Echo Arena
LIVERPOOL’S new waterfront arena has been elevated into the “premier league” of live UK music venues after the runaway success of the MTV Europe Music Awards, its chief executive claimed last night.
Bob Prattey, who runs both the Echo Arena, Liverpool and the BT Convention Centre, said the venue was now viewed in the industry as being on a par with the Wembley and 02 arenas in London.
The reaction of key industry promoters to Thursday night’s show means an ever-more celebrated procession of artists are certain to make the visit to the 10,000-capacity Kings Dock site.
Liverpool Council deputy leader Flo Clucas said the Echo Arena had proved its status as one of the most technically-advanced music venues in the world and Manchester’s MEN arena was now a generation behind.
Mr Prattey also revealed that the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards being held at the arena next month will feature a set equally as elaborate and spectacular as that of Thursday night’s MTV awards.
Savouring the success of Thursday night’s show, he said: “My dream was to be alongside the O2 Arena and Wembley as a premier music venue in the touring circuit.
“Attracting the MTV Awards and the Sports Personality awards has catapulted us into that league much faster than it might have been otherwise.”
Richard Godfrey, senior vice president of content and music for MTV UK and Ireland, last night praised the arena for helping pull off one of the best award ceremonies.
He said: “We aimed to put on a show that people will talk about for years to come and we certainly feel we’ve achieved that.
