David Bowie performed at the Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands, on 9 June 1978, as part of the Isolar II Tour.
It was the 50th 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. Bowie and the band stayed in Amsterdam and were driven to the Rotterdam shows.
The gig was large and the crowd lively after the sedate gig in Scandinavia. It seemed a pity to be driving away from them after the show but Amsterdam was waiting.
Life On Tour With Bowie
This was the last of three consecutive nights at the venue. Bowie had previously performed there on 13 and 14 May 1976 during the Isolar Tour.
He returned to the Ahoy Rotterdam on 30 March 1990 for the Sound+Vision Tour; 16 July 1996 for the Outside Tour; and 15 October 2003 for A Reality 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’
Also on this day...
- 2000: Glastonbury 2000 diary – part seven
- 1990: Live: Sandstone Amphitheater, Bonner Springs
- 1987: Live: Stadio Comunale, Florence
- 1983: Live: Hippodrome D’Auteuil, Paris
- 1974: Rehearsal: Capitol Theatre, New York
- 1973: Live: Guild Hall, Preston
- 1972: Travel: London to New York
- 1971: Television: Top Of The Pops
Want more? Visit the David Bowie history section.