The O2 Arena was built beneath the tattered remains of the failed Millennium Dome. The unusual dome, which sort of looks like a melting birthday cake was first conceived by John Major's Tory administration back in 1994 to celebrate the upcoming millennium.

After two years they had decided where it would go and who would build it: the Greenwich Peninsula and Richard Rogers.

Like most huge structures, there were time delays, budget shortfalls, but on New Years Eve, 1999, the Millennium Experience was open and even the Queen showed up. There were attractions, exhibits and Peter Gabriel created a whole multimedia deal for the 6.5 million people who visited the Dome in 2000.

Unfortunately about twice as many attendees were expected, so after merely a year the Millennium Dome was considered a bust.

Everything but the enormous tent covering it was auctioned off to cut some of the losses of the $750 million failure.

After years of sitting dormant, finally a private buyer took if off the hands of the government and they pumped hundreds of millions into renovations and upgrades and surprise, surprise, private industry was better at running the business.

Bon Jovi opened the joint

"Good evening London, England," Jon Bon Jovi said to the 20,000 screaming fans on June 24, 2007.

"Welcome to your brand new house. This is called the O2 - and the way I'm judging the crowd out here, who the hell needs Wembley Stadium?" he asked, jokingly.

That quip pleased the owners who have had Bon Jovi back several times including a 12-night residency in 2010.

Opening night the band kicked off the show with "Livin' On A Prayer" into "You Give Love A Bad Name" and they were off. The night concluded with firework for Londoners to see from afar.

Prince set the bar for O2 residencies the year it opened

In 2007 Prince wanted to make himself at home in London, but more specifically in the new arena. So he set up a 21-night run through the month of August.

And because he's Prince, many nights he would perform a second set at the afterparty in the nearby O2 Indigo Club that holds about 2,500 night owls. Most of these after parties didn't begin until 1:30am.

“The Prince shows at The O2 in 2007 were legendary and undoubtedly helped to cement The O2 as one of the most iconic venues in the world,” Steve Sayer, vice president and general manager of the venue wrote in a statement in 2021 as the 15th anniversary of the shows approached.

“Fans and employees still talk fondly about those amazing nights,” he wrote.

Prince's residency inspired the 21 Club at the O2

After the Artist's residency, the O2 created 21 Club to celebrate any performer who can sell out 21 shows at the arena.

So far that club includes: Drake, Michael Bublé, Take That, One Direction, Young Voices, Micky Flanagan and Michael McIntyre.

Emma Bownes, the O2 Arena VP of venue programming said, “reaching 21 shows at The O2 is a huge achievement and something only a handful of artists have reached, and so it felt right to create a permanent tribute which celebrates this backstage at The O2."

Michael Jackson was scheduled to play 50 shows there

If you saw the This Is It documentary about Michael Jackson preparing for his fourth ever solo tour. That tour was a 50-night residency at the O2.

In March, 2009, fans bought up 750,000 tickets to the This Is It show in just four hours.

The first show would have been his first full concert in 12 years. At his press conference, though, he announced they'd be his last.

"I just want to say, these will be my final show performances in London. This will be it, when I say 'this is it,' I really mean this is it."

The singer paused and then continued. "I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear, this is it, I mean this is the final curtain call, ok?"

Sadly on June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest at just 50 years old.

2023 was a record year for The O2

The O2 is one of the most popular and busy arenas in the world. It's in the same ballpark as Madison Square Garden, Staples Center, and The Forum. Last year it set a personal record when it sold over 2.5 million tickets.

“2023 has been a phenomenal year of milestones at The O2 – from headline performances with some of the world’s most iconic performers like Madonna and Elton John, to surpassing over 30 million tickets sold at the venue," Sayer said.

The venue has many of acts set to play in the last few months of 2024. For tickets to see Charlie XCX, Chris Stapleton, Nick Cave and others, go to the O2 website.

Other Venue Spotlights: The Apollo Theater, Aragon Ballroom, First Avenue, The Fillmore, The Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood Palladium, KIA Forum, Madison Square Garden, Massey Hall, The Metro, Nippon Budokan, O2 Arena, O2 Academy Brixton, Pappy & Harriet's Palace Red Rocks, Royal Albert Hall, The Ryman Auditorium, The Sphere, Sydney's Qudos Bank Arena, The Whisky, 9:30 Club