Come Together: David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust: Aug. 20, 2022
Ziggy played guitar! Sadly Brett Adams couldn’t as he was unwell. But still, with these songs and this line-up, the chances of being disappointed were slim to none.
Following on from the very excellent Fleetwood Mac: Rumours Come Together show, we have, what for many, was the most anticipated of the series, David Bowie’s 1972 classic, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars.
Music Director Jol Mulholland has put together another formidable line-up including Jon Toogood, Lu’anna, Anthonie Tonnon and Deva Mahal.
Filling in for Mr Adams is Neil Watson, along with a horn section of Nick Atkinson and Finn Scholes and Mathias Jordan replicating those Mike Garson piano parts. Rounding out the line-up is bass player Mark Hughes and drummer Alistair Deverick.
Set one:
The first set consisted of Ziggy in its entirely and began with that very familiar drum pattern that gets Five Years going. Lu’anna was singing, adding a bit of soul to Bowie’s glam…something the Thin White Duke would do himself a couple of years later on his Young Americans album.
Nick Atkinson turned in a lovely sax solo as Jol sang Soul Love and by the time they got to Starman, a gentleman in the upper level could be seen flailing around wildly.
Deva Mahal brought some style and more soul to the proceedings with It Ain’t Easy (the only non-Bowie-penned song of the evening) and Lady Stardust, a song she dedicated to “all the queens”.
Shihad frontman Jon Toogood then added some rock & roll swagger to Star and Hang On To Yourself. By the time we got to Rock & Roll Suicide everyone was ready to “give me your hands!”.
Set Two
Set two kicked off with Rebel Rebel. Apparently Delaney Davidson was supposed to perform but that cursed Covid bug had other ideas.
Nevertheless the band rocked on playing 16 more Bowie classics with too many highlights to mention.
My only complaint (other than the absence of Brett Adams) was that the sequencing of the second set seemed a bit off. Let’s Dance seemed to be the ideal closer but it was followed by I’m Afraid Of Americans and Diamond Dogs. Unfortunately folks began filing out at this point, missing a lovely Lazarus and Heroes for the encore.
With 27 Bowie tunes served up live and loud, how could this be anything but wonderful? And it was.
Marty Duda
Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Leonie Moreland:
Come Together: David Bowie Setlist:
Set 1:
- Five Years
- Soul Love
- Starman
- It Ain’t Easy
- Lady Stardust
- Star
- Hang On To Yourself
- Ziggy Stardust
- Suffragette City
- Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
Set 2:
- Rebel Rebel
- Jene Genie
- The Man Who Sold The World
- Lady Grinning Soul
- Space Oddity
- Ashes To Ashes
- Fame
- Where Are We Now?
- Life On Mars
- Modern Love
- Young Americans
- Let’s Dance
- I’m Afraid Of Americans
- Diamond Dogs
- Lazarus
- Heroes
