David Bowie fans gathered together last night for a tribute celebrating the late music veteran at a benefit concert duteously dubbed, "Celebrating David Bowie" at L.A.'s '70s-born, and now tenably certified rock venue, The Roxy.
Seal, Ewan McGregor, Gary Oldman, and Spiders From Mars keyboardist Mike Garson united for the tribute in a series of performances that paid earnest and effusive homage to the late musician. The impeccably—and diversely—talented bunch brought a collection of performances that impressed without distracting from the evening's intent: to remember Bowie's iconic stature as one of the industry's leading performers and pop culture's most forcible taste makers.
Seal and Garson united onstage to perform a jazz-infused velvety-voiced redo of "Bring me the Disco King," the final track off of Bowie's Reality.
Garson, who played piano on Bowie's 1973 album Aladdin Sane, also took to the stage solo in a personal tribute to his longtime friend in a redo of his famous solo that marked the pianist's first shot at it in two decades. Not that we would know that considering his dexterous digits.
In the night's other notable performances? Oldman performed Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World," while McGregor tackled "Heroes," which, if you recall, he also performed back in 2001's Moulin Rouge.
The concert may have showcased a broad if not fortuitous amalgam of talent, but if the tribute's breadth tells us anything, it's only of the legendary star's pervasive influence. The late star's musical benefaction and fashion iconography seems a match only for his staunch and dutiful covey of fans and friends.
Proceeds from the event befittingly went to Max's Kansas City Project Inc, a non-profit supporting youth communities and the arts.