Festival MUSIC

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STARMAN Sven Ratzke leads a tting tribute to Bowie

Sven Ratzke stalks the stage, flirts shamelessly with the men in the audience and weaves the tale of a time traveller who is dropped from a white hole in space and tasked with finding his place in the world.

The between-songs chat is kitschy and

tongue-in-cheek: the protagonist (who may or may not be you or Ratzke or someone entirely different) wakes up naked in Central Park, flees to the Chelsea Hotel with Andy Warhol and lounges by the Hollywood Hills with Elizabeth Taylor. This fantastical story is buoyed up by the use of the correct David Bowie soundtrack to match each situation. Taking on the songs is where Ratzke shines.

His voice is amazing and in a certain light there’s almost a look of Bowie about him too. From an androgynous ‘Rebel Rebel’ to a raunched-up ‘Time’, he’s got the Bowie sound locked down and the audience in the palm of his hand. The in-between chatter could be sacrificed to allow more time to appreciate a really fabulous tribute. ‘Space Oddity’ and ‘Life on Mars?’ mark the show’s zenith and the audience is let go with a renewed reminder of the incredible legacy Bowie left behind. (Kirstyn Smith) Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 28 Aug (not 22), 8.45pm, £15–£16 (£13–£14). ●●●●●

R E Z T E W E K E N N A H

: O T O H P

18–29 Aug 2016 THE LIST FESTIVAL 65