i don't know how many assessments of david bowie i have read, but i assure you this is the best. great write up.

1) i agree with your 11/26/94 and spectrum '97 comparision. for me, i'm with you. i prefer the more dissonant/off kilt ones. it is not so much getting weird for the sake of getting weird. i love to see them "fight against the structure," and then, for me, the reward is seeing how they bring it all back home. i have similar feelings about melt and stash. on the flip side, it is also a mood dependent thing for me. some times it is just nice to hear them carve through the middle section and land seamlessly into the coda. i think of the 11/14/98 bowie when i think of these types. it's a very fine version. is that the last 2nd set opener you alluded to?

2) as for 3.0 bowies, i thought the '10 a.c. version was splendid. in fact, i thought the whole 2001> bowie combo harkened memories of '95. granted, not quite up to '95 snuff. otherwise, i agree with @funkybch. the clarkston bowie is awesome. that's the other thing about bowie. like tweezer, it is a song that easily adjusts to "the mood of the set," and i think clarkston is a shining example of that.

3) i feel like there is more hope for better bowies in the future. i really enjoyed the creek bowie. it was not an all time keeper, by any means, but it fit the mood of the set and it seemed they are feeling more cozy with the song again. i thought it was something they could build upon, but they didn't, not in leg 2 at least.

4) i think your bowie, melt, and stash bundling is spot on. unlike bowie and stash, i think melt has delivered on a much more consistent level in 3.0. it's not always delivering, but it does much more frequently. i also think stash is even lagging way behind bowie though. don't know why...just is.

5) thanks for mentioning the sugar bush '95 bowie!! i was thumbing through my ipod trying to figure out what to listen to, and this one is a freaking peach. one of my all time favorites. time to hit play and listen to those sick gin and timber teases!! yes!!