David Bowie’s 1978 Isolar II tour documentation will return to audiences through arena screenings in 2027 under the title Stage. The original footage was filmed by director David Hemmings at two shows held at London’s Earls Court arena that summer, capturing performances centered on the Low and “Heroes” albums. Bowie had commissioned the concert film as a vehicle to reach audiences through nontraditional venues without requiring him to tour himself.
The project remained unreleased for decades despite Bowie’s initial intentions. After completing the Isolar II tour, Bowie moved on to other pursuits including recording Lodger and Scary Monsters, and the footage was shelved. Though a live album titled Stage was released in autumn 1978, the visual documentation never surfaced. In a 2000 interview, Bowie explained his dissatisfaction with the original cinematography but suggested the material might eventually be made available.
Director Brett Morgen, who helmed the Grammy-winning Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream, gained access to Hemmings’ original 35mm film while working on that project. Footage from the Earls Court “Heroes” performance appeared in the 2024 documentary. Morgen subsequently spent years undertaking restoration work including color grading, relighting, and hand painting of the original materials.
The Stage presentation will feature the concert footage displayed across multiple screens alongside a custom lighting design by Patrick Woodroffle and immersive audio mixing by Paul Massey. Advanced transparent LED screens will create visual effects intended to suggest the band’s physical presence on stage. The Earls Court performances featured prominent musicians including guitarists Carlos Alomar and Adrian Belew, bassist George Murray, and drummer Dennis Davis.
Stage will premiere at the 77th Berlin film festival in February before beginning its arena tour. The project represents a significant archival recovery of late-1970s rock concert documentation previously considered lost to audiences.
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