Nobody knows Bowie like David Brighten, widely considered the world's best impersonator of the eclectic rock-and-roll superstar. Nobody, that is, except for Krystle Allen '08, who has spent the past two months raising $10,000 dollars to bring Brighten to campus. Tonight students can live the David Bowie experience in all of its theatrical glory at a free show to benefit the Red Cross, starting at 8:00 p.m. in the David Saul Smith Union.
"What Krystle has done is really quite amazing," said Director of Student Activities Allen Delong, who worked with Krystle Allen throughout the process. "When you think about how much money she raised in such a short time, it's really quite a remarkable feat," Delong said.
A Bowie fan since seeing the film Labyrinth at age 5, Allen's passion for all things Bowie has hardened in recent years, she said. With an extensive knowledge of Bowie's catalogue and a couple of live shows under her belt, Allen aspired to bring Brighten to Bowdoin for a benefit concert. Allen approached the Bowdoin Film Society, of which she is a member, who agreed to sponsor the event.
Allen and the Film Society then approached the Student Activities Fee Committee (SAFC), requesting $10,000 to run the event. According to student chair Joseph Brazzi '06, the SAFC "had concerns as to the relevance of this [event] to their mission and required reps from the film society to explain how this was in line with their charter."
Brazzi said that the Film Society felt so strongly about the event that they were willing to refrain from requesting funds for the remainder of the year. The SAFC recognized that "an event of this nature has not been on campus in recent memory and could potentially engage the campus community," Brazzi said.
To gauge student interest, the SAFC asked the Film Society to raise half of the requested funding?$5,000?from other sources on campus, Brazzi said. Allen, who single-handily organized the event, was distraught by the news.
"I think I cried for hours," Allen admitted. "I put a lot into it and it's hard. It's not that I wasn't happy with what they gave me, because they gave me a lot. It's just hard to be so far from your goal," Allen said.
Nonetheless, Allen spent the following month petitioning clubs, organizations, social houses, and student government for funding. She procured money from the Mellon Fund, every class government, Ladd, Quinby, and Macmillan houses, and the A-board.
"What does this tell us?" Brazzi asks. "It tells us there's a substantial contingent of people who want to see this event happen and are willing to pay to make it happen. The SAFC is here to fund events students want to see." Affirmed by student interest, the SAFC contributed the remaining $5,000.
Still Allen was short of her goal, left with no money to promote the event. Allen traveled to local business to scrape together the remaining funds, and has since distributed advertising packets to publicize tonight's show.
"It will be tantamount to seeing the real Bowie," Allen said, clarifying, "Not the Bowie today but the Bowie of 1972, '74, '86." Fans will be treated to these three distinct Bowie personas, Allen said, adding, "Bowie lived and became these personas, to the point where he could not separate himself from them."
The mock-rocker David Brighten "is the closest living thing in resemblance to Bowie," Allen stated. "If you're familiar with Bowie, you'll be fooled. If you're not, it's like you're seeing him."
Kariyushi Rao '07 will open with a set of acoustic Bowie covers. A reception with the artist will be held at Ladd house following the show.