Jam Chart for David Bowie (153 entries)
| Date | City | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-10-31 | Plainfield, VT | 10:05 | Earliest known live version. Jam is played at a slowed tempo initially, but picks up speed and intensity as it develops. |
| 1986-12-06 | Shelburne, VT | 3:51 | "David Bowie" -> "Clod" (Section of "Fluffhead") > "David Bowie." Jam is similar to debut, but with some jamming that sounds similar to the Allman Brothers' "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed." Intense ending. |
| 1986-12-06 | Shelburne, VT | 5:32 | > in from "Clod." This section of "Bowie" has an Allman Brothers-like vibe and an intense ending. |
| 1987-08-10 | Burlington, VT | 15:49 | First extended, "Type II" version. The jam veers away from the standard at about 7:50. Has moments similar to sections of "Fluffhead," "DEG"-like jamming, and a bluesy, Allman Brothers-like vibe. A strong early version that any "Bowie" fan ought to check out. |
| 1987-08-29 | South Burlington, VT | 16:20 | Leaves the standard fare at about 7:20, then meanders back. At 10:00, the jam makes a clean break for good. Some early space jamming, followed by an excellent blues jam at 13:15 that sounds like George Thorogood's "Bad To The Bone." Unfinished with -> to "JJLC." |
| 1988-02-03 | Waitsfield, VT | 18:12 | Straightforward, somewhat dull jam up until the trill, but THEN, the band embarks on 6 minutes of exploration that gets well beyond "Bowie" proper before circling back to the basic theme. |
| 1988-06-20 | Burlington, VT | 16:34 | Definitely stretches the boundaries of "Type I" jamming, especially after 9:00, then at 12:00 it really gets out there into some interesting exploration. |
| 1988-11-05 | Clinton, NY | 12:01 | Good intro. Although essentially "Type I," the jam is very good and there is ferocious and dizzying tension building as it progresses. Good trill section also. |
| 1988-11-11 | Newmarket, NH | 11:41 | Similar to 11/5/88 with excellent and angry tension building. Good dissonance in the trill as well. |
| 1989-02-06 | Burlington, VT | 11:52 | Mean, nasty and thrilling version that includes the "Theme From Batman" teasing and a great trill section. |
| 1989-05-26 | Rutland, VT | 18:04 | Very long intro with hilarious banter from Trey, this is the infamous LAZY LESTER BOWIE, with incredible playing by all. Hear it for yourself! |
| 1989-08-26 | Townshend, VT | 14:21 | Musically, this is a very exploratory version, with unusual melodies, rhythm, and includes several distinct movements. Few post-'95 versions have this much improvisation. |
| 1989-09-09 | Bennington, VT | 15:03 | Great staccato playing by Trey early on. Although it never departs "Bowie" wholesale, the jam is a good one with all sorts of variation, good tension, and a nice "Reba" tease in the intro. |
| 1989-10-26 | New York, NY | 17:43 | Cool little jam on David Bowie's "Space Oddity" in the intro. The jam immediately breaks into exploratory terrain. The energy, tension and dissonance build nicely. If you wonder where the Providence "Bowie" came from, start here. |
| 1989-10-31 | Plainfield, VT | 20:36 | The "Mac 'N Cheese" version (see Setlist). Breaks away from standard "Bowie" at about 9:00 into some jarring jamming similar to "DEG." Another early one that gets WAY OUT there and includes a jam on "I'm A Man" (Spencer Davis Group) at about 16:45. Powerful trill section. |
| 1989-11-03 | Portland, ME | 16:43 | Teases (see Setlist), including some in the middle of the jam, which is unusual. But that fits with this weird, very improvisational version. Not magical music, but if you like quirky improv, check it out. |
| 1990-02-09 | Lancaster, PA | 12:52 | Awesome Mike and Page in this exploratory version that includes a "Wipeout" tease (11:02). |
| 1990-05-06 | New Haven, CT | 14:48 | Ass-kicking version that gets out there nicely and is loaded with tension and dissonance. Some sick Trey playing leading to and during the trill. |
| 1990-09-15 | Keene, NH | 15:22 | Many intro teases and signals (see Setlist). The is an evil monster with dark and very improvisational jamming, rhythmic shifts, and teases and signals in the jam proper. Machine Gun Trey in combat action towards the end. |
| 1990-11-02 | Boulder, CO | 15:10 | Tease-fest intro (see Setlist). The jam itself is pretty ripping and gets beyond "Bowie" with great tension building, nasty guitar licks from Trey, and teases or little jams on "Rocky Mountain Way," "DEG," "Fluffhead," and "Wipe Out." Released on Live Bait 6. |
| 1990-11-24 | Port Chester, NY | 12:06 | Vicious tension and dissonance building. A great short version with teases taboot. |
| 1990-12-07 | Amherst, MA | 13:19 | Although essentially "Type I," this is a sick puppy with mind-numbing tension, "DEG"-like jamming and a "Mo' Better Blues" tease in the intro. Trey is on fire in the trill section. |
| 1991-02-03 | Burlington, VT | 13:05 | A very good jam with several different grooves, well beyond standard fare. Great Mike! |
| 1991-02-15 | Keene, NH | 12:04 | "The Sounds of Silence" ->'s into a wonderfully noisy version, featuring improvisation that marks the very best "Bowie's," and, in spirit, Phish, generally. Following great composed play, hear a radical departure from the song, proper. Here, too, is a jam that is somehow both of (crazy changes and playful nature) and beyond (an expertly placed false-ending) its time. This is music for all ages. |
| 1991-02-19 | Washington, DC | 12:34 | Good intro. Raging "Type I" version with an unusual stop mid-jam (possibly the power went out). |
| 1991-02-21 | Charlottesville, VA | 12:52 | Jam begins with heavy "Manteca"-like jamming, then grows extremely shrill and dissonant. |
| 1991-04-03 | Ashland, OR | 11:08 | Trey starts the jam in the low octave range, giving the jam an evil tone. As he works up the register, the tension ratchets up, and the trill section is a shred fest with Fish also going berserk. |
| 1991-04-04 | Eugene, OR | 12:55 | An upward spiraling, malevolent jam, as demented as they get, eventually gives way to insane shredding by Big Red. |
| 1991-10-04 | Madison, WI | 10:51 | Almost immediately breaks from the standard. Strong and dissonant improvisation, with an unexpected section of quiet space before the storm rebuilds. Short but powerful. |
| 1991-10-11 | Seattle, WA | 11:35 | The jam, very much based on "Cavern," is pretty cool. Returns to "Bowie" for a solid wrap-up. |
| 1991-10-24 | Prescott, AZ | 14:13 | Excellent intro (which begins at 1:18 on "TMWSIY" on the Spreadsheet and PhishTracks versions). Nice rocking and ripping jam is followed by an insane trill section which lots of wild screaming. |
| 1991-10-28 | Telluride, CO | 12:37 | -> in from "Fee." Hits a melodic, major mode groove briefly before descending back into darkness. |
| 1991-10-31 | Colorado Springs, CO | 13:52 | A hilarious intro with elements of "Wait." Doesn't take long for Trey to get hooked on a repetitive melodic theme, but once the band tires of it, semi-dissonant "type II" improv ensues, though an "Oom Pah Pah" signal puts a stop to it and they return to a traditional "Bowie" jam. |
| 1991-11-07 | New Orleans, LA | 13:58 | The Aquarium Rescue Unit joins the band. Great version with awesome scat singing early on followed by "DEG"-like jamming and an explosive ending. |
| 1991-11-13 | Davidson, NC | 13:56 | A prototypical early '90s version with an excellent, signal and tease-infused intro, a searing, intense, tension-loaded straightforward jam, and a raging and shredding trill section. |
| 1991-11-24 | Hanover, NH | 18:21 | Long intro with signals and banter while Trey hands out bathrobes to crew members. The largely straightforward jam includes spiraling tension and "DEG"-like jamming. |
| 1992-04-08 | Albuquerque, NM | 17:59 | Following an extended intro with a number of signals, the jam section immediately breaks into a flowy groove. Gradually adding energy and some expected tension, the playing latches onto a "Tweeprise"-like theme, adds more tension, settles into some quieter rhythmic play, then cranks back up for a full-throttle conclusion. |
| 1992-04-17 | San Francisco, CA | 11:12 | Nice jam that gets out there, then -> to "Catapult" and -> back to "Bowie" in the trill section. |
| 1992-04-17 | San Francisco, CA | 0:23 | -> in from "Catapult" to end this solid "Bowie." |
| 1992-07-16 | Richmond, VA | 14:04 | "Blue Bayou" jam, followed by a nice swinging, blues tinged jam that sounds remarkably similar to "My Soul." Rages after that. |
| 1992-08-17 | San Juan Capistrano, CA | 11:59 | Jam grinds to a near halt around 7:25, then builds back up with excellent tension/dissonance. |
| 1992-11-27 | Port Chester, NY | 13:28 | Jam starts in a quiet, pensive style, but picks up a head of steam, getting nasty and intense. |
| 1992-12-01 | Granville, OH | 0:17 | "Bowie" -> "Baby Elephant Walk" (debut) -> "Bowie" in intro. Excellent and riveting jam with syncopated playing and cool rhythmic shifts. |
| 1992-12-01 | Granville, OH | 12:31 | -> in from "Baby Elephant Walk." This is a thrilling and riveting "Bowie" well worth checking out. |
| 1992-12-07 | Minneapolis, MN | 14:27 | -> in from "Fee." Unusual breakdown at 10:27, followed by "Manteca"-like jamming. |
| 1992-12-13 | Montréal, Québec, Canada | 12:34 | An unusual, somewhat mean-spirited jam shifts at 8:25 to something akin to "Tweezer Reprise." Returns to normal "Bowie" and concludes with a hard rocking trill section. |
| 1992-12-30 | Springfield, MA | 0:57 | The intro -> the only performance of "Timber (Jerry)" between 1990 and 1995, and it's a strong version. |
| 1992-12-30 | Springfield, MA | 11:22 | In addition to the bonus "Timber (Jerry)" sandwich, this version includes a solid if earthbound jam, with spiraling tension and very cohesive interplay by all four. Some excellent Trey shredding before and during the trill section. |
| 1993-02-03 | Portland, ME | 12:34 | 1992 was kind of an off year for "Bowie." But the band starts off 1993 with an excellent well-varied ripper here. All of February 1993 was strong for "Bowie." |
| 1993-02-05 | New York, NY | 0:18 | "Vibration Of Life" in intro. Cool jam with some interesting rhythmic variation. |
| 1993-02-05 | New York, NY | 11:56 | -> in from "Vibration Of Life." Cool jam with some interesting rhythmic variation. |
| 1993-02-09 | Rochester, NY | 12:27 | Jam sounds like it's peaking, but at 9:10 this "Bowie" heads out for more dissonant and exploratory jamming. |
| 1993-02-17 | Winston-Salem, NC | 14:24 | If you want to understand why "Bowie" has been so disappointing since really, the mid-'90s, just compare any recent version to this all-around fantastic one from a relatively unknown show. |
| 1993-02-19 | Atlanta, GA | 0:44 | "Moby Dick" jam, teases and signal in intro. Jam itself is very good, if largely "Type I," with more "Moby Dick" teasing. |
| 1993-02-19 | Atlanta, GA | 11:10 | > in from "Moby Dick." The "Bowie" intro continues briefly before launching the composed section and a solid "Bowie" jam with more "Moby Dick" teases. |
| 1993-02-22 | Tallahassee, FL | 12:13 | Yet another rock solid "Bowie" from February 1993. Great melodic variation by Trey. |
| 1993-03-12 | Vail, CO | 12:46 | Vicious, mean-spirited, dissonant, ripping guitar work, "outside-the-box" deviations, and teases taboot. All the ingredients are here for a classic '93 "Bowie." |
| 1993-03-14 | Gunnison, CO | 11:12 | Another sick one or, a great "Bowie" with incredible tension, varied jamming and an angry disposition. More twisted = More better. |
| 1993-03-18 | Hollywood, CA | 14:30 | > in from "I Didn't Know." A good one with some "DEG"-like jamming to add to the dissonance factor. Machine Gun Trey in serious heavy action towards the end. |
| 1993-05-01 | Upper Darby, PA | 12:14 | > in from "Glide." Very different from many of the preceding '93 versions. Jam begins with some melodic, almost upbeat playing by Trey. Returns to typical '93 "Bowie" by 8:00 with great tension. |
| 1993-05-08 | Durham, NH | 0:37 | "Bowie" -> "Jessica" Jam -> "Bowie" -> "Have Mercy" -> "Bowie." Awesome medley, but the "Bowie" sections are also outstanding. The pre-"Have Mercy" jam section is excellent but very different than any preceding version. Post "Mercy": the usual high wire shredfest. |
| 1993-05-08 | Durham, NH | 10:18 | -> in from "Jessica." The "Bowie" intro concludes and launches this epic "Bowie" into action. |
| 1993-05-08 | Durham, NH | 4:12 | -> in from "Have Mercy." Returns to "Bowie" to wrap up this classic and top shelf version of "Bowie." |
| 1993-07-15 | Weedsport, NY | 9:47 | Quality over quantity. Short, yes, but they pack a lot of swift improv into this one. |
| 1993-07-25 | Stanhope, NJ | 0:12 | "Bowie" -> "Donna Lee" -> "Bowie." After a gentle start, the jam grows typically dissonant and tension filled. Some "DEG"-like jamming adds to this effect. |
| 1993-07-25 | Stanhope, NJ | 10:45 | -> in from "Donna Lee." Great jam with tension and dissonance and some "DEG"-like jamming as well. |
| 1993-08-08 | Cleveland, OH | 11:51 | A wild and crazy "Bowie." After a punchy, rhythmic start, the jam accelerates into sheer chaos. |
| 1993-08-13 | Indianapolis, IN | 19:18 | Long, very musically-oriented intro. Serious improvisation, but unlike many other strong versions, this one is far less dissonant and shrill. Rather, it is very rich musically, including little jams on "The Mango Song" and "Magilla." |
| 1993-08-17 | Kansas City, KS | 18:18 | Incredible, extremely "Type II" improvisation which also flows together remarkably well musically. Powerful ending to this masterpiece. |
| 1993-08-21 | Salt Lake City, UT | 12:34 | Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. "Bowie" -> "MLB" Jam -> "Bowie." Very improvisational version, really no surprise given the month and year. And the Flecktones are no slouches when it comes to improvisation. Nothing like Victor Wooten and Mike going at it, or Bela and Trey. |
| 1993-08-21 | Salt Lake City, UT | 1:32 | -> in from "MLB" Jam. Returns to "Bowie" to conclude this dynamic, exploratory version with Phish and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones teaming up for group improvisation. |
| 1993-08-26 | Portland, OR | 13:10 | Possibly the most deranged, sick, insane, and wild-ass version ever. AWESOME!!! |
| 1994-04-08 | State College, PA | 11:19 | Like 1993, the band starts 1994 with an uninterrupted string of improvisational "Bowies." This one has a very cool, exploratory jam, but not so jarring and dissonant as most of the '93s. |
| 1994-04-13 | New York, NY | 13:11 | A very intense, high power version, loaded with tension and unusual rhythmic shifts, but not highly dissonant. Very solid. |
| 1994-04-17 | Fairfax, VA | 13:38 | Yet another exploratory April '94 "Bowie." This one has great Mike, exploratory rhythmic shifting, and a cool breakdown jam at 10:10. Dissonance builds towards the end. Really, an awesome version. |
| 1994-04-22 | Columbia, SC | 14:39 | Incredibly exploratory version. Perhaps not beautiful music, per se, but this is fearless improvisation on display. |
| 1994-04-24 | Charlotte, NC | 21:29 | First of the "Big" '94 "Bowies." This is an unbelievable journey of music and improvisation, spine tingling at times, and thrilling by the conclusion. And the best was yet to come. |
| 1994-04-30 | Orlando, FL | 18:35 | > in from "Wilson." Cool little jam on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in intro. Some "DDJ"-like musing, an unusually quiet but probing early section, and then a gnarly, dissonant build, all making this final April '94 performance another strong one. |
| 1994-05-06 | Houston, TX | 13:54 | Somewhat weird, but definitely exploratory version. "Tweeprise"-like jam for a bit and other forays. |
| 1994-05-10 | Santa Fe, NM | 10:47 | Intense, fairly chaotic version. |
| 1994-05-27 | San Francisco, CA | 12:44 | Even though most of the jam is technically "Type I," this is an intense, thriller. Don't overlook. |
| 1994-05-29 | Monterey, CA | 12:59 | Great version with serious improvisation. A very exciting jam that is well orchestrated. |
| 1994-06-10 | Morrison, CO | 11:15 | Typically strong '94 "Bowie" that gets mean, nasty and thrashing as it progresses. |
| 1994-06-18 | Chicago, IL | 0:22 | Beautiful, descending four chord "Mind Left Body Jam"-like progression in the hi-hat intro. "Three Blind Mice"-like riffing segues into melodic hose, which in turn becomes a "DEG"-flavored, thrilling jam. "Voodoo Child" and "Purple Haze" teases in closing segment. |
| 1994-06-18 | Chicago, IL | 15:18 | -> in from "MLB" Jam. From here, a spectacular '94 "Bowie" launches. A thrilling version of "Bowie." |
| 1994-06-29 | Raleigh, NC | 0:10 | "Bowie" -> "Catapult" -> "Bowie" in intro. Good solid summer '94 version, released on Live Bait 4. |
| 1994-06-29 | Raleigh, NC | 12:14 | -> in from "Catapult." The early part of the jam is melodic and upbeat, but it gets typically nasty and tension-filled as it progresses. |
| 1994-07-01 | Philadelphia, PA | 11:45 | Great Page on the organ (unusual for "Bowie"), and some crazy screaming from Trey and Fish. |
| 1994-07-03 | Old Orchard Beach, ME | 14:25 | Some "MLB"-like jamming early on. Dizzying, hypnotic, and intense jam ensues. |
| 1994-07-06 | Montréal, Québec, Canada | 16:44 | Patient, provocative, and playful jamming emerges near the 6:00 mark, a vestige from the intro, which features manic teasing. Truly cool improv follows, notable for hushed, eerie, thematic "non"-play , which, like a powerfully "weak" pulse, all but flat-lines - in the best possible way. Trey literally cycles through ideas, the band full of life and support, as the version builds and builds, before, while hinting at "DEG," comes to a classic, crashing, close. |
| 1994-07-15 | Wantagh, NY | 18:26 | Dissonant, rhythmic "Type II" jam has a cool "Jessica" jam at 12:45 that comes out of nowhere. |
| 1994-10-12 | Memphis, TN | 16:51 | Enchanting, Page-led early part to jam. At 9:00, Fish and Trey kick it up to more typically intense mode. At 12:25, a calm envelopes, before the storm returns. Excellent "Bowie." |
| 1994-10-18 | Nashville, TN | 13:42 | Fantastic, multi-faceted version. Dissonance and Tension: check. Tempo and rhythmic shifts: check. But this one also has beautiful, upbeat jamming (aka major mode). |
| 1994-10-22 | Orlando, FL | 13:21 | Another strong fall '94 version, arguably the peak period in "Bowie's" storied performance history. |
| 1994-10-26 | Boone, NC | 11:59 | "When the cows come out to play" says Fish in the intro to this diabolical, nasty "Type 17" jam. |
| 1994-10-28 | Charleston, SC | 12:23 | Insane, riveting version with a "Bowie" -> "Manteca" -> "Bowie" in the jam segment. |
| 1994-10-28 | Charleston, SC | 3:11 | -> in from "Manteca." Return to "Bowie" to conclude a riveting Fall '94 version. |
| 1994-10-31 | Glens Falls, NY | 13:07 | Essentially "Type I," but this is a textbook, immaculately played version with great tension. |
| 1994-11-04 | Syracuse, NY | 15:12 | Great tension and dissonance combined with moments of melodic beauty and calm. Like one of the big November '94 "Tweezers" with many movements, and all packed into a 10 minute jam. |
| 1994-11-14 | Grand Rapids, MI | 25:50 | 3rd "Big" '94 "Bowie." One of the most exploratory and improvisational versions ever. Includes some wild and crazy interaction with the audience. |
| 1994-11-17 | Dayton, OH | 15:25 | No major mode "nice" jamming here, this a gripping, intense, old-school thriller. Awesome. |
| 1994-11-20 | Madison, WI | 16:36 | Fantastic, exhilarating, "Oh my god it's so f_cking good" jam. |
| 1994-11-26 | Minneapolis, MN | 36:30 | The Other One. All fans should be familiar with this version as well as Providence. Of the two, this one is more musically oriented. A downright masterpiece. |
| 1994-12-02 | Davis, CA | 22:04 | The usual pugnacious, mean-spirited jam until 13:45, when it sounds like it's wrapping up. But then the band delves into more exploration. Throw in the Cosmic Country Horns for the trill section, and you've got yourself another "Big" improvisational version. |
| 1994-12-29 | Providence, RI | 31:17 | The Legendary Providence "Bowie." Between the "DDL" jam in the intro, whistling, "Lassie" chatter, and creepy whispering, this one is more psychologically jarring than 11/26/94. |
| 1995-06-15 | Atlanta, GA | 25:13 | "Bowie" picks up right where it left off in Providence, and summer '95 includes a number of spectacular, "Big" versions. This first one, while sticking to the "Bowie" theme longer than most, is exploratory both within that framework, and certainly once it gets beyond. |
| 1995-06-19 | Noblesville, IN | 23:19 | -> in from "Simple." Cool, somewhat unusual jam that begins without all the usual thrashing and dissonance. Has some "MLB"-like jamming and gets out there as it progresses. |
| 1995-06-24 | Philadelphia, PA | 24:42 | Simultaneously rocking and dark, with 3 distinct and excellent movements, and with a psychological edge like many top Summer '95 jams. |
| 1995-06-29 | Wantagh, NY | 27:35 | Extremely improvisational. Pretty much leaves "Bowie" in the dust following the composed section, only returning at the very end. A+ for exploration. |
| 1995-07-03 | Fayston, VT | 17:50 | Awesome, multi-faceted improvisation that doesn't sound remotely like "Bowie" until the final 3 minutes. Includes multiple teases and "Bowie" -> "Johnny B. Goode" -> "Bowie" in the jam. |
| 1995-07-03 | Fayston, VT | 9:49 | -> in from "Johnny B. Goode." Returns to "Bowie" for some more far-ranging exploration in the epic version. |
| 1995-10-05 | Portland, OR | 15:41 | A much more exploratory version than most Fall '95 "Bowies," which despite being very well played and intense, stick pretty close to the basic theme. |
| 1995-10-21 | Lincoln, NE | 16:36 | Although it doesn't get way beyond "Bowie," this very good version includes a lot of little unexpected improvisational twists and turns and a psychedelic edginess. |
| 1995-10-27 | Kalamazoo, MI | 18:17 | Fascinating, extraordinarily intense version with some bizarre gibberish vocalized by Trey for a number of measures. |
| 1995-11-21 | Winston-Salem, NC | 10:23 | Great fall '95 version with a "Bowie" -> "Take Me To The River" -> "Bowie" in the jam and some thunderous and blistering exploration following the debut of this song popularized by Talking Heads. |
| 1995-11-21 | Winston-Salem, NC | 8:45 | -> in from "Take Me To The River." The real heavy meat of the "Bowie" jam is in this section. |
| 1995-12-11 | Portland, ME | 23:12 | Haunting, ghoulish and riveting version that includes a long intro. Fish kicks ass! Maybe not as exploratory as the summer '95s, but it compensates with twisted psychological tone. |
| 1995-12-15 | Philadelphia, PA | 14:10 | Jam almost immediately breaks into an unusual groove. Not way out there, but uniquely excellent. |
| 1996-04-26 | New Orleans, LA | 13:56 | Great tension-filled version that gets out there with a jam based on "Caravan" by Duke Ellington. |
| 1996-07-10 | Paris, France | 13:31 | Cool jam with awesome Mike early on and a very different approach to "Bowie." Becomes typically intense as the jam progresses with strong Fish. |
| 1997-02-16 | Cologne, Germany | 14:25 | Very intense jam. While mostly "Type I," solid Fish percussion pushes it beyond here and there. |
| 1997-06-14 | Dublin, Ireland | 18:19 | Strong playing by Fish helps this fiery and tempestuous one get outside the box several times. |
| 1997-07-30 | Ventura, CA | 21:29 | Features an epic, mid-jam "Bowie" -> "Cities" -> "Bowie." And interspersed among a substantial amount of tight, well-played "Type I" jamming are several forays that get beyond "Bowie." |
| 1997-07-30 | Ventura, CA | 5:56 | -> in from "Cities" to conclude this heavy-duty "Bowie." |
| 1997-11-16 | Denver, CO | 17:32 | Nice old fashioned "Bowie" that breaks free in a few spots and is flush with tension and dissonance. |
| 1997-12-03 | Philadelphia, PA | 26:26 | Long intro with teases and a signal. A wonderfully upbeat, major mode movement develops and continues for about 5 1/2 minutes before cycling back to "Bowie." The rub: it takes 18 minutes to get to this departure from standard fare. Unfinished with a fantastic -> to "Possum." |
| 1997-12-29 | New York, NY | 19:49 | Excellent and thrilling version with strong musicianship. Mode shift out of typical (but very well played) "Bowie" at 13:55 into a great groove which peaks and returns to "Bowie" by 17:00. |
| 1998-11-14 | Cincinnati, OH | 15:47 | A very good version, especially given the year, when "Bowie" was well past its improvisational peak. Gathering power as it progresses, the "Type I" jam builds on classic "Bowie" fundamentals - dark under and overtones, mounting tension, and strong musicianship by all four. |
| 1999-07-31 | Niigata, Japan | 24:30 | The duration of this jam may recall '94 -'95, but whereas those versions used their length to range far and wide, this one threatens to break away several times, but ultimately stays within striking distance of home, and explores explores every inch of the Type I "Bowie" format. Still, a notable performance, and one of the last big rides for the song. |
| 1999-10-03 | Rosemont, IL | 16:57 | An early, bass-led section, unusual space mid-jam, and a brief major mode shift distinguishes this one from the vast majority of '98, '99, and '00 versions which are almost all entirely "Type I." |
| 2000-10-05 | Irvine, CA | 18:29 | Similar to 12/29/97 where there is a shift to major mode (at about 11:56) that continues for 3:00. |
| 2003-02-16 | Las Vegas, NV | 17:49 | First "Bowie" opener since 12/30/93. "Manteca"-like jamming early, then it breaks from the standard several times, only to return. Includes "Bowie" -> "Catapult" -> "Bowie" in the jam. |
| 2003-02-16 | Las Vegas, NV | 2:03 | -> in from "Catapult" to complete this solid version. |
| 2003-02-22 | Cincinnati, OH | 17:00 | Lots of good exploration in this intense version with a little lull midway. Fish is really excellent. |
| 2003-02-28 | Uniondale, NY | 18:31 | Jam stays in familiar "Bowie" territory until 13:05 when it breaks away into some nice exploration. |
| 2003-07-25 | Charlotte, NC | 15:24 | Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Blows out the door of "Bowie" almost immediately into multiple varied and solid movements and includes a nice midstream, full band "Tweezer" tease. |
| 2004-08-09 | Hampton, VA | 12:29 | A nice shift to major mode early on, then Trey, Page and Fish depart to extreme dissonance land. Not the prettiest, but it ain't straightforward. |
| 2004-08-14 | Coventry, VT | 12:57 | Trey talks about writing "David Bowie" for 4 1/2 minutes before the song - well worth hearing. The jam itself is pretty decent with a nice little shift to major mode and an intense ending. |
| 2010-10-30 | Atlantic City, NJ | 12:07 | A couple of brief major mode departures lend some melodic variation and grace to this one. |
| 2011-06-03 | Clarkston, MI | 15:29 | Jam shifts to upbeat, major mode at 7:46 and mostly remains there for some time before shifting back at 10:40. Great one but for some excessive string bending, or perhaps flat notes by Trey. |
| 2012-08-19 | San Francisco, CA | 11:05 | Despite some obvious flubs in the composed section, the jam is very good with buckets of tension and dissonance and strong Fish-directed rhythmic accenting. |
| 2012-12-28 | New York, NY | 13:17 | Although essentially "Type I," Fish-directed rhythmic variations, which Trey and the others pick up on, leads to some excellent tension building as the jam progresses. Old-school style "Bowie." |
| 2013-07-05 | Saratoga Springs, NY | 11:33 | -> in from "Cities." Very solid and interesting "Bowie" that shifts back and forth between minor and major modes several times. Upbeat jam contrasts nicely with the more "classic" 12/28/12 version. |
| 2013-07-12 | Wantagh, NY | 11:34 | Another good one with multiple minor/major mode shifts. There's also some nice rhythmic shifting and percussive coloring from Fish from 6:53 - 7:57. |
| 2013-07-22 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | 13:31 | Standard "Bowie" jam breaks and modulates between modes several times beginning at 7:47, ending in the expected minor mode with good tension and a solid trill section. |
| 2015-08-11 | Philadelphia, PA | 10:49 | Some variation away from the boiler plate standard, including a brief major mode modulation, nice Trey/Page/Mike interplay, and a solid tension-filled trill section put this one in the jam chart zone. |
| 2015-08-16 | Columbia, MD | 12:46 | Sure there's a nice major mode shift, but to only mention that is to sell this solid Bowie short. There are several brief pauses, a Zappa-like technique which throws off the rhythm momentarily and keeps it interesting. Also a nice intro and good tension building. Minor flubs here and there are forgiven. |
| 2015-12-31 | New York, NY | 11:29 | Clever major/minor mode contrasting by Page and Trey at a couple of different points, plus some good old fashioned tension provide the finishing touches for a solid year for "Bowie." |
| 2016-07-20 | San Francisco, CA | 13:30 | A fun, improvisational intro section harkens to the days of old, and Mike really shines in the jam. There's also a major mode shift in the jam, which while familiar at this point, nonetheless differentiates this version to some degree. |
| 2020-02-23 | Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico | 13:45 | Although the composed section is a bit rough, the jam opens up much more than most recent versions. Moving into major mode around 5:45, the jam then modulates back and forth several times, adding texture. With some nice Page/Trey interplay, Fish and Mike keep the rhythm at a good clip with building intensity. Nice to see this oldie get some love! |
| 2021-10-31 | Las Vegas, NV | 12:02 | Quite the version in that it keeps the intricacy and speed of the traditional "Bowie" jam but in a major tonality and then swerves back to wrap in normal fashion. |
| 2022-08-03 | Clarkston, MI | 12:19 | Interested in modern "Bowie's"? Clarkson, MI, is a safe bet. Part of a weather-blown, Jovi-colored and quite strange show, there's much to appreciate here, as Trey (listen for Page on his piano) takes the band through a few wonderful passages of electric, lightning-infused improv. |
| 2022-08-12 | East Troy, WI | 12:07 | Peeling away just after 6:00, the jam rolls along with swinging feel-good vibes and a bit of countrty twang, then does a few fakeout returns before finally reverting back to "Bowie" at 10:30. |
Jam chart versions are selected because of improvisational and other characteristics that distinguish these from typical versions of the song.
The jam chart team has highlighted some versions with a yellow background; these are the versions the team believes to be especially improvisational, or otherwise notable.
A purple date indicates that you were in attendance.
The jam chart team has highlighted some versions with a yellow background; these are the versions the team believes to be especially improvisational, or otherwise notable.
A purple date indicates that you were in attendance.
Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation