3,000-capacity Orchard Road music venue by Live Nation to open in 2026 after delays
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Located at the junction of Grange Road and Somerset Road, the 3,000-capacity music hall will be the first purpose-built venue by Live Nation in Asia.
PHOTO: LIVE NATION
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SINGAPORE – Live music venues in Singapore will have a new addition come 2026, with the completion of a 3,000-capacity music hall in Orchard Road after several years’ delay.
Located at the former open-air carpark at the junction of Grange Road and Somerset Road, the venue is a joint project between concert promoter Live Nation and mainboard-listed Lendlease Global Commercial Reit (LReit).
It is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
LReit won the tender to redevelop the 48,200 sq ft Grange Road carpark in 2020.
It had wanted the new venue, which was to have housed an independent cinema, hawker stalls and multiple event spaces, to start operations by the second quarter of 2022.
But in 2023, it said the site would be ready only from the fourth quarter of 2024.
The Straits Times understands that the venue is now due to open in 2026, and that plans were scuppered by Covid-19-related factors, such as a shortage of manpower and increases in construction costs, as well as changes related to constructing the venue around Somerset MRT station.
Live Nation, one of the largest live entertainment companies in the world, did not reveal the cost of the development, but in 2020, the development project was estimated to cost around $10 million.
It will be the first purpose-built venue by Live Nation in Asia.
In Asia, Live Nation is better known as a concert promoter bringing A-list acts such as Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Blackpink to Singapore.
It currently oversees the 12,000-capacity Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, and several music halls in Australia.
“The Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane most closely resembles the concept of the Singapore venue, which was inspired by The Fillmore Philadelphia,” said Mr Greg Gillin, senior vice-president of venue development at Live Nation Asia, in response to queries from ST.
The Fillmore transformed from an industrial, metal factory into a music venue that has hosted concerts since 2015, but has also served the community.
Live Nation said the new venue in Singapore will be more than a concert space as it will also host community events and Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events all year round.
The music hall will also have a smaller, 350-capacity space to host home-grown acts, as well as a cafe and bar.
The development will also feature an artists’ lane that serves as an incubator for the local arts scene, food and beverage spaces, and kiosks connected to the Somerset Discovery Walk.
Singapore was chosen for Live Nation’s first Asian venue because of its established reputation as a global live entertainment hub, said Mr Gillin.
“This venue will significantly increase the number of live events regularly touring through Singapore... By filling the gap for a mid-sized venue, the venue will enhance the market’s world-famous touring landscape, providing more diverse options for both artists and audiences,” he said.
It adds to Singapore’s live music venues, which include the Singapore Sports Hub’s National Stadium, which can house 55,000, and the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which can seat up to 12,000 at a time.
There is also the 5,000-capacity Star Theatre at The Star Vista and The Esplanade’s 1,600-seater Concert Hall.
The venue is also part of ongoing efforts by STB and stakeholders to rejuvenate Orchard Road to make the famed shopping stretch a must-visit lifestyle destination.
The Somerset Belt, for instance, has been earmarked for development into a vibrant youth precinct.
Ms Jean Ng, assistant chief executive of the experience development group at STB, said: “This initiative will contribute significantly to the ongoing rejuvenation of Orchard Road, expand the lifestyle offerings in the precinct and boost its attractiveness to locals and visitors.
“By working closely with our industry partners, we are cementing Orchard Road’s position as a must-visit lifestyle destination, while affirming Singapore’s reputation as the region’s live entertainment capital.”
