January 22, 2013 8:59

Live Nation to stage Wireless, Hard Rock Calling at Olympic Park

Events organiser move London festivals away from Hyde Park

Photo: PA

Live Nation is to host a number of live music events at the Olympic Park this Summer, including the Wireless and Hard Rock Calling festivals.

Both of the London festivals have previously taken place in Hyde Park. However, following complaints about sound levels within the park as well as an issue with tendering, Live Nation pulled out of a bid to secure a further contract with The Royal Parks, promising they had found an alternative venue.

That venue was today revealed to be the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, situated in Stratford, East London and home to last Summer's Olympic Games. London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) handed Live Nation the Olympic Park contract. The LLDC is responsible for future use of the Olympic Park and its venues.

Speaking about the move from Hyde Park to the Olympic Park, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "The confidence now shown by one of the world's leading live entertainment promoters to relocate two of its biggest music festivals from the centre of the capital is a ringing endorsement of our legacy plans.

"Along with the other major international sports events we have already secured this latest news proves that the park has a very bright future indeed."

John Reid, President of Concerts at Live Nation Europe, said: "We are delighted to be staging music concerts at the London Olympics venue, which last year became a globally-recognized site for outstanding performances - both in sport and music. Over the coming weeks, we intend to announce some major concerts with world-renowned artists, to firmly establish the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as the centerpiece for great live music in Europe."

Meanwhile, news of the planned events has been welcomed by major sponsors such as Hard Rock, "Our Hard Rock venues around the world showcase more than 20,000 live music events a year," said Hamish Dodds, President and Chief Executive of Hard Rock. "Over the last seven years, our flagship Hard Rock Calling concerts in London have achieved global recognition and we look forward to activating our new location in the Olympic Park in collaboration with the Mayor's office and Live Nation."

Many fans were left angry and upset after attending musical concerts in Hyde Park last year with Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney being kicked off stage after running over time and Blur fans complaining of poor volume levels during the band's gig there in August. Rival events organisers AEG have taken up the Royal Parks contract and will continue to stage concerts in central London.

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