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Concert reviews Music

Bowie producer and company make sure the show goes on

HOLY HOLY at the Opera House, Tuesday, January 12. Rating: NNN


It seems that many people hadn’t been aware of or overly interested in Holy Holy’s Tuesday night appearance in the city prior to David Bowie’s death on Sunday.

But you better believe tickets sold out fast once word got out that the all-star band made up of Bowie’s long-time producer Tony Visconti (whose credits include the recent Blackstar album) and the sole remaining Spiders from Mars member Woody Woodmansey were hitting up the Opera House two days after the singer’s passing. (A second show, happening tonight, was quickly added.)

“The show must go on – David would’ve wanted that,” was the theme of the night, emphasized in opening remarks by Visconti, Woodmansey and, throughout the almost two-hour set, the band’s singer Glenn Gregory, who has a tough gig trying to fill Bowie’s shoes, though certainly no one expected him to. (He’s a fine singer, and a somewhat tentative performer.)

There did, however, seem to be some expectation of public catharis or visible high emotion. Or maybe a lot of us just hoped for something like that spontaneous, beautiful Bowie singalong that happened in Brixton on Monday. You could feel the possibility of it in the jam-packed venue, and see it in the faces (a few painted up) of those in the long line-up to sign a condolence book that would be delivered to Bowie’s family post-show. 

But Holy Holy’s M.O. is to recreate front to back The Man Who Sold The World, Bowie’s hard-rocking, beautifully glammy, rhythmically daring third album, which Visconti and Woodmansey played on and whose well-known title track comes second-last on the album (and therefore in the set). The other songs are also excellent – and were pulled off with lots of polish by Holy Holy’s three guitarists, keyboardist and backup singer in addition to Gregory and the Visconti/Woodmansey rhythm section – but far less familiar.

“We’re not a tribute band,” Visconti stressed to us partway through the set. “We’re the real dudes.” Perhaps to avoid coming across as one, they saved the (1969-73) hits for the show’s second half, when the clock was by then nearing midnight. Five Years. Moonage Daydream. All The Young Dudes. Oh You Pretty Things. Changes. Ziggy Stardust. Suffragette City. Finally there were arms in the air, swaying.

Though the wait felt long and the volume was too loud to make room for audience participation, there were still glimpses of what Bowie’s art meant to the largely upbeat crowd and to the musicians onstage, who had considered cancelling the tour. When Gregory introduced Life On Mars?, he warned us that he might not be able to get through it as it was his favourite song (he did, though), and as the final notes of Suffragette City were ringing out, fans peppered the stage with roses. 

carlag@nowtoronto.com | @carlagillis

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