A glam rock dance party with a focus on David Bowie is natural, like rhinestones and lightning makeup. In the early seventies, glam rock celebrated theatricality and camp over the era’s self-serious singer-songwriter ethos, and it suited Bowie exquisitely, providing him with his most indelible personae.
Glam had a limited shelf life, but Bowie spent the first part of the decade decked out in heavy makeup, anyway. When he reemerged in 1975, he had moved directly into R&B. His performance of “Golden Years” on Soul Train cemented his relationship with dance music in the disco era, and, a decade later, when corporate DB showed up, he was exhorting us to dance—under the moonlight, mind you, the serious moonlight.
The Bowie Ball—Saturday night at The Bar in Durham—promises to be an immersive experience for those bygone days. You can channel your inner Aladdin Sane at the Glamification Station, where Twixi Chardonnay will remake and remodel you as the androgyne of your choice. You can even sample Bowie cocktails. Perhaps the “John, I’m Only Dancing” types will find themselves turning to face the strange with newfound gusto after tossing back a couple of Thin White Dukes. If you’re still feeling a bit bewildered at the departure of Mr. Bowie in January, attending the Bowie Ball might be the best way to kick off your red shoes and dance (away) the blues.
The Bowie Ball starts Saturday, March 12, at 9 p.m. at The Bar on Rigsbee Avenue. Tickets are $10.
