The Bowie Experience at Lighthouse Poole Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Helen O
Having grown up alongside the music of David Bowie, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to review The Bowie Experience at Lighthouse, Poole tonight. Billed as ‘One of the best Bowie tribute bands in the land’, it was an opportunity not to be missed, to witness the next best thing to the Man himself. Laurence Knight had a lot to live up to, and he definitely brought it tonight.
The show was held in the Theatre at Lighthouse Poole and we were seated right in the middle of the auditorium so we had a brilliant view of the stage and all of the action. The seats are very comfortable, with plenty of leg room.
David Bowie achieved his first top five single in 1969 with Space Oddity, it’s hard to believe that’s 55 years ago, with many of his songs standing the test of time and still as popular as ever, which was evident by the audience reaction tonight.
Founded in 1997 by Dorset-based Laurence Knight, The Bowie Experience is the only David Bowie tribute in the world that was regularly featured on Bowie’s own website during his lifetime. I really don’t think you can get a better endorsement than that.
From the moment Laurence appeared on stage belting out Rebel Rebel, the scene was set for the next couple of hours. He has clearly meticulously studied every detail of Bowie’s mannerisms, tone and dance moves, replicating them faithfully on stage. What I really loved about this particular tribute compared with other tribute acts I’ve seen, is the fact that there were costume changes, bringing Bowie’s different personas to life, throughout the years. Although, there was a slight disappointment that he didn’t don a spandex jumpsuit or appear with a lightning flash painted across his face, but I’m sure I’ll get over that!
Accompanied by a 7 piece band of very talented musicians and backing singers, The Bowie Experience brought to life David Bowie’s vast back catalogue of eclectic musical styles. Performing most of Bowie’s most commercially well-known songs as expected, but also some tunes that I don’t recall hearing before, brilliantly interspersed amongst the more famous hits. As expected, all of the classic fan favourites were included in the performance, including Ashes to Ashes, Starman, Modern Love, China Girl and Heroes. I think the only song that was missing for me was Diamond Dogs, but I can’t complain as we heard so many other hits and there is such a vast catalogue to choose from.
It’s hard to pick a stand out moment from this brilliant performance, however, ‘Let’s Dance’ really got the audience on their feet and brought a party atmosphere to the Theatre, which continued throughout the remainder of the show. What I really loved was that different members of the audience stood up to dance to different songs from different musical genres, highlighting that there was something for everyone in the performance.
The show ran for approximately two and a quarter hours, including a 15 minute interval, which gave us an opportunity for a quick refreshment break, in preparation for the second set. The length of the show allowed a perfect opportunity for The Bowie Experience to showcase all of the David Bowie favourites. The energy and momentum from Laurence and the band was not only maintained but intensified during the second set, towards the finale.
You can really tell that Laurence and the band enjoy putting on the show. It was evident that they were desperate to get the audience on their feet, which is always a bit difficult in a seated auditorium. However, they managed it towards the end of the second set, which was brilliant. Ending with a finale with almost the entire audience on their feet and a standing ovation for all concerned. By the end of the performance, the energy in the room was through the roof.
My only criticism is that occasionally the sound was such, that the lyrics were drowned out a little by the music.
With a ticket price from £26.40 each, I think this represents great value for money for such an enjoyable evening’s entertainment, watching such a high quality performance.
I would definitely recommend the show to any David Bowie fan wanting to revisit the hits of the late showman. The tour dates for The Bowie Experience can be found here: www.ents24.com.
Rating: 4.5/5
Tickets from £26.40 each
Address: Lighthouse, 21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG | www.lighthousepoole.co.uk