Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars Final Concert

Ziggy played guitar for the final time on July 3, 1973.

That was the day David Bowie retired his most famous – and career-defining – alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, after a triumphant sold-out concert at London's Hammersmith Odeon Theatre.

In Ziggy Stardust he created a persona that not only served as the main character of his best album, but also summed up his place in rock history. Ziggy was positively flashy and literally out of this world. So when he and his band – which included Mick Ronson on guitar – took Ziggy Stardust on the road, with Bowie dressed as the character, they transformed concert halls into center-stage platforms that absorbed and fed on Ziggy's massive ego. It was showmanship at its grandest and one of rock's most ambitious tours, playing the U.K., North America and Japan for a total of 60 concerts.

Then on July 3, 1973 David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars performed at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. At this show, Bowie made the sudden surprise announcement that the show would be "the last show that we'll ever do", later understood to mean that he was retiring his Ziggy Stardust persona.

Just prior to the last encore number Bowie stepped up to the microphone and announced "Everybody... this has been on of the greatest tours of our lives. I would like to thank the band. I would like to thank the road crew. I would like to think our lighting people. Of all the shows on this tour, this particular show will remain with us the longest because not only is it... not only is it the last show of the tour, but its the last show that we'll ever do. Thank you"

He then launches into "Rock n Roll Suicide" and at the finish of the song concludes: "Thank you very much. Bye bye. We love you", ending the era of Bowie's alter-ego that changed music forever and sent his career into orbit. This career and music defining moment is precisely what Iconic by Collectionzz is about, and we couldn't have asked for a better representation of this than what artist Matt Ryan Tobin illustrated for us (and for you)!