Musicians turn out for tribute to Bowie
A sold-out Carnegie Hall audience joined a children’s chorus in a singalong to David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” Thursday, a sweet end to a tribute concert that turned into a memorial through some bizarre timing.
Jakob Dylan, Michael Stipe, the Flaming Lips and Heart’s Ann Wilson were among the artists who joined former Bowie collaborator Tony Visconti and others who had performed with the late rock star in New York.
“God bless David Bowie,” Dylan said after performing the 1970s anthem “Heroes.”
Organizers of an annual benefit for music education that focuses on the work of a particular artist had decided last fall that Bowie would be featured for its 13th year. They publicly announced it hours before Bowie’s family said the rock star had died Jan. 10.
The concert sold out in two hours, and a second show was added for Friday at Radio City Music Hall.
Stipe, the former R.E.M. singer, sang a hushed version of “Ashes to Ashes” in duet with Karen Nelson.
Blondie leader Deborah Harry brought the crowd to its feet with “Starman.” Cyndi Lauper struggled with “Suffragette City,” and Laurie Anderson’s “Always Crashing in the Same Car” sounded under-rehearsed.
Wilson got the audience moving with “Let’s Dance,” while Rickie Lee Jones spoke-sang an acoustic version of “All the Young Dudes.”