London Bye Ta Ta

David Bowie’s 21st studio album Hours was released on 4th October 1999 on Virgin Records. It was Bowie's final album for the EMI sub-label, and was the first complete album by a major artist available to download over the Internet, preceding the physical release by two weeks. Making extensive use of live instruments, the album was Bowie's exit from heavy electronica, a genre he had absorbed himself in over previous years.

Bowie took the album on the road for the 3-month ‘Hours Tour’ in late 1999. Guitarist Page Hamilton, founding member of Helmet, was drafted to replace Reeves Gambrels on the tour, whose final performance and association with Bowie ended at the VH1 Storytellers performance on 23 August 1999. Rumours of a split were denied by both parties, until a few months later the story changed as the guitarist admitted that he and Bowie had drifted apart. In addition to Bowie and Hamilton, the touring band was made up of Mark Plati on lead and rhythm guitars, Gail Ann Dorsey on bass guitar, Sterling Campbell on drums, and Mike Garson on keyboards.

On 2nd December ’99 the group played a stunning show at the London Astoria, and the entire performance was recorded for live FM Radio Transmission. This new CD features this incredible concert released here on CD the first time.