David Bowie Birthday Party 2002

The 17th
David Bowie Birthday Party 2002

in Tokyo

Robpongi Filming

Happy 55th Birthday from Japan, David!!!

On the early morning of January 5 2002, public transportation in Tokyo was almost mesmerized because of the heavy snow, which had been brought by the cold weather of the middle of winter. The unusual weather before our hero's birthday always makes us feel the enormous influences and tremendous impacts that his birth brought to this world.

Despite the harsh weather, the annual David Bowie birthday party was held at the Rolling Stone bar in Shinjuku. Toshiba EMI, FM Tokyo Publications, and the Serious Moonlight Club, the most influential Bowie Fan Club organized the party.

I took my Irish friend Kieran to the party earlier. We reached the place as the earliest guests and I received the number 1 lottery card, 2 drink tickets, and a backstage pass with 2 gorgeous pictures of David on each side. Though the people were late to arrive at the place because of the terrible weather, it began getting gradually crowded, eventually to bury all the space of the bar.

All through the party, a foreign Bowie Netter who lives in Japan, Robpongi kept filming the party with his fine DV camera, so that he can give the film to David himself later. He had the most peculiar attire, wearing a band which said 'the representative of pervs' and coveing his head with a unique helmet decorated with American & Japanese flags. Oh, well.

One of the most impressive experiences that happened to me at the party was the first encounters with several eminent Japanese Bowie fans, with outstanding and creative websites. On this page I would like to introduce some of them.

Here I'd like to introduce the program of this party in brief.

Opening

A female DJ called Ritsu announced the opening message of the party. Following her guidance, we sang the 'Happy Birthday' song for David, and banged the crackers, which made the brilliant beginning of the party.

Setlist 1 1. TVC15 2. Look Back In Anger 3. I'm Deranged 4. Changes 5. Miracle Goodnight 6. The Jean Genie 7. Julie 8. The Dreamers 9. Queen Bitch 10. Amazing 11. Survive 12. God Only Knows 13. The Man Who Sold The World	Michael & Eri
Setlist 2 14. Blue Jean 15. Joe The Lion 16. Criminal World 17. Little Wonder 18. Diamond Dogs 19. The Hearts Filthy Lesson 20. young Americans 21. Boys Keep Swinging 22. This Is Not America	Burton & Eri
Setlist 3 23. Seven 24. Right 25. I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday 26. Sound And Vision 27. Scream Like A Baby 28. If There Is Something 29. Let's Dance 30. Golden Years 31. Tumble And Twirl 32. Velvet Goldmine 33. Heroes	Ladies Masquerade
Setlist 4 34. Aladdin Sane 35. Thursday's Child 36. Wild Is The Wind 37. 'The Buddha Of Suburbia' BGM	Ladies Masquerade

The Otanoshimi lottery took place in the middle of the party. Several lucky guests won the precious prizes of rare goods, such as unreleased recording of David's and video tapes. But hardly ever had I expected I would win the CD-R of db's then!? It was said to be a unreleased recording version. I thought it might be the recording of the BBC Radio Theatre Concert or the Glastonbury Concert in 2000. I thanked everyone for the surprise gift and wished this good luck will keep throughout this year!

Setlist 5 38. Lucy Can't Dance 39. Dead Man Walking 40. Moonage Daydream 41. Blackout 42. Breaking Glass 43. Ziggy Stardust 44. Station To Station 45. Lady Stardust 46. Don't Let Me Down & Down 47. Win	Robpongi Filming the Party
Setlist 6 48. Underground 49. Magic Dance 50. Chilly Down 51. As The World Falls Down 52. Underground 53. 20th Century Boy 54. Tonight 55. Pretty Pink Rose 56. Teenage Wildlife	Tomokuke & Eri
Setlist 7 57. 'Hours' BGM The DJ disclosed the fact that this annual Bowie Birthday Party had been held even before her birth!	Hayato & Eri
Setlist 8 Hayato borrowed the microphone of the DJ to announce very important news for Japanese Bowie fans. Firstly, he clarified Tokyo FM Publications will publish the Japanese edition of 'Bowie Style' this summer. Secondly, he implied David Bowie would tour this year to make it fairly possible to see him playing in Japan this year!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!!	Hayato & Eri

Setlist 9 58. Scary Monsters 59. Hallo Spaceboy 60. What In The World 61. Stay 62. Cracked Actor 63. Cat People 64. Jump They Say 65. Ashes To Ashes 66. Quicksand - Another DJ girl called Kaoru took Ritsu's Place here.	'Dancin' In The Steet' By David & Mick!?
Setlist 10 67. Rock'N' Roll Suicide 68. Modern Love 69. White Light / White Heat 70. Rebel Rebel 71. Under Pressure 72. Dancning In The Street 73. Strangers When We Meet 74. Let's Spend The Night Together 75. Life On Mars?	Dancing in Tokyo!!!
Ending 76. All The Young Dudes (Encore) Suffragette City Tottorie showed us his unbelievable perfomance, impersonificating David with the skelton during the Young American Tour.	Tottorie -The Incredible Bowie Impersonator
(Songs In Store) 1. Starman 2. Absolute Beginners 3. Shake It 4. Move On 5. When The Wind Blows 6. Silly Boy Blue 7. Dead Against It 8. John, I'm Only Dancing 9. Black Tie White Noise 10. Criminal World 11. I'm Afraid Of Americans 12. The Motel	With the Happiest Couple

During the party, I could talk to one of the organizers of the party, Hayato, and his beautiful wife. They got married last year and was celebrated for his marriage by everyone attending the party. They were also invited to the Roseland Ballroom Concert back in 2000, and they told me they had found me at the side stage for the invited people, though I could not be careful enough to find them then, because I was preoccupied with my thoughts for David too much. I apolozised them for my ignorance, and we had a good time to have a nice conversation about David.

Here I would like to express my sincere gratitude for those who endeavored so much to hold this party, and I hope to see my Japanese friends of Bowie fans again. :o)