Bowie Takes the High Line

Tue., Mar. 27, 2007 3:12 PM PDT by Josh Grossberg

David Bowie's always been a space oddity. But little did we know he's into urban oddities as well.

After much buzz, the erstwhile Ziggy Stardust has finally revealed the lineup for New York City's inaugural H&M High Line Festival, a 10-day music and arts-driven "cultural mashup," taking place at various large and small venues around Manhattan from May 9 to 19.

One of the most anticipated musical acts on the bill is the Arcade Fire, the acclaimed Canadian indie troupe that made a splash with their 2005 debut, Funeral, and just released their sophomore disc, Neon Bible. They'll kick off the festivities May 9 with a concert at Radio City Music Hall.

Other artists include French electronica duo Air, who will grace the Theater at Madison Square Garden May 10; choral symphonic rockers Polyphonic Spree, scheduled to play the Hammerstein Ballroom May 11; and Deerhoof, who will perform at Irving Plaza May 15.

The festival will also feature performances by Daniel Johnston, Bang on a Can All-Stars, the Legendary Stardust Cowboy and the Secret Machines at the Highline Ballroom.

Bowie is the official curator of the first annual High Line, which aims to raise funds for the building of a new public park on former elevated train tracks on the Big Apple's west side.

"I thought it a very cool deal to be asked to curate the High Line Festival," Bowie, also a festival cofounder, said in a release. "I'm also pleased that many emerging artists are participating alongside more established talents that represent a fairly wide cross section of disciplines within the arts community. I would really hope that the exposure this festival affords will help these folk get the attention they deserve."

A variety of comics, performance artists and visual artists will also be represented at the festival, including Laurie Anderson, spoken-word poet Ken Nordine, Meow Meow "incited" by John Cameron Mitchell (the indie filmmaker of Hedwig and the Angry Inch fame), photographer Claude Cahun and dancer-choreographer Laurie McLeod.

No word whether Bowie himself will perform. But the program will also include a retrospective of 10 of his favorite Spanish-language classic films from the past 100 years that will also be screening throughout the 10 days.

Funnyman Ricky Gervais will close out the festivities May 19 by bringing the laughs at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

If all goes as expected, High Line will likely become an annual gathering on Manhattan's storied West Side. The fest is named after the abandoned one-and-a-half-mile stretch of elevated train track that runs from the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood on down through Chelsea and the Meatpacking District.

A portion of the profits from the H&M High Line Festival will be donated to Friends of the High Line, the nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the 75-year-old track into a pedestrian walkway and public green space by 2008. Organizers also plan to conduct ongoing walking tours at the historic site throughout the marathon event.

Tickets for the individual festival events go on sale Mar. 30 at highlinefestival.com, ticketmaster.com and ticketweb.com.