A Bowie Celebration: Just for One Day - livestream review

On January 9, more than two dozen musicians paid tribute to the music of David Bowie during A Bowie Celebration: Just for One Day. 

The three-hour-long, frequently riveting livestream commemorated the iconic English rock legend's birthday this past Friday (it was originally scheduled then, but was postponed until the following evening). David Bowie died on January 10, 2016 of liver cancer.

Organized by veteran pianist and event producer Mike Garson (the longest-serving Bowie touring musician, off and on, from 1972-2006), A Bowie Celebration: Just for One Day adopted a similar format as Garson's recent tours of the same name, where he played, did introductions and shared career anecdotes.

Various alumni musicians from past Bowie tours were joined in different configurations by the special guest vocalists. A few of the singers and musicians performed two or more songs (Charlie Sexton, Bernard Fowler, Trent Reznor).

Due to worldwide COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, a few acts sent in full-scale video productions; others were seen singing or playing their instruments in video boxes behind the core band (Garson, singer/guitarist Charlie Sexton, bassist Carmine Rojas, drummer, Alan Childs and others) who performed on a soundstage. Several selections featured imagery on screens behind the actual soundstage. The featured performers' images were usually placed to the side of the stage.

These kind of performances, which we've all become accosted to watching since the pandemic hit, are a major undertaking for a single act. Kudos go to the production team for what I can only imagine was an incredible amount of hard work putting it all together. $2 from each online ticket purchase will go to Save the Children, an organization Bowie supported.

The proceedings started with Duran Duran's excellent high quality music video for "Five Years," which was also released as a commercially available download (and stream) via S-Curve/BMG Records this past Friday. Boasting regal keyboard work by Nick Rhodes, a stirring vocal by Simon Le Bon, some female violinists and backing singers, the ethereal cover set a high bar for the 39 songs that would follow.

Here are what I felt were the standouts of A Bowie Celebration: Just for One Day:

Jane's Addiction front man Perry Farrell and wife Etty Lau did a weird, but wonderful take on "The Man Who Sold the World" accompanied by a masked interpretive dancer onstage. Longtime Bowie producer/musician Tony Visconti was among the backing musicians and apparently miffed that he was not pictured in a box behind the Farrells, having complained on Twitter about it.

Former Take That singer Gary Barlow used ample reverb and nailed the joyfulness of "Fame."

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard definitely excelled amid a stark ballad version of "Win" accompanied by only Garson's piano and strings. He followed it with a solid "Ziggy Stardust."

Actor/singer Michael C. Hall ("Dexter," "Six Feet Under"), part of the 2015 Bowie-penned musical cast of "Lazarus," did a quietly compelling "Where Are We Now," his image projected on a small screen. Bassist Tony Levin was part of the backing band for this track. 

Jesse Malin delivered a solid "Jean Genie." He was first seen on the streets of what appeared to be New York City, then on a stage.

Peter Frampton was the perfect choice to take on "Suffragette City" and was obviously having fun doing it (among a handful of the musicians other than Garson to be seen actually smiling).

YUNGBLUD with "Life on Mars," accompanied by keyboardist Rick Wakeman and others.

Boy George, an unabashed Bowie fan who has covered his songs on albums and in concert, was almost giddy during a medley of "Lady Grinning Soul/Time/Aladdin Sane," at times spinning around and gesturing as her sang dramatically.

Visually, Adam Lambert was total glam with his makeup and attire, while doing a riveting "Starman." 

The full setlist:

Five Years/Duran Duran
Moonage Daydream/Lena Hall and Lzzy Hale
Space Oddity/Billy Corgan
The Man Who Sold the World/Perry Farrell and Etty Lau Farrell
Bring Me the Disco King/Anna Calvi
Fame/Gary Barlow
Young Americans/Corey Glover
Can You Hear Me/Gail Ann Dorsey
Sweet Thing/Bernard Fowler
Candidate/Bernard Fowler
Sweet Thing (Reprise)/Bernard Fowler
Let's Dance/Charlie Sexton
Lady Stardust/Judith Hill
Changes/Macy Gray
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Richard Rodgers/Bowie Alumni Band
Conversation Piece/Catherine Russell
Rebel Rebel/Charlie Sexton
Win/Joe Elliott
Ziggy Stardust/Joe Elliott
Quicksand/Taylor Momsen
DJ/Charlie Sexton
Blue Jean/Charlie Sexton
Where Are We Now?/Michael C. Hall
Rock 'n' Roll Suicide/Dave Navarro, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Chaney
Little Fat Man/Corey Taylor, Navarro, Hawkins, Chaney
Hang On to Yourself/Taylor, Dave Navarro, Taylor Hawkins, Chris Chaney
I Can't Read/Gary Oldman
The Jean Genie/Jesse Malin
Strangers When We Meet/Gail Ann Dorsey
Suffragette City/Peter Frampton
Fantastic Voyage/Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Fashion/Trent Reznor, Ross, Mariqueen Maandig
Lazarus/Ian Astbury
Life on Mars?/YUNGBLUD, Rick Wakeman
Lady Grinning Soul / Time / Aladdin Sane/Boy George
Dandy/Ian Hunter
All the Young Dudes/Ian Hunter
Starman/Adam Lambert
Under Pressure/Andra Day, Judith Hill
Heroes/Bernard Fowler