Bringing Lazarus to Stage talk at the V&A

 

“Tommy drinks two bottles just before he goes on stage”*

 

Tickets are selling fast for this unmissable V&A event in London, with Michael C Hall and Robert Fox.

 

Go here for yours, now.

 

What : Bringing Lazarus to Stage

When : Monday 9 January 2017, 19.00 – 20.45

Where : The Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre

 

Written by David Bowie and Enda Walsh, the stage musical Lazarus has been called ‘A surrealistic tour de force’. Inspired by the book The Man Who Fell To Earth by Walter Tevis, the show received widespread critical acclaim and played to sold-out audiences throughout an extended run in New York. Join lead Michael C Hall alongside producer Robert Fox for a discussion of the creative process that gave birth to this unique show, and the challenges of bringing Lazarus to life in both New York and now London.

 

* Today’s lyric quotation is from the 1967 Bowie song Join The Gang. The original suggested it was Arthur who needed ‘Dutch courage’ before appearing in front of his audience. However, we are alluding to TJ Newton’s fondness for gin, and this is in no way a suggestion that Michael C Hall needs a similar stiffener to ‘get in character’.

 

 

#LazarusMusical  #LazarusLondon  #LazarusSoundtrack  #Lazarus  #TMWFTE  #TJNewton

Ziggy Stardust Motion Picture at Hammersmith Odeon

 

“Not only is it the last show of the tour”

 

The headline and graphic pretty well cover this one. Pre-sale tickets are on sale here now

 

Keep reading for the full press release.

 

 

#ZiggyStardust  # ZiggyStardustMoPi  #ZiggyHammersmith  #ZSMoPi2017

 

 

 

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SOUND & VISION FESTIVAL, KENNEDY STREET PRESENTS

 

ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS MOTION PICTURE EXCLUSIVELY AT THE HAMMERSMITH EVENTIM APOLLO ON 16TH FEBRUARY 2017

 

A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF DAVID BOWIE

 

ANIMAL NOISE AND THE SMOKING GUNS CONFIRMED TO PERFORM AT THE EVENT

 

On 16th February, 2017 the legendary concert film, Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, will be screened at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo for the first time since the concert took place there over forty years ago on 3rd July 1973. DJ duo, The Smoking Guns and upcoming band Animal Noise are also confirmed to perform at the event.

 

The 1973 documentary and concert film by D. A. Pennebaker, features David Bowie and his backing group, The Spiders From Mars, performing at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. The concert is famous for Bowie’s surprise announcement that the show would be “the last show that we’ll ever do”, later understood to mean that he was retiring his Ziggy Stardust persona.

 

The event will kick of with a DJ set from female duo The Smoking Guns. Having played Bowie and Prince tribute sets at Secret Garden Party earlier this year, the girls will be playing classic Bowie tracks as guests arrive. Animal Noise, who would have been the perfect band to warm up at the original show in ‘73, will then take the stage before the main event.

 

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More information about The Smoking Guns

 

London born singer/songwriter Iraina Mancini (Iraina’s dad is David’s dear old friend, Geoffrey MacCormack, AKA Warren Peace), and Canadian actress/filmmaker Samantha Michelle are The Smoking Guns. Spinning Northern Soul, 60’s Rhythm & Blues, Funk, Ska and Early Rock and Roll. Inspired by 60’s Northern Soul clubs and the mod scene, mixing their sets with rare finds and loved soul classics, they create an uplifting atmosphere that recalls another time. For one night only, the ladies will be playing an exclusive David Bowie set to celebrate this unique event.

 

Since coming together, the girls have performed across some of London’s most exclusive nightspots and beyond, including The Groucho Club, Soho House, 5 Hertford St, Scotch of St James, Lights of Soho, Black Dice and Old Street Records. The girls have also partnered and played for brands such as Pretty Green, American Express, Estrella Galicia, NKPR and the Somerset Series at Somerset House.

 

They’ve headlined at Glastonbury’s Unfairground, the Red Rooster Festival and The Secret Garden Party. The girls have also spun internationally in Los Angeles, Toronto and New York, but are rooted in London where they run residencies in Soho and Shoreditch.

 

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More information about Animal Noise

 

When Animal Noise self-released their debut album ‘Run Loose’ in 2012, they quickly went from playing in their rehearsal studio, in an old cowshed on bass player Birdy’s farm, to the stages of Bestival & T in The Park.

 

Through extensive support from BBC Suffolk Introducing, Animal Noise caught the attention of BBC Radio 1, receiving airplay from Greg James, Huw Stephens, Sara Cox and Scott Mills. BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson was also a big fan, recording a session with the band for his show. This widespread national radio support and subsequent festival appearances have meant Animal Noise have built a large following across their home county of East Anglia, and now they’re looking to reach further afield.

 

Working with producer Tom Donovan, the band have been crafting songs to follow up 2012’s ‘Run Loose’. The first tracks to come from these sessions will be found on their Sink Or Swim EP which will be released on limited edition vinyl as part of Record Store Day on 15th April 2016.

 

The lead single ‘Sink Or Swim’ will be released on the 8th April, upfront of the EP. The band describe the track as having “a bouncing staggered riff that flips from aggression to reflection. The song runs with a recurring theme of water and helplessness, relating to plaguing negative thoughts and anxieties about taking risks, a fear of jumping into the deep end of something new and different which scares a lot of people…”

 

The EP includes the tracks ‘Bag of Bones’ and ‘Alright’, which have already gained momentum through extensive BBC introducing support.

 

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More about CinEvents

 

CinEvents Ltd established in 2016, works with cinemas, brands and content owners to bring exciting new events to cinema and the event cinema market.  By harnessing the power of cinema, CinEvents offers passionate fans the opportunity to see content they love, in a communal shared environment, all from the comfort and convenience of their local cinema.   By sourcing new content, connecting content producers with cinemas owners and offering end to end delivery and event support CinEvents is helping to expand a rapidly growing area of the cinema industry.

 

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More about Sound & Vision Festival

 

Sound & Vision Festival put on events where filmed music content can be played thru the loud speakers of venues whether they be the original event venue or pop up gatherings.

http://soundandvisionfestival.com/

Your chance to win signed Lazarus book

 

“All the things that are my life”

 

With just under six weeks to go until the last night of Lazarus at the King’s Cross Theatre in London on 22 January, we’ve teamed up with publishers Nick Hern Books to offer three lucky winners the chance to nab a copy of Lazarus: The Complete Book and Lyrics, signed by co-writer Enda Walsh and the London company.

 

Available now in print and ebook, Lazarus: The Complete Book and Lyrics contains the full script to David Bowie’s stunning musical – including the lyrics to all of the songs performed, among them iconic Bowie numbers such as Changes, Life on Mars? and “Heroes”, plus four new original compositions – as well as an introduction from co-writer Enda Walsh.

 

To be in with a chance of winning one, just correctly answer the following question: At which New York venue did Lazarus receive its world premiere in 2015?

 

a) Brooklyn Academy of Music

b) New York Theatre Workshop

c) Playwrights Horizons

 

To enter, email the correct answer and your full postal address to win@nickhernbooks.co.uk before noon (12pm GMT) on Monday 19 December. The winners will be drawn at random from the correct entries.

 

*SPECIAL OFFER*

 

Get your copy of Lazarus: The Complete Book and Lyrics for just £7.49 – that’s 25% off the rrp of £9.99 – plus free UK p&p when you use code LAZARUSDB here. This offer is valid until 31 January 2017.

 

Purchase tickets for forthcoming performances of Lazarus here.

 

The #1 Lazarus Cast Album is available here now. It includes David Bowie’s most recent recordings.

 

 

#LazarusMusical  #LazarusLondon  #LazarusSoundtrack  #Lazarus  #TMWFTE  #TJNewton  #LazarusBook

NME People Of The Year 2016

 

“He trod on sacred ground”

 

David Bowie graces one of a dozen NME magazine covers (December 9) and there’s a cool double-page spread featuring him in the NME People Of The Year 2016 list.

 

Under the heading: “For shaping the year from beyond the grave”, you can read the full article here.

 

They also have ★ in their Albums Of The Year 2016…

 

“‘Blackstar’ brought the curtain down on a remarkable life and career with one last dazzling feat of theatricality. You can debate where David Bowie’s 27th and final album ultimately sits in the grand scheme of his discography, but you can’t deny the emotional resonance of its songs, nor fail to admire the intricate planning that went into its making. From the occult references in its lyrics, to the hidden artwork on its LP sleeve, to the heart-breaking video for ‘Lazarus’, ‘Blackstar’ was an album of secrets, clues and riddles, and a fitting last transmission from the now-ascended master.”

 

See that full list here.

 

 

#NMEPOTY  #BowieNME  #BowieBlackstar  #Blackstar  

RS readers make ★ #1 album of 2016

 

“No better do we know”

 

Hot on the heels of Rolling Stone magazine making David Bowie’s ★ LP their 2nd best album of 2016, their readers have done the right thing and voted it their #1 album of 2016.

 

Here’s what the magazine’s Andy Greene has to say about ★

 

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1. David Bowie, ‘Blackstar’

The world had two days to digest David Bowie’s Blackstar without the intense emotional baggage of knowing he made it while dying. In that brief time, Bowie fans were enthralled by the ambitious seven-song collection he recorded with a New York jazz collective lead by saxophonist Donny McCaslin. The 10-minute title track is a spiritual cousin to “Station to Station,” while “I Can’t Give Everything Away” summed up Bowie’s desire to hold back the important parts of his life from the public. Miraculously, he managed to live in poor health for years without anybody knowing. It allowed him to work in peace on his last album and let the world embrace it right before he left this planet. He couldn’t have scripted a better ending, or given the world a better parting gift.

 

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See the full Readers’ Poll: 10 Best Albums of 2016 here.

 

Aside from this and Rolling Stone making ★ their 2nd best album of 2016, the magazine also placed Parlophone’s Who Can I Be Now? box set at #3 in their Reissues Of The Year.

 

 

#BowieRollingStone  #BowieRS  #BowieBlackstar  #Blackstar  #WCIBNBox  #WhoCanIBeNowBox  

#DavidBowie Twitter Billboard in NYC

 

“New York’s in love”

 

Any of you New Yorkers spotted this Twitter billboard in NYC? Apparently it’s part of a campaign highlighting the most talked about things on Twitter in 2016.

 

The photograph of DB they’ve used is The Archer by John Robert Rowlands. Pretty impressive stuff.

 

 

#Bowie  #DavidBowie  #DavidBowieTwitter  #DavidBowieNYC

Amazon UK customers make ★ best release of 2016

 

“At the centre of it all”

 

David Bowie’s ★ album has been singled out as the best album of 2016 by Amazon UK @AmazonMusicUK customers and also the Best Of The Best to boot. Here’s the Amazon blurb…

 

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Welcome to the best of 2016 – as chosen by Amazon customers. We’ve combined the highest-rated and most reviewed titles to reveal the top 10 customer picks of 2016 across movies, TV, music, games and books.

 

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A massive thank you to all of you who helped make ★ such a success.

 

Amazon Customers’ Top 10 Albums Of 2016

Amazon The Best Of The Best

 

 

#BowieBlackstar  #Blackstar  #BowieAmazon

★ Receives 5 GRAMMY Awards Nominations

 

“I can’t answer why (I’m a blackstar)”

 

It is with much pleasure that we can report that David Bowie’s ★ album has five selections in the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees list.

 

★ is nominated in the following categories…

 

 

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12.Best Rock Performance

 

Blackstar

David Bowie

Track from: Blackstar

Label: ISO/Columbia Records

 

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14.Best Rock Song

 

Blackstar

David Bowie, songwriter (David Bowie)

Track from: Blackstar

Label: ISO/Columbia Records; Publisher(s): Nipple Music admin. by RZO Music, Inc.

 

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16.Best Alternative Music Album

 

Blackstar

David Bowie

Label: ISO/Columbia Records

 

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65.Best Recording Package

 

Blackstar

Jonathan Barnbrook, art director (David Bowie)

Label: ISO/Columbia Records

 

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69.Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

 

Blackstar

David Bowie, Tom Elmhirst, Kevin Killen & Tony Visconti, engineers; Joe LaPorta, mastering engineer (David Bowie)

Label: ISO/Columbia Records

 

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View the full list here.

 

The GRAMMYs will air on CBS on Sunday February 12th, 2017.

 

 

#59thGrammyAwards  #BowieGrammyAwards  #BowieBlackstar  #Blackstar  

DB is Tokyo tickets on sale for Feb 2017

 

“Please come away, hey! Just for the day”

 

Following the success of January sales, tickets are now on sale for the February 2017 stint of the David Bowie is exhibition at Warehouse TERRADA G1 Building in Tokyo.

 

The Tokyo exhibition commences Sunday 8th January and runs through to Sunday 9th April 2017.

 

Go here for exhibition information and ticket links.

 

 

#ボウイ展  #DBisTokyo  #BowieTokyo  #DavidBowieIs  

Limited edition Japanese picture disc details

 

“I smiled sadly, for a love I could not obey”

 

Last week we announced the 7″ 45 picture disc produced to coincide with the Japanese opening of DAVID BOWIE is in Tokyo on January 8th, 2017.

 

The disc will be sold exclusively at the DAVID BOWIE is official shop during the exhibition run from 8 January to 9 April, 2017, and will feature the following two tracks:

 

A SIDE

LADY STARDUST [4-TRACK DEMO – STEREO]

 

AA SIDE

CRYSTAL JAPAN

 

Lady Stardust (David’s ode to Marc Bolan), is the original solo piano and voice, 4-track demo, recorded at the same time as Right On Mother at Radio Luxembourg Studios in London, on 9th March, 1971. The version on this disc was mixed properly and officially to stereo for the first time from the original 4-track tape in July 2016 at AIR Studios in London.

 

Most people are more familiar with the song in its finished form after it was re-recorded by Bowie and The Spiders and released over a year later on the 1972 Ziggy Stardust album.

 

Crystal Japan (originally titled Fuji Moto San) is a haunting instrumental track first released as a single in Japan in July 1980. The track was used for a TV advert for the Japanese sake Crystal Jun Rock by Takara Shuzo. The adverts (there were two of them), featured Bowie in a Zen temple in Kyoto, a location he personally selected, being so moved by the beautiful Karesansui Zen Garden.

 

While in Japan David spoke briefly about his reasons for agreeing to do the commercials:

 

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Q. Why did you agree to do the commercial?

DB: There are three reasons. The first one being that no one has ever asked me to do it before. And the money is a very useful thing [spoken in Japanese]. And the third, I think it’s very effective that my music is on television twenty times a day. I think my music isn’t for radio.

 

Q. So did you write the music for the commercial?

DB: Yes, this is the important point and the reason I agreed to do the commercial. It’s a very slow one. I didn’t use bass or drums so it’s very different from anything I have done before. It will be included in my next album. I don’t drink while I work so I didn’t drink while I wrote this one, of course.

 

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In the event, Crystal Japan didn’t appear on the next album (Scary Monsters) and the Japanese got an exclusive single instead.

 

As previously mentioned, both sides of the picture disc have photographs taken by Japanese photographer, Masayoshi Sukita.

 

The A side features a shot taken from a session in February 1973, at RCA Studios in New York. Bowie is wearing a costume by Japanese designer, Kansai Yamamoto, and Kabuki inspired make-up. Under Japanese influence, indeed.

 

The Sukita photograph on the AA side was taken in Tokyo in 1980. Bowie had this to say about the session in the Genesis Editions book of Sukita’s Bowie photographs, Speed Of Life…

 

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Here I am beginning another long day at the photo studio. Clock in, take my coat off and thrust my arms up to the elbows in glamour and style. Here I’m going for a combined Jacques Tati, Anthony Newley look.

 

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Go here for DAVID BOWIE is in Tokyo exhibition information and ticket links.

 

 

#ボウイ展  #DBisTokyo  #BowieTokyo  #DavidBowieIs  #BowieVinyl  #MasayoshiSukita