Philadelphia Bulletin - 26 November 1974
BOWIE'S SOUL WORKS BUT HIS VOICE IS OFF DAVID BOWIE AND THE GARSON BAND. Soul-rock revue. At the Spectrum. Repeat performance Nov.25. IN THE RELATIVELY BRIEF SPACE of three years, David Bowie has earned a remarkable reputation as one of Rock's transcendant figures. His incarnations have been varied and sudden - last night as headliner of a self-styled "soul revue" before a nearly-full Spectrum - while each in its own way has set a new standard for rock showmanship and, not incidentally, rock music. When he burst nova-bright upon the pop scene in 1972, the 27-year old Briton hid behind the glittering, androgynous costume and make-up of his song-creation, Ziggy Stardust. As misinterpreted as he was outrageous, Bowie-Ziggy soon found himself the mama-papa of - take your pick - "glitter," "gay" or "drag" rock; indeed, his sensual, severe vocals - brittle, consummately phrased, and edged in a certain teary anguish - did little to allay the image. Nor did his looks: spikey, avant-fashion, orange-dyed hair: pancake, eyeshadow, lipstick, occasional earrings: the cheekbone elegance and down-tugged jawline of a rejuvenated Katherine Hepburn. Yet Bowie's astonishing stage presence and superb role-play - shimmering feminine to masculine in blinks of the eye - asserted something uniquely erogenous rather than merely bisexual.	NOW - after his summer incarnation, having set another standard, this time for theatrical rock, with an immense, choreographed, prop-laden extravaganza - Bowie leads a revue which reflects his evolving interest in Black and Latin pop forms. The show, featuring a revamped crew of musicians led by pianist Mike Garson and five soulful back-up vocalists, is yet another departure for Bowie, marking his transition from Role Player to Pure Entertainer. In general, it works, and last night's audience seemed won over by the fast-paced opening segment, which features the five vocalists (in various combinations) warming up with an affecting program of some new Bowie songs - thoroughly funky vehicles - as well as a powerful version of the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and Jeffrey MacCormack's fine solo handling of Bruce Springsteen's "Growin' Up." Unfortunately, Bowie's voice has not been able to withstand so much recent touring, and his edge was considerably blunted by raw, uneven and generally strained singing. His new songs - recorded during an August stopover at 12^th Street's Sigma Sound Studios - are somewhat suited to this bluesy rawness since they are in the "soul" vein, but the older material - "Changes," "Rock N' Roll With Me," "Moonage Daydream" - suffered greatly in comparison with past performances. MATT DAMSKER
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