It’s rare for a rock band at both their creative and commercial peak to call it quits. But it’s even rarer for a singer to do so on stage to the surprise of everyone – including your fellow bandmates. But that was exactly what took place on the evening of July 3, 1973, when David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars performed their final show at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, on the last date of their tour in support of their classic The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders from Mars LP. And to mark the 50th anniversary of this legendary show, the fully restored film and soundtrack have been released (earlier versions didn’t include the full monty setlist-wise).

And while it was still considered the Ziggy tour, in reality, the group’s most recently released LP was Aladdin Sane, so for the most part, the setlist covers material from four albums – 1970’s The Man Who Sold The World, 1971’s Hunky Dory, 1972’s Ziggy, and 1973’s Aladdin. As a result, you get Bowie at his most rocking (thanks to one of his best-ever backing bands, featuring guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Boulder, and drummer Woody Woodmansey) – including such heavies as “Ziggy Stardust,” “Moonage Daydream” (which features an outstanding Ronson solo), “Cracked Actor,” “The Width Of A Circle,” and “Suffragette City.” 

Also included for the first time ever is special guest Jeff Beck dropping by for a medley of “The Jean Genie” (with a little bit of “Love Me Do” thrown in), plus a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Round And Round.” And of course…the shocking on-stage announcement by Bowie that ‘This is the last show we’ll ever do’ before the closing number, “Rock n’ Roll Suicide.” To hear the most straightforwardly rocking era of David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, The Motion Picture Soundtrack (50th-anniversary edition) is an absolute must-hear.