Live: Congress Center, Hamburg

David Bowie played at Hamburg’s Congress Center on 15 May 1978, as part of the Isolar II Tour.

It was the 33rd 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.

It was a strange show. A few bouncers stood politely at each side in front of the stage and 3,000 smart people sat quietly in their seats – there were no barriers. David, I’m sure, was disconcerted and I think we were all a little nervous. But the people clapped, cheered – and sat tight in their seats…

Sometime in the second half, the excitement was obviously too much for one young man in the front row. As David finished ‘Ziggy Stardust’, he stood up, walked forward to the stage and held up his hand. David shook it and the young man returned to his seat. Wham, bam, thank you, man!

Bowie had previously performed at the Congress Center on 11 and 12 April 1976, for the Isolar Tour.

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’
• ‘Stay’
• ‘TVC 15’
• ‘Rebel Rebel’