Aladdin Sane: 50 Years
The Southbank Centre are set to host a raft of events celebrating the 50th anniversary of David Bowie’s iconic 1973 album, Aladdin Sane.
Aladdin Sane: 50 Years will feature a two-month long exhibition (6 April - 28 May) exploring the creation of the album’s iconic artwork, including the legendary lightning flash portrait by photographer Brian Duffy, as well as a stellar line-up of live music and talks inspired by the album.
EVENT LINE UP
ALADDIN SANE: 50 YEARS EXHIBITION
Thursday 6 April - Sunday 28 May.
Exhibition Space, Level 1, Royal Festival Hall.
Ticketed at £5
Fifty years on from the release of David Bowie’s album, this exhibition delves into the creation of its iconic ‘lightning bolt’ cover portrait by Brian Duffy. For the album Aladdin Sane, the creativity of Bowie’s music was matched by an extraordinary image on the cover, photographed by Duffy (1933 – 2010). With a focus on the photo session that gave us Bowie’s ‘lightning bolt’ portrait, this exhibition explores the continuous reshaping of Bowie’s image, and his part, along with Duffy’s, in a reimagining of sexual and gender identity.
NU CIVILISATION ORCHESTRA: DAVID BOWIE’S ALADDIN SANE
Friday 21 April
Royal Festival Hall, 8:00pm.
Ticketed from £30.
Age recommendation 14+
Nu Civilisation Orchestra leads a 50th anniversary reimagining of Bowie’s Aladdin Sane, with Anna Calvi, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, Roxanne Tataei, Tawiah and Lynks. In April 1973, David Bowie released his sixth studio album, Aladdin Sane. 50 years later the album remains full of fun, cutting-edge songs that remain classic moments. Featuring some of its greatest songs, including ‘The Jean Genie’ and ‘Drive-In Saturday’, the album is being reimagined by Nu Civilisation Orchestra in a performance featuring an array of guest vocalists.
NATIONAL POETRY LIBRARY PRESENTS: ALADDIN SOUND
Friday 21 April
Purcell Room, 7:45-9:15pm.
Ticketed at £12.
Join us for an explosive evening of Bowie-inspired poetry, as ten of the UK's most exciting poets reimagine his album Aladdin Sane on its 50th anniversary..
CONCRETE LATES X QUEER HOUSE PARTY
Friday 21 April,
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, 10:30pm - 2:00am.
Ticketed at £18. Age 18+
Throwers of camp, anarchic parties extraordinaire, Queer House Party are taking over our concrete club space for a night powered by performers and DJs. Starting as a much-needed antidote to the absence of queer nightlife during lockdown, Queer House Party is a radical, political DIY DJ collective and community platform.
ALADDIN SANE @ 50: THE MAKING OF AN ICON
Saturday 22 April
Purcell Room, 1:00pm - 2:00pm.
Ticketed at £12.
Delve deeper into our exhibition celebrating Bowie’s album and its unforgettable cover image, in a discussion chaired by curator Victoria Broackes. Broackes is joined in this conversation by Chris Duffy, the son of Brian Duffy and an established photographer in his own right. Since Duffy’s death, Chris has established the Duffy Archive to preserve his father’s work and legacy. He has recently edited Aladdin Sane 50, published by Welbeck Publishing, a new book exploring the album and the story behind the creation of its famous cover. He has also filmed many musicians and personalities who worked with Bowie over the years.
MAKING A SHOW: THE RISE OF IMMERSIVE MUSIC EXHIBITIONS
Saturday 22 April
Purcell Room, 3:00-4:00pm.
Ticketed at £12.
Follow a discussion charting the rise of immersive music exhibitions, such as the V&A’s David Bowie Is, and where their success might take them.
ALADDIN SANE’S QUEER LEGACIES
Saturday 22 April
Purcell Room, 7:45pm.
Ticketed at £12
David Bowie’s sexual ambiguity, androgyny and subversion of gender identity left a lasting legacy. writer Paul Burston and Golnoosh Nour discuss.
CONCRETE LATES X QUEER BRUK
Saturday 22 April
Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer, 10:30pm - 2:00am.
Ticketed at £18. Age 18+
Dance till late with Queer Bruk, the platform and club collective diversifying queer nightlife through the lens of Black culture and music.
When & Where
6 APR – 28 MAY 2023
Southbank Centre
