Phoenix Festival 1996

By the mid-1990s, David Bowie had reinvented himself once again, embracing the avant-garde and experimental sounds of the era.
After spending the early part of the decade experimenting with electronic and industrial music, he released Outside in 1995.
A concept album exploring themes of art, murder, and societal decay, Outside marked a dramatic shift in Bowie’s musical direction as he further experimented with dark, atmospheric textures.
This period represented Bowie at his most daring, as he pushed musical boundaries and embraced the influence of the rapidly evolving musical landscape of the 90s.
Outside was met with mixed reviews upon release but has since been hailed as one of Bowie’s most ambitious and cohesive works of his later career.
Commercially, it performed well, reaching high positions on both domestic and international charts.
The accompanying Outside tour was a spectacle of artistic exploration, with Nine Inch Nails supporting the U.S.
leg in a surprising combination that highlighted Bowie’s increasing appetite for industrial noise rock.
Despite refusing to play classic songs from his back catalogue, the tour marked a high point in Bowie’s live performances, presenting an invigorated Bowie who relished the opportunity to perform new material with fervour.