She doesn’t like touring, so she lets her fans come: Adele had her own stadium built in Munich, complete with a folk festival as a bonus for the guests. The fans are delighted.
The “pop-up stadium plus festival” concept is working: fans from home and abroad enjoyed superstar Adele’s first two concerts in Munich. The police also drew a positive conclusion: “There were no incidents worth mentioning. Even the traffic issue, which was a bit more difficult on the first day because many people had traveled in their own cars, was better under control on the second day,” said a spokesman. Munich is therefore ready for the eight remaining concerts (9th, 10th, 14th, 16th, 23rd, 24th, 30th and 31st August) by Adele (“Rolling in the Deep”, “Hello”, “Easy on me”).
It is an unusual concert series: Adele – who is known to not like to tour and last performed on the European mainland in 2016 – has had her own stadium built in the Bavarian capital. Completely tailored to her needs and completely black and white in the Adele look.
Largest video screen in the world
The arena has space for 73,000 people and is shaped like an amphitheater to ensure the best possible view from all seats. It is dominated by a 220-meter-long and 17-meter-high LED wall, which organizers say is the largest in the world. A catwalk and a circular walkway bring the 36-year-old closer to her fans.
They followed the call of the Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy winner despite ticket prices of over 400 euros and came to Munich from all over the world – from Sweden and South Africa, California and Chile.
The advertising machine that had been running for months promised not only a gigantic concert show, but also a very special setting: outside the stadium, the “Adele World” lured people to pass the time before and after the concert.
Brass music and free beer in the Adele World
It is a kind of folk festival, with many things reminiscent of the Oktoberfest: in addition to food and drink stands, there is a Ferris wheel and a swing carousel. Brass music plays, and at the premiere on Friday evening there is even free beer from a barrel that is brought by a festively decorated brewery carriage and skilfully tapped with two blows by Munich’s economic advisor Clemens Baumgärtner.
The city of Munich, which is not contributing financially to the costs in the three-digit million range, is expecting a lot of money from the concert series: Adele’s shows are expected to bring in more than half a billion euros for the region – through income from restaurants, hotels, but also from the rent for the exhibition center.
Fans like the new concept
The organizers will also be pleased about the additional revenue generated by Adele World. In addition to Bavarian elements, there are also British elements, often with references to Adele’s career and her preferences. There is a typical red telephone box, as seen in a video of the 36-year-old, and a replica of the pub where she had her first performances. Her favorite drinks will also be served. Organizers say Adele was personally involved in many of the details.
The fans appreciate the new concept. “It’s like a festival,” commented one visitor on the noticeably relaxed atmosphere before the concert began. Also striking, but in complete contrast to a festival, is that many visitors are very elegantly dressed. Men wear jackets, women wear evening dresses or elegant tops with wide trousers – often in black, inspired by Adele’s style.
Eight more shows, then it will be dismantled – forever
The flower boxes, the covering around the garbage cans and the parasols are also black, which gives the area a high-quality look. But the entire complex facility is to be dismantled immediately after the last concert at the end of August – irretrievably. “Never before and never again – this show only takes place here, only in Munich and only in this form,” organizer Marek Lieberberg assured.
There are eight concerts left until August 31st: There are still tickets available – and for the lucky ones, they can even be bought at the bargain price of 35 euros. Every Monday at 10 a.m., a contingent of so-called Lucky Dip tickets is released. But you won’t know where your seat is until you get there: it could be in the last row or right at the front.
No matter where, concertgoers should pack rain protection, as the experience of the first weekend shows: Munich’s summer is very changeable this year. A downpour just before the first “Hello” caused a delay in the premiere and soaked the audience.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
