'Spain’s most important venue' hosted a record 156 events in 2017, with highlights including Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars and Depeche Mode
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Madrid’s WiZink Center hosts 500th concert
With a show by Dani Martín on 16 Nov, the Spanish venue – which opened in its current form in 2005 – held its 500th live music event
By Jon Chapple on 19 Nov 2018
Former El Canto del Loco frontman Dani Martín played WiZink Center's 500th concert
Dani Martín’s show at WiZink Center on Friday (16 November) marked a milestone 500th concert for the 15,500-capacity Madrid arena.
The venue, formerly known as the Community of Madrid Sports Palace (Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid), reopened in 2005 after being gutted by fire four years earlier.
Queen and Paul Rodgers played the first show, on 1 April 2005, with the likes of Beyoncé, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Muse, Elton John, U2, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars having followed in their footsteps over the past 13 years. Spanish flamenco singer El Barrio holds the record for the most sell-outs (18), followed by Bilbao rock duo Fito y Fitipaldis. On average, the Sports Palace/WiZink Center has held 38 concerts per year since 2005.
In 2017, it hosted a record 156 events, leading to its placing tenth in Pollstar’s top 100 arenas worldwide, and fifth in Europe.
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