London set for record-breaking summer of live music as Sadiq Khan highlights major concert season
London is preparing for a huge summer of live music, with millions of fans expected to head to stadiums, parks, and venues across the capital as some of the world’s biggest artists perform exclusive UK shows. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has marked the scale of the city’s summer music calendar as London prepares for what could be one of its busiest ever seasons for live entertainment.
As London prepares for its busiest concert weeks, transport planning across the capital is already becoming a key part of the wider summer travel picture. The music programme adds to a wider calendar of major public events that will bring large crowds into central London throughout the summer.
The capital’s music scene attracts around 7.5 million visitors every year, generating £2.7 billion for the capital’s economy. Last week’s projections suggested Harry Styles’ Wembley Stadium run alone could inject £1.1 billion into the capital. Wembley Stadium is set for its biggest summer of music yet, welcoming around three million fans across 33 concerts. Styles will perform a record 12-date run at the venue, while Bruno Mars is scheduled for six performances.
The O2 is preparing for its busiest August on record with 16 sell-out shows, including Ariana Grande’s only performances outside North America this year. At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Bad Bunny will become the first Latin American artist to headline a major UK stadium, while BTS will also perform as part of a packed programme expected to draw more than 500,000 music fans. Other major highlights include Garth Brooks returning for his first UK performance in nearly 30 years at BST Hyde Park, while Lenny Kravitz will perform at Crystal Palace Bowl.
London Stadium is also expected to welcome more than 350,000 fans for shows by Take That and Metallica, with the venue’s solar panel system providing all the power needed for its summer events programme.
The summer will also see the opening of British Airways ARC at Olympia, a new 3,800-capacity live music venue launching with performances from Self Esteem and a five-night residency from Van Morrison.
Across the capital, outdoor festivals will return to Alexandra Palace, Victoria Park, Brockwell Park and Crystal Palace, while almost 200 grassroots music venues will continue showcasing emerging talent. Live Nation says it expects to welcome 3.1 million fans across nearly 300 shows this summer, with 44 per cent taking place in club and grassroots venues.
The scale of this year’s programme follows London being named the best city in the world for culture by Time Out last month.
Alongside the packed events calendar, the Mayor is introducing a new Weekend Hopper fare, allowing unlimited bus and tram journeys for the price of a single fare on Saturdays and Sundays between 25 July and 31 August. The move is designed to make it easier for Londoners and visitors to travel across the city during the summer holidays. The Mayor has also announced the return of the Summer Streets fund to support al fresco dining and is consulting on proposals to strengthen licensing across the capital. Last year, City Hall launched the capital’s first Grassroots Music Tube Map to help connect Londoners and visitors with smaller live venues.
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