We decided on doing Ziggy Stardust a year ago. And when it went up on sale we were overjoyed at how well it sold out of the gate. Then he passed. And in the midst of the sadness, this show became something more: part celebration / part eulogy.

I pretty much have all of David Bowie’s recorded work. I’ve always been a fan. I even played guitar in Bowie cover band back in 1982. So when he released his last album posthumously, along with that video with the bandages on his eyes – it freaked me out. I mean it really rattled me.

So many of us have been affected by cancer. When it eats an artist that we’ve lived our entire life alongside, it can feel the same as when a family member battles. The sadness of it all knows no boundaries. So tying tonight’s performance in to CAL’s work with the Canadian Cancer Society feels like the right thing to do. And it helps to put a period on a beautiful sentence.

As we began rehearsals for this show, there was a new kind of seriousness to the plans. As if the meaning had deepened. Nick Walsh, who sings the show, arrived at rehearsals with a new level of preparation. We took each other to task, pointing out the minutia and the attack. The ‘note for note – cut for cut’ mantra became a more radiant guiding light. It’s the only way we know how to pay our respects.

It’s Ziggy Stardust. It’s always been Ziggy. We love all the different Davids. But Ziggy is our collective inner rock star. Our poet. Our stage actor and our heart. Performing this album, on the Massey Hall stage is part of Toronto’s love letter to David. Our way of saying ‘Thank you for a great ride. See you in the stars one day.’

Craig Martin
Founder and CEO
Classic Albums Live