Main Performers | John Cale, Amanda Palmer, Anna Calvi - vocal, guitar, Elf Kid - rap, Philippe Jaroussky, Laura Mvula, Paul Buchanon, Conor O'Brien, Marc Almond, Neil Hannon, Jherek Bischoff - vocals |
Conductors | Andre de Ridder - curator, director |
Set List | 'Warszawa' (s t a r g a z e), 'Station to Station', Bowie (s t a r g a z e, Amanda Palmer, Neil Hannon), 'The Man Who Sold the World', 'This is Not America', Pat Methany Group (s t a r g a z e, Elf Kid, Neil Hannon), 'Life on Mars?' (s t a r g a z e, Marc Almond), 'Lady Grinning Soul' (s t a r g a z e, Anna Clavi), 'Ashes to Ashes' (s t a r g a z e), 'Fame' (s t a r g a z e, Laura Mvula), 'Girl Loves Me' (s t a r g a z e), 'I Can't Give Everything Away' (s t a r g a z e), 'Blackstar' (s t a r g a z e, Anna Calvi, Amanda Palmer), 'Heroes' (s t a r g a z e), 'Always Crashing the Same Car', D Bowie, arr. D Lang (s t a r g a z e, Philippe Jaroussky), 'Starman' (s t a r g a z e), 'Rebel Rebel' (s t a r g a z e), 'Valentine's Day' (s t a r g a z e, John Cale), 'Sorrow', The McCoys (s t a r g a z e, John Cale), 'Space Oddity' (s t a r g a z e, John Cale, House Gospel Choir), ENCORE 'After All' (s t a r g a z e, Amanda Palmer), 'Let's Dance' (s t a r g a z e) |
Performance Notes | A celebration and reinterpretation of the music of David Bowie with the Berlin-based, genre-defying musicians collective s t a r g a z e and its Artistic Director André de Ridder. They are joined by guest singers and collaborators including Jherek Bischoff and Amanda Palmer to re-imagine the Bowie catalogue with fresh settings of classic works.
Broadcast live on BBC Four. There was no interval.
Guests at event included the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.
Proms debuts of House Gospel Choir, s t a r g a z e, John Cale, Amanda Palmer, Anna Calvi, Paul Buchanon,Conor O'Brien, Marc Almond and Jherek Bischoff.
"As befits a man whose songs spanned so many era, styles and genres, Bowie's own output was given a pretty eclectic makeover. At times the multi-talented ensemble underpinning the whole show - Andre de Ridder's Berlin-based Stargaze collective - verged into industrial noise or Stockhausen-style avant-garde clusters. The height of esoteric whimsy, as well as male falsetto, was reached when the French countertenor Phillippe Jaroussky turned Always Crashing in the Same Care into some sort of latter-day Debussy chanson. Other classics were thunderously reimagined. Along with Marc Almond, 5,000 voices attempted the perilous octave leap in Starman. The Albert Hall oragn added a spine-shuddering blast of Victorian gothic to the stunning Anna Clavi rendition of Lady Grinning Soul." (The Times, 30 July 2016)
"The most important thing is that this is not a wake. This is an artful celebration of some of the most beautiful music in the world" (Amanda Palmer)
Full house - approx. 300 people turned away. Standing ovation at the end of the concert. |
Related Archival Material | Proms Guide (RAHE/1/2016/50), Programme (RAHE/1/2016/68), Mini-Guide (RAHE/6/2016/45), Digital Photographs |