Q: What was David Bowie’s last appearance onstage?

A: One night early in 2007 he showed up unannounced to introduce Ricky Gervais at Madison Square Garden, treated the crowd to an a cappella version of “Pug Nosed Face,” and disappeared in a puff of smoke, apparently for good.

This fan-shot video is shaky and grainy, and yet eerily perfect. In the long shots David’s silhouette is that of Ziggy Stardust; when the camera zooms in, suddenly he’s the Thin White Duke.

In 2008 Bowie would be heard adding backing vocals to two of the songs on Scarlett Johansson’s album of Tom Waits covers (“Fannin Street” and “Falling Down”). He is a spectral presence there, as if already fading into history.

Had that been the end, as it seemed for many years it would be, no one would have been surprised. But no! David Jones would resurrect David Bowie for a lengthy curtain call before leaving us for good.