3,000-capacity music venue on Orchard Road to open in 2026
Live music venues in Singapore will have a new addition come 2026, with the completion of concert promoter Live Nation’s 3,000-capacity music hall on Orchard Road after several years’ delay.
Located at the former open-air carpark at the junction of Grange Road and Somerset Road, it will be the first purpose-built venue by Live Nation in Asia.
The venue is a joint project between Live Nation, one of the largest live entertainment companies in the world, and mainboard-listed Lendlease Global Commercial Reit (LReit). It is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
LReit won the tender to redevelop the 48,200 sq ft Grange Road carpark in 2020.
It had wanted the new venue, which would house an independent cinema, hawker stalls and multiple event spaces, to start operations by the second quarter of 2022. But in 2023, it said the site would only be ready from the fourth quarter of 2024.
The Straits Times understands that the venue is now due to open in 2026, and that plans were scuppered by Covid-19-related factors, such as the availability of manpower and increases in construction costs, as well as changes related to constructing the venue about Somerset MRT.
Live Nation did not reveal the cost of the development, but in 2020 the development project was estimated to cost around $10 million.
In Asia, Live Nation is better known as a concert promoter bringing A-list acts such as Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Blackpink to Singapore.
It presently oversees the 12,000-capacity Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand and several other music halls in Australia.
“The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane most closely resembles the concept of the Singapore venue, which was inspired by The Fillmore Philadelphia,” said Mr Greg Gillin, senior vice-president of venue development, Live Nation Asia, in response to queries from ST.
The Fillmore transformed from an industrial, metal factory to a music venue that has hosted concerts since 2015, but has also served the community.
Live Nation said the new venue in Singapore will be more than a concert space, also hosting community events and Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events year round.
The music hall will also have a smaller, 350-capacity space to host homegrown acts, as well as a cafe and bar.
The development will also feature an artists’ lane that serves as an incubator for the local arts scene and food and beverage spaces and kiosks connected to the Somerset Discovery Walk.
Singapore was chosen for Live Nation’s first Asian venue because of its established reputation as a global live entertainment hub, said Mr Gillin.
“This venue will significantly increase the number of live events regularly touring through Singapore... By filling the gap for a mid-size venue, the venue will enhance the market’s world-famous touring landscape, providing more diverse options for both artists and audiences,” he said.
It adds to Singapore’s live music venues, which include the Singapore Sports Hub’s National Stadium, which can house 55,000, and the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which can seat up to 12,000 at a time. There is also the 5,000-capacity Star Theatre at The Star Vista and The Esplanade’s 1,600-seater Concert Hall.
The build is also part of ongoing efforts by STB and stakeholders to rejuvenate Orchard Road to make the famed shopping stretch a must-visit lifestyle destination.
The Somerset Belt for instance, has been earmarked for development into a vibrant youth precinct. It already houses Trifecta, where visitors can snowboard, skate and surf, and the revamped youth hangout spot *Scape.
“This initiative will contribute significantly to the ongoing rejuvenation of Orchard Road, expand the lifestyle offerings in the precinct and boost its attractiveness to locals and visitors,” noted Ms Jean Ng, assistant chief executive, experience development group, at STB.
“By working closely with our industry partners, we are cementing Orchard Road’s position as a must-visit lifestyle destination, while affirming Singapore’s reputation as the region’s live entertainment capital.”
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