NEWSFOCUS:Wembley50
HELLOWEMBLEY!
SINCE1959,IT’STHEWELCOMETHAT EVERYASPIRIN GMUSICIANHAS
DREAMEDOF CONVEYING. MARKCUNNINGHAMEXPLO RESTHE50-YEAR
HISTORYOF WEMBLEYARENAASAWORLD-FAMOUSLIVEMUSICVENUE...
A major milestone has been reached in the life of Monkees came to Britain and performed five shows at
Wembley Arena. It was 50 years ago, on March 22 Wembley. Back then, there was simply no other venue
1959, that the venue — then known as Wembley in the UK that was able to accommodate the arena-
Empire Pool — staged its first-ever live music sized audience that are now so commonplace. With its
concert, The Record Star Show. 12,000 capacity, Wembley really did set the standard.
Sponsored by Vera Lynn’s SOS (Stars Organisation My own relationship with the Empire Pool/Arena
for Spastics) and the Daily Express, the event starred began in 1972 when my school organised a trip to
Shirley Bassey, Petula Clark, skiffle king Lonnie see the Harlem Globetrotters and, buried somewhere
Donegan, Humphrey Lyttleton and other top names of in a box in my attic, I still have basketball star
the day, attracting an audience of 9,000. Meadowlark’s autograph!
Such was its success that a second show — the Within a few years, it was music that would take
Starlight Dance — was arranged that October, as a me back to the venue to see the likes of Bowie, Wings,
new age for British live music emerged. Queen, Pink Floyd, 10cc, E.L.O., Alice Cooper, Mike
The events that truly put Wembley Empire Pool Oldfield, ABBA, Santana and, in 1978, an in-the-round
on the map were the New Musical Express All-Star show by prog-rockers Yes that heralded the venue’s
Poll Winners’ Concerts that took place at the venue change of name to Wembley Arena.
every spring from 1960 until 1973. The forerunner of
today’s BRIT Awards, the NME shows were renowned ORIGINS
for featuring stars we now regard as legends of their Standing in the shadow of Wembley Stadium,
time, including The Beatles who made their last official the Arena was the brainchild of Arthur Elvin, who
British live appearance at the 1966 concert. commissioned the Stadium’s engineer, Owen Williams, Above: Sir Arthur Elvin...
During the following year’s Summer of Love, The to create ‘the world’s largest covered bath’ on nine the Empire Pool was his brainchild.
06 • TPiMAY 09
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