David Bowie Stage, a new arena experience built around previously unseen footage from his 1978 Isolar II tour, has been announced for 2027. The production will have its world premiere at Berlin’s Uber Arena on 14 February, bringing a London performance from almost five decades ago into a newly designed sound and light presentation.
Announced on 27 October, the project unites filmmaker Brett Morgen, Wonderworld and the David Bowie Estate. For fans in Britain, there is a direct connection to the original concerts: the footage was filmed at Earls Court, where Bowie performed during the tour supporting his album “Heroes”.
What is David Bowie Stage?
The announcement on Bowie’s official website describes a production assembled from unseen 35mm film and designed for arena audiences. Multiple screens will be combined with an integrated lighting show and a newly created immersive audio mix.
Its focus is the concert itself. Rather than presenting a conventional career documentary, the format places the performance at the centre of a large shared viewing experience. The organisers say the production is intended to bridge cinema and a concert setting, using restored images of Bowie and his touring band.
Pitchfork reports that the original concert footage was shot by David Hemmings. The film remained unreleased while Bowie issued the live album Stage in 1978. The arena project therefore gives that period a fresh visual presentation, rather than simply returning the existing album to shops.
The team restoring the performance
Morgen, the director behind Moonage Daydream, discovered the original footage while exploring Bowie’s archive for that earlier film. His work on the new presentation has involved editing, colour grading and restoring the material, with longer takes used to preserve the sense of watching a performance unfold.
The promoter’s production details name Patrick Woodroffe as lighting designer and Paul Massey as the sound mixer. Woodroffe’s credits include work with the Rolling Stones and Elton John, while Massey’s film work includes Bohemian Rhapsody and Moonage Daydream.
Transparent LED screens and surround sound form part of the planned staging. Those are production specifications rather than a guarantee of how any particular seat will sound or look, but they explain why the project is being developed for large venues.
A snapshot of Bowie’s 1978 band
The footage captures Bowie with a touring line-up including guitarists Adrian Belew and Carlos Alomar, bassist George Murray and drummer Dennis Davis. Roger Powell, Sean Mayes and Simon House also feature, bringing keyboards, piano and electric violin to the performances.
The announced material includes familiar songs such as “Rebel Rebel”, “Fame” and “Ziggy Stardust”, alongside music from Low and “Heroes”. That combination puts Bowie’s established catalogue beside the more experimental work he was making in the late 1970s.
Premiere and ticket information
Uber Arena confirms the Berlin premiere for Sunday 14 February 2027, with doors at 6pm and the event starting at 8pm local time. It is being presented in association with the 77th Berlin International Film Festival.
Screen Daily identifies the production as the first title announced for the festival. Morgen will also take part in the European Film Market talks programme, with further details still to come. That places the premiere within both the public festival and its wider industry programme.
For UK readers following the ticket release, the official announcement gives the Eventim presale as 9am GMT on Wednesday 28 October. General sale is listed for 9am GMT on Friday 30 October. Those correspond to 10am in Germany.
Music Week reports plans for a global tour following Berlin, with the UK among the intended markets. However, a specific UK date or venue has not been confirmed in the announcement. British fans should check future official listings before making travel plans.
The announcement follows the wider Bowie80 celebrations already covered by GlitterBeam. Stage adds a separate arena production to the growing list of projects bringing Bowie’s archive and performances to audiences during 2027.
