January 3, 2013 9:23

London's Olympic Stadium to reopen as music venue

The stadium will be a rival to Hyde Park and O2 Arena

Photo: PA

London's Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London, is set to reopen in July 2013 with a series of rock concerts, reports BBC News.

Though final contracts are yet to be signed, the plan is for some events traditionally held at Hyde Park to relocate to the stadium. Dennis Hone, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, said: "The exciting thing for us is that we have the opportunity to put on some major events in the park – some music events and festivals and an anniversary weekend on 27 and 28 July." Hone added that he hoped to announce details of the programme in the coming weeks.

Promoters Live Nation last year lost the tender to stage concerts in Hyde Park from 2013 to 2017, with the contract being awarded to rivals AEG.

Live Nation UK's Chief Operating Officer John Probyn told NME he had ideas for a replacement. "There’s a little project that’s been bubbling away for a while and I’m really excited about it," he said. "It’s within London, but it's completely different to Hyde Park."

The Hyde Park location came under fire last summer after Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney's duet in July was switched off due to curfew issues, while Blur fans were left disappointed after noise restrictions meant many fans couldn't hear their Olympic reunion gig.

The Olympic stadium, meanwhile, proved itself a worthy venue for live music with the acclaimed opening and closing ceremonies, which featured acts including Arctic Monkeys, The Who, Beady Eye and Frank Turner. Scroll down to see a video of Turner describing his Olympic experience.

A spokesman for The Royal Parks told the BBC that a total of eight concerts would still take place at Hyde Park this year.

Video: Frank Turner - 'Playing The Olympics Was A No-Brainer'

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