Earlier this year, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra along with six Australian music industry icons joined forces to pay tribute to the late David Bowie.
Over four performances, iOTA, Tim Rogers, Steve Kilbey, Deborah Conway, Adalita and Jack Ladder paid homage to the Thin White Duke.
Now, due to the overwhelming success of the shows, ‘David Bowie: Nothing Has Changed’ is touring nationally. “We are all very excited and very proud,” says Adalita, one of the five original vocalists travelling with the tour. “It’s really important to celebrate the great man and his music and show some respect.”
A child of the '80s who grew up listening to Bowie, Adalita jumped at the opportunity to be involved in the tribute. “I got the call, and as soon as I saw David Bowie on the page I was like, ‘Hell yeah!’ He’s definitely a godfather figure of music. He was so prolific and so influential. He’s just an icon and he’s everywhere. He was the soundtrack to our lives.”The creator of the show, music executive Amanda Pelman, provided the cast with a selection of songs from Bowie’s extensive catalogue, and told them to go for it. “I really wanted to do ‘Modern Love’”, Adalita says. “It’s one of my favourite Bowie tracks. I didn’t think I’d get it but I just put it out there and ‘Let’s Dance’ as well. I’ve always loved that song. And I got them both.”
Working with an orchestra was a first for Adalita, a self-professed rock & roll chick from Geelong. “I was pretty blown away, but I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be. I think they actually made me feel more confident. Having that beautiful music behind you – this big, big backbone of incredible instrumentation – gave things more strength. It’s a whole other level. It really informed a lot of the performance as well. I’m really looking forward to working with all the other symphony orchestras.”
Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth audiences will re-discover Bowie’s classic tracks, with each vocalist bringing their own style to the setlist. “Everyone has their own take and does it in their own way,” Adalita says.
“It’s been mindblowing watching Deborah Conway and iOTA just belt out the tunes. And Steve Kilbey’s delivery of ‘Station To Station’ is impeccable and so passionate and on point. It’s a very special moment in the show and not a song that I was familiar with, but have grown to love through the show. It’s just inspiring watching everyone.”
Tex Perkins joins the cast for the Brisbane leg of the tour, something Adalita is looking forward to. “It will be great to have Tex on board. I can’t wait to see him singing Bowie with his beautiful, deep voice and his swagger. He’ll just bring the Tex edge.”
Bowie’s passing in January came as a shock to the world, so it is little surprise that emotions run high both on stage and in the audience during the show.
“We had all range of emotions,” Adalita explains. “We had people wildly dancing in the aisles, which isn’t really the traditional thing to do at the Sydney Opera House, and we had people crying from the emotion of it all. Good tears you know. We were all emotional as well. It’s a really important show; I think it’s a beautiful show.”
David Bowie: Nothing Has Changed Tour Dates
Sat 1 Oct - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition CentreSat 15 Oct - Arts Centre (Melbourne)
Sun 16 Oct - Arts Centre (Melbourne)
Thu 10 Nov - Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre
Fri 11 Nov - Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre
