“...the strange ones in The Dome...”
If you were enjoying the delights of sunny seaside town Brighton in the UK today, you may have popped along for Heritage Open Day at The Dome and stumbled upon a photo display of Ziggy Stardust in full flight during his 23 May gig on the 1973 David Bowie Tour.
Here’s an edited excerpt from the Brighton and Hove Independent regarding the event…
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Newly acquired photographs of David Bowie performing at Brighton Dome will go on display at the venue for the first time, as part of Heritage Open Day on Saturday, September 14. The images were originally taken at Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust concert on 23 May 1973 by Saler Photographic, a local picture agency which was based at 40 Preston Road.
Alex Epps, senior programming co-ordinator at Brighton Dome, said: “We are really excited to include these new additions to the archive as they really bring Brighton Dome’s history to life. We’d love to know who the photographers were who took the shots but we’ve not been able to find out any more information. With our backstage tours and open days we hope visitors will enjoy learning about the past and sharing their own personal memories of the venue.”
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However, what the pictures couldn’t possibly convey was a move by Bowie considered so risqué that local paper, The Argus, had as a subheading: “WIGGLED HIS BOTTOM” in their review of the show.
Though this flaunting of the derrière is considered de rigueur nowadays, back in 1973 it was clearly considered a bit saucy.
Hopefully this type of decadent behaviour was reserved for the evening show, not the matinee played earlier in the afternoon.
Either way, the effect of Ziggy and The Spiders on the assembled throng was more than apparent. The Argus's review of the gig reported that 18 seats were ripped from the auditorium and four fans fainted!
Even though some of these images might be familiar to fans of a certain age (as they could be ordered directly from Saler Photographic), the search is on for the photographer.
We're pretty sure some of these shots were published in the music weeklies back in the day and possibly elsewhere in colour. Perhaps that original snapper remembers?
Read Emily Walker’s full Argus piece regarding what was understandably, a life-changing event for some, here.
#BowieBrightonDome #BowieBottomWiggle