Michael sang a staggeringly moving rendition of David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” both nights of the tribute concerts in NYC this weekend. Accompanied by Paul Cantelon on piano and the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Karen Elson, Michael took the song “somewhere weird and yet ineffably sad” according to the Telegraph. Here’s the excerpt from the article describiing Michael’s performance:
The Telegraph UK
“The best moment was the strangest too. Michael Stipe’s reading of Ashes to Ashes was an anti-cover version in which the ex-REM frontman, backed by model/singer Karen Elson, whispered Bowie’s lyrics from behind a vast scruffy beard that made him look like Father Christmas fallen on hard times.
Stipe’s was absolutely the right approach, capturing Bowie’s daring even as he took the song somewhere weird and yet ineffably sad. His performance confirmed that if the night was a celebration it was also a wake and many in the audience will have felt the tears return unbidden.”
Read the full article here
photo: Bertis Downs: Michael with Paul Cantelon and Karen Elson
