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Los Angeles’ love for David Bowie is unwavering. To mark the music icon’s birthday on January 8th and ten years since his death on January 10th, pianist Mike Garson (Bowie’s longest-serving bandmate) assembled an all-star cast of students and companions for three shows at the Sun Rose in West Hollywood.
Opening and early highlights
The performers included Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin from the Smashing Pumpkins, Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and singer Andra Day, who provided emotional moments and surprises on Saturday evening.
The Struts’ Luke Spiller opened the evening with rousing versions of “Starman,” “Life on Mars” and “Moonage Daydream,” backed by shredding teenage guitarist Elie Samouhi (whom Garson credits as a mentor).
The soulful inspirations in Bowie’s work were highlighted by powerful vocalist Judith Hill (former backup singer for Michael Jackson and Prince, featured prominently in 20 Feet From Stardom). She tackled two classics from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars: “It Ain’t Easy” and “Lady Stardust.” Hill’s raw, haunting vocals were reminiscent of Aretha Franklin’s spiritual expressiveness and lifted the show into an almost religious realm.
Seventies glamor and funk
Another, no less captivating side of Bowie’s work was shown by glam-pop crooner Jake Wesley Rogers (who inspired Cyndi Lauper last summer). He emphasized the theatricality of Bowie’s material and 1970s stage shows, wearing the famous astral orb makeup on his forehead and singing “Changes,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” and the darkly prophetic “Lazarus” from “Black Star,” Bowie’s final studio album.
The thoughtful interlude was followed by funky stomps with Chad Smith from the Chili Peppers on “Rebel Rebel” and “Let’s Dance,” which brought the entire small club audience on the Sunset Strip out of their seats.
Surprises from the Smashing Pumpkins
Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin then joined headliner Billy Corgan unannounced, singing “Space Oddity” – one of his favorite tour tracks – and a moving “All the Young Dudes.” He also performed “If There Is a God” from the Pumpkins’ sixth studio album, “Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music” (2000), and revealed that the song was inspired by Garson himself. Garson later explained that he had no idea the title had anything to do with him until that moment.
More highlights and finales
Another surprise performance and highlight belonged to exceptional soul/jazz artist and Billie Holiday biopic actress Andra Day, who presented a furious version of her hit “Rise Up” – like a cathartic exercise in the face of the world’s current hardships. To underscore the healing and escapist power of music like Bowie’s, Day and Hill then followed up with a raw, yet stunning rendition of Bowie’s duet with Freddie Mercury, “Under Pressure.”
Hill and Wesley also sang “Aladdin Sane,” while Garson – who never plays the classic the same way twice live – incorporated jazzy flourishes and melodic digressions as vibrant and electric as the red-and-blue lightning bolt that symbolizes the album and the man who changed the keyboardist’s life.
The show ended with nearly everyone involved in an awestruck “Heroes” singalong. The young backing singers on stage (from the music department at the University of Southern California, as Garson explained) were given their own solo passages alongside the big names. Former David Bowie bassist Carmine Rojas also played backing, along with bassist Nando Raio, guitarists Nick Perri and Dave Wood, and drummers Max Garson and Shay Godwin. The Sun Rose Hotel and nightclub (creatively directed by producer Adam Blackstone) will see Garson and his band return for more shows later in the year.
“I had [Bowies] Presence not felt for a while. I used to feel it a lot,” Garson told ROLLING STONE after the show. “But in that moment it was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m with you.’ For him it was about risk, joy and presence. If you play the music truthfully and don’t get in the way, your spirit will emerge.”