Rebel Rebel: Perth Festival's All-Star Tribute Summons the Enduring Spirit of David Bowie
It has been a full decade since the world lost David Bowie, yet his extraordinary ability to captivate audiences remains utterly undiminished. The East Perth Power Station was brought to near capacity as a dynamic lineup of local performers united to honour the iconic English musician in the Perth Festival's spectacular production, Rebel Rebel. This orchestral-backed tribute, masterfully conducted by the effervescent Jessica Gethin, did not attempt a Lazarus-style resurrection. Instead, it artfully summoned the very essence of Bowie through his groundbreaking, genre-defying catalogue of music.
A Stellar Cast Channels Bowie's Iconic Persona
At moments, it felt as if the legendary artist himself had materialised, beaming in from another dimension, as vivid projections of Ziggy Stardust illuminated the venue's expansive wall. Justin Burford, no stranger to embodying late music legends through his contemporary work with the Perth Symphony Orchestra, seamlessly slipped into character to launch the evening with a vibrant performance of Let's Dance. His theatrical flair and meticulous attention to the idiosyncrasies of Bowie's vocal style delighted the audience, making him an instant crowd favourite.
Burford later delivered a poignant rendition of The Man Who Sold the World, a track famously covered by Nirvana, reportedly to Bowie's own delight. Matt Milford, another regular collaborator with the Perth Symphony Orchestra, matched this commitment. His performances of Fashion, Golden Years, and Young Americans transcended mere singing, achieving a profound emulation of the icon's unique stage presence.
Haunting Ballads and Cabaret Energy
The tribute's emotional depth was powerfully showcased by local chanteuse Rachael Dease. She delivered a hauntingly beautiful interpretation of Lazarus from Bowie's final album, Blackstar. Widely regarded as his farewell to the world, lyrics like "Just like that bluebird, Oh, I'll be free" resonated with fresh, poignant relevance following the singer's death just two days after the album's 2016 release. From this emotional crescendo, Dease soared into the epic Space Oddity, allowing the string-heavy orchestra to lift off majestically alongside Major Tom.
No Perth Festival celebration would be complete without the inimitable Meow Meow, who unleashed her signature, delightfully bonkers cabaret energy on Rock 'N' Roll Suicide. After joking about staging a dive, she proved utterly serious, launching herself—feather boa and all—into the enthralled audience. "I must have licked about 50 of you," she declared upon her safe return to the stage, before performing another "happy number from the same period," Five Years.
Cosmic Vibes and Unforgettable Finale
The cosmic themes continued with Noah Dillon's mesmerising performance of Life on Mars, accompanied by projections of Ziggy Stardust in a spacesuit wandering through a field of flowers. He later returned for a rocking medley of Rebel Rebel and Jean Genie. A rousing reception greeted pint-sized vocal powerhouse Katy Steele, who fully embraced the interstellar atmosphere in a silver costume during her impassioned delivery of Starman.
Steele shared the profound impact Bowie's Hunky Dory album had on her as a 17-year-old aspiring musician, before offering a note-perfect rendition of its opening track, Changes. The evening culminated with Burford leading the cast in the dancefloor magnet Modern Love, followed by an encore performance of Let's Dance that united the entire ensemble on stage. Special recognition must be given to saxophonist Matt Turner—has there ever been a sexier instrument?—and the troupe of fabulous dancers who consistently elevated the production's visual spectacle.
Abbe May brought her signature, unwavering cool to one of the greatest duets ever recorded, performing Queen and Bowie's Under Pressure alongside Milford. She later returned for Bowie's self-referential 1980 offering Ashes to Ashes and the ubiquitous anthem Heroes, a track that recently featured in the final season of Stranger Things. There is little doubt that somewhere in the cosmos, a musical rebel adored every single minute of this heartfelt and exhilarating tribute.
