Ottawa Journal - June 1974
Bowie left ‘em hangin’ Britain’s symbol of glamor rock, David Bowie, gave a show that ranged from being excitingly spectacular to flatly uninspired when he played here the first time, at the Civic Centre on Saturday. As an entertainer, he staged a gleamingly polished performance, thrilling the audience with a combination of futuristic stage acts, mime and dancing. Fans rushed the stage and seemed ecstatic when he accepted a bouquet from an appreciative girl. But musically, he often left much to be desired, suffering from appalling acoustics which at times made his vocals inaudible, and sometimes failing to gear the sequence and choice of material to the greatest advantage. It was clear that Bowie had already paved a dedication in some quarters. A hard core of his fans sported the same cropped hair. Their faces were garishly made up like glittering masks. They looked like invaders from a science fiction film. From the moment Bowie entered among swirling purple searchlights, he delivered a non-stop show without even a pause for applause, belting straight from 1984 into his most recent Rebel Rebel.	Among the highlights were Aladdin Sane, a superb version of Changes, when he sauntered tart-like, in a massive trench coat, and musically accomplished touches such as All The Young Dudes, and Space Oddity. This number was spectacularly enacted, the singer floating from a rocket, in a brilliant blue glow, above the audience. After Space Oddity, he became more blatantly camp, miming a solo boxing fight in a roped ring, switching to a flying Swan ballet and turning West Side Story gay in his street gang theatrical of Gene Genie. But often the concert seemed to fall flat after such high points. The previous excitement dropped in the tedious drama of Rock and Roll Suicide, although fans rushed forward eagerly as he kneeled to touch their hands during the number. The show was rife with false endings and when the close actually came nobody realized it. The audience gave him a standing ovation – well deserved for his professionalism and artistry – but became aggressive when it was announced the star had left and they realized there was to be no encore.
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