Bowie announces world tour dates

Rock legend David Bowie is to embark on his first major world tour in almost a decade, the singer announced today.

“A Reality Tour” will play to over one million people in 17 countries over a seven-month period and will see Bowie returning to places where he hasn’t performed since the late 1980’s.

A Dublin concert has been pencilled in, for November 22.

The beginning of the tour in early October will coincide with the release of the star’s new album “Reality” to be released by Iso/Columbia Records.

It will start in Europe before moving on to North America and next year will see the tour moving on to Australia and the Far East.

In recent years, Bowie has concentrated on more intimate one-off special live events in Europe, such as last year’s Carling Hammersmith Apollo show in London.

“Last year’s shows were such a tremendous high and the audiences so responsive,” said the singer.

“My band is playing at the top of its form right now and it would be foolish not to play a tour this year while we’re in such good spirits about the live show aspects of our work”.

The tour, which will include old favourites as well as tracks from the new album, will be Bowie’s first major one since the hugely successful “Outside World” tour of 1995.

The dates announced today are:

Copenhagen, Denmark – Oct 7; Stockholm, Sweden – Oct 8; Helsinki, Finland - Oct 10; Oslo, Norway – Oct 12: Rotterdam, Netherlands – Oct 15; Milan, Italy - Oct 23; MEN Arena Manchester – Nov 17; Birmingham NEC – Nov 19; The Point, Dublin – Nov 22; Wembley Arena London – Nov 25. Tickets for the UK shows go on sale from 9am on June 20.