Celebrating David Bowie

Last long weekend I was one of the many fans “Celebrating David Bowie” at the Danforth Music Hall. The evening featured two and a half hours of live performance by musicians who had played with Bowie as far back as the ‘70s. Piano player Mike Garson hosted the show and assembled veteran personnel. Garson is best known for his gorgeous solo on the recording of “Aladdin Sane”. He also collaborated with Bowie on the album Outside and with Nine Inch Nails on the acclaimed album The Fragile. His deep appreciation for Bowie and his music was clear as he introduced the songs and shared personal anecdotes.

The lineup was impressive and the featured vocalists vary from city to city. The Bowie “alumni” included guitarists Gerry Leonard, Mark Plati and Earl Slick, bassist Carmine Rojas and singer Bernard Fowler. Earl Slick’s son Lee John Madeloni was on drums. They treated us to a crowd-pleasing selection of ‘70s hits and some lesser-known cuts like “Win” and “Bring Me the Disco King”. There was a fun, nostalgic atmosphere with the players engrossed in the music and the singers often engaging the audience by inviting us to join in on the chorus or backing vocals.

The band stuck quite close to the recorded versions of the songs. Hearing the arrangements we know so well performed live with intensity and expertise was exiting. Four singers interpreted the vocals including Sting’s son, Joe Sumner. I found he was the one who sounded closest to Bowie, especially when he sang falsetto. When Garson introduced “The Lady Grinning Soul” he said what a great piece it is and wondered aloud why Bowie didn’t tend to play it live. Sumner joked that if Garson tried singing it he’d know. That was one of my favourite songs of the evening. The sweeping drama and Garson’s intricate, sparkling runs really gripped me.

I particularly liked Bernard Fowler’s performance on “Stay” and “Station to Station”. I felt that his body language was dynamic and that his articulation infused words with meaning.

I still missed Bowie, though. After listening to those recordings so many times, we’re all very familiar with every detail of his delivery. And, of course, he had that special flair at live shows. He’d tell stories – sometimes ones that he clearly exaggerated. He would dance, throwing in moves that blurred gender lines. He’d act out little skits with band members – laying flowers at his bassist’s feet then pretending rejection and heartbreak.

So, some of the moments I liked most that night were the ones when singers showed their own personal style. At the end of “Five Years”, Gaby Moreno broke into long wordless sustained tones. That made the song come alive for me in a new way. I also liked Sass Jordan’s “Moonage Daydream”. She sounded completely different than Bowie, and for me that worked. A woman singing with a low, gravelly voice seemed in keeping with the spirit of Ziggy Stardust.

The part of the night I enjoyed most was Gerry Leonard’s solo performance of “Andy Warhol”. It felt understated and sincere. The beginning was similar to the album version but then he layered on extra phrases with his looper and dove into a lead break that was totally different.

The evening was a fun mixture of reminiscence and creativity. I want to say a big thank you to my wonderful friend Sandra P., for giving me her ticket when she couldn’t make it. Today I’m listening to David Live, to relive those great songs.