David Bowie in 1983 launched the Serious Moonlight Tour, a massive world tour supporting his all-time best selling studio album Let’s Dance. 

Before venturing out on a journey that would span 96 shows through 15 countries, selling over 2.6 million tickets, he held a pair of rehearsals in Brussels on May 16 & 17 and those in attendance got to witness some live debuts. 

Do rehearsals at the Forest National arena in front of thousands count as live debuts? Many do!

Originally planned for small theaters, the tour was quickly upgraded to large outdoor stadiums when the record rocketed up the charts thanks to heavy MTV and radio airplay. One promoter reported 250,000 fan requests for a venue with just 44,000 seats.

The Thin White Duke's first tour in five years would be seriously successful thanks to a slightly new sound thanks to producer Nile Rodgers who added just the right amount of Chic to the mix.

Despite always putting on a great show, Bowie didn't make touring a priority. After the massive Isolar II Tour of 1978 where he performed 79 shows, he focused his attentions to making new music and acting.

Shortly after the tour Bowie finished and released Lodger (1979), the experimental close to his Berlin Trilogy. That was followed by the more accessible yet sonically adventurous Scary Monsters (1980), and then Let’s Dance (1983) - his nod to pop and funk.

Meanwhile he also starred in the Broadway production of The Elephant Man (1979–1980, 157 performances), contributed music to Christiane F. (1981); and appeared in Just a Gigolo (1979), The Hunger (1983), and Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983).

Your boy was busy!

So when it was time to put together a set for suddenly-ambitious tour, Bowie had a lot of new material to choose from to supplement his rich category of hits.

Thus in the rehearsals and first proper live gigs in Belgium, audiences were greeted with nine live debuts: "Wild Is the Wind" from Station to Station (1976); "Look Back in Anger," "Joe the Lion," and "Red Sails" from Lodger (1979); "Fashion" and "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980); and "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)," "China Girl," and "Let's Dance" from Let's Dance (1983).

The other secret ingredient to the success of Let's Dance is an unlikely one: Texas guitar legend (who was unsigned and undiscovered at the time) Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Rodgers recommended the virtuoso to add some of that Hendrix-y guitar to the funk and it was so perfect it became the first Bowie LP where he didn't play any instruments.

Vaughan played guitar on six tracks on the record: “Let’s Dance,” “Modern Love,” “China Girl,” “Criminal World,” “Cat People (Putting Out Fire),” and “Without You.”

And surprise, surprise; the album produced three major Top 40 singles—“Let’s Dance” (#1), “China Girl” (#2 UK, #10 US), and “Modern Love” (#2 UK, #14 US). Thanks, SRV!

Part of the reason Bowie had two public rehearsals in Belgium is because after his rehearsals near Stevie's hometown of Dallas, Texas in April ended with the two musicians choosing to part ways.

Stevie had his debut, Texas Flood, in his back pocket ready to share with the world. It would drop in June. He also had a serious relationship with opiates, a habit that would haunt him his whole life.

So in Europe Bowie assembled a band led by rhythm guitarist Carlos Alomar who acted as music director, and included Chic drummer Tony Thompson. Veteran guitarist Earl Slick replaced SRV.

But why was Alomar the music director and rhythm guitarist? Doesn't Nile have the funkiest right hand in the business?

Nile was busy producing the biggest boy band in the world at the time, Duran Duran, who would remix The Reflex and make it the groups first #1 US hit in 1984.

Then he would meet up with Madonna and produce a little record called Like A Virgin which would go on to sell 21 million copies.

Nile is currently on tour with Chic where he has been known to play some of those Bowie, Madonna, and Daft Punk hits he helped create in concert. Go to Nile Rodgers' website for tickets.

Nile Rodgers & Chic 2025 World Tour

May 18 – San Francisco de Mostazal, Chile – Gran Arena Monticello
May 20 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Movistar Arena
May 22 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Vivo Rio
June 17 – Stockholm, Sweden – Annexet
June 19 – Oslo, Norway – OverOslo Festival
June 22 – Woodstock, UK – Blenheim Palace
June 25 – Rugeley, UK – Cannock Chase Forest
July 3 – Exeter, UK – Powderham Castle
July 4 – York, UK – Museum Gardens
July 5 – Chelmsford, UK – Chelmsford City Racecourse
July 6 – Lewes, UK – Love Supreme Jazz Festival
July 8 – Mantua, Italy – Piazza Sordello
July 9 – Marostica, Italy – Piazza degli Scacchi
July 10 – Vitrolles, France – Jardin Sonore Festival
July 15 – Rome, Italy – Auditorium Parco della Musica
July 18 – Cattolica, Italy – Teatro Della Regina
August 12 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland Ballroom
August 13 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland Ballroom
August 15 – Norfolk, UK – Sandringham Estate (with Mariah Carey)
August 24 – London, UK – Crystal Palace Bowl
August 25 – Cardiff, UK – Cardiff Castle
August 28 – Hitchin, UK – Hitchin Priory
August 29 – Halifax, UK – The Piece Hall
August 31 – Belfast, UK – Custom House Square