Thread by @StefSimanowitz

David Bowie was born 74yrs ago today & died almost exactly 5yrs ago

Six days after his death, we organised an unofficial wake fror #Bowie.

900 people filled the Union Chapel for a 5 hour gig

More than 100 musicians & bands performed 33 #DavidBowie songs

Each performer or band played one #Bowie song

There were a number of highlights, but this version of Sweet Thing by @davidmcalmont, accompanied by @cliffordslapper on the piano, was a spine-tingling.

Watch the full version on @YouTube

I booked the venue on Monday

The press release went out Tuesday

On Wednesday, we sold out tickets (£3 each) in 35 minutes!

The gig was in four days & we had NO acts. NO team

But they’d come

For the love of #Bowie, they’d come

See @guypratt & The Egg

"Like a miracle"

Within days we'd put together a top line-up of musicians supported by a professional production team including technicians, visual & sound engineers

There was comedy, cabaret, reminiscences & eclectic interpretations of Bowie classics. huffingtonpost.co.uk/stefan-simanow…

There are too many incredible performances & speeches to post the all, but here are some of personal highlights👇

Maggie Ronson - sister of #Bowie guitarist Mick & friend of #DavidBowie - sang Ziggy Stardust with @TheFeatherz & @cliffordslapper on piano

The 5 hour #Bowie concert began with 900 people singing Starman

It ended with 900 people singing Heroes

The 2nd half began with 900 people singing Let’s Dance

This was down to @massaoke, the 8-piece band with a giant screen, who do karaoke #DavidBowie

We had messages from @davidgilmour & @nickcave who couldn’t be there, but a Bad Seed, @GeorgeVjestica, came & played Kook's with Dan Donovan from @BigAudioDyn

Theis great version of Quicksand was done by @themagicnumbers. #DavidBowie #Bowie #BowieForever

Can you believe it’s been 5 years?

Life on Mars was sung by @DanGSells of @thefeeling with legendary @guypratt (@pinkfloyd, @Madonna, @bryanferry etc) on guitar

Heroes was sung by @osullivanjohn

Footage by @dave_barnard.
#BowieForever #Bowie #DavidBowie

Rebel Rebel was played by the notorious 1970s punk/new wave band, @spizzenergi

Another stand out moment was Bob Juburi’s stunning version of Moonage Daydream.

Footage by @dave_barnard. #DavidBowie #Bowie #BowieForever #DavidBowieDay #davidbowieforever

Bewlay Brothers played by the @themagicnumbers @glennmaxx

Wild Is The Wind played by @RenHarvieu. #DavidBowie #DavidBowie #Bowie #HappyBirthdayDavidBowie
#BowieForever

All the Young Dudes sung by @TheRebelles with Sex Pistol, Glenn Matlock on guitar

Slip Away sung by @desdemoor with @cliffordslapper on piano

Clifford wrote the #Bowie song played on Extras (“Little Fat Man with the Pug Nose Face”).
#Bowie #BowieForever

The Man Who Sold the Earth played by @TheBreretons

Lady Stardust sung by @marcus_reeves with @cliffordslapper

Footage by @dave_barnard
#Bowie #DavidBowie #BowieForever #DavidBowieDay #BowieDay #HappyBirthdayDavidBowie

Wild is the Wind played by @Lulabooharp on the harp in @UnionChapelUK

Kooks sung by @EmmaDivineSings. #DavidBowie #Bowie #BowieForever
#davidbowieforever #DavidBowieDay

“#Bowie gave us ideas above our station. All the ideas & specific one. Of life. The stellar idea that we can create ourselves whoever we are. He let us be more than we ever knew possible. There’s nothing greater. Nothing.” @suzanne_moore #DavidBowie

5 years ago

6 days after #DavidBowie died

117 musicians played

33 #Bowie songs for

5 hours

It was a PROPER send off

Queen Bitch played by @PRambow with Malcolm Doherty & @TheRebelles

Time played by Simon Westbrook with @cliffordslapper #Bowieforever

The Bowie Memorial Concert, 16 January, 2016 at @UnionChapelUK

Lady Stardust sung by @marcus_reeves

Jean Genie played by @taurustrakker with @GaryLammin

Footage by @dave_barnard & @TaylanMutaf
#DavidBowie #Bowie #Bowieforever
#bowiecelebration

“He wrote an extraordinary amount of brilliant tunes.” @Baddiel

Baddiel was in the running for compère but made way for @Robbotron - a massive #Bowie fan & brilliant comedian who held the 5 hour show (with 33 bands setting up!) together incredibly!

I think #DavidBowie would have appreciated the eclectic versions of his songs at @bowie_tribute gig

Like these versions of Lady Grinning Soul by @_rafando & Spacedog's version of Where Are We Now...played on the saw #BowieForever #BowieDay #DavidBowieDay

Versions of Changes & Pretty Things by @rebeccacole21 & @lukasings

The #Bowie Tribute gig on was organised by & for #DavidBowie fans

Tickets only cost £3 (plus £1 booking fee)

All profits went to @macmillancancer
#BowieForever #DavidBowieDay #BowieDay

"Let's Dance" sung by David MacAlmont, @massaoke
& 900 #DavidBowie fans at the @UnionChapelUK, 6 days after #Bowie died

Here's the full clip on @YouTube

We were going to make a film (we have hours of incredible footage if anyone want to help out).

This version of Sweet Thing, wasn't just a musical highlight of the #Bowie tribute concert but one of the musical highlights of my life. Others in the audience have said the same.

David MacAlmont & @cliffordslapper got TWO standing ovations for this (!)

Look up here, I'm in heaven
I've got scars that can't be seen
I've got drama, can't be stolen
Everybody knows me now

Oh I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh I'll be free
Ain't that just like me?

@boehuntress performed Lazarus 6 days after #Bowie died

Stunning version of Heroes by @jjosullivan_

"There was something magical about tonight," John O'Sullivan said to me the end of the show. "It was almost as if someone was watching over us."
#BowieForever #Bowie #DavidBowie #BowieDay @DavidBowieReal @U2