Heathen Tour

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Lore & Background

On 11 February 2002, it was announced that Bowie had accepted the role of Artistic Director at the Meltdown Festival, an annual music and arts event held at the South Bank complex in London, England. David Bowie's Meltdown 2002 ran from 14 to 30 June, with a schedule of concerts and events including performances by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Coldplay, The Waterboys and a London Sinfonietta performance of Philip Glass's Low and Heroes symphonies. The closing night was billed as The New Heathens Night with Bowie headlining the event with support by The Dandy Warhols followed by a DJ set from Jonathan Ross. The Heathen Tour proper began at the Meltdown Festival with Bowie embarking on a series of European performances including a link-up with Moby for the 12-date North America Area:2 Festivals with a return to Europe for a further six performances. Before returning again to North America to perform a final seven shows with the first five in each of New York City's five boroughs, dubbed The New York Marathon Tour by Bowie, who joked "I could get home from all the gigs on roller skates".

In Their Own Story

The following set list was obtained from the concert held on 11 October 2002 at The Music Hall at Snug Harbour in New York City. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour. The tour band included David Bowie – vocals, guitar, saxophone, harmonica, stylophone; Earl Slick – guitar; Gerry Leonard – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals; Mark Plati – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals; Gail Ann Dorsey – bass guitar, guitar, tambourine (on "Heathen (The Rays)"), backing vocals; Sterling Campbell – drums, percussion; Mike Garson – keyboards; Catherine Russell – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals.

Reader's Guide

The Heathen Tour proper began at the Meltdown Festival with Bowie embarking on a series of European performances including a link-up with Moby for the 12-date North America Area:2 Festivals with a return to Europe for a further six performances. Before returning again to North America to perform a final seven shows with the first five in each of New York City's five boroughs, dubbed The New York Marathon Tour by Bowie, who joked "I could get home from all the gigs on roller skates". The tour band featured David Bowie on vocals, guitar, saxophone, harmonica, and stylophone; Earl Slick and Gerry Leonard on guitars; Mark Plati on guitar, bass, and keyboards; Gail Ann Dorsey on bass and guitar; Sterling Campbell on drums; Mike Garson on keyboards; and Catherine Russell on keyboards and percussion. The setlist from 11 October 2002 at The Music Hall at Snug Harbour in New York City is documented but does not represent all concerts.

Did You Know?

• The Low album, not previously performed live in its entirety, was premiered on 11 June 2002 at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City, together with all the songs from the Heathen album.
• Bowie accepted the role of Artistic Director at the Meltdown Festival, announced on 11 February 2002.
• The closing night of David Bowie's Meltdown 2002 was billed as The New Heathens Night, with Bowie headlining and support by The Dandy Warhols followed by a DJ set from Jonathan Ross.
• The final seven shows of the tour included the first five in each of New York City's five boroughs, dubbed The New York Marathon Tour by Bowie, who joked 'I could get home from all the gigs on roller skates'.
• The tour band included Catherine Russell on keyboards, percussion, and backing vocals.