An immersive exhibition exploring the life and work of a music icon is set to be held at Brighton Dome.
David Bowie: You’re Not Alone uses film, photography and audio to showcase rarely seen material from the David Bowie Archive in New York.
David Bowie was banned from Brighton Dome for life after fans tore up seats during a 1973 concert on his Ziggy Stardust tour.
Lucy Davies, director and chief executive of Brighton Dome, told the BBC the venue had “forgiven” Bowie and “welcomed him back”.
“The exhibition is an incredibly emotional, euphoric, beautiful work of art and I’m really proud and excited to bring it to Brighton,” she says.
Davies said it was “an honour” to lift the ban on musician.
Justin Sutcliffe/Lightroom A dark exhibition room with a projection of David Bowie. On the walls there are glow-in-the-dark writing and scribbles.Justin Sutcliffe/Lightroom
Bowie’s best known songs included Life on Mars, Let’s Dance and Heroes
The immersive light and sound experience blends some of Bowie’s most legendary live performances with interviews, photographs, artwork and lyrics.
Its producers were given unprecedented access to the Bowie Archive in New York working through thousands of hours of recordings to help create the exhibition.
‘Labour of love’
Alan Edwards, who was Bowie’s publicist for nearly four decades, was the show’s consultant producer.
He told BBC Bowie had kept a lot of his personal archive.
“There’s a warehouse in New York with books and everything you could think of, all his stage shows and more,” he said.
“Mark Grimmer, the main organiser of the exhibition, went to the warehouse and began opening boxes and cans of film, tape and things that had never been seen before.
“He pieced together all the words, so we have a show in David’s own voice, which was quite incredible.”
Edwards said it was “not easy” to put together the show, describing it as a “labour of love”.
Getty Images David Bowie, wearing a light aqua suit, striped blue shirt and green tie. He was performing at a concert.Getty Images
Bowie’s first hit in the UK, 1969’s Space Oddity, was used by the BBC in its coverage of the Apollo 11 landing
The exhibition is currently at the Lightroom in London’s King’s Cross.
“I think what David would have loved was so many of his musical friends – David Gilmour, Noel Gallagher, Goldie, Neil Tennant – went to see [the exhibition] and they were moved by it in different ways,” Edwards said.
“I felt David smiling down on us on those days and he would have approved it.”
David Bowie: You’re Not Alone is due to be displayed at Brighton Dome from 16 July to 30 August 2027.
Credit: BBC
