1970 demo versions.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Recording of ‘Shadow Man’ and ‘Conversation Piece’. Bowie decides to revisit these 1960s outtakes with a more mature, soulful vocal delivery, contrasting the original 1968/1970 demo versions.
📅 2000-08-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: During the ‘Toy’ sessions, Bowie records a new version of ‘Uncle Arthur’. He instructs the band to avoid the whimsical feel of the 1967 original, aiming instead for a more cynical, modern interpretation that reflects his current perspective on his early writing.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: During the ‘Toy’ sessions, Bowie records a new version of ‘Uncle Arthur’. He instructs the band to avoid the whimsical feel of the 1967 original, aiming instead for a more cynical, modern interpretation that reflects his current perspective on his early writing.
📅 2000-08-20
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Final tracking for the ‘Toy’ album is completed. Over 14 tracks are recorded, including ‘Baby Loves That Way’ and ‘You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving’. Bowie expresses extreme satisfaction with the speed and organic feel of the sessions.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Final tracking for the ‘Toy’ album is completed. Over 14 tracks are recorded, including ‘Baby Loves That Way’ and ‘You’ve Got A Habit Of Leaving’. Bowie expresses extreme satisfaction with the speed and organic feel of the sessions.
Releases & Digital Expansion
📅 2000-09-10
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie conducts a series of private photo sessions with Frank Ockenfels 3. The imagery, intended for the ‘Toy’ album cover, features Bowie’s face digitally superimposed onto a toddler’s body, a surreal visual concept that would later become a point of contention with the label.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie conducts a series of private photo sessions with Frank Ockenfels 3. The imagery, intended for the ‘Toy’ album cover, features Bowie’s face digitally superimposed onto a toddler’s body, a surreal visual concept that would later become a point of contention with the label.
📅 2000-09-25
📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Various Locations
🗒️ Notes: Official release of the 3-CD set ‘Bowie at the Beeb’. This compilation of BBC sessions from 1967-1972 serves as the primary promotion for the year, reaching the Top 10 in the UK charts.
📍 London, 🇬🇧 UK
🏛️ Various Locations
🗒️ Notes: Official release of the 3-CD set ‘Bowie at the Beeb’. This compilation of BBC sessions from 1967-1972 serves as the primary promotion for the year, reaching the Top 10 in the UK charts.
📅 2000-10-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Mixing sessions for ‘Toy’ begin with Mark Plati. However, early signs of tension with the record label (Virgin/EMI) emerge as they express concerns about the commercial viability of an album consisting of re-recorded 1960s material.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Mixing sessions for ‘Toy’ begin with Mark Plati. However, early signs of tension with the record label (Virgin/EMI) emerge as they express concerns about the commercial viability of an album consisting of re-recorded 1960s material.
📅 2000-10-20
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: The song ‘Afraid’ is demoed. While it fits the ‘Toy’ aesthetic of high-energy rock, Bowie realizes the track has a darker emotional weight, leading him to consider it for a future, more serious project rather than the nostalgic ‘Toy’ collection.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: The song ‘Afraid’ is demoed. While it fits the ‘Toy’ aesthetic of high-energy rock, Bowie realizes the track has a darker emotional weight, leading him to consider it for a future, more serious project rather than the nostalgic ‘Toy’ collection.
📅 2000-11-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie participates in a high-profile webchat on BowieNet to promote the ‘Bowie at the Beeb’ release. He reveals for the first time that he has over 20 tracks nearly finished for a new studio album, though he remains silent about the growing label conflicts.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie participates in a high-profile webchat on BowieNet to promote the ‘Bowie at the Beeb’ release. He reveals for the first time that he has over 20 tracks nearly finished for a new studio album, though he remains silent about the growing label conflicts.
📅 2000-11-20
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie launches the ‘BowieNet v2.0’ upgrade. He remains deeply involved in the digital community, hosting private chats where he discusses the ‘Toy’ sessions and hints at a possible tour in 2001.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie launches the ‘BowieNet v2.0’ upgrade. He remains deeply involved in the digital community, hosting private chats where he discusses the ‘Toy’ sessions and hints at a possible tour in 2001.
📅 2000-12-05
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Frustrated by the label’s delays regarding ‘Toy’, Bowie begins writing new, darker material. These sessions mark the very first conceptual steps towards what would eventually become the ‘Heathen’ album.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Looking Glass Studios
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Frustrated by the label’s delays regarding ‘Toy’, Bowie begins writing new, darker material. These sessions mark the very first conceptual steps towards what would eventually become the ‘Heathen’ album.
📅 2000-12-15
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie ends the year by finalized the ‘Bowie Bonds’ transition and focusing on family life following the birth of his daughter Alexandria earlier in the year.
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Bowie ends the year by finalized the ‘Bowie Bonds’ transition and focusing on family life following the birth of his daughter Alexandria earlier in the year.
📅 2000-12-20
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Final review of the ‘Toy’ master tapes. Despite the completed work, Bowie is privately informed that the release is being ‘shelved’ indefinitely by the label. This pivotal moment directly triggers his decision to leave the major label system and eventually form his own ISO (Independent Service Organization).
📍 New York City, 🇺🇸 USA
🏛️ Various Locations
🎤 Artist: David Bowie
🗒️ Notes: Final review of the ‘Toy’ master tapes. Despite the completed work, Bowie is privately informed that the release is being ‘shelved’ indefinitely by the label. This pivotal moment directly triggers his decision to leave the major label system and eventually form his own ISO (Independent Service Organization).