Adele’s pop-up stadium
Munich was blessed as the one and only city to host Adele’s ten local performances, welcoming a crowd from every corner of the world.
As “Hello-o-oh” echoed through the stadium, the platform raised the 36-year old icon to the centre of the stage. While being greeted by a chorus of cheers, clapping, whistles, and tears of joy, she repeated “Hello-o-oh,” sending chills from my fingertips down my spine. There she was, dressed in a starlit-sky gown, her hair and makeup enhancing her natural beauty, and her accessories perfectly complementing her dress. The crowd quietened, giving her their full attention and creating an atmosphere of respect that was collectively shared. As if in a movie, the orange-yellow gradient of the clear sky’s sunset behind the singer cast its last rays upon the stage, presenting her to the eager crowd.
Adele’s Stadium
For many artists, Munich’s grandest venue is the Olympic Stadium. Yet Adele had different plans. The singer, who felt uncomfortable touring across multiple countries and different stadiums – leading to her previous two-year residency in Las Vegas – wanted to perform all her European shows in one arena. Following the Olympic Stadium committee being unable to accommodate her due to scheduling conflicts, and with no other stadium available that could provide the “cozy” and intimate feeling she desired, where even those in the last row would feel close to the stage, Adele’s team decided to take matters into their own hands.
The solution was to spend over 100 million euros for a custom-built, open-air, semi-circular stadium that could seat 80,000 fans and features the largest screen ever, spanning 220 meters in width. A 93-meter catwalk stage, forming a figure-eight loop around each wing of the stadium, allowed Adele to connect with her fans. I had never before considered the idea of a pop-up stadium, but I thought, “Well, it is Adele.” A quick calculation of an average ticket priced at €125, multiplied by 80,000 seats, and 10 shows, gives an estimated income of 100 million euros in sales. This is excluding merchandise and drinks – a water bottle cost €7.
The modern stadium offered enough exits, bathrooms, and food and drink vendors for proper crowd management – something I appreciated greatly, as I did not worry about my safety within the stadium and on my way home.
My cousins, friends, and family all attended Adele’s concert on different days, and everyone was lost for words when I asked how it went. As a local, I was glad to see Munich’s economy benefiting from the concerts, even if fans did travel in from various continents. It is estimated that the concerts brought in 530 million euros (660 million GBP).
A million dollar voice
Adele’s live performances aren’t known for complex choreography, instrumental interludes, or extravagant outfit changes. She performs in one dress, with her microphone, her personality, and most importantly, her voice as the main attraction. Her voice is nearly indistinguishable from her recorded singles, showcasing her unparalleled talent among her peers in the industry. I noticed the breadth of her vocal range when she asked the crowd to sing “If you’re ready” (from the song “Send My Love”) in the high tone she demonstrated, while she continued in her mezzo-soprano (medium, female) vocals.
Part time singer, part time comedian
Between songs, Adele interacted with her fans, shooting t-shirts into the crowd with a cannon, inviting fans on stage for brief interactions, and sharing her thoughts, feelings, and gratitude. My sister and I laughed when she introduced Skyfall by saying, “Let’s get dramatic!” and we let out the occasional “aww” when she talked about her struggles around the time she wrote “Someone Like You”.
Let’s get dramatic!
Early in the show, she invited a young couple from South Africa, who had flown twelve hours to Munich just for her performance, on stage because she loved the girl’s energy. Her witty reactions to the girl and her boyfriend’s awe-struck comments highlighted her high degree of social intelligence and quirky charm – qualities that can make an audience fall in love with her, and a skill every performer would benefit from mastering. Even though she spoke only implicitly about her past, every fan who had followed her public life since the release of “Chasing Pavements” in 2008, understood what she was alluding to. It created a tight-knit feeling of belonging.
In early September, Adele announced she would take a break from performing and releasing new music after her final shows in Las Vegas in November. However shocking it may be, her recent interest in Hollywood may give fans the comfort to see her act on the small and large screen.
Hopefully Adele will return to the stage once again – astonishing voices like hers are rare and precious nowadays.
