Tour by Tin Machine | |||||||
Associated album | Tin Machine II | ||||||
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Start date | 5 October 1991 | ||||||
End date | 17 February 1992 | ||||||
Legs | 3 | ||||||
No. of shows | 69 | ||||||
Tin Machine concert chronology | |||||||
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The It's My Life Tour was a concert tour by the Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine. The tour commenced on 5 October 1991 after two warm-up shows, one press show and three trade-industry shows, visiting twelve countries and concluding after seven months and sixty-nine performances, a larger outing than their first tour in 1989.
The band rehearsed and warmed up for the tour in Dublin in August 1991. [1] Joined onstage by guitarist Eric Schermerhorn, [2] Tin Machine presented songs from the Tin Machine album and the Tin Machine II album, augmented with cover versions of songs from the Pixies, Neil Young and The Moody Blues. [3]
To start the show at some venues, an old TV was placed on stage, playing old sitcoms while the prelude to Wagner's Tristan and Isolde played over loudspeakers. [2]
The band purposefully booked intimate venues of a few thousand seats or less so that they could focus on the music without any theatrical trappings, a stark change from lead vocalist David Bowie's previous Glass Spider and Sound+Vision tours; [4] Bowie also wanted to avoid playing larger venues and arenas lest his fans show up "hoping I'd be doing old songs or something. We don't want that feeling at all." [5]
Bowie claimed that the setlist for the tour was made on the fly each night, saying "We have no setlist whatsoever. We have a complete list of all our songs on the floor of the stage and we yell it out as we feel it. If you catch us on a bad night, it can be one of the most disastrous shows you've ever seen. But on a good night – and fortunately with this band most nights have been good nights – it really happens". [6]
The review of the performance at the trade show at Slim's in San Francisco was not kind: "It's hard to imagine people walking out on a David Bowie show at Slim's, but all you had to do was look around the room Thursday at the end of the appearance by Tin Machine. (...) Bowie and his associates gave a more than hour-long display of his latest incarnation, and the music turned out to be nearly unlistenable." [7]
The show in Seattle was met with positive reviews: "Let it first be said that on every level, Tin Machine is an outstanding band. (...) [they] may well represent the next evolutionary step in rock and roll – or just another blind alley. In any event, it is powerful stuff." [2] During the show, Bowie played alto and baritone sax and electric, acoustic and 12-string guitar. [2]
The Los Angeles Times had a positive review of the first New York show, complimenting the band on their desire to tinker with songs' arrangements and appreciating Bowie's "theatrical gift" for performing. [8]
Their performance on 1 September 1991 at the Los Angeles airport was taped for broadcast in America as part of the ABC In Concert series, and was aired on 6 September 1991. [9]
Tin Machine were the musical guest on Saturday Night Live's 17th season on 23 November 1991. [9]
The show in Hamburg on 24 October, 1991, at Docks, was filmed and later released on the video, Oy Vey, Baby: Tin Machine Live at the Docks , with the song "Baby Can Dance" from the same performance appearing on the compilation album Best of Grunge Rock.
Songs from the concerts in Boston, New York City, Sapporo and Tokyo were recorded and released on the live album Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby (1992).
The following set list was obtained from the concert held on 30 October, 1991, at Le Zénith Paris in Paris. It does not represent all concerts for the duration of the tour.
Date | City | Country | Venue |
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Tour rehearsals | |||
10 August 1991 | Dublin | Ireland | Factory Studios |
11 August 1991 | |||
12 August 1991 | |||
13 August 1991 | |||
14 August 1991 | |||
15 August 1991 | |||
Warm up shows | |||
16 August 1991 | Dublin | Ireland | The Baggot Inn |
19 August 1991 | The Waterfront | ||
Press show | |||
1 September 1991 | Los Angeles | United States | Rockit Cargo @ LAX Airport |
Trade shows | |||
7 September 1991 | Minneapolis | United States | Marriott |
10 September 1991 | Los Angeles | ||
12 September 1991 | San Francisco | Slim's | |
Europe | |||
5 October 1991 | Milan | Italy | Teatro Smeraldo |
6 October 1991 | |||
8 October 1991 | Florence | Palazzetto Dello Sport | |
9 October 1991 | Rome | Teatro Brancaccio | |
10 October 1991 | |||
12 October 1991 | Munich | Germany | Circus Krone |
14 October 1991 | Offenbach | Stadthalle | |
15 October 1991 | Ludwigsburg | Forum | |
17 October 1991 | Berlin | Neue Welt | |
19 October 1991 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Falkoner Teatret |
21 October 1991 | Stockholm | Sweden | Circus |
22 October 1991 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Konserthus |
24 October 1991 | Hamburg | Germany | Docks |
25 October 1991 | Hanover | Music Hall | |
26 October 1991 | Cologne | E-Werk | |
28 October 1991 | Utrecht | Netherlands | Muziekcentrum Vredenburg |
29 October 1991 | Paris | France | Olympia |
30 October 1991 | Le Zénith | ||
31 October 1991 | Brussels | Belgium | Ancienne Belgique |
2 November 1991 | Wolverhampton | England | Civic Hall |
3 November 1991 | Manchester | International 2 | |
5 November 1991 | Newcastle upon Tyne | Mayfair | |
6 November 1991 | Liverpool | Royal Court | |
7 November 1991 | Glasgow | Scotland | Barrowlands |
9 November 1991 | Cambridge | England | Corn Exchange |
10 November 1991 | Brixton | Brixton Academy | |
11 November 1991 | |||
North America | |||
15 November 1991 | Philadelphia | United States | Tower Theater |
16 November 1991 | Washington, D.C. | The Citadel | |
17 November 1991 | Philadelphia | Tower Theater | |
19 November 1991 | New Haven | Toad's Place | |
20 November 1991 | Boston | Orpheum Theater | |
24 November 1991 | Providence | New Campus Club | |
25 November 1991 | New Britain | The Sting | |
27 November 1991 | New York City | Academy of Music | |
29 November 1991 | |||
1 December 1991 | Montreal | Canada | La Brique |
2 December 1991 | |||
3 December 1991 | Toronto | The Concert Hall | |
4 December 1991 | Detroit | United States | Clubland |
6 December 1991 | Cleveland | Agora Metropolitan | |
7 December 1991 | Chicago | Riviera Theatre | |
9 December 1991 | Dallas | Bronco Bowl | |
10 December 1991 | Houston | Back Alley | |
12 December 1991 | Los Angeles | Hollywood Palladium | |
14 December 1991 | San Diego | Spreckels Theater | |
15 December 1991 | |||
17 December 1991 | San Francisco | The Warfield | |
18 December 1991 | |||
20 December 1991 | Seattle | Paramount Theatre | |
21 December 1991 | Vancouver | Canada | Commodore Ballroom |
Asia | |||
29 January 1992 | Kyoto | Japan | Kaikan Dai Ichi Hall |
30 January 1992 | Osaka | Festival Hall | |
31 January 1992 | |||
2 February 1992 | Fukuoka | Kyusyu Kouseinenkin Kaikan | |
3 February 1992 | Hiroshima | Kouseinenkin Kaikan | |
5 February 1992 | Tokyo | NHK Hall | |
6 February 1992 | |||
7 February 1992 | Yokohama | Bunka Taiikukan | |
10 February 1992 | Sapporo | Kouseinenkin Kaikan | |
11 February 1992 | |||
13 February 1992 | Sendai | Sunplaza Hall | |
14 February 1992 | Omiya | Sonic City Hall | |
17 February 1992 | Tokyo | Budokan Hall |
Notation:
From Tin Machine
From Tin Machine II
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Other songs:
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Earthling is the 21st studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 3 February 1997 through RCA Records in the United Kingdom, Virgin Records in the United States, and Arista Records/BMG in other territories. Mostly self-produced by Bowie, it was primarily recorded from August to October 1996 at New York City's Looking Glass Studios. Bowie composed the tracks with Reeves Gabrels and Mark Plati, who are credited as co-producers, with Mike Garson, Gail Ann Dorsey and Zack Alford providing overdubs later.
Tin Machine were a British–American rock band formed in 1988. The band consisted of English singer-songwriter David Bowie on lead vocals, saxophone and guitar; Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals; Tony Fox Sales on bass and vocals; and Hunt Sales on drums and vocals. The Sales brothers had previously performed with Bowie and Iggy Pop during the 1977 tour for The Idiot. Kevin Armstrong played additional guitar and keyboards on the band's first and second studio albums and first tour, and American guitarist Eric Schermerhorn played on the second tour and live album Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby (1992).
Tin Machine is the debut studio album by the Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine, released on 22 May 1989 through EMI America Records. The band consisted of the English singer-songwriter David Bowie, the American guitarist Reeves Gabrels and brothers Tony Fox and Hunt Sales on bass and drums, respectively, while Englishman Kevin Armstrong acted as an additional guitarist. The project was spearheaded by Bowie, who felt disconnected in his career by 1987 and looked to reinvent himself. After meeting Gabrels through his Glass Spider Tour, the two agreed to work together and would collaborate frequently for the next decade. Bowie hired the Sales brothers, neither of whom he had worked with since the 1970s, after a meeting in Los Angeles, while English producer Tim Palmer was hired to co-produce.
Tin Machine II is the second and final studio album by the Anglo-American rock group Tin Machine, released on 2 September 1991 through Victory Music. The band, composed of David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels on guitar and brothers Tony Fox and Hunt Sales on bass and drums, respectively, recorded it in Sydney, Australia in late 1989 at the conclusion of the Tin Machine Tour. After Bowie completed his solo Sound+Vision Tour in late 1990, recording resumed in Los Angeles, California until March 1991. The production was handled by Tin Machine and Tim Palmer, who produced their debut studio album (1989), with additional production by Hugh Padgham on "One Shot". While the album musically retains a hard rock sound, the songs are more melodic compared to its predecessor, with lyrics focusing on love.
Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby is a live album by Anglo-American rock band Tin Machine, originally released through London Records on 2 July 1992. The album includes songs, all from the band's two albums, recorded between 20 November 1991 and 11 February 1992 from five different venues on the North American and Asian legs of Tin Machine's It's My Life Tour. The maligned album title was intended as a pun on U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby. Oy Vey, Baby has received negative reviews, with many criticising the performances. It failed to chart in both the UK and the US. It was accompanied by a concert video of the same title, which was filmed at The Docks, Hamburg on 24 October 1991. Following its release, Tin Machine disbanded and Bowie quickly resumed his solo career with Black Tie White Noise (1993).
"Under the God" is the first official single released by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine, taken from their eponymous debut album in June 1989.
"Prisoner of Love" is a song by Tin Machine taken from their eponymous debut album. It was issued as their third single in October 1989.
"You Belong in Rock n' Roll" is a song by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine, released ahead of their second album in August 1991. The song was the band’s first release on Victory Records, which was distributed by London Records in the UK.
"Baby Universal" is a song by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine, released as the second single from their Tin Machine II album in October 1991.
Tony Fox Sales is an American rock musician and composer. Primarily a bass player, Sales has worked with Todd Rundgren, Iggy Pop, and in Tin Machine with David Bowie, often alongside his brother Hunt Sales, a drummer.
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"I've Been Waiting for You" is a song written by Neil Young, which he recorded for his 1968 debut solo album. In a song review for AllMusic, critic Matthew Greenwald described it as "One of the most powerful and well-crafted songs from Neil Young's self-titled solo debut ... A very strong and engaging melody is set against a striking, descending guitar riff, which serves as the song's hook."
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