[VIDEO] Beck Performs Bowie Song With 167-Piece Ensemble
Posted by Joseph Lee on 02.06.2013
As part of Lincoln's "Hello Again"...
Billboard reports that Beck has recorded an eight-minute version of David Bowie's "Sound and Vision" with an 167-piece ensemble last night as part of Lincoln's "Hello, Again" series. He performed the song, from Bowie's 1977 album Low, on a soundstage on the 20th Century Fox lot.
He was surrounded by an audience of 300 people. Musicians formed the outer ring and included a string orchestra of first-call studio musicians, the Dap-Kings, members of the USC marching band, a CalArts gamelan ensemble, a Peruvian charango group, Fred Martin's choir from Colorado and L.A.'s Millennium Choir plus an unnamed nine-guitarist group and a Theremin player. Beck's father David Campbell conducted the ensemble.
The performance will be posted on Lincoln.com starting on February 10 at 1 PM PT/4 PM ET.
"Hello, Again" is a year-long, multi-platform program that supports reinterpretations of artistic material. The outside of the soundstage was remodeled as Al's Record Shop, a store with LPs in the window by Teleivsion, Can, Fela Kuti, Alton Ellis and others, along with 45s from Nirvana, Unrest, the Germs, Big Boys and more.
Matt VanDyke, director of Global Lincoln Brand, said in a statement that the program is a metaphor of Lincoln's differences in product and client experience. The company had four models of the car on display along with a restored 1940 Zephyr.
Director Chris Milk created the show. Beck worked with the ensemble on other songs including Chris Bell's "I am the Cosmos" and his own "Paper Tiger," "Where It's At" and "Girl". Milk created the 360 concept where the musicians surrounded the audience. Beck called the experience "an impossible endeavor" that required a week and a half to prepare. The performance will be turned into an online event.
Future programs will include re-imaginings in design, music, film, architecture and other areas of the arts.
