- Pop star with pop-up stadium: Adele concerts in Munich
The concept of "Pop-up Stadium plus Volksfest" is a success: Fans from both home and abroad enjoyed the first two concerts of superstar Adele in Munich. Even the police are satisfied: "There were no significant incidents. Even the traffic issue, which was a bit challenging on the first day due to many people arriving by car, was better controlled on the second day," said a spokesperson. Munich is thus ready for the remaining eight concerts (9th, 10th, 14th, 16th, 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st of August) of Adele ("Rolling in the Deep", "Hello", "Easy on me").
It's an extraordinary concert series: Adele, known for not liking to tour and last performing 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 Adele style.
World's largest video screen
The arena accommodates 73,000 people and is designed like an amphitheater to ensure a good view from all seats. It is dominated by a 220-meter-long and 17-meter-high LED wall, reportedly the largest in the world. A catwalk and a round path bring the 36-year-old closer to her fans.
These fans, despite ticket prices of up to over 400 euros, came from all over the world to Munich - from Sweden and South Africa, California and Chile.
The promotional machine running for months promised not only a gigantic concert show but also a unique atmosphere: Outside the stadium, the "Adele World" offers entertainment before and after the concert.
Blasmusik and free beer in the Adele World
It's like a folk festival, reminiscent of Oktoberfest: In addition to food and drink stands, there's a Ferris wheel and a carousel. Brass music plays, and at the premiere on Friday evening, there's even free beer from a barrel brought by a festively decorated brewery carriage and tapped by Munich's economics chief Clemens Baumgärtner.
The city of Munich, which is not financially involved in the costs in the three-digit million range, expects a lot of money from the concert series: More than half a billion euros are expected to flow into the region through earnings in gastronomy, hotels, and even the rent of the exhibition grounds.
Fans like the new concept
The organizers are also likely to be pleased with the additional revenue from the Adele World. There, alongside Bavarian elements, there are also British elements, often related to Adele's career and preferences. There's a typical red telephone box like the one in one of her videos, and a replica of the pub where she had her first performances. Her favorite drinks are also served. Adele herself was involved in many details, according to insiders.
Fans appreciate the new concept. "It's like a festival," one visitor commented on the noticeably relaxed atmosphere before the concert. Notably, but unlike a festival, many visitors are elegantly dressed. Men wear jackets, women evening dresses or elegant tops with wide trousers - often inspired by Adele's style, often in black.
After eight more shows, it will be dismantled - forever.
Black are also the flower boxes, the disguises around the trash cans, and the umbrellas, which gives the area an overall high-quality touch. However, the entire elaborate setup is to be dismantled immediately after the final concert at the end of August - irrevocably. "Never before and never again - this show exists only here, only in Munich, and only in this form," event organizer Marek Lieberberg had assured.
There are still eight concerts left until August 31st: Remaining tickets are still available - even for lucky ones at the bargain price of 35 euros. A contingent of so-called Lucky-Dip-Tickets is released every Monday at 10:00 AM. However, one's own seat is only known upon arrival: It could be in the last row or right at the front.
Regardless of where, concertgoers should pack a rain protection, as the experiences of the first weekend showed: This year's Munich summer is very unpredictable. A heavy downpour just before the first "Hello" caused a delay in the premiere and soaked the audience.
The success of Adele's concerts in Munich has attracted fans from various parts of the world, including Germany. Despite the high ticket prices, fans are eager to attend the remaining concerts in Munich, transforming the event into a mini festival atmosphere, much like a Volksfest or Oktoberfest.
