David Bowie’s Scottish links celebrated in new exhibition

David Bowie’s profound impact on music and art is being celebrated in an exhibition at the V&A Dundee, close to the very venue where he first performed in Scotland under his iconic stage name. Despite being an opening act at the Palais de Dans in 1966, this marked the beginning of a deep connection between Bowie and Scottish fans, a relationship that endures to this day. The exhibition, titled *David Bowie: On Tour*, is the first to display items from Bowie’s extensive archive, which the V&A in London acquired in 2023.

Selected from an archive encompassing 90,000 pieces now housed in the David Bowie Centre, around 100 items are on public view for the first time. These include personal artifacts such as his first instrument—a saxophone gifted by his father in 1961—the stopwatch he used during songwriting sessions, his 1988 passport, and an advance copy of The Velvet Underground’s 1967 album *I’m Waiting for the Man*. Among the more curious items is a letter from Bowie’s London neighbors, dated December 1973, politely requesting “Mr Bowy” to lower the volume of his music and finish at a reasonable hour.

The exhibit also illustrates how Bowie meticulously documented his career from its earliest stages. He collaborated with professional curators to organize and preserve his collection, aiding him in revisiting and refining abandoned projects, as well as replacing lost or gifted personal belongings. The show explores Bowie’s performances across Scotland and highlights their lasting influence on fans. One such fan is John Reilly, who, though only 11 years old in 1973 when Bowie played in Dundee’s Caird Hall, never made it into the concert. Despite missing that early gig, John ultimately saw Bowie live 49 times before the artist’s death in 2016 and has amassed a remarkable collection of memorabilia from those events.

Among the notable moments showcased is Bowie’s 1973 Ziggy Stardust concert in Dundee, where thousands packed the Caird Hall, and his 1978 performance at the Glasgow Apollo, which the artist regarded as a favorite venue due to its enthusiastic and theatrical audiences. The influence of Edinburgh’s choreographer Lindsay Kemp, whose 1968 mime and dance production *Pierrot in Turquoise* Bowie appeared in, is also explored, tracing the theatricality Bowie brought to later Scottish shows. Curator Svetlana Panova pointed out the enduring passion of local fans, whose treasured keepsakes help bring the story of Bowie’s legendary tours vividly to life, underscoring the strong bond between the artist and Scotland