Live: Cobo Hall, Detroit

David Bowie performed at Detroit’s Cobo Hall on 23 June 1974.

It was the eighth date of the Diamond Dogs Tour, which had kicked off in Montreal on 14 June.

The set-up had gone beautifully and everything would be in perfect working order. The lights were wonderful. Bowie’s voice was in fine form. I have rarely seen a rock show so effective as that night. Everything went exactly as planned and the fans showed their appreciation wildly.

The musical director was Michael Kamen, who also played electric piano, Moog synthesizer, and oboe. Earl Slick played guitar, and Mike Garson was on piano and Mellotron. The bass guitarist was Herbie Flowers, and the drummer was Tony Newman.

The backing singers were Geoff MacCormack (billed as Warren Peace) and Gui Andrisano. The line-up was completed by David Sanborn and Richard Grando on saxophone and flute, and percussionist Pablo Rosario.

Bowie returned to Cobo Hall on 20 and 21 April 1978 during the Isolar II Tour.

The setlist

• ‘1984’
• ‘Rebel Rebel’
• ‘Moonage Daydream’
• ‘Sweet Thing’
• ‘Candidate’
• ‘Sweet Thing (Reprise)’
• ‘Changes’
• ‘Suffragette City’
• ‘Aladdin Sane’
• ‘All The Young Dudes’
• ‘Cracked Actor’
• ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll With Me’
• ‘Watch That Man’
• ‘Space Oddity’
• ‘Future Legend’
• ‘Diamond Dogs’
• ‘Panic In Detroit’
• ‘Big Brother’
• ‘Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family’
• ‘Time’
• ‘The Width Of A Circle’
• ‘The Jean Genie’
• ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Suicide’