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O2 arena to become most popular world venue
By Amar Singh, Evening Standard 16.11.07
Reputation: The O2 Arena will overtake Madison Square Gardens in New York as the venue to have sold most tickets
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The O2 arena is on course to be named the world's most popular venue this year with ticket sales set to exceed one million.
The 20,000-seater auditorium in the former Millennium Dome will overtake New York's Madison Square Gardens as the venue to have sold the most tickets in the year - despite only opening in June.
The milestone will cap a remarkably successful start for the Greenwich complex now run by US entertainment giant AEG.
It comes as the O2 revealed that U2 will host "multiple" nights there next year. New figures released by concert database Pollstar shows the arena's three-month ticket sale of 601,056 is beaten only by those of Madison Square Gardens, Manchester Evening News Arena and Wembley Arena - sold over nine months. With several big name in the run-up to Christmas, the O2 is predicted to comfortably overtake all three.
The arena opened in June with Bon Jovi and has hosted some of the world's biggest names including Prince, the Rolling Stones and Barbra Streisand.
Reader views (6)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Went to see prince there....was amazing, ten times better than any other venue, mmm better than the MEN ARENA,
More to see, better venue, more up to date, most other venues are now looking too out of date, 02 looks more in the future
- Tazz, MANCHESTER
The O2 for me is an amazing venue. I've seen Tom Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Scissor Sisters, Prince, and Take That there. The venue has got better and better for me over the year and I can't wait to see what else is planned. I hope Cirque du Soliel does something at the O2 Arena soon - they could do wonders with the space.
- Sunil Vanmullem, Slough
I saw the Foo Fighters perform at the O2 last night and contrary to Tom from Pinner their was an excellent atmosphere at the gig. You can certainly not call the Foo Fighters has beens!
Having already seen several bands perform in some of the UKs largest venues such as Wembley Stadium and Arena, Marlay Park in Dublin, Reading Festival, Millenium Stadium, Hammersmith and Earl's Court the O2 definitely ranks towards the top.
The sound and cleanlinest leaves Earls Court looking like an NCP car park, surely the O2 is its natural replacement for visiting artists who have the capicity to fill large arena gigs!
- M, Bournemouth
I went to the O2 the other evening to watch My Chemical Romance. I thought the arena was amazing, much better than Wembly. I'm not even a fan of the band but had a wonderful evening with my daughter and her friends and was also very impressed by the facilities available at O2.
- Janet Smith, Kent
Well, obviously U2 would be hosting "multiple" nights there - usually they play big arenas and stadiums. It could mean two or 22.
- Drew, Australia
'Some of the world's biggest bands' - more like has beens! That place has no atmosphere.
- Tom Bambrough, Pinner
