Dr Chapman and the Cosmic Jive Trio brings to the stage superb acoustic arrangements of David Bowie's finest songs

Dr Chapman and the Cosmic Jive Trio brings to the stage superb acoustic arrangements of David Bowie's finest songs, arranged especially for the show. Photo / Supplied

Dr Ian Chapman and the Cosmic Jive Trio present a sparkling interactive musical performance and accompanying talk at The Meteor in Hamilton for one night only on Saturday, June 19, at 7:30pm.

Chapman and his band delight in entertaining and educating audiences on the empowerment and healing potential of music and the arts. Musician, academic, and author of a dozen books including Experiencing David Bowie: A Listener's Companion (2015), and David Bowie FAQ (2020), Chapman is personally inspired by David Bowie.

"I'm inspired by David Bowie because he provided a blueprint for self-empowerment and reinvention. Through his interdisciplinary and highly theatrical approach to music and the wider performing arts he sent the message that you didn't have to settle for what life handed you; that you could become a better version of yourself through experimentation and the exploration of different characters.

"He taught that personality - and even gender - were fluid things and not immovably fixed. And he taught me the value of art as a healer and an agent for change," says Chapman.

In David Bowie and the Art of Being Different, Dr Chapman and the Cosmic Jive Trio bring to the stage superb acoustic arrangements of David Bowie's finest songs, arranged especially for the show.

The honest simplicity of the stripped back and largely acoustic instrumentation allows Bowie's masterful songwriting to take centre stage and is paired with an accompanying talk by Dr Chapman.

"The accompanying talk is spread out through/between the songs that we perform," says Chapman.

"I'll cover Bowie's background, his engagement with the mental illness that afflicted his family and why it turned into a lifetime of championing the outsider, his stylistic shifts,
his characters, and more."

David Bowie & the Art of Being Different is a wonderfully entertaining celebration of eccentric creativity, a testament to how the arts can empower, improve mental health, heal past traumas, and provide an essential blueprint for how to deal with bullying. Above all, this show is a triumphant affirmation of the power and potential of difference.

A one night only event Dr Ian Chapman and the Cosmic Jive Trio present David Bowie & the Art of Being Different will feature Dr Ian Chapman on vocals and percussion, freelance musician and composer Doug Wright on keys/vocals, and Otago University bass tutor Pānia Simmonds on bass and vocals.

David Bowie & the Art of Being Different was born out of Chapman teaching a paper on David Bowie at the University of Otago. "Some of the course content is drawn from the two books I've written on him and I wanted to bring this research and Bowie's message of self-empowerment - as well as the sheer joy of his music - beyond the campus and out into the wider community".

The Details

What: David Bowie & the Art of Being Different
When: Saturday, June 19, 7:30pm
Where: The Meteor, Hamilton
Tickets: At themeteor.co.nz - $25 general admission