Key Details

Overview

OVO Arena Wembley building in Wembley Park HA9.

Originally built as Empire Pool in 1934 for the British Empire Games. Designed by engineer Sir Evan Owen Williams.

Renovated by Quintain, and reopened in 2006, the entrance was relocated to Arena Square.

Previously known as The SSE Arena and Wembley Arena.

The famous venue has been graced by the likes of Madonna, David Bowie, Queen, The Who, Dolly Parton, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and even The Beatles and Rolling Stones who shared the same bill at the 1966 NME Poll Winners Party at what turned out to be The Beatles’ last UK concert. Plus, in the last 12 months alone, The SSE Arena, Wembley has seen its debut performances from leading artists of the 21st century – Kacey Musgraves, George Ezra, Janelle Monae and Carrie Underwood, and even hosted its first-ever film World Premiere for the Oscar-winning Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

2019 September - Dame Shirley Bassey, unveiled her handprints in the form of a bronze plaque in Wembley Park’s ‘Square of Fame’ at The SSE Arena, Wembley. The star first performed at the venue 60 years ago in a legendary performance that inaugurated The SSE Arena, Wembley, as a music and entertainment venue, and began its reputation as one of the world’s most iconic concert venues.

1959 - In 1959, Dame Shirley Bassey performed to a crowd of 9,000 people in the first ever concert to take place at the Empire Pool, Wembley (now The SSE Arena, Wembley). The significant concert was Dame Vera Lynn’s Record Star Show, a charity fundraiser also featuring Petula Clark, Max Bygraves, Lonnie Donegan and Humphrey Lyttelton. This single performance was the start of something remarkable and initiated thousands of ‘Hello Wembley!’ moments in one of the world’s leading cities in music. Demonstrating the success of Wembley Park and The SSE Arena, Wembley, to date the number of visitors welcomed by The SSE Arena, Wembley is roughly equivalent to the total population of the United Kingdom (67.5 million).