Bowie Kills Ziggy Stardust at Hammersmith Odeon
About this episode
The episode recounts the historic moment when David Bowie announced his retirement from live performance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1973.
On July 7th, 1973, one of the most audacious and thrilling moments in rock and roll history unfolded when a seventeen-year-old David Bowie superfan named Kevin Armstrong somehow managed to sneak backstage at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. But wait, that's not the famous part. The real story of July 7th, 1973 centers on what happened onstage that night, when David Bowie, at the peak of his Ziggy Stardust fame, shocked the world by announcing his retirement from live performance. The Hammersmith Odeon was packed to capacity with three thousand screaming fans who had no idea they were about to witness rock history. Bowie and his band, the Spiders from Mars, featuring the brilliant guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder, and drummer Mick Woodmansey, had been touring relentlessly. They were absolute superstars, with Ziggy Stardust having captured the imagination of a generation with its glittering alien rock star persona and theatrical performances that pushed every boundary of what a rock concert could be. The show that night was electric, featuring all the hits that had made Bowie a household name. The crowd sang along to "Suffragette City" and "Moonage Daydream," completely…
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