Oslo lacks a concert arena with room for 50,000 people that is available when it suits the major artists’ tour program. Commissioned by Oslo municipality, the consulting company Sweco has assessed the decommissioned Huken crushing plant in Lillomarka in Grorud. The investigation is now available. It shows that there is room for 50,000 inside the old crushing plant. The biggest problem will be getting the audience home when they are out of the arena itself after the concert. Have to wait for 2 – 2.5 hours The calculations show that it is possible to transport 20-25,000 people away from Grorud in one hour. The capacity of public transport is then fully utilised. At the same time, it is expected that people will walk or cycle, drive a car or taxi, and take the shuttle bus. With 50,000, it will take much longer: “In order to be able to realize large-scale concerts at Huken, there is therefore a need to accept a longer time before the audience is on a means of transport. A rough estimate of the necessary winding-up time is 2 – 2.5 hours.” What the industry feared SKEPTICAL: The industry has long been skeptical of Huken, says chief promoter Martin Nielsen in Live Nation. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news – Unfortunately, that is what I and my industry colleagues feared based on our experience with large events, says chief promoter Martin Nielsen at Live Nation. – If we had gone to a concert, we would hardly have been very happy with the overall experience if we had stood two hours after the concert after eleven o’clock to get home, he says. He also points out that the concert logistics themselves are challenging with only two narrow ways in and out. – The artists are going from there. And the production will go out and on to the next city, says Martin Nielsen, who emphasizes that he has not read the report itself. SPACIOUS ARENA: It was former culture councilor Omar Samy Gamal who cast his eyes on Huken. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news Will not conclude The investigation was ordered by the then cultural councilor Omar Samy Gamal (SV) last spring. The city council has just received it and will not conclude. CULTURE COUNCIL: Anita Leirvik North (H) is the new city council for culture and industry in Oslo. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news Kulturbyråd Anita Leirvik North (H) says that the municipality has carried out a thorough investigation of the possibilities at Huken – and the limitations. – It should give us a basis for assessing the way forward. I will do that in dialogue with the organizers and other relevant actors, she says. Not since Valle Hovin The intention is to attract big artist names to the city. Oslo has long missed a predictable venue for large stadium concerts. The capital has not had a permanent arena for the biggest artists since 2018. When Guns N’Roses left the stage at Valle Hovin on a Christmas Eve that year, it was over and out for the old ice rink as a concert venue. SWAN SONG: Axl Rose, Slash and Guns N’Roses ended a series of concerts that started with Tina Turner in 1987. Photo: Fredrik Hagen / NTB Valle was to be demolished and rebuilt. No arrangements have been made for concerts on the new one. Opting out of Oslo In recent years, several superstars have opted out of Oslo. Beyoncé performed in Stockholm in May, but left the tour outside of Norway. Taylor Swift will do the same in 2024. NOT OSLO: Taylor Swift will perform in Stockholm in May next year, but will skip Oslo. Beyoncé did the same this year. Photo: AFP And in June this year, it was just luck that Voldsløkka was free when it fell in line with Bruce Springsteen’s tour plans. – We were quite close to losing Bruce this year, said Martin Nielsen at the organizer Live Nation to news at the time. Crashes with sport The two sold-out concerts had to be squeezed in between the use of the sports pitch at Sagene for sports. The same is the case at Ekebergsletta. There is no room for anything but Tons of Rock in June. For the Ullevaal stadium, the challenge is that large concerts may have to be booked so far in advance that one does not know whether it will collide with an international match window. In addition, there is the risk of the lawn being damaged. THE BOSS: Bruce Springsteen filled Voldsløkka twice in June this year. Photo: Frederik Ringnes / NTB
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Difficult to get people home – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
