Stardust Still Sprinkles Over David Bowie’s Sound And Vision: Review

GLENSIDE, PA —David Bowie has been gone for six years. But you would hardly know it.

His music continues to transcend and his legacy seems to have no bounds as the late iconic rock star's sound and vision continue to make a lasting impact.

Since Bowie's passing, tours go on every year paying tribute. The recent one at the Keswick Theater in Glenside was a little different, packing a punch with former guitarist Adrian Belew sharing a stage with the likes of Hall of Famer and local Philly boy Todd Rundgren.

The two, along with a solid backup band and Philadelphia singer/guitarist Jeffrey Gaines were the man showmen trying to represent the "Starman" as best as possible, which basically is impossible.

The 31-song set captured Bowie throughout the decades, from his start in space to his Ziggy Stardust stage, his German trilogy, Thin White Duke period, and into his final years.

The power of his artistry proves that Bowie has enough musical muscle to add new fans who will find his songbook just as fascinating.

"Sound and Vision" started the show with Belew, who toured with Bowie for years, showing off his licks while resonating on vocals.

Each vocalist shared the spotlight, taking a song and then trading the microphone to the next guy.

Rundgren, always with a flair for the dramatic, was the perfect addition for this Bowie tribute, providing some pomp and circumstance and a little "Glam Rock" tucked away with tongue-in-cheek humor.

He tackled the big songs: "Young Americans," "Changes," "Space Oddity," and the closer "All the Young Dudes."

Belew took "Starman," a "Ziggy Stardust" classic, and the monster "Fame."

Gaines —who made his mark in the 1990s and 200s —wasn't someone you would expect to be performing Bowie, but his vocal grit and force drove songs like "Moonage Daydream," "Five Years," "Blue Jean," Rebel, Rebel" and "Suffragate City."

He was also very gracious with the crowd throughout his performances.

There was an ace in the hole at this show too. And that was Royston Langdon, an English musician. Langdon, the lead singer and bassist of the English-American glam rock band Spacehog, fit into Bowie's style well.

He was featured on "Rock and Roll Suicide," "The Man Who Sold The World," "Ziggy Stardust," "Golden Years," and the big hit "Let's Dance."

The whole group traded vocals for the show-ender "Heroes."

If you can't catch the Bowie tribute, there's a film based on Bowie's musical journey throughout his career called "Moonage Daydream." It features never-before-seen footage, performances and music and led by Bowie's own narration.

Bowie has been gone six years. But his music is hotter than ever. And from this performance, his legacy is just as strong.