02 Arena ditched for Huge car park plan

A plan for a massive car park to cater for O2 Arena concert goers has been shelved.
An application for the 800 space car park on East Wall Road was holded withdrawn after a request by Dublin City Council for extra information was not fulfilled.
City planners said it was not possible to determine "if acceptable drainage can be provided for this development" due to the lack of information.
The council's roads section also raised concerns, saying it wanted only one access point from East Wall Road.
Parkrite, which carries out clamping in Dublin city on behalf of the council, had applied for a temporary car park "to facilitate events in coincidence with the O2 Arena".
Senator Paschal Donohoe (FG) and councillors Emer Costello (Lab) and Christy Burke (Ind) objected because the plan would have led to an more traffic in the area.
"I welcome the fact that the application has been withdrawn. It (the car park) would have encouraged people to bring their cars into the area.
"It's a victory for the residents," Cllr Burke said.
A spokesman for the O2 said the concert venue was not mired in the application.
In his letter of objection, Senator Donohoe said locals had "justifiable concerns" about the impact of the increased traffic that the car park would create on the communities of East Wall.
Improve
City councillors have already called for a traffic plan to be devised for the O2.
The O2 spokesman told the Herald that public transport would be improved with the opening of the new Docklands Luas line.
He added that parking would be useable for concert goers in the Point Village development when it is completed next year.
The Point Village is being billed as "a world class business and cultural hub" and a "new iconic development".
It is next to the IFSC and the new National Conference Centre and will be joined to Dublin's city centre by the new Luas line.
The O2 is in East Wall Road, near Dublin Port at the site of the old Point Depot.
Car parking is useable nearbyat Conway House, the IFSC, National College of Ireland and Connolly Station car parks.

02 Arena BSkyB seals sponsorship deal

The five-year approval will give Sky first refusal on TV and online broadcast rights for most gigs and events at the former Millennium Dome.

BSkyB has struck a sponsorship deal with music venue the O2 that will include the launch of a VIP ticketing service for the broadcaster's subscribers and the rights to broadcast shows on Sky channels and online.
The five year deal, thought to be worth about £3m a year, will see BSkyB become a "founding partner" of the O2 alongside brands including Adidas, BMW and Coca Cola.
Sky has signed the deal with AEG Europe, which took over the former Millennium Dome in 2005 and rebranded and relaunched the venue as the O2, as the exclusive partner for TV, home broadband and telephony.
The deal gives Sky first refusal on TV and online broadcast rights for most music gigs and other adventure at the location.
Sky will also have access to media and advertising space across the Greenwich venue, including at the 3D cinema. All screens at the O2 will be converted to high definition and used to demonstrate the company's Sky+ HD product.
The broadcaster will launch a reward programme to give Sky customers VIP access to adventures and screenings at the O2.
"Thanks to the venue's scale of reach, we are working with AEG to create a number of branding, exhibition and customer engagement opportunities that no other single entertainment location can offer," said the managing director of Sky's customer group, Brian Sullivan. "We will use this relationship to both absorb new conference and reward our valued customers."

Michael Jackson memorabilia exhibit to open at London's O2 Arena

Michael Jackson fans may soon need to pack their bags and head to London. where the afresh accepted memorabilia exhibit will open.
Despite his mother's resistance through her attorneys, a judge ruled other then and said the show can go on. (Read more about the accuracy here.)
According to the Associated Press, the president of the company planning an exhibit of Michael Jackson's memorabilia says the show's first stop will be London's O2 Arena.
The London arena is where Jackson was scheduled to open his 50-show "This is It" agreement just before he died in Los Angeles on June 25.
Arts and Exhibitions International President and CEO John Norman told reporters that other two location would be choosed later and that Los Angeles would likely be at the top of the list.
While no one is saying absolutely what items will be on display, one thing is for certain: There are multiple warehouses filled with material and the King of Pop's items promise to entertain family passengers from around the globe.

02 Arena - Pearl Jam, The band's last UK appearance from a while?

Pearl Jam were in fighting form at the O2 Arena last night with front man Eddie Vedder in critical leading by example. Bounding on stage with the swagger of a boxer before a fight, Vedder led the band through a near two and a half hour set parmanent the length of their 19 year cource.

From the majestic beauty of set opening 'Release', from debut album 'Ten', the sell out crowd were in fine voice at times about drowning out Vedder during classics such as 'Alive' and extended construction of 'Black' and 'Betterman'. Two encores saw staple live covers of The Who's 'Love, Reign o'er Me' and Victoria Williams' 'Crazy Mary', the latter featuring guitarist Mike McCready trading yourself with organist Kenneth 'Boom' Gasper while Vedder watched on, wine bottle in one hand, artful cigarette in the other.

Although for many years seen as dour and humourless, the band watched to be genuinely enjoying the night with McCready running the length of the stage and along behind his head during ‘Even Flow‘. Even when Vedder dedicated ‘Light Years’ to a friend who’d passed away the day before, there was a trust in the performance that watched to set the tone of the evening, that life is abrupt and we should enjoy it while we can.

At one point Eddie reference that this would be their last performance here for quite a while. If true they truly went out with a suddenly ,no doubt leaving an indelible mark on the minds of many tonight. I just hope it’s not too long.