IT GOES WITHOUT DOUBT THAT THE "HIT FACTOR" OF THE NEW TOUR HELPS SELL TICKETS. I REMEMBER THAT DURING THE OUTSIDE TOUR BOWIE PLAYED TO HALF-EMPTY ARENAS IN GERMANY AND SCANDINAVIA, ALTHOUGH THESE ARE USUALLY STRONG MARKETS FOR HIM. PEOPLE STAYED AWAY WHEN WORD SPREAD AROUND THAT NO "LET'S DANCE" OR "SPACE ODDITY" WOULD MAKE IT INTO THE SETLIST.

HE THEN MOVED TO MUCH SMALLER VENUES FOR EARTHLING AND THE HOURS PROMO TOUR, MOST OF THE HEATHEN GIGS WERE PERFORMED IN MEDIUM-SIZED VENUES AS WELL.

WITH HOURS AND HEATHEN AND ESPECIALLY THE GLASTONBURY GIG IN 2000 PEOPLE GOT AWARE THAT BOWIE HAD MADE UP WITH HIS PAST. THE MAIN THREAD FOR REALITY IN THE PRESS HAS BEEN THAT BOWIE PLAYS THE HITS AGAIN, AND I BELIEVE THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE HAS HELPED FILL ARENAS.

WHETHER REALITY IS SOUND + VISION 2 DEPENDS ON YOUR FOCUS: REALITY IS NOT A RETROSPECTIVE BUT A TOOL TO PROMOTE A NEW ALBUM, THE SONGS REHEARSED, HOWEVER, ARE 75% THE SONGS PERFORMED THROUGHOUT SOUND + VISION.

I MUST SAY THAT I ENJOYED THE REALITY GIG NOT IN SPITE BUT BECAUSE OF THE HITS. IT WAS JUST GREAT TO SEE 13.000 STAND ON THEIR CHAIRS FOR LET'S DANCE AND ZIGGY STARDUST.

I LOVED OUTSIDE FOR ITS DARING CONCEPT AND THE WONDERFULLY COURAGEOUS SETLIST, BUT THE MUTED RESPONSE WAS A BIT DEPRESSING.