Honor David Bowie At These Chicago Tribute Events
By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 14, 2016 3:50PM
July 3, 1973: David Bowie performs his final concert as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon, London. (Photo by Express/Express/Getty Images)
If you don’t want to celebrate David Bowie after his unexpected death Sunday night, you’ll need to stay in your house and sit on your hands for the foreseeable future. Parties to honor the rock legend’s legacy have been sprouting up across Chicago.
For those who do want to honor his legacy, here are the ones that have surfaced time and again in our Facebook feeds. Miraculously, there’s no overlap between these festivities—you can, theoretically, go to all of them!
(If you prefer to honor Bowie online, you can also sign a Change.org petition online to get a constellation named after him.)
“Bowie Brunch Movie Marathon”
Sunday, Jan. 17
Empty Bottle (1035 N. Western Ave.)
From 11 a.m. on; free
The Bottle will play three back-to-back Bowie features: Labyrinth, followed by The Hunger, and closing with The Man Who Fell To Earth. The bar will be open, per usual, and brunch-ish food will also be served until 4 p.m.
“Memory Of A Free Festival (A Celebration To The Life Of David Bowie)”
Sunday, Jan. 17
Tonic Room (2447 N. Halsted St.)
Doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m.; free
This event will feature an as-yet-unreleased lineup of live DJ sets and performances, plus plenty of dancing. The tagline, fittingly, is “Let’s Dance.”
“Bowie Night”
Saturday, Jan. 23
Crown Liquors (2821 N. Milwaukee Ave.)
Starts at 9 p.m.; free
This party’s DJ, Bobby Evers, plans to play Bowie’s entire catalog: “[t]he hits, the deep cuts, the weird stuff.” He’ll also play Bowie covers, and some of Bowie’s contemporaries—and dressing up is encouraged. “Dress how you want,” Evers says on the event page. “If that means showing up in full Jareth regalia, who am I to stop you?"
Chica-Go-Go Bowie Tribute Dance Party
Saturday, Feb. 13
Chop Shop (2033 W. North Ave.)
Runs from noon to 3 p.m; free for kids and $5 for adults
“We are heartbroken to lose David Bowie yesterday but we will not lose a step as we will never stop dancing to his music!” the event page says. This afternoon dance party is a taping for Chic-A-Go-Go, the long-running public access show for kids; the actual live taping is from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.