The two upcoming ‘Music of‘ David Bowie events — at Carnegie Hall on March 31 and at Radio City Music Hall on April 1 — are going to be big. Announced just after Bowie’s passing (but in the works months beforehand), the original Carnegie Hall show sold out immediately. To satisfy demand, founder of the series Michael Dorf, added a second date at the much larger Radio City Music Hall. The lineup for each show will vary slightly. As of this morning, the Roots (along with Bilal and Kimbra) have backed out over a disagreement about sharing instruments — but there are still nearly twenty acts slated for each show.
The City Winery rehearsal show on March 30 allowed some artists the chance to test out their upcoming tributes, like Rickie Lee Jones’s “All the Young Dudes” performance. Other artists that showed up for the rehearsal included Ann Wilson (of Heart), Robyn Hitchcock, and Holy Holy (featuring Bowie collaborators Tony Visconti and Woody Woodmansey), who will serve as the house band for both upcoming shows. The night ended with a sing-along led by Choir! Choir! Choir!