The tour drew thunderous critical acclaim. Writing in the New York Times about his sold-out Madison Square Garden show, Jon Pareles said: "Unlike many other rockers of his generation, Mr. Bowie, 56, made his recent songs sound just as trenchant as the oldies…Mr. Bowie has sung many of these songs countless times, but with a shifted inflection here and a sly gesture there he made clear that he was still thinking through them, bringing them into the here and now" (12/17/03). Of the same show, Jim Farber of the New York Daily News noted: "Bowie was in burly voice and brisk shape Monday, looking and sounding at least 20 years younger than his actual age…His last two albums reunited him with [his former producer] Tony Visconti. Together, they've rekindled Bowie's talent for compelling melodies and hot riffs” (12/17/03). Elsewhere, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune said: "He arrived in peak voice with a powerhouse band and a set list that soothed nostalgic cravings even as it worked as pointed commentary" (1/14/04).