David Bowie dead at 69; listen to his entire 2004 Starlight Theatre show
David Bowie died Sunday of cancer at age 69.
The news came via Bowie’s Facebook page last night: “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.”
A lot has already been written about the death of the man who brought Ziggy Stardust to life. He’s been called “iconic,” “groundbreaking” and “transcendent.” And it’s all true.
The last time Bowie was in Kansas City, he played Starlight Theatre. The show was on May 10, 2004. The Pitch named it the Best Outdoor Concert of that year:
Kansas City misses out on some major tours, but it also has the good fortune to lure stadium-size artists to smaller-than-usual venues. The Pixies, packing arenas elsewhere, visited the cozy Uptown Theater last weekend, and Pixies fan David Bowie played on the regal, relatively intimate Starlight stage during a rare KC stop in May. Charismatic yet down to earth, Bowie chatted amiably with the audience between hits (“Fame,” “Heroes,” “China Girl”), album cuts and new tracks that sounded far more intriguing live than on record. Bowie might have outgrown Ziggy Stardust-era excess, but he still delivered a light show to rival the aurora borealis and an accomplished backing band that’s equally adept at thick funk and stark soundscapes. He’s in his golden years, but the ravages of age and decades of hard living have taken no toll on his still-fabulous face or his pitch-perfect voice. He almost seems extraterrestrial at this point, and standout shows like this one ensure that fans will keep loving the alien.
A bootleg audio recording of that show in its entirety exists on YouTube.
Bowie turned 69 on January 8. The same day, he released his last album, Blackstar.
