The Glass Spider Tour was a 1987 worldwide concert tour by the English musician David Bowie, launched in support of his album Never Let Me Down and named for that album's track "Glass Spider". It began in May 1987 and was preceded by a two-week press tour that saw Bowie visit nine countries throughout Europe and North America to drum up public interest in the tour. The Glass Spider Tour was the first Bowie tour to visit Austria, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Wales. Through a sponsorship from Pepsi, the tour was intended to visit Russia and South America as well, but these plans were later cancelled. The tour was, at that point, the longest and most expensive tour Bowie had embarked upon in his career. At the time, the tour's elaborate set was called "the largest touring set ever".
Bowie being lowered from the spider set's ceiling, to the opening song "Glass Spider" at Rock am Ring – 7 June 1987
Bowie on stage at Rock am Ring – 7 June 1987
A modern aerial view of De Kuip, where Bowie opened the tour
A concert tour is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often, concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific tour with a particular album or product. Especially in the popular music world, such tours can become large-scale enterprises that last for several months or even years, are seen by hundreds of thousands or millions of people, and bring in millions of dollars in ticket revenues. A performer who embarks on a concert tour is called a touring artist.
Audience view of Ed Sheeran's 2022–24 +–=÷× Tour in Copenhagen.
David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour stage (1987), then the largest touring set. Reportedly, it took 43 trucks move the set.
Taylor Swift's 2023-24 Eras Tour is the highest-grossing tour of all time.