David Bowie's last public performance is beautiful and heartbreaking to watch

8 January 2025, 08:48

We didn't know it at the time, but this was the Starman's final televised performance.

In 2005, David Bowie performed in public for the final time as part of a charity concert.

Introduced by Alicia Keys, Bowie appeared at the Fashion Rocks show at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

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He stepped out on stage dressed in a tailored suit and stole the show with a stunning version of 'Life on Mars?'.

Watch the performance below:

David Bowie / Arcade Fire - Fashion Rocks 2005 - Digital Upgrade

It wouldn't be the final ever time Bowie performed, however.

A year later in 2006, David would sing alongside Alicia Keys at the Black Ball, a charity event for Keep a Child Alive at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.

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In fact, technically Bowie's final live performance could be said to be when he introduced friend Ricky Gervais at Madison Square Garden in New York in 2007.

The singer performed a hilarious rendition of the 'Chubby Little Loser' song from Extras (watch below).

David Bowie and Ricky Gervais

Whichever performance you count as his final show, all showed the different sides to his style and personality, and his enduring legacy.

Bowie died at the age of 69 at his home in New York City on January 10, 2016, after being diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months earlier.

The singer only discovered his cancer was terminal three months before he died.