David Bowie and the Spiders From Mars performed two shows at the Rolarena in Leeds on 29 June 1973.
It was the 151st date of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, which had begun on 29 January. The setlist was the same for both shows.
The Leeds Rolarena had been slotted into our itinerary to make good the cancellation at Leeds University on June 2nd. A matinee show was added for good measure, and both shows were successful and unremarkable from the band’s point of view. We were all ready for a break, and we were about to get one, though none of us could have imagined the kind of break that it was to be.
John ‘Hutch’ Hutchinson
Bowie & Hutch
Bowie & Hutch
The setlists
- ‘Hang On To Yourself’
- ‘Ziggy Stardust’
- ‘Watch That Man’
- ‘Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud’
- ‘All The Young Dudes’
- ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’
- ‘Moonage Daydream’
- ‘Changes’
- ‘Space Oddity’
- ‘The Jean Genie’
- ‘Time’
- ‘The Width Of A Circle’
- ‘Let’s Spend The Night Together’
- ‘Suffragette City’
- ‘White Light/White Heat’
- ‘Round And Round’
- ‘Drive-In Saturday’
Request: If anyone can help with the location of the Leeds Rolarena, please leave a comment. A Google/Apple Maps link to the precise place would be hugely helpful, but failing that a detailed description would be much appreciated.
Last updated: 17 July 2023
Also on this day...
- 2002: Live: Meltdown Festival, London
- 1997: Live: Ruisrock Festival, Turku
- 1989: Live: Tin Machine, Kilburn National Ballroom, London
- 1978: Live: Earls Court, London
- 1974: Live: Municipal Auditorium, Nashville
- 1972: Recording: Starman
- 1969: Live: Three Tuns, Beckenham
Want more? Visit the David Bowie history section.
The Rollarena was located further down Kirkstall Road…the block to the left of Studio Road. It was formerly the Silver Blades Ice Skating Rink…before it was the Rollarena. The building then became the Yorkshire Television Studios and still is I believe. I was at the concert on 29th June ’73 and lived in Martin Terrace…off Kirkstall Road
Thank you Maureen! How lucky you are to have been there on that night.
I’ve moved the map point, but please do let me know if it’s still incorrect.
I was there too Maureen at the 8PM show and loved it. Your explanation where it was located and the history filled in a few gaps for me. Thank You!