In 1997, David Bowie’s 50th Birthday Celebration at Madison Square Garden Brought Together an Iconic Group of Musicians for a Charitable Cause
In 1997, David Bowie’s 50th Birthday Celebration at Madison Square Garden Brought Together an Iconic Group of Musicians for a Charitable Cause
Virginia ChamleeMon, October 19, 2026 at 8:56 PM UTC
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Billy Corgan, David Bowie, Lou Reed and Robert Smith at David Bowie’s 50th Birthday Celebration ConcertCredit: Ke.Mazur/WireImageThe concert served as a benefit for Save the Children -
The sold-out Jan. 9, 1997 show raised money for Save the Children
Lou Reed, Robert Smith and Billy Corgan joined Bowie onstage
A newly resurfaced backstage photo captured four alternative rock legends together
While most people celebrate turning 50 with a cake and balloons, David Bowie did so in a decidedly more over-the-top fashion: by performing at a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden, where he appeared alongside several rock and roll legends.
A sold-out crowd of some 14,500 fans turned up for the show on Jan. 9, 1997, which served as a benefit concert for Save the Children.
The event was billed as “David Bowie and Friends: A Very Special Birthday Concert,” and saw Bowie perform more than two dozen songs, per NYS Music.
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Dave Grohl and David Bowie during David Bowie’s 50th Birthday Celebration Concert at Madison Square Garden in New York CityCredit: KMazur/WireImage
Among those who performed alongside Bowie were The Pixies’ Frank Black, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Lou Reed, Foo Fighters, and Sonic Youth.
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The English singer-songwriter — who won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during his career — died at age 69 on Jan. 10, 2016, following an 18-month battle with liver cancer.
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Bowie’s death came two days after he released his album Blackstar. At the time, his longtime producer Tony Visconti wrote in a loving tribute that Bowie “did what he always wanted to do.”
“He wanted to do it his way and he wanted to do it the best way. His death was no different from his life – a work of art,” Visconti continued. “He was an extraordinary man, full of love and life. He will always be with us.”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
