Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band gather 100,000 fans at Voldsløkka on Friday and Sunday. But it was just luck that the sports field at Sagene in Oslo was free when “The Boss” could. – We were quite close to losing Bruce this year, says chief promoter Martin Nielsen at the organizer Live Nation to news. They have long called for a new concert stadium that is available when the big artists are on tour. No concerts at Valle It was easier before. Then Valle Hovin was largely free outside the skating season. Valle Hovin has been demolished and a new stadium is under construction. SWAN SONG: Guns N’ Roses’ 19 July 2018 was the very last concert at the old, venerable Valle Hovin. Photo: Fredrik Hagen / NTB Fear of destroying the concrete and the cooling system means that Oslo municipality does not want 40,000 jumping music fans there. The concert organizers have long called for an alternative outdoor arena that is flexible and predictable. They point out that Oslo is losing its biggest artists to other countries and other Norwegian cities. Now tourism and organizers make a common front. NHO Reiseliv, Visit Oslo, Live Nation, All Things Live and FKP Scorpio demand permission from Oslo municipality. In the first instance, they are asking for a meeting with cultural councilor Omar Samy Gamal (SV) and business councilor Rina Mariann Hansen (Ap). No Beyoncé – Beyoncé went to Stockholm in May, but opted out of Norway this year. This is according to professional director Ole Michael Bjørndal at NHO Reiseliv, who is at the forefront of the requirement. – Oslo as a destination has a lack of predictability linked to the big concerts with internationally very big artists. Oslo loses a lot of money, and that goes beyond the attractiveness of Oslo as a city, he says. TOO BAD: Ole Michael Bjørndal and NHO Reiseliv front the demand for a concert arena that gives the industry predictability. Photo: Hallgeir Braastad / news NHO Reiseliv estimates that a big concert means between NOK 50 and 100 million in extra revenue for hotels, restaurants and other parts of the business world. Bjørndal also lists great concert experiences at the old Valle Hovin. – Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, U2. That Oslo is unable to properly say yes to artists like these is too bad, he says. Decommissioned crushing plant? Voldsløkka is only available for concerts a very few days a year. It is difficult to imagine anything more than Tons of Rock at Ekeberg. Ekebergsletta is an attractive sports and leisure area and arena for the world’s largest soccer tournament Norway Cup at the turn of July/August. Oslo municipality is in the process of investigating possible new arenas in Groruddalen: Closed Huken crushing plant in Lillomarka and Stubberudmyra at IKEA in Furuset. Culture and sports council Omar Samy Gamal says there are several considerations to take into account. HUNTING? A decommissioned crushed stone works in Grorud is one of the concert venues culture councilor Omar Samy Gamal (SV) is looking at for the big artists. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae – Both the regard for nature, the neighbors and the concert profession. People have to get in and out quickly, he says. Where is the new Valle Hovin? Martin Nielsen in Live Nation wants a closer dialogue with sports to see if they can work side by side in a better way. He believes that it should be possible to use Voldsløkka and Ekebergsletta more. Omar Samy Gamal says that this will also be taken into account in the further assessment. – I am concerned that we manage to look ahead and find the new Valle Hovin, the new place where people can create memories for the future, he says. – Can’t get any further Martin Nielsen appreciates the attention from the cultural council. HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE: Martin Nielsen in Live Nation is tired of nothing happening. Photo: Erlend Dalhaug Daae / news – It’s just a bit of a shame that we get to hear the same thing that we’ve been hearing for several years without actually having progressed. He says that planning for next summer is already underway. – When we sit at the end of June and still don’t know what we can do in Oslo next summer, there is clearly a problem, says Martin Nielsen. The Boss wraps up his reunion tour with The E Street Band to an enthusiastic crowd at legendary Madison Square Garden in the summer of 2000.
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The organizers miss a large concert arena in Oslo – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
