Tin Machine Live at the Roxy
Driving by The
Roxy on the morning of June 16, one would think it was the new crash
pad for the homeless: bodies curled up around blankets, AM/PM coffee
cups and trash all the way around the building. Actually, these strangers
in the morning were devoted fans awaiting the 3 p.m. opening of the
box office that held the tickets to the two, one-night stand shows
of David Bowie’s new band, Tin Machine. The curious were asking,
"What’s the hubbub, bub?" as film crews and police
and girls in tight skirts and men without shirts enveloped the tiny
parking lot of the Sunset Strip showcase. Tickets were selling for
a hundred dollars, but I saw one go for face value ($20). The hype
("this is history in the making") threatened early to overshadow
the show itself.
The tables and chairs
were cleared for the three tiers behind the dance floor area to
accommodate more people, but it was not uncomfortable. When Bowie
stepped out on the tiny stage, there was a roar. He sported a three-day
gruff, and said how he is quitting cigarettes, marking down the
number of smokes he had during the evening. The entire band —
Hunt and Tony Sales and lead guitarist Reeves Gabrels — wore
crisp white shirts, ties and dark slacks, making them look like
mischievous parochial schoolboys. Their conservative dress brought
back memories of the vogue of British bands in the early ‘60s
or Paul Weller in the early days of The Jam. There were two large,
white sheets covering the back of the stage and the one bright spotlight
from stage left sent stark shadows across the opposite wall, giving
the event a very dreamy feel. Was Bowie really here?
The show was not
overshadowed, however. The drummer had a very low kit, and his ferocious,
tight pounding shook the entire set. Gabrels needed no body motion
to propel his extremely fast fingers to fiddle the frets. He was
no cooler than scorching. And Bowie was smiling and dancing all
night, despite getting hit in the face several times with flowers
thrown from the crowd. After two mediocre solo tours, he looks like
he’s having a blast. Although somje of the music is derivative,
and it would have been a treat to hear the Sales brothers (who played
with Iggy Pop in his early solo days) get a chance to rip more freely,
everyone was having a good time. And as one fan so aptly said of
Bowie, "I just love his voice." That’s the
trump card that will ensure Tin Machine will be playing a full house
wherever they go.
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