David Bowie's Lost 1978 Concert Film Set for 2027 Arena Tour
A long-unseen concert film of David Bowie's 1978 Earls Court shows, shot by David Hemmings, has been restored by Brett Morgen and will premiere at the Berlin Film Festival before an immersive arena tour in 2027.
A long-lost David Bowie concert film from 1978 will finally reach audiences in 2027. The footage, shelved for nearly 50 years, has been rediscovered and will premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2027 before embarking on a global arena tour.
Bowie commissioned actor and director David Hemmings to film three sold-out performances at London's Earls Court in the summer of 1978. The project, initially titled Stage, was abandoned and remained in storage until its recent recovery. A live album from the same tour dates was released in 1978, but the visual record was considered lost. The film is officially titled David Bowie at the Stage Tour, also known as The Low / Heroes World Tour.
The 1978 Isolar II Tour Context
The footage captures Bowie's Isolar II World Tour, which ran from March to December 1978. The tour was split into two distinct parts. The first leg focused on material from his seminal Low and 'Heroes' albums. The second part revisited early 70s hits, including songs from his Ziggy Stardust era.
The band featured an expansive lineup, which director Brett Morgen described as extraordinary for a rock show in 1978. The performance included an electric violin, piano, and synth player. The full touring ensemble consisted of:
Morgen stated that the concerts showed Bowie at the peak of this ambitious tour.
Rediscovery and Restoration
Director Brett Morgen, who made the 2024 Grammy-winning documentary Moonage Daydream, discovered the 35mm film within David Bowie's complete archives, which he received in 2017. Morgen had asked to see Hemmings' original film as early as 2018.
He then undertook a careful restoration process. Morgen spent over 1,000 hours on colour grading and relighting the footage to compile and remaster it for modern presentation. Historical context contributed to the film's original shelving. Bowie moved to Switzerland after these concerts and began recording the album Lodger, which reportedly led to his dissatisfaction with the footage. Bowie expressed interest in releasing the film before his death in 2016 but never saw a formal release.
The 2027 Arena Presentation
The remastered film will be presented in arenas starting in 2027 under the tour name Stage. This new incarnation is designed as an immersive experience. It will use multiple transparent LED screens, which promoters claim will create the illusion that Bowie and his band are physically present on stage.
The presentation integrates a lighting show designed by Patrick Woodroffe and an immersive audio mix by Paul Massey, presented in 7.1 surround sound. Exact dates and venues for the 2027 arena tour have not yet been confirmed. The journey for this archival piece begins with its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2027.
