[mo_rizwan]

26 June 2007
Bon Jovi weren't first to play O2 Arena

Despite officially opening the O2 Arena, rock band Bon Jovi were reportedly not the first act to play at the new venue.

According to reports, the former Millennium Dome saw Tom Jones, the Kaiser Chiefs and Peter Kay take to the stage the night before.

The concert was held for thousands of O2 workers and their friends and families.

Bon Jovi was initially due to be the first act to play at the new Wembley Stadium but the gig was cancelled because the stadium was yet to be finished.

Organisers at the O2 Arena had kept the concert a secret from the band prior to their performance.

Source: Digital Spy



NB. If it's true that the Band were unaware of this, then I think that's out of order

[Proteus]

I think they don't really care...and they shouldn't.
They are the 1st act at the O2 on the record. If you count people who played there before them, you should include Goldspot.

[RS8MB0R8]

To be honest, why they're making such a big thing of it I don't know because it was fairly common knowledge amongst peeps around here a fair few weeks before the gig that the Kaiser's were playing on the Saturday.

It can't have been that much of a secret!

[Mike]

Bon Jovi were the first headline act to open the O2 to the public....

[Sambo-Chris]

The bands above played at an non-public opening party. BJ (well, their support band) were the first band to play a public concert and remarked the public opening of the Arena. When BJ hit the stage they made a firework outside to remark this.

[mat]

Who the hell cares?

[jovilaura_fi]

In fact the first person to perform at O2 was a local pub singer, she played in the event which was open to the local people to get to know the arena (and prob for the organisers to check that everything works).

BJ were the official openers of the venue, that's what counts.