Return to David Bowie and glam rock with Lexington band’s reunion concert at The Burl

When Chico Fellini performed a concert devoted to the music of David Bowie four Januarys ago, what resulted was something of a reawakening. The Lexington band had made a splash nationally a decade earlier with a self-titled album full of glammed-up, exuberant rock ’n’ roll. But with its members involved with other endeavors, the ripples eventually subsided.

Then came the 2019 Bowie show at The Burl, which reminded local audiences not only of the band’s combustible strengths as a live act, but of its roots. The ’70s and early ’80s music of Bowie seemed like natural source material for the Fellinis to draw inspiration from.

Now, here we are in 2023, at the doorstep of the band’s first performance since the 2019 show. And the order of the evening this weekend at The Burl? Why, more Bowie music, of course. The personnel remains intact: vocalist/frontman Chris Dennison, guitarist Duane Lundy, bassist Emily Woxihara (known at past Chico Fellini outings by her unmarried name of Emily Hagihara) and drummer Brandon Judd. Equally steadfast is band’s devotion to the blend of glam-rock, Philly pop and Euro-rock accents Bowie leapfrogged through between 1971 and 1984.

“Bowie was a hero of all of ours and an inspiration towards really jumping from genre to genre,” said Lundy, who has long devoted his professional working life to running The Lexington Recording Company and its predecessor, Shangri-La Productions. “That little study turned into a show that really stuck with us.

“I do music all day every day and never really get to play that much anymore. A few years ago when The Burl opened, they asked us to open up and play on that opening weekend. That sort of rekindled a dialogue between all the band members. The Bowie shows have been what’s brought us back together every few years.”

“It’s both challenging and invigorating to perform,” Dennison added of the continued appeal of Bowie’s music. “Our original compositions were always glam-infused, so it made sense that we would gravitate towards his work time and time again. I often have an emotional reaction when singing these songs and that, to me, is true bliss.”

Timing plays into these shows, as well. It’s no coincidence that Chico Fellini’s 2019 Bowie tribute, as well as this weekend’s performance, fell in January. The vanguard British artist was born on Jan. 8, 1947 and died on Jan 10, 2016, two days after the release of his final album, “Blackstar.”

“The scope and broadness of Bowie’s work is just so impressive on both the songwriter level and what he did to the aesthetic of rock ’n’ roll,” Lundy said. “I loved all that. I always loved when a band was putting out a new album. For me, it wasn’t just about the music. It was what are they going to wear onstage? What’s the show going to be like? What’s the dynamic of things? And Bowie was extraordinary at all of that. And I love playing those songs. They are just a blast to play and listen to the band jump on. It’s a little bit of a challenge, but it’s more fun than anything.”

Perhaps the obvious question follows. How difficult is it for a band that has been essentially dormant in recent years to reconnect with the kind of drive, vitality and camaraderie necessary to ignite a few rock ’n’ roll sparks onstage again?

“It was not difficult at all to get things rolling again,” Dennison said. “As a band, we haven’t performed together since the last Bowie tribute show at The Burl in 2019, but it only took a couple of rehearsals to get back in the saddle. Emily and Brandon and the friends joining us for the show have all been performing regularly the past four years, which helped swiftly move us to a place where we felt like a cohesive unit again.

“We had great chemistry from day one that remains intact to this day. Besides being close friends, we communicate well and respect one another, which is essential in sustaining any relationship; especially in a band. Over the years, we’ve become like family, and I’m fortunate each time I get to share the stage with them.”

The “friends” Dennison spoke of will include a lineup of longtime local artists serving as auxiliary band members for this weekend’s concert: keyboardist Lee Carroll, vocalists John Ferguson and Erin O’Donnell Reynolds, guitarist Clifton Keller and percussionist Robby Cosenza. Several of these artists also helped out Chico Fellini at the 2019 Bowie tribute. Another one on hand then won’t be returning, though. Marty Charters, guitarist and co-founder of the Lexington soul/funk ensemble Joslyn and the Sweet Compression, died in October after battling brain cancer.

“Marty was an incredible guitarist and even a better human being,” Lundy said. “He brought a wonderful light and spirit to the music. Having worked with him in the studio, I felt like he would be an amazing addition to our Bowie show. It was a joy for us to spend that evening onstage with Marty and feel the energy of a guy who truly was as a master of his craft. Marty is greatly missed.”

As for his own fascination with Bowie’s music, Lundy said what appealed to him initially were the songs. But being a guitarist, he was soon drawn the succession of extraordinary guitar stylists Bowie aligned himself with through the years. A partial list includes Mick Ronson, Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Carlos Alomar, Steve Ray Vaughan, Peter Frampton, Reeves Gabrels, Gerry Leonard, David Torn and Ben Monder. Another key guitarist, Earl Slick – who figured prominently in Bowie’s music from 1976’s “Station to Station” album to 2013’s “The Next Day” – is part of a project Lundy has been involved with recently at his studio.

“That’s given me even more of a sense of motivation to research, because I’m a big fan of guitar players. But the Bowie guitar players I’ve never really deep dived on, to be honest with you. It’s always been whatever the songs were. I mean, I love Mick Ronson. I think that whole Ziggy period (the era defined by Bowie’s 1972 breakthrough record, “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,” which prominently featured Ronson) was so awesome. If you’re a guitar player and you can’t get into that, you’re not a guitar player.”

Of course, asking any Bowie fan about the overall lure of his music means asking what era of Bowie’s career you’re talking about – the glam and glitter rock of “Ziggy Stardust” (1972), the pop soul of “Young Americans” (1975), the darker avant/ambient experimental music “Low” and “Heroes” (released nine months apart in 1977) or any of the stylistic hybrids that fell in between and after.

Dennison doesn’t play favorites. He loves all of it.

“My favorite era would have to be ’71 (which saw the release of Bowie’s “Hunky Dory” album) through ’80 (the year of “Scary Monsters and Super Creeps”).”

“It’s really a nice, never-ending well of an education to play Bowie’s music,” Lundy added. “You can really do four or five different sets and it all works.”

Chico Fellini Pays Tribute to David Bowie

When: Jan. 14, 8 p.m.

Where: The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd.

Tickets: $20 at theburlky.com.