Exhibition: Bowie and Beyond

When David Bowie took to the stage at the Toby Jug pub in February 1972, the 60 or so people in the room had little idea that they were witnessing history. 50 years on, Kingston Museum’s Bowie And Beyond exhibition looks at the remarkable moment that Ziggy Stardust was launched in Tolworth and the wider music and pop culture scene in the borough.

Through a curated collection of music memorabilia sourced from local people, original artworks and interviews with people who were there and people who were inspired (including musicians, artists and authors), Bowie and Beyond looks at the impact Bowie’s alter ego had on art, music and pop fashion. More broadly, the exhibition will reflect on how society in Kingston reflected, and sometimes helped to shape, national and international trends.

The exhibition takes in Kingston’s shifting musical landscape since the 1970s, exploring the loss of historical venues and celebrating those that continue today. It will look at Kingston Polytechnic’s role as music venue and creative hub, cult bands from the area such as Cardiacs and The Trudy, and the scene that sprung up around 90s indie band Dodgy, who settled in Kingston prior to their chart success and established a popular club night.