David Bowie (October 20 & 21, 1972) – Santa Monica Civic Auditorium Concert Review - The Los Angeles Times (October 23, 1972)

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This major Los Angeles Times review by Robert Hilburn covers David Bowie’s two-night appearance at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium during his first U.S. tour. Hilburn presents Bowie as an artist whose records had already suggested major potential, but argues that the Santa Monica concerts confirmed that promise in person, praising his command of the stage, the discipline of the Spiders From Mars and his determination to establish an identity beyond conventional rock stardom.

Publication: The Los Angeles Times

Date: October 23, 1972

Concert Dates: October 20 & 21, 1972

Venue: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

Country: United States

THE STORY

Published under the headline “David Bowie Rocks in Santa Monica”, Robert Hilburn begins by referring to the strength of Hunky Dory and The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. For Hilburn, the quality and vision of those albums had already suggested that Bowie could become a major force in rock.

The concerts at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Friday and Saturday nights provided the opportunity to test that reputation on stage during Bowie’s first American tour. Hilburn’s verdict is emphatic: the performances confirmed what the records had promised.

The anticipation surrounding Bowie was already considerable. During the Friday show, the audience repeatedly called for Bowie while opening act Saltcat was still performing. The response became so persistent that the guitarist acknowledged the demands, dedicated a song to Bowie and reassured the audience that the main attraction would appear shortly.

When Bowie finally arrived, Hilburn describes the opening as a carefully designed piece of rock theatre. Strobe lighting and the musical introduction created a strong dramatic impact before Bowie moved into the performance itself.

THE PERFORMANCE

Bowie opened with “Hang On To Yourself” from Ziggy Stardust, immediately encouraging the audience to become part of the concert.

Hilburn draws particular attention to Bowie’s physical control of the stage. Drawing on experience with mime, Bowie is described as capable of creating tension and drama through comparatively small movements, using body language and stage positioning to direct the pace of the performance.

The Spiders From Mars receive substantial praise as well. Hilburn identifies Mick Ronson on lead guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass and Mick Woodmansey on drums, describing the musicians as a tight, controlled group capable of operating as a unit rather than merely as a collection of individual players.

That discipline allows the group to deliver the force required by “Suffragette City” while retaining the fluidity needed for “Changes.”

The reviewer notes that the power of Bowie’s arrival and opening numbers created an extremely strong first impression. Combined with the flamboyant photographs and publicity that had preceded the tour, the dramatic entrance initially led the audience to expect the entire concert to operate at the same theatrical intensity.

Bowie instead changed direction.

After the early rock material, the programme moved towards quieter songs including “Space Oddity” and Jacques Brel’s “My Death.” Hilburn observes that the Friday audience accepted these transitions more readily than sections of Saturday’s crowd, where some listeners became impatient during the softer material and called for more rock ’n’ roll.

Rather than abandoning that contrast, Bowie continued moving between hard rock and more delicate songs.

For Hilburn, this was an important part of Bowie’s artistic purpose. The reviewer argues that Bowie was not simply trying to become another rock ’n’ roll star but was attempting to establish a distinct musical and emotional identity.

BOWIE AS A PERFORMER

Hilburn describes Bowie’s appearance in considerable detail, including white stage make-up and brightly coloured hair. But the review makes clear that the image alone was not what impressed the writer.

The combination of theatrical discipline, music and communication with the audience is presented as the real strength of the performance.

Hilburn compares Bowie’s ability to communicate with the audience to the kind of intense relationship associated with major theatrical entertainers. In discussing Bowie’s potential, the writer suggests that rather than becoming simply an Elvis Presley figure for the 1970s, Bowie might more convincingly occupy a role comparable to a male Judy Garland.

The most intense communication of the evening came during the “Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide” encore. Bowie’s appeal to the audience produced an immediate physical response, with hands reaching towards the stage.

Hilburn closes with little doubt about Bowie’s prospects, describing him as a major star both commercially and artistically.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

The review covers both the Friday and Saturday Santa Monica Civic Auditorium performances, rather than a single concert. The article explicitly compares the reactions of the two audiences, particularly their differing responses to Bowie’s quieter material.

The clipping is especially valuable because it documents Bowie during his first U.S. tour and captures Robert Hilburn assessing the live show at the very moment Bowie was attempting to establish himself with American audiences.

A large photograph dominates the opening page and is captioned:

“ON THE ROAD - British rock star, David Bowie, on first U.S. tour, performs at the Santa Monica Civic.”

The photograph is credited to Boris Yaro

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: David Bowie at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

Concert Dates: October 20 & 21, 1972

Publication Date: October 23, 1972

Era: 1972 Ziggy Stardust / first U.S. tour

Tone: Highly positive, analytical and performance-focused

Photography: Large live photograph from the Santa Monica Civic performance, credited to Boris Yaro

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

• Robert Hilburn reviewing both Santa Monica Civic Auditorium concerts

• Bowie performing “Hang On To Yourself”

• Praise for Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey

• References to “Suffragette City,” “Changes,” “Space Oddity,” “My Death” and “Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide”

• Different audience reactions to the quieter sections on Friday and Saturday

• Detailed discussion of Bowie’s background in mime and his control of the stage

• Hilburn arguing that Bowie wanted a unique musical and emotional identity rather than simply conventional rock stardom

• Bowie described as a major star in both commercial and artistic terms

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