Carlos Alomar on the meaning of “B2B”
On Saturday, Carlos Alomar will return to my YouTube show for the second part of our interview. Carlos was one of Bowie’s most enduring collaborators, and his upcoming “Back to Berlin” Tour, with fellow D.A.M. member George Murray, Bowie alumnus Kevin Armstrong and a top-flight band will honor Bowie and fellow D.A.M. member Dennis Davis by performing songs from the Berlin period. But while the tour is called “Back to Berlin,” Carlos explained that “B2B” has a different meaning.
Carlos explained it in a way that went far beyond a tour slogan. He said, “I’m gonna put something in your brain. Finish this sentence: to be or not to be? That is the question. You’ve been living with B2B all your life. The fact that I say “B2B” means become who you’re supposed to be.”
He tied it directly to Bowie’s own way of living. Bowie, he said, was never caught in a loop of his own making. If something became stale, he abandoned it and tried something new. Curiosity drove him forward, and mistakes became lessons. “The best teacher was your last mistake,” Carlos said.
To illustrate it, he shared stories from his own life. He had never expected to enjoy golf until he tried it, then he discovered it became a passion. Bowie once asked him what he wanted for his birthday, and Carlos requested fencing equipment. Soon enough, Bowie had bought him the foil, the jacket, the mask, and Carlos found himself taking fencing lessons in his apartment, sparring with family members after the teacher left. These experiences, he explained, reflected Bowie’s outlook: embrace curiosity, even if it means entering unfamiliar territory, and grow from it.
“Be curious enough to allow yourself to leave that loop,” Carlos said. “Dive in. Create new loops. Emulate Bowie. Be courageous and be that chameleon. You’ll find that you are more than what you think you are.”
The phrase “Back to Berlin” works on two levels: it refers to the music Carlos made with Bowie, George Murray, and Dennis Davis in the late 1970s, and it also conveys this idea of transformation — becoming who you are meant to be.
This is one of the many subjects Carlos discussed in the second part of our interview, which will be posted in full on Saturday. His return to the show also comes just as he prepares to tour with George Murray for the Back to Berlin Tour 2025, honoring Bowie and the late Dennis Davis with music from the Berlin Trilogy albums.
—
The confirmed list of European tour dates for Carlos Alomar presents The D.A.M Trilogy, Back To Berlin Tour 2025, are as follows:
· Fri 7 Nov – Berlin, Metropol
· Sun 9 Nov – Oslo, Santrum Scene
· Tue 11 Nov – Gothenburg, Lorensbergsteatern
· Wed 12 Nov—Malmo, Slagthusets Teater
· Thu 13 Nov – Veji, Vejle Musikteater
· Sat 15 Nov – Eindhoven, Muziekgebouw
· Sun 16 Nov – Utrecht, Tivoli Vredenburg
· Tue 18 Nov – Zurich, Volkshaus
· Wed 19-Nov – Paris, Casino De Paris
· Fri 21 Nov – Antwerp, Stadsschouwburg
· Sun 23 Nov – Sheffield, Octagon
· Mon 24 Nov – Liverpool, Philharmonic
· Wed 26 Nov – Glasgow, The Old Fruitmarket, City Halls
· Fri 28 Nov – London, Barbican
· Sat 29 Nov – Bristol, Beacon Hall
· Mon 1 Dec – Dublin, Vicar St
For the latest news about the Back To Berlin tour, including ticket details, connect with the D.A.M Trio online at:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572186459817
https://x.com/DAMTrioTour
https://www.instagram.com/damtriotour/