Celebrating David Bowie

I WAS BLOWN AWAY at the concert CELEBRATING BOWIE last night! The band had THREE singers, including Sting's son Joe Sumner, who between them actually were able to capture Bowie's voice amazingly well throughout the decades of his music. Mike Garson, Bowie's longest serving band member, was the host and just incredible on the piano. He ended the show with a stellar rendition of "Aladdin Sane." Gerry Leonard, who played on Bowie's albums "Heathen," "Reality" and "Next Day," blew me away too, playing slide guitar and jamming with the legendary guitarist Earl Slick, who I was lucky enough to see live "back in the day" on Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour! And Slick's son John Madeloni was perfect on the drums. "Rebel, Rebel," "Station to Station," "Starman," "Lady Grinning Soul," "Suffragette City" and the beautiful "Where are We Now" from Bowie's Next Day album were some of the songs played. The audience was GREAT too, because people were singing and dancing and no one got yelled at to "sit down!" Everyone was enjoying themselves, there was a really good vibe in such a beautiful and intimate setting, the Parker Playhouse. What a treat to hear the music LIVE by members who actually played on tour and on albums of Bowie versus watching a "Bowie cover band." I'd only ever heard most of those older songs on an album, it was nothing short of an extraordinary experience to hear it all LIVE. If you are a Bowie fan, get to this show!

What a great evening of music. This was one of those shows where it fired on all cylinders, the music was great, we had Bowie guitarist Earl Slick himself and an audience that was on their feet several times in the show, one of those perfect evenings. Looking forward to the 2019 version of this show for sure.

Wow - this show was incredible! I grew up listening to Bowie on the radio and albums so hearing these songs live was a great experience. There were performers in the band from various Bowie groups over the years like Earl Slick. There are still songs played today that younger audiences can recognize and connect to. The Celebrate group has different lead vocalists and a guest performer. Well worth the cost of admission.

I first saw this show in January 2017, during the very first run. It was beautiful, emotional and raw. It had barely been a year since Bowie died, and everyone was still in mourning. Mike Garson told personal stories that made me laugh and cry, and the whole show just felt intimate. They played for over three hours, and I didn t want it to end. This time, in 2018, I felt like I was attending Bowie karaoke. There were no personal stories, there was no warmth... Just a bunch of musicians \u2014 GREAT musicians, don t get me wrong \u2014 playing David s songs. Whereas last year this show felt like a real celebration \u2014 almost like a wake \u2014 this year s show honestly and sadly felt like a money grab. Had I not seen the first run, I might feel differently, but here we are. That first run set a very high bar, and this run felt phoned in. This year s show also suffered from a lack of quality special guests. Last year we had Sting, Tony Hadley and Angelo Moore, among others. This year there were Rachel Evan Wood, who can t sing, and Corey Glover, who needed a cheat sheet and got the music s phrasing all wrong. He was the weakest link by far. I did quite enjoy Fantastic Negrito, and of course Bernard Fowler, Gaby Moreno, Mr. Hudson and Joe Sumner are always fabulous. I would still recommend the show if you re a Bowie fan. I just wish it could ve recaptured last year s magic.

thank you so much for an amazing evening of david bowie's music, his songs will live on in our hearts and it was a pleasure to hear it being played by magnificent musicians, each note was played to perfection and I was drained by night's end, being a lighting designer/director the lighting was superb & sublime (and I would have given anything to run the console for one song) and the sound was crisp and clear, I went to the "Holy Holy" tour and as much fun as that was this performance has a slight edge, wishing you all continued success on the road and remember while you're out there entertaining the masses "there's a starman waiting in the sky", keep rockin...

After getting the chance to attend multiple Bowie shows over the years when he was alive, I am thrilled to see his legacy being carried forward. Tremendous musicianship and inspiring vocals from special guest singers. Definitely a go to show.

I haven't been to many tribute shows but the ones I have been to usually sound like live karaoke and can make me sad I'm not just listening to the artist themselves. BUT Celebrating David Bowie was NOT like that at all! This truly is a celebration. Each musician is incredible. Every solo made me think "I can't believe the tickets didn't cost more" and each vocalist in MPLS had their own special sound that really made me appreciate the songs again (and not just wish I was listening to Bowie). And, the best part, you hear reflections and stories from Mike Garson. These snippets and glimpses into our our friend's life are priceless. The whole experience was such a gift to fans. I'm so grateful. (And MPLS had the dancing man that was like a hype man for the crowd to get up and dance. His sincerity and joy were 100% pure, and he really added a whole new level to the experience without taking away from the music and everyone on stage. Mike should hire him to tour with them.) There are too many hits to hear them all in one night. Next time Celebrating David Bowie comes to town, I'll be there.

This was an amazingly lame performance, with a pompous lead singer prancing around on stage and a mediocre band. Really, just a crummy cover band. I left after 4 songs...couldn't sit through any more.

Let's face it; there'll never be another David Bowie. But longtime band mates Mike Garson, and the inimitable Earl Slick bring the songs back to life. Slick is particularly exciting to watch. He busts his iconic licks every time he's onstage, and he proves that rock guitarists don't ever go gently into that good night!! Garson runs the show and keeps it tight and interesting, interjecting just enough personal insights, while playing all the songs true to David's vision. All the singers do a great job, while very different in style and sound. Joe Sumner was particularly good on 'Quicksand', which was a real treat. (Hadn't seen that one performed since the MSG 50th birthday concert, with Robert Smith.) Some really deep cuts played, along with many hits. 'Lady Grinning Soul' was awesome to hear live, since I'd never seen David perform it, and I saw every tour back to 'Station to Station' in the mid '70's! Outstanding show. David comes alive....

Seats great and excellent venue. The concert was excellent - flowed seamlessly. Sound was superior. Liked that there were 4 vocalists and they played some of the more obscure Bowie songs. Totally exceeded my expectations.

The band was amazing 100%, not sure if the band played life on mars? I had to leave early sadly but if you didn't you totally should, I would love to see u guys again

This was my first event at the Chevalier in Medford and as a huge fan it was a bonus to see a Bowie event there. The band was great, with three different singers trading off on some Bowie classics and deeper cuts. The crowd was really into it, singing, dancing in the isles and having a really good time....with great energy. The venue was easy to get to, with plenty of street parking and a parking garage nearby. The Chevalier is not as fancy as the Wang or the Wilbur, but the seats were new and it was much more comfortable. The staff was friendly and courteous and we are looking forward to attending more events in Medford. The only downside was the one bar located in the lobby not far from the front doors so there was a long line making it difficult to maneuver.

This show was fabulous ! Such a great time seeing David's band and guests performing his wonderful catalog of music. Who knows it better than they do and the love in the room was incredible.Thank You Mike Garson , Gerry Leonard,Earl Slick, Carmine Rojas, Bernard Fowler , Mark Plati,Gabby Moreno, Joe Sumner,Lee John Madeloni and MAX ! for such a wonderful night of Music .Loved It !!

Great time. The singers (especially the female singer) did a nice tribute to Bowie. However the Chevalier Theater has fine acoustics but a lousy sound system

Great show the band hit every note and played all my favorites

The Celebrating David Bowie show we attended recently was great! The band is mostly made up of veteran Bowie sidemen like Earl Slick and others. Bandleader was longtime Bowie piano player Mike Garson. Three singers handled vocal chores including Bowie collaborator Bernard Fowler AND one Joe Sumner (Sting s son!) who was fantastic! He looks like his Dad, moves like his Dad, but has a very different voice, strong, vibrant and clear. It s an ongoing tour with nice cheap-ish ticket prices, so if it rolls into your town go see it! A great night out with magical music spectacularly played!

Fantastic show. It was a great night out. The performers were amazing. I was "blown away' by the setlist and left completely satisfied. I hope they come through the Boston area/New England again, because I would definitely see this show again.

This show was a true celebration of the music and spirit of Bowie, Mike Garson directed a world class show. WOW

About half way through last night's David Bowie tribute I realized that one of the guitarists listed as a special guest, Adrian Belew, wasn't there. The fact is that the show was so amazing that Adrian Belew's presence wasn't missed and that is really saying something. Earl Slick and Gerry Leonard handled the guitar duties magnificently. They had some help from rythym guitarist/vocalist (on some songs) Joe Sumner, Sting's son! He has a great voice and really shone on songs like "Quicksand", "Let's Dance", "Ziggy Stardust", "All The Young Dudes", and "Life On Mars". The other song he sang spectacularly was the, never performed live by Bowie, Alladin Sane classic "Lady Grinning Soul". WOW!!! The whole night was filled with wow moments from the hits like "Rebel Rebel" "Fame" "Changes" and of course "Space Oddity" to rare tracks like the aforementioned "Quicksand" "Lady Grinning Soul" "Can You Hear Me" and "Conversation Piece". Bernard Fowler, The Rolling Stones longtime background singer, and Gaby Moreno shared the rest of the vocals and did one excellent duet on the Johnny Mathis cover "Wild Is The Wind". Guitarist Gerry Leonard also did a solo version of "Loving The Alien" which was very extra-terrestrial. The rest of the band were all stellar musicians as well. There was Carmine Rojas (bass), Lee John Madeloni (drums), Mark Plati (guitars), and band leader / emcee Mike Garson, Bowie's longtime pianist. The crowd was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable with most of us recognizing even the rarest tracks. We danced, sang along and celebrated David Bowie for two solid hours. I'm sure Major Tom was smiling down on us all.

This show was pretty amazing. I had doubts about seeing a David Bowie cover band. This was nothing like that. Seeing musicians, who played with Mr. Bowie and perhaps were friends of his, just play his music. No one pretended to be him, or sing like him. There was just an unbelievable collections of people on the stage who enjoyed David Bowie. The singers were all amazing. I left there happy, feeling like Mr. Bowie would have enjoyed the show.

Don't know why the first question asks to rate the venue when this review is supposed to rate the event; the event gets five stars from my family of five rabid Bowie fans. The musicianship was of course stellar, the vocalists did a good to excellent job (my 23-year-old son commented that hearing others sing David's songs made him appreciate even more than ever Bowie's incredible range), but equally impressive were the song choices. They covered all the decades, with the 70s getting most attention, much to my joy. Although there were plenty of "hits", there were just as many gems that one never heard performed live by Bowie at any of his concerts. A magnificent tribute delivered by the artists, gratefully received by an enthralled audience. A true lovefest of an evening. We thank Mike Garson and company for an unforgettable experience. We'd go again tomorrow. BTW, the only reason for the 4 star venue rating is the $9 half filled cup of warmish "pinot grigio" from a box.

It s difficult to honor a legacy\u2014the combination of artists whom were connected directly or tangentially\u2014nailed it. Fabulous evening\u2014thanks for the memories!

Thought it was a really well done show , loved the different singers and their take on the songs .

Terrific talent putting on this show. It is a labor of love. Listen to live renditions of great songs among other Bowie fanatics.

The band was excellent! I was moved by their selection of songs and their performances. The exception was Corey Glover, who was a disgrace. He didn't show up until well into the show, he didn't know the lyrics, and he had a flip, sarcastic attitude. Very unprofessional and disrespectful, especially for a tribute show. Thank goodness he wasn't on stage long so the rest of the band could finish their great tribute to a giant and a hero. Bravo!

What was great: -Excellent performances by past bandmates (Earl Slick, Mike Garson, Jerry Leonard, Carmine Rojas), along with truly wonderful and passionate performances by vocalists Bernard Fowler, Gaby Moreno, and Joe Sumner. -A thoughtful and diverse music choice that spanned from back in the early days to the last recordings. The hits, the obscure, and everything in between. What was not so great: - Cory Glover. First he was MIA, then when he showed up, tablet in hand, had his face buried in it because he didn't know the words! C'mon Cory! a little preparatory homework would have been appreciated. Joe Sumner stepped in when he was he first didn't show up to sing Changes who did such an amazing job, they really didn't need Cory to sing it over again. The take: Go and see it, even if you're not a Bowie fan. It's an awesome show. The only reason I didn't give it a five star was because of the "special guest". Hope the next special appearances will be more ready for it and show these great songs the respect they deserve. Have fun.

Impossible to pick 20 songs to satisfy everyone but there were several songs I would have included. I don't think any songs from Low, Blackstar, Scary Monsters or The Man Who Sold The World albums were chosen. Musicians were beyond great.

Great show, definitely worth seeing. It was very nice to see this crew of musicians together playing the songs they used to play with Bowie himself. The singer was also really fantastic. The ''but" is that they should play more songs past the 70's classics. Without them it is like denying another 30 years of creativity and reduces Bowie's impact as an innovator.

Nothing but props for the musical aspects of this show - it was high energy and professional. I do have to say I was hoping for a higher level of celebrity for the singers, though -- I thought the female singer was fantastic but had no idea who she was. And c'mon, Sting's SON? How about Sting himself? Surprised more famous people didn't join in, given the show was in NYC.

From the very minute the show opened with the obscure Bring Me the Disco King I knew we were in for a helluva ride. The fine musicianship and love of Bowie proved to make the 23 song setlist a trip the fans would never forget. My favorites were sung which included Stay and Wild is the Wind by amazing vocalists and I would love to see Celebrating David Bowie year after year! David Bowie is gone but never forgotten.

Kind of a disappointing night. You go to hear the songs you know and love, not to hear the obscure deep cuts the band has been longing to play. The band by the way was terrific. When they wanted to, they had us dancing and singing along. But these moments were few and far between. Overall a slow and self indulgent show that was at times boring. Unlike David Bowie.

A wonderful celebration of Bowie's work with an incredible set of musicians. The venue is a terrific place to see a show with very polite staff.

All who participated seemed to have a great time and really got into it except Corey Glover who had to be asked up to the stage several times. Having seen Glover quite a few times before he definitely lacked the enthusiasm that we were used to, forgetting the words and stumbling through the songs. Disappointed for sure with his attempt at what was supposed to be a great celebration of David Bowie and his music. Joe Sumner and Gaby Moreno stole the spotlight and stepped it up and saved the night. All in all a great venue and great show.

Mike Garsons Bowie Tribute Concert is more than the Bowie fan can imagine and better than one could hope for. You will experience the love these musicians have for the man through reinterpretation of his iconic and timeless music.

While relatively low-budget affairs, the "Celebrating David Bowie" tour (not sanctioned by his estate, which explains the lack of imagery) are good ways to spend an evening being entertained by the man's music, performed by many of the sidemen who recorded it with him in the first place. This was my second time seeing this tour. The previous one featured names like Sting, Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, former Bowie sideman and King Crimson member Adrian Belew, Joe Elliot of Def Leppard and Angelo Moore of Fishbone (that one was in Los Angeles in 2017). This one was a lot more 'stripped down', with no major names, just excellent former sidemen performing the music with a handful of featured vocalists, best among them Gaby Moreno, Joe Sumner (Sting's son) and Rolling Stones' backup singer Bernard Fowler. Of the sidemen, the most fun to watch were guitarist Earl Slick (Bowie vet since 1974) and pianist/bandleader Mick Garson (vet since 1972); watching Garson recreate his free-form piano solo during "Aladdin Sane" live was great. Each show on this tour has a different setlist, and this one was lacking some major hits like "Young Americans", "Suffragette City" and "Ashes To Ashes". I'm okay with that, because they were performed at the last show, and I thought that this one had a nice balance of hits ("Space Oddity", "All the Young Dudes", "Let's Dance") and deep tracks ("Stay", "Rock & Roll Suicide", "Andy Warhol"). This show was shorter than the last, more streamlined, but it didn't feel like they were 'rushing through it'. It's evolved, and was still a lot of fun, which is all that I was hoping for. As long as this tour comes around to wherever I happen to be, I'll keep checking it out. I've only ever been able to see Bowie live once (in 1990) and it's still one of my favorite concerts, all these years later. I'm glad that his former collaborators have put this together, and with so much passion for the music.

The crowd appear to be extremely respectful and as well seasoned as the band. Nice to see the family members in the band of these kick ass musicians. I felt it took three vocalists to create David s voice and overall I feel they did a fantastic job re-creating his vocals as they were all incredibly dynamic soloist as well. I flew in from Salt Lake City to be with my to Bowie fan buddies from Rhode Island because we experienced David live in the 70s and 80s. We needed one more fix and it was certainly worth the trip. Plus most of the musicians came out and signed autographs in the lobby,fantastic. Thank you for a great evening. Not to mention our Uber driver s mother was very influential on having that theater restored back in the 70s so kudos to Johnny and his mom.

This was such a unique show and fantastic expression of the way you celebrate an icon like David Bowie!

Absolutely great show.!!! Fantastic musicians, music and atmosphere! All singers had just outstanding voice....all of them!!! It was very emotional and sentimental night for me! Thank you for that!!! David Bowie will be very proud of his friends and colleagues...

I loved David Bowie's music and listened to his albums constantly, coming of age in the 70's. When I found out that his actual band members, and not a "tribute band", were performing in Minneapolis, I couldn't get tickets fast enough. The show was just great - guest singers did their interpretations of Bowie classics and did a fabulous job. I knew every song (except for maybe 2) and sang along all night. The show was a full two hours, nonstop. Loved it!

This was a great show, better than I expected. The band -- Bowie's show band -- was tight, and the vocalists were really good. Highly recommended.

Such a great night, Thanks to Mike Garson, Earl Slick, Carlos and all for keeping David Bowie 's music alive and live. Evan Rachel Wood nearly stole the show with Five Years; the entire evening was a treat. Bring this show back again!! SOON! First time in the newly renovated Buckhead Theater -- really nice, looking forward to more shows there.

An excellent collectif of talented musicians who played a beautiful array of David Bowie songs way too loud especially the lead guitar

Had a great time at the Celebrating David Bowie show in ATL's Buckhead Theater on March 18. This was the last show of the tour and I am so glad I made the decision to check out this tribute to Rock & Roll Royalty! The band was amazing and they seemed to feed off the energy from the crowd. Some of the songs seemed to have a slightly different arrangement, which took me a minute to figure out, but the skill of these incredible musicians was outstanding and made for an incredible show! The mix of old and new, as well as some deeper cuts, provided a wonderful journey into the long and storied career of David Bowie.

The show was fantastic! Mike Garson, Earl Slick and the band were at the top of their game. They delivered Bowie classics in a way I feel certain David would approve of. Bernard Fowler, Joe Sumner, Mr. Hudson and Evan Rachel Wood did a fantastic job interpeting the songs in their own way while still paying proper respect to the originals. I would recommend this show to all Bowie fans!

As an avid concert goer in her 30s I can without a doubt say that this was one of the best live shows I have ever attended. Unbelievably epic music, and such a fun live band. The show was energetic, filled with Bowie classics and a few lesser known gems. The 4 changing lead singers at the show were ecstatic to be there and you could feel the energy of the collaboration, it was powerful! Evan Rachel Wood singing Rock N Roll Suicide was one of the most moving things I have ever seen, she is a vocal power house! Buckhead Theater was the perfect venue for this show, easy to get in and out, and extremely friendly staff, and plenty of room to dance - the crowd was feeling the show and everyone was having a great time. Overall an epic concert experience, I will not miss this collaboration if they tour again. They are a MUST SEE!

This concert was a wonderful celebration of the Music of David Bowie. Longtime collaborators Earl Slick and Mike Garson led the band of superb musicians and a trio of incredible vocalists - Bernard Fowler, Mr Hudson and Sting's son Joe Sumner did justice to Bowie's work. The crowd was really into it and the evening was magical.

The night was bittersweet!! I still can't believe he is gone however his music will live on in us all forever!! The original members of David Bowie's band played their hearts out all night. They did their best to cover a wide variety of Bowie's music but an impossible task!! They would have had to play for a solid week to cover every phase of his vast collection of hits! We felt fortunate and thankful to be there to hear the band. Each and every singer was great and did the best they could to pay tribute to the one and only .... The Greatest Of All Times!!!! Bowie was great enough to be referred to like the Muhammad Ali of Boxing as "The Greatest Of All Times" What a night !!!

For a Bowie fan, this was sublime. Great musicians, most of which had played with Bowie. 3 singers who echoed David s voice in early, mid, and late career. Great song selection in a venue which is arguably the best place to see live music in South Florida. If you closed your eyes you could believe it was Bowie himself several times during the show.

Deep Bowie fans will enjoy this show so much! Sounded excellent and brought goose bumps. Terrific show!

It was great had a great time went with my boyfriend

Great concert! Vocals were awesome! Thumbs up for Gaby Moreno, great voice! Original band members, this is a must see concert! Excellent set of songs!

Exceptional show, a perfect tribute to Bowie both musically and vocally.

Amazing show reviving David Bowie - the legend ! Great sound, great venue. Excellent performance

A emotional experience for any Bowie fan. I came home exhausted from singing, dancing, clapping and cried a few tears too. Wow.

The array of talents and experiences was fully evident with this rotating cast of vocalists and musicians. They played the big ones and a few obscure ones for good measure. It was a truly wonderful evening.

Former bandmates and new singers performed a great set of Bowie songs. Heroes, Suffragette City, Diamond Dogs - all my favorites.

Wow it was an incredible show, so much talent on the stage, it was excelent.

We were "AMAZED" at this show!!! Top notch professional musicians! Totally on spot with each song! Loved the diversity of the singers and their takes on the songs! I'd see this again in a heart beat!!!

It was Fantastic. What Great Musicians and of course Great Music. A Fine and Fun Tribute to Bowie and Mike Carson is a Monster.

One of the best shows of the year.................

You have to be a true David Bowie fan because they didn t play his pop songs. They told stories about the songs tgacwere written and performed in the early 70 s. They knocked it out of the park with Space Oddity and All the Young Dudes and rocked for 2.5 hours. Highly recommend!

The energy of the musicians made the show. They brought David back to life for one night. I was surprised newer music was not played like Lazarus and The Stars Are Out Tonight. Older crowd so sat until Let s Dance came on.

The best thing about this show is how each song is different and unexpected with many talented performers. 3 hours of solid playing, its the only show Ive been to that I dont want to leave my seat for even a minute! And it was my second time seeing this tour. Every song was Amazing and special, just like Bowie.