Vocalist David Brighton, who is joining the DPO for Symphonic Bowie, knows a little something about the man and his music. The Los Angeles-based rocker has been channeling the late legend on stage since 2001.
Brighton, who performs with his band Space Oddity, recently discussed the legacy of Bowie, who passed away in January 2016.
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IT AIN’T EASY
“Putting the Bowie show together was a great challenge because he was such an amazing and eclectic performer. He’s sort of untouchable in a lot of ways, in terms of his repertoire and skills. He’s one of the biggest game-changers in rock music.”
SOUND AND VISION
“What attracted me to Bowie’s records was not only the sound — they were great musicians and great songs — but it was the uniqueness of everything. His melodies were unusual, his lyrics were unusual and the musical choices the musicians would make were unique. It just stood apart from everybody else. I still find that remarkable after all these years.”
REBEL REBEL
“There was an artistry to everything he did. Even when he was supposedly selling out with the ‘Let’s Dance’ album, he did it with artistic flair. There are no other songs like ‘Let’s Dance’ or ‘China Girl,’ which was a huge hit even though it’s an unusual pop song. Regardless of what genre he was investigating, exploring or creating, it was all done with an artistry and expressionism that was completely unique.”
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FANTASTIC VOYAGE
“We’ll be utilizing the full orchestra on most of the songs. It’s amazing to hear songs like ‘Space Oddity’ with a full symphony. It’s just gorgeous. We get to do more orchestra-based songs like ‘Rock and Roll Suicide’ and ‘Life on Mars’ that we don’t do in our straight-up rock shows.”
ASHES TO ASHES
“Since the sad passing of David, the context has changed considerably. People who come to the shows now are in a different frame of mind. Of course, the first six months or so, people were crying. It was sort of like a healing process during the shows. Now, it’s sort of transitioning into being more of a celebration of his legacy and all of his great music. People are still sad, of course, but it’s not as fresh.”
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WANT TO GO?
What: Symphonic Bowie featuring the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra with David Brighton and Space Oddity
Where: Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6
Cost: $21-$81
More info: 937-228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com
Artist info: www.davidbowietribute.com
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