Live: City Hall, Newcastle

David Bowie performed at Newcastle’s City Hall on 16 June 1978, as part of the Isolar II Tour.

He performed three consecutive nights at the venue on 14, 15, and 16 June.

This was the 55th 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.

The last night I noticed that Reginald Dixon, the famous cinema organist, was soon to play his farewell concert at the City Hall. I pointed this out to David and at the end of our first half he announced ‘Now we’ll take a short break and Reginald Dixon will entertain you at the organ!’

Bowie had first visited the City Hall with the Manish Boys on 5 December 1964. The Ziggy Stardust Tour called at City Hall on 2 June 1972 and 7 January, 8 June, and 30 June 1973. Bowie also performed there with Iggy Pop on 2 March 1977.

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’
• ‘Rebel Rebel’
• ‘Stay’