“A BOWIE CELEBRATION” RETURNS TO NORTH AMERICA
30-Date Run Which Kicks Off March 3 in San Diego, CA Will Feature
Diamond Dogs & Ziggy Stardust Albums Performed In Full
Los Angeles, CA — A Bowie Celebration returns to North America this March following a major European tour in January this year. The run kicks off in San Diego on March 3, and will stage 30 shows across The United States and Canada. The final appearance will be staged April 11 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Tickets can be purchased here: http://abowiecelebration.com.
A BOWIE CELEBRATION features key alumni musicians of David Bowie’s bands from across the decades. Anchored by Mike Garson along with a revolving selection of additional performers which include Gerry Leonard, Carmine Rojas, Kevin Armstrong and Alan Childs. This tour will focus on David Bowie’s fifth album Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and his eighth studio album Diamond Dogs – both ranked amongst the greatest albums of all time.
Keyboardist and band leader Mike Garson is the longest-standing member of any of Bowie’s bands, having performed with David at over 1,000 concerts. Gerry Leonard was a Bowie musical director and guitar player. Joining them areLet’s Dance/Serious Moonlight/Glass Spider bassist Carmine Rojas and Alan Childs, who was Bowie’s drummer on his 1987 Glass Spider world tour. Kevin Armstrong also joins the David Bowie alumni tour having recorded and played with Bowie at Live Aid, on the first Tin Machine album and tour, amongst other Bowie projects. Between them, the alumni band have over 40 years tenure recording, writing and playing live with Bowie (Additional detail on the players follows below).
Also joining the upcoming A BOWIE CELEBRATION tour in North America is vocalist Corey Glover, founding member of Living Colour, along with Canada’s rock sensation Sass Jordan and fan favorite Joe Sumner. Westworld’s Evan Rachel Wood will appear at select performances, while a variety of additional world-class guests will appear in select cities along the way. General and VIP tickets are available at http://www.ABowieCelebration.com/.
Confirmed appearances for the North American run are:
Tue 3/3 San Diego, CA Belly Up
Wed 3/4 Mesa, AZ Mesa Arts Center
Fri 3/6 Pasadena, CA The Rose
Sat 3/7 San Diego, CA Belly Up
Sun 3/8 San Francisco, CA Bimbo’s 365 Club
Wed 3/11 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
Thu 3/12 Seattle, WA Neptune
Fri 3/13 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
Sun 3/15 Calgary, AB Palace Theatre
Tue 3/17 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings
Thu 3/19 St. Charles, IL Arcada Theatre
Fri 3/20 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre
Sat 3/21 Toronto, ON Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Sun 3/22 Munhall, PA Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
Tue 3/24 Falls Church, VA The State Theatre
Wed 3/25 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre
Fri 3/27 Medford, MA Chevalier Theatre
Sat 3/28 Lebanon, NH Lebanon Opera House
Sun 3/29 New London, CT Garde Arts Center – Mainstage
Tue 3/31 New York, NY Sony Hall
Wed 4/1 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie
Thu 4/2 Princeton, NJ McCarter Theatre Center
Fri 4/3 Englewood, NJ Bergen PAC
Sat 4/4 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
Sun 4/5 Brookville, NY Tilles Center
Tue 4/7 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
Wed 4/8 Melbourne, FL King Center
Thu 4/9 Clearwater, FL Capitol Theatre
Fri 4/10 Lakeland, FL RP Funding Center
Sat 4/11 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Amaturo
*Note that not some members may not perform on all dates.
ABOUT THE ‘A BOWIE CELEBRATION’ BAND
Mike Garson is featured on numerous Bowie albums, including his much talked about masterly solo on the Aladdin Sane track. Garson was Bowie’s longest and most frequent band member. They performed together for both David’s first and last concerts in the United States as well as 1,000 concerts around the globe in between. On Garson, Bowie said “It is pointless to talk about his ability as a pianist. He is exceptional. However, there are very, very few musicians, let alone pianists, who naturally understand the movement and free thinking necessary to hurl themselves into experimental or traditional areas of music, sometimes, ironically, at the same time. Mike does this with such enthusiasm that it makes my heart glad just to be in the same room with him.”Gerry Leonard was music director and guitar player for David Bowie on his “Reality” world tour and DVD along with Bowie’s previous two records, “Heathen” and “Reality” and their subsequent tours along with his “The Next Day” album. Further credits include recording and touring as guitar player and music director for artists such as Suzanne Vegas, Rufus Wainwright, Laurie Anderson, Duncan Sheik and Roger Waters.
Leonard remarks, “I am super excited to be continuing to bring David’s music to his loyal fans with A BOWIE CELEBRATION. The combination of having his real band playing his music for his dedicated fans makes for a truly special night every time. It’s such a wonderful way to keep David’s memory and musical legacy alive.” Carmine Rojas toured the world with David Bowie, playing bass on several multi-platinum hits such as “Let’s Dance”, “China Girl”, “Modern Love” and “Blue Jean” on the Serious Moonlight and Glass Spider tours. He’s also recorded and toured with Julian Lennon and Rod Stewart as musical director and bassist. In addition, Carmine has recorded and toured with the likes of Tina Turner, Keith Richards, Stevie Wonder, BB King, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and many more.
Kevin Armstrong first met Bowie in 1985 on sessions for Absolute Beginners after which he helped David put the band together and play for his Live Aid performance followed by recording the Bowie / Jagger song “Dancing in the Street” together. Kevin played on the Bowie’s first Tin Machine album and tour and wrote and played on the Outside album with Bowie who introduced him to Iggy Pop and was featured on their Blah Blah Blah album. Kevin continues to play with Iggy Pop today. Armstrong says, “It’s a great honor to join Mike Garson and my Bowie brothers to help bring David Bowie’s amazing legacy to new audiences.”
Alan Childs was Bowie’s drummer on his 1987 Glass Spider world tour and is featured on the tour album and DVD. Alan has also played with the likes of Julian Lennon, Rod Stewart, John Waite and many others. Alan plays all instruments and sings on his solo album and EP Alan Childs Aftermath. Alan says, “I am totally psyched to be joining A BOWIE CELEBRATION! What a great band of Bowie alumni with a mission is to keep David’s music alive in a concert setting for all the fans!”
Corey Glover is a founding member of Living Colour and has helped prove that not only could black guys kick out the jams, but that they could be embraced by a vast expanse of fans. Living Colour earned numerous industry awards including back-to-back Grammys for Best Hard Rock Performance and emerged as one of the most influential rock acts of all time: regularly selling out arenas and selling millions of albums. On touring with A BOWIE CELEBRATION, Glover says “I am so looking forward to returning to the Bowie alum, jamming and sharing the music of Bowie with the world – the most brilliant thought-provoking music ever conceived!”
Sass Jordan has received a Canadian Juno Award, Billboard’s Best Female Rock Vocalist award and was a judge on the hit Canadian Idol television program. Sass starred in the Off-Broadway production of “Love, Janis” and has worked with Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Steve Miller Band, Van Halen, The Foo Fighters, Cheap Trick, Santana, Joe Cocker, Styx, Rodger Hodgson, April Wine, Jeff Healy, and countless others. Sass says, “I am extremely honored to be part of a show that celebrates the astonishing legacy of one of my ultimate idols, David Bowie, as well as getting to play with some of the master musicians from his bands. Bowie is one of the reasons I wanted to be a performer, and doing this tour is like playing a love letter to his memory every night!”
Joe Sumner is a singer-songwriter and bassist for the rock band Fiction Plane. Sumner, a native of England, learned to play guitar and drums when he was a teenager, and was inspired to write songs when he heard Nirvana’s album Nevermind. An accomplished musician and singer, in 2017, Sumner toured with Sting on the massively successful 57th and 9th world tour. On A BOWIE CELEBRATION, Sumner says “This band of Bowie alumni is full of people that David himself trusted to bring his visions to life. Now they’re the perfect stewards to keep his spirit alive and it’s such an honor to be part of it.”
Evan Rachel Wood is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress and musician currently starring in the critically acclaimed HBO television series Westworld. She’s also known for her roles in the film Thirteen and the Beatles musical drama Across the Universe.
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“Impressive. Powerhouse performances. Vibrant and momentous.” – LA Weekly
“A delightful show thanks to an excellent cast and a can’t-miss repertoire.” – Star Tribune
“Sublime. Triumphant. Cathartic. A sincere, celebratory trip through Bowie’s formidable catalogue.” – The Scotsman
“A musical catharsis – a shared experience unlike anything that has come before it. It is more than a tribute, it is more than a look back. Bowie must be thrilled to watch it each night from above.” – Hard Rock
“This stellar group of players fulfilled fans’ expectations. There is no better homage to Bowie’s life work than from those who played it best.” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
