David Bowie performed at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome, Italy, on 16 June 1987, as part of the Glass Spider Tour.
It was the tenth date of the tour, which began on 30 May in Rotterdam.
This was also the second of two consecutive nights at the stadium. Both nights saw rioting from fans who were unable to buy tickets. On this night tear gas was used as 50 people were arrested and 15 police officers were injured.
Following this show, a bomb scare meant Bowie’s aeroplane had to return to the airport. Upon its arrival it transpired that the local police chief had used it as a ruse to get Bowie’s autograph. Afterwards the singer said: “I was not so much annoyed as stunned – that could only happen in Italy!”
Bowie’s guitarists were Carlos Alomar and Peter Frampton. Erdal Kızılçay played keyboards, trumpet, congas, and violin, and Richard Cottle was on keyboards, saxophone, and tambourine. Carmine Rojas played bass guitar and Alan Childs was on drums and percussion.
The setlist
- ‘Up The Hill Backwards’
- ‘Glass Spider’
- ‘Up The Hill Backwards’ (Reprise)
- ‘Day-In Day-Out’
- ‘Bang Bang’
- ‘Absolute Beginners’
- ‘Loving The Alien’
- ‘China Girl’
- ‘Fashion’
- ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’
- ‘All The Madmen’
- ‘Never Let Me Down’
- ‘Big Brother’
- ‘Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family’
- ‘’87 And Cry’
- “Heroes”
- ‘Time Will Crawl’
- ‘Beat Of Your Drum’
- ‘Sons Of The Silent Age’
- ‘Dancing With The Big Boys’
- ‘Zeroes’
- ‘Let’s Dance’
- ‘Fame’
- ‘Blue Jean’
- ‘Modern Love’
