Christopher BarrettAEG is preparing to mark the 20th anniversary of The O2 arena with a show series set to run throughout the summer of 2027.
The venue, which opened on 24 June 2007, has regularly proved to be one of the world’s busiest, and in its inaugural year alone landmark moments included the triumphant return of Led Zeppelin for their last show together, and Prince’s remarkable 21-night run that kicked started the many artist residencies that would follow.
The arena’s launch involved a ground-breaking naming rights deal with telecoms group O2. It not only ensured the availability of high-end digital connectivity in the venue but resulted in an innovative ticket pre-sale initiative branded Priority that has since seen more than 4 million sold.
Commencing in May next year, the 20th anniversary shows at The O2 are set to include British singer-songwriter Maisie Peters, who will perform her debut headline show at The O2 on 8 May.
The venue, which has featured in the AAA Explores venue profile film series, is set to showcase rising stars alongside concerts by some of the world’s best known artists during the birthday show series. O2 and Virgin Media customers will have access to exclusive pre-sale via Priority from 10am on 20 May.
“Celebrating 20 years of The O2 is a significant milestone for us,” said The O2 SVP and GM Steve Sayer.“Over the past two decades, we’ve hosted more than 3,000 shows, welcomed over 100 million visitors, and established The O2 as the world’s leading live entertainment venue with countless iconic live moments to its name.
“Our birthday celebrations are about reflecting on our success and legacy whilst continuing to look firmly to the future. Bringing together iconic acts alongside the next generation of talent is central to that vision. Maisie Peters represents a new era of headline artists, and we’re honoured that she’ll perform her biggest ever headline show at The O2 as part of our 20th birthday celebrations. We have an incredible line-up planned with activity taking place throughout the site, and we look forward to welcoming fans from across the country and beyond to celebrate with us.”
AEG Global Partnerships president Paul Samuels was integral to the creation of the £6 million-per-year naming rights deal for the venue back in 2005 when he was head of sponsorship at O2.
Gareth Griffiths director of partnerships and sponsorships at Virgin Media O2 has been working with The O2 for the past 15 years and oversees the relationship. He said, “We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with AEG and everything we have achieved together at The O2 in London – countless memories made at shows which have shaped music and entertainment as we know it, putting the fan at the centre of the experience every step of the way.
“Now, we look towards the future and artists like Maisie Peters who are at the top of their game and will truly define live music for the next twenty years; the perfect first artist to celebrate this milestone with us next year.”