David Bowie: Live Santa Monica ‘72 (1972)

David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust Triumph at Santa Monica '72On October 20, 1972, David Bowie performed at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California, during his Ziggy Stardust Tour, a pivotal moment in his career. This concert, part of his first major U.S. tour, showcased Bowie as Ziggy Stardust, his androgynous, alien rock star persona, backed by the Spiders from Mars band: Mick Ronson (guitar), Trevor Bolder (bass), and Woody Woodmansey (drums). The performance captured Bowie at the height of his early glam rock phase, blending theatricality with raw energy, and is considered a landmark show for its influence on rock performance art.

The setlist included tracks from *The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars* (1972), such as "Suffragette City," "Ziggy Stardust," and "Five Years," alongside songs from *Hunky Dory* (1971) like "Life on Mars?" and covers such as Jacques Brel’s "My Death." The concert was notable for its intimate yet electrifying atmosphere, with Bowie’s charismatic stage presence and the band’s tight musicianship captivating the audience.

The performance was recorded by KMET FM, a Los Angeles radio station, for a live broadcast. This recording later surfaced as a bootleg album, *Santa Monica ’72*, which circulated among fans for decades. The bootleg’s popularity stemmed from its high-quality sound and the iconic status of the performance, capturing a raw, unpolished Bowie before his global superstardom.

In 1994, the recording was released as a semi-legal album by Golden Years Records, but it wasn’t until June 30, 2008 (UK) and July 22, 2008 (US) that an official release, *Live Santa Monica ’72*, was issued by EMI. The official release was remastered from the KMET FM tapes, offering superior sound quality. The album features 18 tracks, including:

- "Hang On to Yourself"

- "Ziggy Stardust"

- "Changes"

- "The Supermen"

- "Life on Mars?"

- "Five Years"

- "Space Oddity"

- "Andy Warhol"

- "My Death"

- "The Width of a Circle"

- "Queen Bitch"

- "Moonage Daydream"

- "John, I’m Only Dancing"

- "Waiting for the Man" (Velvet Underground cover)

- "The Jean Genie"

- "Suffragette City"

- "Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide"

- "Round and Round" (Chuck Berry cover, bonus track on some editions)

The official release was praised for its historical significance, showcasing Bowie’s theatrical evolution and the Spiders’ dynamic interplay. Critics noted Mick Ronson’s searing guitar work and the band’s ability to balance glam flamboyance with rock grit. The album peaked at #74 in the UK Albums Chart and remains a fan favorite for capturing a defining moment in Bowie’s career.

The Santa Monica show also holds cultural weight as one of the earliest U.S. performances to cement Bowie’s reputation as a groundbreaking artist. It was attended by music industry figures and celebrities, amplifying its legend. The recording’s journey from radio broadcast to bootleg to official release mirrors Bowie’s own rise from cult figure to global icon.