Park packed for superstar’s show

Press, 25 November 1983, Page 4

Park packed for superstar’s show

PA Wellington More than 42,000 people crammed into Athletic Park last evening to see David Bowie in the second-to-last concert of his “Serious Moonlight” tour.

The tour has taken him and his huge entourage through Europe, the United States, and Australia already this year. The crush inside the park had the security people at full stretch long before Bowie appeared on stage.

Dozens of fans had to be hauled bodily from the front of the stage to prevent them being squashed. All 42,000

appeared to have the singleminded intention of being closest to Bowie.

The crowd was asked at least twice to move backwards before Bowie himself stopped the concert.

Twice he called out, “There’s somebody down on the ground, get that person

up.” When the reluctant fans were finally persuaded to ease the pressure, Bowie’s admonishment, “Now be cool,” had everbody cheering again. A steady stream of fans had poured into the park

from early yesterday this morning to make sure they got a good spot to see the rock superstar.

Liquor was banned and according to the concert’s organisers most concertgoers observed the rules and little was confiscated.

The New Zealand representative of the concert’s promoters, the Paul Dainty Corporation, Mr Hugh Lynn, said he was not surprised that the crowd was well behaved.

New Zealand had the biggest and the happiest crowds, he said.