Sting's Birthday Bash

REHEARSAL BROADCAST FOR BOWIE S 50th BIRTHDAY BASH His other milestone birthdays had passed privately, but for his 50th Bowie threw himself a celebration at Madison Square Garden; it was simulcast via pay-per-view television. As a consolation prize to Britain, Bowie, Gail Ann Dorsey and Reeves Gabrels cut ten songs during rehearsals to be played on a Radio One special to air on the same day. Bowie opened with Little Wonder dug into Hearts Filthy Lesson . Some guests were a subtle nod at Tin Machine s influences: Frank Black, who came on to sing Scary Monsters and Fashion and Sonic Youth, who bloodied up I m Afraid of Americans . Dave Grohl added munitions to Seven Years in Tibet and Hallo Spaceboy . Robert Smith, the most inspired guest choice, sang The Last Thing You Should Do and an oddly heartening Quicksand (Smith had lobbied to sing Young Americans ). Billy Corgan helped close out the show like a kid who d won a contest. For some fans, this immersion in the present tense was disappointing. The biographer David Buckley made a case for the prosecution: Playing live with Iggy Pop for the first time in 20 years. Playing live with Robert Fripp and Brian Eno for the first time ever. Bringing on Nile Rodgers for Let s Dance. The only person who d been invited that night who actually hailed from Bowie s past, who had been Bowie s influence, was Lou Reed. At the end of the show, Bowie made a concession: he came out alone with his 12-string acoustic guitar and sang Space Oddity . I don t know where I m going from here, he said. But I promise I won t bore you. Then he was off for another year of tours and TV spots. He d dodged the snare, at least this time.