David Bowie’s Lost 1978 Tour Film Heads to Arenas

A David Bowie concert film that spent nearly five decades out of public view is finally being prepared for audiences. Titled Stage, the restored project uses footage from Bowie’s 1978 Isolar II tour and is planned as an arena presentation in 2027 rather than a conventional theatrical release.

Footage Bowie once set aside

Bowie commissioned actor and director David Hemmings to film two Earls Court concerts in London during the tour. The shows drew heavily from the albums Low and “Heroes”, then returned to earlier material associated with the Ziggy Stardust era. Although a live album titled Stage appeared in 1978, the concert film remained unreleased.

Bowie later acknowledged that he had not liked the way the material was shot, while also suggesting that time had improved his view of it. A portion of the performance of “Heroes” eventually appeared in Brett Morgen’s 2022 Bowie documentary Moonage Daydream, giving fans a brief look at what the archive contained.

Morgen has now remastered the original 35mm footage for the larger project. The restoration reportedly involved years of color grading, relighting and hand painting, turning a long-rumored piece of Bowie history into a production designed for modern venues.

More than a screening

The arena edition of Stage will spread the concert across multiple screens, pair it with a lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe and use an immersive audio mix by Paul Massey. Transparent LED technology is intended to make Bowie and his band appear physically present onstage, positioning the show somewhere between an archival film and a live concert experience.

The 1978 touring band included Carlos Alomar, Adrian Belew, George Murray, Dennis Davis, Roger Powell, Sean Mayes and Simon House. Their performances came during a period when Bowie had moved away from elaborate characters and placed greater emphasis on sound, arrangements and musicianship.

The official David Bowie account confirmed the announcement and said a full press release would follow. Stage is expected to premiere at the 77th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2027 before beginning its arena run. Dates and venues have not yet been detailed publicly.