‘Lost’ 1978 David Bowie tour film to play arenas in 2027, remastered by Moonage Daydream director Brett Morgen — SkimNews
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- Stage will tour arenas in 2027 with mostly unseen footage from David Bowie’s 1978 Isolar II tour, remastered by Brett Morgen from the original 35mm; the title also names the acclaimed live album released from U.S. dates that autumn.
- David Bowie commissioned David Hemmings to film two Earls Court shows in summer 1978 centered on Low and Heroes; in 2000, Bowie said he disliked how it was shot, and the footage remained unreleased.
- Isolar II tour ran from March to December 1978 in two parts, moving from Low and Heroes to early-1970s songs from Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars; NME’s Nick Kent called the backing band “his finest by a mile.”
- Brett Morgen conceived the arena presentation in 2018 and spent subsequent years color-grading, relighting and hand-painting the original 35mm; his 2024 Grammy-winning Moonage Daydream documentary had already showcased some of Hemmings’ footage.
- Bowie originally intended the footage for a concert film that associates said could play in nontraditional venues in lieu of him touring; he did not tour again until the 1983 Serious Moonlight run.
- Stage will display footage of Bowie across multiple transparent LED screens, with lighting by Patrick Woodroffe and an immersive audio mix by Paul Massey, creating the stated illusion that he and his band are physically present.
- Stage will premiere at the 77th Berlin film festival in February before beginning its arena tour.
Why it matters: For Bowie fans, the 2027 arena run turns nearly 50-year-unreleased footage into a live-scale encounter with the Earls Court performances, including footage whose original shooting Bowie disliked. It also realizes the unusual concept his associates said Bowie had considered: using a film in nontraditional venues when he was not touring.
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