No longer do you need to wait for the gift of sound and vision!
He’s lived in Berlin. He’s lived in Los Angeles. Hell, he even sang about life on Mars. But, deep down, we all know where David Bowie’s home is: the place that shares a name with this very website.
And today, in commemoration of what would be the late singer’s 75th birthday next January, an immersive pop-up store has opened in his honour. Paying homage to the Starman himself, it’s the beginning of a year-long celebration of his life.
Fittingly, the London store has opened up in the site of the first spotting of his Ziggy Stardust moniker, over at 14 Heddon Street. A second store, over in New York City, — where his final outing, Blackstar, was created — is also opening in his former neighbourhood, 150 Wooster Street.
Both sites open 75 days before his birthday, and run from October 25 through to late-January 2022. The Heddon Street location is true “x marks the spot” territory when it comes to Bowie fandom, given you’ll be standing where the cover of his iconic record The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was shot.
But it’s not just this chapter of his illustrious career you’ll be treated to; not by any stretch. Both pop-up stores take a deep dive into his life, which sure had many, many Changes.
Such a career deserves a certain kind of treatment, mind. So it’s a good job that 360 reality audio, plus an immersive music and video experience, is on hand to take you on the journey. The “Bowie 75” stores mark the first time his content has been made available in this immersive format.
Guests will be treated to hours of video, together with previously unseen footage of Bowie and very rare clips of the Heathen and Reality eras. There will, of course, be plenty of opportunities to get a shot for the ‘gram, with plenty of iconic costumes to place yourself in. Intimate special guest appearances are also set to be announced, alongside a multitude of events. (Stay tuned at the Bowie 75 site).
Oh, and it’s unlikely that Bowie fanatics will want to leave empty handed, which is where the “store” part comes in. You’ll have the chance to get your hands on limited edition releases of exclusive Bowie apparel and collectibles, as well as limited run LPs and CDs from both the Warner/Parlophone Records and Sony catalogues.
Laura Thursfield, Customer Partnership Manager at The Crown Estate, said: “We want our spaces to be engaging and exciting, bringing new concepts and brands which complement the destination and give people new reasons to come to London’s West End.
“This pop up is not only an opportunity to build on Heddon Street’s history, as the location of the album cover shoot for ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’, but a really interactive, creative approach to retail.”
Bowie 75 promises all kinds of Hunky Dory fun for it’s three-month stint, so be sure to head down to 14 Heddon Street from October 25.