Michael Bublé joins the O2’s 21 Club
Michael Bublé has been presented with a symbolic key to the O2 after reaching a milestone 21 performances at the London arena.
The Canadian crooner becomes the fifth artist to join the O2’s ‘21 Club’, and the most recent after Drake earlier this year.
Bublé first performed at the O2 (20,000-cap.) in 2008 as part of his Irresponsible tour, later returning in 2010 for two Crazy Love tour dates. In 2013, his To Be Loved tour ran for ten nights, and Bublé returned in 2014 (for two shows) and 2018 (one show).
His latest tour, An Evening with Michael Bublé, sees the artist hit the magic number, joining the 21 Club alongside Drake, Prince (the first member), Take That, One Direction and comedian Michael McIntyre.
“Since the very first time he played the arena back in 2008, Michael Bublé has brought some incredible performances to the stage”
Designed by the O2, the key is finished in gold, mounted over pleated blue velvet, and has the initials ‘MB’ engraved in the circle and an outline of the O2 within the key’s teeth. In addition to being presented to Bublé, the award will also be displayed on the venue’s backstage ‘walk to stage’ wall, visible to all future performers.
Emma Bownes, VP of venue programming at the O2, comments: “It’s great to welcome Michael Bublé to the 21 Club, as one of only three solo artists to headline the O2 21 times. Since the very first time he played the arena back in 2008, Michael Bublé has brought some incredible performances to the stage and we congratulate him and his team on achieving this milestone.
“We hope to see him back again soon.”
Pictured L–R: Carl Leighton-Pope (LPO), Bruce Allen (Bruce Allen Talent), Emma Bownes, Michael Bublé, Steve Sayer (the O2), Toby Leighton-Pope (AEG Presents)
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Drake joins Prince in the O2’s ‘21 Club’
Drake has been inducted into the O2’s ‘21 Club’, after reaching the milestone of 21 shows at the London venue on Thursday 11 April.
The Canadian rapper joins previous honourees including Prince (whose 21-night residency in 2007 inaugurated the tradition), One Direction, Take That and Michael McIntyre, all of whom, like Drake, have been presented with the keys to the venue.
Drake’s seven-night run in April brought his total performances to 21. The Grammy- and Brit Award-winning artist first performed two nights at the venue on the Club Paradise tour in 2012, before returning in 2014 for three nights in support of his number-one album, Nothing Was the Same. He last played the O2 in 2017 for the Boy Meets World tour, during which he performed eight headline shows.
The key, designed by The O2 team, was inspired by the latest Assassination Vacation tour artwork. Mounted on black velvet and finished in gold, it will join the rest of the 21 Club accolades backstage, “to serve as inspiration for future artists”, says the venue.
Drake’s reference to the venue in the song ‘God’s Plan’ (“You know me/ Turn the O2 into the O3”) was also celebrated during the latest residency, with the venue rebranding as the O3 for two weeks (pictured above).
Commenting on the accomplishment, Emma Bownes, AEG Europe’s vice-president of venue programming, says: “Drake has consistently brought us incredible shows and our congratulations go to Drake and his team for this achievement.”
Drake is co-managed by Noah ‘40’ Shebib and Adel ‘Future the Prince’ Nur and represented by WME worldwide.
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