1974 I think it was. The Montreal Forum. And David Bowie was performing his Diamond Dogs show.
There are two things I vividly remember about that show. The first is the mock spaceship that soared above the crowd as Bowie sang Space Oddity. A prop like that wasn’t only something I had never seen before, it was something that, for 1974, was damn cool. Hell, it’d be damn cool even today.
The second thing I remember is scaring David Bowie. Yeah, hang on, let me set it up.
After the show, my friends and I were hanging about, just discussing where to go next. As we stood there, on rue Lambert-Closse, debating our next move, a stretch limo crept up behind us. Just on a lark, we all put our thumbs out, pretending we wanted a ride. It was only when the limo stopped at a traffic light did we notice the gaunt, shadowy fellow in back seat. Even from under his wide-brimmed hat, he appeared to be nervous; he appeared to be a man desperately willing himself into invisibility.
It didn’t take long to recognize who was in the back seat of that limo. And, as we began to approach the car—as we began to shout out his name—that’s when the limo driver roared away.
Yeah, it was indeed David Bowie in the back seat of that limo. And I think we unnerved him. For a moment anyway.