After performing rapturously received and critically lauded shows worldwide pre-pandemic, the original Celebrating David Bowie shows return in 2022 answering the question, “What makes Bowie different?” Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Todd Rundgren, Adrian Belew (Bowie, NIN, King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Talking Heads), and CdB creator, producer, and featured artist Scrote bring Spacehog’s Royston Langdon, Fishbone’s Angelo Moore, and solo artist Jeffrey Gaines with saxophone great Ron Dziubla (Jon Batiste, Joe Bonamassa), Narada Michael Walden bassist Angeline Saris, and drummer Travis McNabb (Sugarland, Better Than Ezra) to interpret Bowie’s greatest hits. On October 31 and November 1 in Annapolis, MD Thomas Dolby will perform as a special guest for those two appearances.
“With such a large catalog to choose from, different songs affect us and the audience in varying measure,” adds Adrian Belew. “It's always amazing to feel the excitement of a Bowie audience beaming directly at you. Pure adrenaline! So much love for David.”
"This is Major Todd to ground control. I’m stepping through the door...In 1973, I met David Bowie and one of us ended up crying,” explains Todd Rundgren. “I met David several times after that. Some of our phases, like glam, coincided. David had more of that Andy Warhol kind of sensibility, a pop sensibility.”
Scrote (aka Angelo Bundini) partners with maverick music executive Miles Copeland to produce the tour this year. “Fronting the show with revered innovators Todd & Adrian is an incredible honor. We’re looking forward to unleashing a three-guitar attack for an epic ride fueled with songs for every Bowie fan.”
Royston Langdon offers, “David Bowie was a master. It’s impossible to put into words quite how much he taught me. I appreciate it. I discovered The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust on vinyl when I was just Fourteen. And it gives me a huge thrill to get to honor Mr. B. & to be a small part of this immense celebration of his life & work with these world-class musicians and everyone, who like me feels his energy alive and vital around me now just as it was then & forever shall be.”
So, what makes Bowie different? “It’s the boldness and the art of it. He’s a wild character from a different time”, Fishbone’s Angelo Moore chimes in. “It’s the theater. It’s got soul. I like music that has honesty, passion, and soul. David Bowie has all of these things.”
The rotating ensemble of world class multi-instrumentalists will perform a show highlighting elements that influenced Bowie and celebrate the spirit of Bowie in the live performance. Scrote shares,” "One of the things we’re doing differently on this tour is featuring a three-guitar attack. David has always been famous for his spectacular guitarists - the epic solos of Mick Ronson, the bluesy feel of Earl Slick, the funkiness of Carlos Alomar and Nile Rogers, the bombast of Reeves Gabrels, and the otherworldly guitar of Adrian Belew who is still one of the most original guitarists working today. To explore all of these guitar sides of Bowie’s songs, we’re presenting Adrian’s brilliance, Todd’s guitar wizardry, and whatever guitar mayhem I can muster in between. Along with ferocious guitars, we have six lead singers in this group who also play other instruments, sax, and a super groovy rhythm section. We're looking forward to integrating all of that collective musical firepower to fully flesh out many of David's biggest songs.
Celebrating David Bowie has performed to devoted Bowie fans in 17 countries on 5 continents with superstar guest appearances by Sting, Gary Oldman, Todd Rundgren, Seal, Perry Farrell, The B-52’s’ Kate Pierson, Ewan McGregor, Simon Le Bon, Gavin Rossdale, La Roux, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, Corey Taylor, Ian Astbury, Darren Criss, The Tubes’ Fee Waybill, Living Colour, The London Community Gospel Choir, The Harlem Gospel Choir, and a long list of Bowie friends & former band members.
The tour will be celebrating music education in partnership with Todd Rundgren’s Spirit of Harmony Foundation which advocates for the moral imperative of music education for children. Volunteers will be at all shows to provide music fans the opportunity to learn of their grassroots work and how they can get involved in their communities.
Dates:
October
6 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theatre
7 – Beverly Hills, CA – Saban Theatre
8 – San Jose, CA – San Jose Civic
9 – Anaheim, CA – City National Grove
13 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Showroom
14 – Chicago, IL – Copernicus Center
15 – Akron, OH – Goodyear Theater & Hall
17 – Quebec City, QC – Le Capitole
18 – Montreal, QC – Olympia
20 – Beverly, MA – Cabot Theater
21 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall
22 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theatre
23 – Tarrytown, NY – Tarrytown Music Hall
24 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
25 – New York, NY – Sony Hall
27 – Rahway, NJ – Union County PAC
28 – Jim Thorpe, PA – Penn’s Peak
29 – Atlantic City, NJ – The Concert Venue at Harrah’s Resort
30 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
31 – Annapolis MD – Rams Head On Stage
November
1 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head On Stage
3 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern
5 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
7 – Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center
9 – Wichita, KS – Orpheum Theatre
10 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
11 – Albuquerque, NM – Kiva Auditorium
12 – Tucson, AZ – TCC Music Hall
13 – Phoenix, AZ – Celebrity Theatre
Note: Jeffrey Gaines appears instead of Angelo Moore in Rahway, NJ, Jim Thorpe, PA, Atlantic City, NJ, Glenside, PA, Annapolis, MD, Atlanta, GA, and Buffalo, NY. Thomas Dolby to appear as special guest in Annapolis, MD on Halloween and November 1.
Additional confirmed performances will be announced in the coming weeks.
