Why Didn't Bowie Ever Play Coachella?

[SlowMotionApocalypse]

I thought for sure he was gonna play in April 2004 but did the Greek and Pond instead.

Greek was great, Pond was lame. Santa Barbara...hate that place.

2002 with the Low/Heathen set would have been cool but I don't think he got moving til May or June. Or fall 1999 when he did only a few shows for Hours.

I am starting to think he will never play.

Please discuss.

[H_is_O]

BRO, what are you talking about hes going to be playing 2013 with OUTKAST AND DAFT PUNK


DUHZ!!!!

[amyzzz]

GV must have blown their wad on Radiohead, Pixies, and The Cure that year. Isn't Bowie retired?

[Rolwolf]

I don’t think he’s ever formally addressed whether he plans to continue his music career or not, but it’s been almost a decade since his last tour (maybe even live performance, I’m not sure), so that more or less constitutes retirement. Who knows though - If he does ever chose to play again, I would think a handful of farewell shows at big festivals would make more sense than a full-fledged tour for someone of his age, health, and lifestyle.

[Riggins33]

David Bowie the actor?

[nyarlathotoats]

BRO, what are you talking about hes going to be playing 2013 with OUTKAST AND DAFT PUNK


DUHZ!!!!

As awesome as this combo would be, I think GV would have to get just one of those a year, otherwise why continue with Coachella?

[tyles]

There was a recent article I read where it was mentioned where he wasn't too thrilled with the idea of doing a tour (or shows) and singing the old hits and riding a wave of nostalgia.

I think at this point, it's most likely never going to happen.

As to why he never did when he was doing shows, I'm guesing his asking price was way more than what GV could offer at the time. Or scheduling differences.

[Pumpkinhead33]

I was just going to make a post about how his voice is probably not that great these days and the performance could end up being a let down. But then I watched a live performance of Heroes from a few years back and that shut me up. He still sounds pretty amazing.

[SlowMotionApocalypse]

There was a recent article I read where it was mentioned where he wasn't too thrilled with the idea of doing a tour (or shows) and singing the old hits and riding a wave of nostalgia.

I think at this point, it's most likely never going to happen.

As to why he never did when he was doing shows, I'm guesing his asking price was way more than what GV could offer at the time. Or scheduling differences.

He can take a big paycheck and do a hits set on the mainstage or he can also just do something low key in the Mojave Tent - he did a few drum n bass sets at festivals on the Earthling tour.

[xuclarockerx]

lol @ overflowing Mojave for "David Bowie"

[lehorne]

Don’t forget the Wiltern show in ’04, in which I attended. Three rows from the very back, mind, but was still there and will always remember how beautiful the encore of ‘Five Years’ looked as Bowie strummed the guitar alone onstage with a magnificent video backdrop.

And I truly believe that beauty is one of the reasons he’s now retired as his image has always been centered around it. I mean, Bowie’s never been onstage looking like a overweight, bearded turd or something. He’s aged a lot with the health problems and I just can’t see him out there with a makeup’d Grampa look.

I think the only way he tours again is in some type of orchestra setting where he’s contributing instrumentally and vocally, but more low key than his traditional rock star front-and-center stage prowling approach. Like a “Berlin Years” show (Low/Heroes/Lodger) at the Hollywood Bowl with some new album tracks mixed in. That would be fucking ace actually and would go see him again. I kind of doubt this will happen, but it’d be the most likely scenario for a return to Stage.

One of my very favorite Bowie songs and mental soundtrack to my trip to Spain and their bull fighting rings a few summers ago. It didn’t even make the album cut.

[JustSteve]

Didn't do Coachella because he wasn't sure about the handjob clause in fine print at the bottom of the contract.

[GuyInTucson]

I can see it on the poster now, second line:

David Bowie (Special Dubstep DJ set)

[Mugwog]

Bowie would clearly be cooler than dubstep and be doing a glitch set

[Bumblebee]

I don’t think he’s ever formally addressed whether he plans to continue his music career or not, but it’s been almost a decade since his last tour (maybe even live performance, I’m not sure), so that more or less constitutes retirement. Who knows though - If he does ever chose to play again, I would think a handful of farewell shows at big festivals would make more sense than a full-fledged tour for someone of his age, health, and lifestyle.

He did a couple performing cameos in 2005/2006. AFAIK, he hasn't done any interview or the public hasn't heard his speaking/singing voice since early 2007 or so.

His wife Iman has said something along the lines of "I'm married to David Jones, David Bowie no longer exists".

I saw him 10 times from the mid 90's to 2004. Deep down I know he's done with concerts/albums.

2004 was his only realistic chance of playing - he got booked for a number of festivals in Europe that summer. GV had a big enough budget at the time to book Radiohead for their only US appearance of 2004. I will say that the 2003-2004 tour begun it's itinerary preparation sometime in late 2001/early 2002, so Coachella wouldn't have been on the radar of a major Live Nation booked world tour.

[fatbastard]

Do young people even have an interest of seeing him live?

[H_is_O]

I do

[Bumblebee]

Do young people even have an interest of seeing him live?

Lots of young people at the shows I saw in 2004. Don't see that changing.

[Mugwog]

That was almost 10 years ago

To make Bowie relevant to the youth again we would have to do a dubstep remix of space oddity by skrillex

[mrhand]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...ng-return.html

[Larry Farnsworth]

...because they were waiting to book him for 2013, obviously.

[gaypalmsprings]

Is this a riddle?

[travelfan]

I can see it on the poster now, second line:

David Bowie (Special Dubstep DJ set)

But will he play Le7els??!?!

[Ardentbiscuit]

I could imagine Bowie agreeing to direct his own hologram at Coachella, that's about it.

[anonimouse]

i've got a great idea for his set. so like, around headliner time (say 7pm or so) all bands/DJs will slowly fade out as david bowie slowly fades in on the sound systems throughout the fields. then he takes the main stage and on all other stages will broadcast video from the main stage (overflow tents lolz).

the show will then end around 9pm ensuring that everyone can make it home in time for Jay Leno reruns

[Ardentbiscuit]

Going with the hologram idea, I think it would be amazing if someone else is playing (eg. Tina Turner) and as her set ends she says I have a special guest and the David Bowie hologram comes and she starts to sing Modern Love with the hologram. Part way into the song the real Bowie emerges with his entourage of dancers and performers and the hologram vaporizes and then he takes over and does a full set.

[Bumblebee]

I could imagine Bowie agreeing to direct his own hologram at Coachella, that's about it.

I serious wonder if audience members can take a hologram of a living performer seriously.

[xuclarockerx]

i herd on my local newz that jimi hendrix is next 4 hologram

[anonimouse]

Going with the hologram idea, I think it would be amazing if someone else is playing (eg. Tina Turner) and as her set ends she says I have a special guest and the David Bowie hologram comes and she starts to sing Modern Love with the hologram. Part way into the song the real Bowie emerges with his entourage of dancers and performers and the hologram vaporizes and then he takes over and does a full set.

and then grace jones tries to kill him with a fly fishing rod with poison butterflies and when unsuccessful (because you cant kill david bowie) she then zipline's away from the top of the main stage to a getaway convertible driven by morrissey

[Ardentbiscuit]

I was being silly, personally I think the holograms and/or projected performances are lame. If I am going to bother to cart my ass out to Indio I better see something real otherwise I say leave it for the home or at the very most Imax equipped or similar cinemas.

I don't foresee Bowie ever playing Coachella but maybe. Who knows.

From what I've read of Bowie it seems like he think it's insane that he could be considered a super star and probably doesn't even fully realize how important he is to people.