Page "David Bowie" Paragraph 52

In October 2001, Bowie opened The Concert for New York City, a charity event to benefit the victims of the September 11 attacks, with a minimalist performance of Simon & Garfunkel's " America ", followed by a full band performance of " Heroes ".

2002 saw the release of Heathen, and, during the second half of the year, the Heathen Tour.

Taking in Europe and North America, the tour opened at London's annual Meltdown festival, for which Bowie was that year appointed artistic director.

Among the acts he selected for the festival were Philip Glass, Television and The Dandy Warhols.

As well as songs from the new album, the tour featured material from Bowie's Low era.

Reality ( 2003 ) followed, and its accompanying world tour, the A Reality Tour, with an estimated attendance of 722, 000, grossed more than any other in 2004.

Onstage in Oslo, Norway, on 18 June, Bowie was hit in the eye with a lollipop thrown by a fan ; a week later he suffered chest pain while performing at the Hurricane Festival in Scheeßel, Germany.

Originally thought to be a pinched nerve in his shoulder, the pain was later diagnosed as an acutely blocked artery, requiring an emergency angioplasty in Hamburg.

The remaining 14 dates of the tour were cancelled.