Windsor Star - 24 June 1974
Bowie's top showman at Cobo concert, but.. English glitter-rock star David Bowie's Sunday night show at Cobo Hall was his most theatrically ambitious Detroit concert so far but the least satisfying musically. Backed by a raucous and unimaginative new band, Bowie churned out many songs from his most popular albums and a couple from his new one, Diamond Dogs, but his mind appeared to be more on showmanship than singing and his vocal performance lacked the depth and clarity he's displayed in the past. Some of the visual tricks were great fun, though, especially a new production number for Space Oddity in which Bowie was lowered from high above the stage on the extended arm of a crane so that he dangled over the audience with flashing lights successfully creating the illusion of outer space. Earlier, singing Changes, he started again high above the stage on what appeared to be a balcony but turned out to be an elevator which lowered him amid more flashing lights to band level. And toward the end of the long show a many-sided box of mirrors edged on stage with Bowie first sitting on top singing and then, in the next number, the mirrored walls opened to reveal a luminous blue electric-candle-lit womb with Bowie nestled inside. The capacity crowd loved all of this and didn't seem to mind Bowie's attention straying from his music. He appeared particularly lost without guitarist Mick Ronson, whose shimmering guitar is something to behold, who is not with him on this tour.	Bowie was further hampered by two back-up vocalists who displayed no noticeable talent for singing and even less for the art of mime which they earnestly tried to practice behind the singer. Bowie would appear to be to blame for that. He had several pieces involving the two including a silly bit with what I took to be dogleashes for Diamond Dogs and an even sillier routine with Bowie wearing pink boxing gloves and being attended by a white-suited second for Panic In Detroit. For a change, Bowie didn't pull any spectacular costume switches, perhaps deciding to leave that to the audience. And there was the usual Bowie crowd - all satin pants, chopped-up hair and fey gestures. Ice cream vendors did a steady trade during the show catering to throats parched not only from screaming. I believe Bowie's best Detroit performance was his first, some 18-months ago, at the Fisher Theater, when his visual trickery and marvelous musical ability was in perfect harmony. The second appearance at the Masonic Temple was more reminiscent of a Judy Garland show than a rock show, with Bowie in hot-pants campily dangling his legs off he stage but the music was good. The man always gives you your money's worth in terms of entertainment but I think perhaps he needs his musical batteries recharged. RAY BENNETT
back to newspapers		index