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 place 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 coronary artery , requiring an emergency angioplasty in Hamburg . The remaining 14 dates of the tour were cancelled . That same year , his interest in Buddhism led him to support the Tibetan cause by performing at a concert to support the New York Tibet House
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
David Bowie