The 10th anniversary tour marks the end of an era for Australia's beloved David Bowie tribute.
After a decade of channeling the Starman across stages nationwide, Jeff Duff is hanging up the Ziggy suit. Bowie Unzipped is embarking on its final farewell tour throughout 2026, and Memo Music Hall in St Kilda will host what promises to be an emotional sendoff on 11 January.
The timing is fitting. January holds special significance on planet Bowie, marking both his birthday on 8 January and his passing on 10 January 2016. This year marks a decade since we lost the Thin White Duke, and also 10 years since Duff first launched Bowie Unzipped in the wake of that loss. The show was recorded live at Sydney’s Camelot Lounge just weeks after Bowie’s death, capturing a band at the peak of their powers delivering something raw and real.
Bowie Unzipped
- Memo Music Hall, 88 Acland Street, St Kilda
- 11 January
- Tickets here
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Duff’s connection to Bowie runs deeper than most tribute acts. The two were actual neighbours in Sydney’s Elizabeth Bay during the 1980s, frequently crossing paths around the neighbourhood. Members of Tin Machine would turn up to Duff’s local gigs when Bowie’s band was recording their second album at EMI’s 301 Studios in 1989. Bowie himself had attended Duff’s performances in London during the late 70s and early 80s, and his official website BowieNet promoted Duff’s shows and reviewed his albums.
The setlist spans the full arc of Bowie’s shapeshifting career: Ziggy Stardust, Starman, Young Americans, Let’s Dance, China Girl, Heroes, Space Oddity, Golden Years, The Jean Genie and Under Pressure all feature. Duff brings a rotating cast of Australia’s finest musicians to the stage, with Glenn Rhodes on keyboards and vocals forming the backbone of the band.
The Bowie farewell sits within a stacked January lineup at Memo. Pink Floyd fans can catch The Great Gig In The Sky celebration on 9 and 10 January, now in its 23rd year and featuring Mick Pealing, Darren Constable, Deborah Taylor and Cynthia Gallie. Ross Wilson brings his 50 Years of Hits tour on 23 January, Steve Kilbey of The Church returns for his fourth consecutive year on 24 January, Richard Clapton plays two nights on 29 and 30 January, and Melbourne alt-rock outfit Juke Kartel reunites with frontman Toby Rand for their only Australian show on 31 January.
For more information, head here.
