Live Santa Monica 72 is a live album by David Bowie recorded on 20 October 1972 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, California.
This captures David Bowie promoting his Ziggy Stardust album.
David Bowie Live Santa Monica 72
Santa Monica Set List
- Introduction – 0:13
- Hang on to Yourself – 2:46 (Ziggy Stardust)
- Ziggy Stardust – 3:23 (Ziggy Stardust)
- Changes – 3:27 (Hunky Dory)
- The Supermen – 2:55 (The Man Who Sold The World)
- Life on Mars? – 3:28 (Hunky Dory)
- Five Years – 4:32 (Ziggy Stardust)
- Space Oddity – 5:05 (single and on the David Bowie album)
- Andy Warhol – 3:50 (Hunky Dory)
- My Death – 5:51
- The Width Of A Circle – 10:44 (The Man Who Sold The World)
- Queen Bitch – 3:00 (Hunky Dory)
- Moonage Daydream – 4:53 (Ziggy Stardust)
- John, I’m Only Dancing – 3:16 (single)
- Waiting For The Man – 5:45 (cover of the Velvet Underground song)
- The Jean Genie – 4:00 (the lead single for the Aladdin Sane album)
- Suffragette City – 4:12 (Ziggy Stardust)
- Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide – 3:01 (Ziggy Stardust)
This is a very good set list from the early David Bowie albums although I’d have liked him to play even more from the The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album.
The band on this tour was:
- David Bowie – guitar, vocals
- Mick Ronson – lead guitar, bass guitar, vocals
- Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
- Mick “Woody” Woodmansey – drums
- Mike Garson – keyboards
Here is a version of the Ziggy Stardust song performed live in 1973 to give you an insight into what it was like to see David Bowie live in what many would say was his best time.
Nassau Coliseum vs a David Bowie Compilation vs Various Studio Albums
This is the section where I think about how well this Santa Monica live album summarises David Bowie for people who only want one or two of his albums in their collection.
David Bowie is well served for compilation albums and the compliers have done a good job. The Platinum Collection is very comprehensive. The three CDs can also be bought separately as The Best of David Bowie 1968 – 74, 74 – 79 and 1980 – 87.
These work well if you just want the hits in a form that you hear on the radio.
If you’re prepared to stretch the number of David Bowie albums you buy, I’d say that you could consider the studio albums.
Essential – Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, Station To Station
Very Good – Aladdin Sane, Diamond Dogs
Santa Monica catches David Bowie in his glam rock stage with plenty of tracks from his two most critically acclaimed albums, Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust.
If this is your favourite period, then it is a good companion to the studio albums. Alternatively if you already have those two studio albums, you may want to experience a different period of Bowie and David Live and Nassau Coliseum are compelling alternatives.
What Other People Say About The Santa Monica Live Album
I haven’t seen it on any of the best live album lists but it was released many years after the event.
Comments at Amazon are very positive.
%%CUSTOMERREVIEWS%%
Buying David Bowie Live Santa Monica
To help you to find the album quickly and easily, I’ve given you the following links::
- Amazon.com as a CD or mp3
- Amazon.co.uk as a CD or mp3
- iTunes as a digital download
- eBay as a CD
What Do You Think About David Bowie and Santa Monica?
Do you think that this captures David Bowie at his best or do you think that the Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture Soundtrack is an even better concert because of its historical significance?
David Bowie’s Best Live Album Poll
Loading ...Other David Bowie live albums are: Santa Monica 72 – Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture – David Live – Live Nassau Coliseum ’76 – Stage – Glass Spider Live – A Reality Tour – VH1 Storytellers – DVD Serious Moonlight
What Are The Best Live Albums Ever?
Please vote in the poll to find the best classic rock live albums.
Loading ...Because there are so many excellent classic rock live albums I have split the poll into two and you may find some of your favourites in the second division. Albums will be promoted when they get enough votes.
Loading ...You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk.
You may be interested in the polls for other classic rock artists like Bad Company – The Beach Boys – The Beatles (group & solo) – Dave Matthews Band – David Bowie – Dire Straits – Bob Dylan – Elton John – Fleetwood Mac – Jethro Tull – Pink Floyd – Queen – Rush – Sting & The Police – The Rolling Stones – Bruce Springsteen – Thin Lizzy – U2 – The Who – Wishbone Ash – Neil Young –
You can see the complete list of readers polls at Live Album Polls
If You Like This…
If you like David Bowie, I think you’ll also like Be Bop Deluxe, Roxy Music, Talking Heads, Television