David Bowie 1976 Isolar 1 Tour

David Bowie Isolar – 1976 Tour was a concert tour in support of the album Station To Station. It opened on 2 February 1976 at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, British Columbia, and continued through North America and Europe, concluding at the Pavillon de Paris in Paris, France, on 18 May 1976. The tour is commonly referred to as Thin White Duke Tour,The Station to Station Tour, and The White Light Tour.

Bowie performs at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, 26 February 1976.

The performances began with a projected sequence of surrealist images, depicting a razor blade cutting into an eyeball, from the 1928 film Un Chien Andalou, by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí. The visual element of the performances incorporated banks of fluorescent white light set against black backdrops creating a stark spectacle on a stage largely devoid of props or other visual distractions.

The Public Auditorium, Cleveland, Ohio performance on 28 February 1976 was recorded by a concert-goer and released as the bootleg entitled “NeoExpressionism” on the TSP (The Swinging Pig) label. It would be digitally re-mastered in 2007 and the entire set released on 2 CD’s. The only song not done at this performance is “Sister Midnight.”

The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, performance on 23 March 1976 was recorded by RCA Records with extracts broadcast by The King Biscuit Radio Network. Two songs from the performance were later included on the 1991 Rykodisc re-issue of the Station to Station album. The entire Nassau performance is available on the 2010 deluxe edition of Station to Station.

 

Tour band

In March 1976, the band became known as Raw Moon.

David Bowie – vocals, saxophone

Stacey Heydon – lead guitar

Carlos Alomar – rhythm guitar

George Murray – bass guitar

Dennis Davis – drums

Tony Kaye – keyboards, synthesizers

Songs performed were (Total 17 songs):
Changes / Diamond Dogs / Fame / Five Years / It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll (Rolling Stones song) / Life On Mars? / Panic In Detroit / Queen Bitch / Rebel Rebel / Sister Midnight (Iggy Pop song) / Station To Station / Stay / Suffragette City / The Jean Genie / TVC 15 / Waiting For The Man (The Velvet Underground and Nico song) / Word On A Wing

 

 

North American Leg of the Tour
1976/02

2nd   Vancouver, Pacific National Exhibition Coliseum – Canada Canada
3rd   Seattle, Seattle Centre Coliseum – USA USA
4th   Portland, Memorial Coliseum – USA USA
6th   Daly City, Cow Palace – USA USA
8th   Los Angeles, The Forum – USA USA
9th   Los Angeles, The Forum – USA USA
11th Los Angeles, The Forum – USA USA
13th San Diego, San Diego Sports Arena – USA USA
15th Phoenix, Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum – USA USA
16th Alberqurqe, Alberqurqe Civic Auditorium – USA USA
17th Denver, McNichols Sports Arena – USA USA
20th Milwaukee, Milwaukee Arena – USA USA
21st Kalamazoo, Wings Arena – USA USA
22nd Evansville, Roberts Municipal Stadium – USA USA
23rd Cincinnati, Riverfront Coliseum – USA USA
25th Montreal, Montreal Forum – Canada Canada
26th Toronto, Maple Leaf Gardens – Canada Canada
27th Cleveland, Public Auditorium – USA USA
28th Cleveland, Public Auditorium – USA USA
29th Detroit, Cobo Arena – USA USA

1976/03
1st   Detroit, Cobo Arena – USA USA
3rd   Chicago, International Amphitheatre – USA USA
5th   St Louis, Henry W Kiel Opera Auditorium – USA USA
6th   Memphis, Mid-South Coliseum – USA USA
7th   Nashville, Municipal Auditorium – USA USA
8th   Atlanta, Omni Coliseum – USA USA
9th   Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum – USA USA
11th Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Civic Arena – USA USA
12th Norfolk, Scope Cultural and Convention Centre – USA USA
13th Landover, Capital Centre – USA USA
14th Landovern, Capital Centre – USA USA
15th Philadelphia, Spectrum Arena – USA USA
16th Philadelphia, Spectrum Arena – USA USA
17th Boston, New Boston Garden Arena – USA USA
19th Buffalo, Buffalo Memorial Auditorium – USA USA
20th Rochester, Rochester Community War Memorial – USA USA
21st Springfield, Springfield Civic Centre – USA USA
22nd New Haven, New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum – USA USA
23rd Uniondale, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum *FM broadcast – USA USA
26th New York, Madison Square Garden – USA USA

European Leg of the Tour
1976/04

7th   Munich, Olympiahalle – Germany Germany
8th   Duesseldorf, Philipshalle – Germany Germany
10th Berlin, Deutschlandhalle – Germany Germany
11th Hamburg, Kongress Zentrum Halle – Germany Germany
12th Hamburg, Kongress Zentrum Halle – Germany Germany
13th Frankfurt, Festhalle – Germany Germany
14th Ludwigshafen, Friedrich-Eberthalle – Switzerland Switzerland
16th Frankfurt, Night Club – Germany Germany
17th Berne, Festhalle (Cancelled due to re-scheduled) – Switzerland Switzerland
17th Zurich, Hallenstadion – Switzerland Switzerland
24th Helsinki, Nya Masshallen – Finland Finland
26th Stockholm, Kungliga Tennishallen – Sweden Sweden
27th Oslo, Ekebergshallen (Cancelled due to re-scheduled) – Norway Norway
27th Stockholm, Kungliga Tennishallen – Sweden Sweden
28th Gothenburg, Scandinavium – Sweden Sweden
29th Copenhagen, Falkoner Teatret – Denmark Denmark
30th Copenhagen, Falkoner Teatret – Denmark Denmark

1976/05
3th   London, Wembley Empire Pool – UK UK
4th   London, Wembley Empire Pool – UK UK
5th   London, Wembley Empire Pool – UK UK
6th   London, Wembley Empire Pool – UK UK
7th   London, Wembley Empire Pool – UK UK
8th   London, Wembley Empire Pool – UK UK
11th Brussels, Vorst Forest Nationaal – Belgium Belgium
13th Rotterdam, Sportpaleis Ahoy – Holland Holland
14th Rotterdam, Sportpaleis Ahoy – Holland Holland
17th Paris, Pavillon de Paris – France France
18th Paris, Pavillon de Paris – France France
19th Paris, Pavillon de Paris (Cancelled) – France France

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14 thoughts on “”

  1. I was at one of the Philly shows. Had just turned 16. Saw him many times since but this was my favorite. He tripped slightly entering stage left to Station to Station. He actually was human but barely seemed so. Fabulous. Miss him.

  2. I saw the show in Philadelphia. I was 15 and was enraptured the entire time. Every song was an experience. I’ve been a Bowie since first hearing Changes in 1972, and here I am over 50 years later, still in awe of the man and his music. Forever my favorite.

  3. A ’76 Bowie concert would probably be in my top 3 places to time travel to! In contrary to the other commenters here, who’ve seen the tour and “miss the old days”, I only got into Bowie since last year and will never see my new idol. I like to think Bowie’s music asks for some maturity/sophistication on the listener’s side which I unfortunately did not reach in time, being born in 2000. The people who were there should cherish those moments and celebrate the fact that they lived through a period in music that was real and analogue! It’s gonna be Nassau on repeat for me.

  4. I saw the show in Kalamazoo, MI., a month before the excellent Nassau recording. I remember Bowie showed up late. That’s about all I remember.

  5. Saw the opening nite of tour in Vancouver….it was the best Bowie show I’ve seen
    The ultimate in class such a wonderful performer… will never forget that nite …..
    He was the best never to be repeated … music today doesn’t come close … miss those days

  6. I believe I saw this show at a venue outside of Birmingham, England, although this isn’t listed on the tour schedule. Am I right?

  7. I saw the Daly City (SF) show Feb 6th at The Cow Palace. I loved the lighting. Ranging from Chiffon Curtains to geometric cones and squares throught the night.

  8. Saw the show 13 March at the Capital Centre in Landover, MD. Had 2nd row seats! The intro eyeball film was unforgettable. Best concert ever for me!

  9. Saw Bowie in Evansville, Indiana on this tour. He was awesome as always. I liked the Kraftwerk album they were playing in the auditorium before he came on that night. The video of the eye being cut open was something different to view before a concert. It was a cold night down in Evansville. My two brothers and I made the trip from Indianapolis to see this show. Well worth it!

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