That much-maligned period of David Bowie’s, the 1980s, seemed to be getting a bit of a revival of sorts 20 years on — beginning with the release of The Best Of 1980-1987 and then this long-out-of-print video getting the DVD treatment. That period just wasn’t kind to him and yet, strangely, Bowie set out on one of his most ambitious tours ever in support of Never Let Me Down. It played out like a rock opera on stage, complete with a 60-foot spider that Bowie rides in on. Almost universally trashed at the time, the show was re-released in an era when Bowie is decidedly smarter about his projects — and time has been kind to this thing, for I’ve seen more positive comments about this set and tour than ever before, when it was basically the butt of jokes about Bowie. Be aware that there is a “deluxe edition” of this set that includes a two-disc live album along with the DVD, and the nice thing is that the CDs are from different nights of the tour. So you actually do get something unique with that package. Whether you like the music that much, however, is another matter.
‘Half Notes’ are quick-take thoughts on music from Something Else! Reviews, presented whenever the mood strikes us.
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