THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE HISTORY
the bowie experience [tribute to david bowie] was first established in 1997.
Initially called 'spaceboy' and taking their inspiration from the album 'outside' it was formed by a group of musicians attending music college.
the next year saw the act touring the music clubs of southern england.
THE WORD OF LAURENCES PORTRAYAL OF 'THE THIN WHITE DUKE' SOON SPREAD WITH REQUESTS FOR THE SHOW COMING FROM ALL CORNERS, BECKENHAMS ANNUAL BOWIEFEST WANTED A GIG, [SHARING THE STAGE WITH STEVE HARLEY] DAZED AND CONFUSED MAGAZINE WANTED PHOTO'S AND AN ANIMATION FILM COMPANY BASED IN COLOGNE [GERMANY] WANTED 'THE LAUGHING GNOME' RECORDED.
'SPACEBOY' ENDED ITS RUN WITH A BLISTERING PERFORMANCE AT 'THE BOURNEMOUTH FESTIVAL OF LIGHT' OUTDOOR CONCERT IN LATE 1998 WITH REVIEWS IN THE COMMERCIAL PRESS/RADIO AND 'THE STAGE AND TELEVISION TODAY'
TAKING THE LEAD FROM ZIGGY STARDUST, SPACEBOY WAS REINVENTED AS 'THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE.
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS JUST ABOUT EVERY CORNER OF THE UK HAD 'THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE', THE CHICAGO ROCK CHAIN, JUMPING JAKS, THEATRES, CORPORATE EVENTS, AND FESTIVALS INCLUDING THE 'COMPAQ SCIENCE FESTIVAL'. AND SUPPORT FOR 'BONEY M'.
IN ADDITION TO THE TOURING A NUMBER OF 'UNPLUGGED' SESSIONS WERE PERFORMED LIVE ON LOCAL RADIO STATIONS AND A DANCE VERSION OF SPACE ODDITY WAS RELEASED AS A WHITE LABEL.
IN LATE 2003 LAURENCE PERFORMED LIVE AS DAVID BOWIE AT 'THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL', PREDATING DAVID BOWIES VIDEO LINK APPEARANCE THERE DURING 'FASHION ROCKS'
COME DECEMBER 2003 AND 'THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE' SUPPORTED ROY WOOD [HE OF 'WIZARD' FAME] IN SCOTLAND.
LAURENCE [DAVID BOWIE] AND MARK, [GUITARIST, RONNO]
HAVE ALSO PRODUCED A CD IN THE 'UNPLUGGED' STYLE OF DAVIDS SONGS ENTITLED 'UNPLUGGED AND SOMEWHAT SLIGHTLY DAZED', WHICH HAS PROVED TO BE VERY POPULAR.
DURING 2004/5 THEBOWIEXPERIENCE WERE PAID THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT BY BEING INCLUDED (WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS DAY) IN REGULAR NEWS FEATURES ON DAVID BOWIE'S OFFICIAL WEB SITE DAVIDBOWIE.COM, AND BLAM AT BOWIENET ASKED FOR TWO COPIES OF THE 'UNPLUGGED' CD, ONE FOR HIM AND ONE FOR MR BOWIE.
LAURENCE AS ZIGGY STARDUST WAS EMPLOYED BY BRITISH TELECOM TO PROMOTE THEIR 'MARS COMMUNICATOR' AT THE UK NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE IN LEICESTER, SKY CHANNEL TV REQUESTED AN APPEARANCE TO LAUNCH THEIR BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL, A FILM COMPANY RECORDED A GIG FOR INCLUSION IN A FILM (DVD) ABOUT DAVID BOWIE, AND A PERFORMANCE AT THE UTMOST TOP OF WHAT IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS 'THE GHERKIN BUILDING' IN THE HEART OF LONDON.
MARCH 2005 SAW THE FIRST PERFORMANCE OF A FRESH TAKE ON THE TRIBUTE IDEA, AN 'IN THE ROUND UNPLUGGED NIGHT' WHICH WAS RECORDED LIVE, TITLED '8 SONG POEM.
'SPEED OF LIFE' THE RENOWNED ON LINE BOWIE FANZINE BASED IN THE USA CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH LAURENCE AND HAS GIVEN A GLOWING REVIEW OF THE RECORDING.
2006 GOT OFF TO AN AUSPICIOUS START WITH THE FIRST OVERSEAS PERFORMANCES TAKING PLACE IN DUBAI (UAE), AND 'DOUBLE HEADER' GIGS WITH T.REX AND ROXY MUSIC TRIBUTE ACTS. ALSO IN AUGUST BOWIEXP PERFORMED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS 'CAVERN CONVENTION' IN LIVERPOOL.
THROUGH 2007/2008 THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE CONTINUED TO TOUR THE U.K, EUROPE, AND U.A.E, INCLUDING THE MATTHEW STREET FESTIVAL, CHRISTCHURCH FESTIVAL (HEADLINE) AND MAJOR VENUES AND EVENTS.
LAURENCE APPEARED AS ZIGGY STARDUST IN THE BBC COMEDY SERIES 'TIME TRUMPET'
IN 2009 THE BOWIE EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS CONTINUED TOURING WILL BE APPEARING AT 'ROCKFEST' (MANCHESTER), 'MATTHEW STREET FESTIVAL' (LIVERPOOL), 'GLASTONBUDGET' (LEICESTER), 'EASTBOURNE FESTIVAL' (EASTBOURNE), AND WILL BE SEEN SUPPORTING THE BOOMTOWN RATS IN SURREY IN JULY.
