Hyde Park Calling – And Getting Through

Live Nation – UK managing director Stuart Galbraith said the first year’s figures for the inaugural Hyde Park Calling, which was headlined by Roger Waters July 1st and The Who July 2nd, indicate the company got the formula “bang on.”

“It worked,” Galbraith told Pollstar after the new event pulled 80,000 people over a couple of days.

With sponsorship from Hard Rock Café, which opened its first outlet just across the street from the park, Galbraith and his team aimed at an older audience that enjoys an outdoor show but not the rough-and-tumble of a two- or three-day camping festival.

Hard Rock set up its own tented dining area and served sit-down meals. The “Café” did very good business throughout the weekend, particularly when soccer fans risked indigestion by cramming the place to watch a big-screen showing of England’s feeble World Cup penalty shoot-out loss to Portugal.

Rather than just settling for lager as the only choice for anyone wanting a pint, The Workers’ Beer Company had real ale along with Pimms and Champagne bars for those with up-market tastes.

All of the bars should have done well as the weekend daytime temperatures in central London hovered around the 30C mark.

Galbraith said he thinks the formula worked because the headliners – and much of the bill – were the sort of acts that fit with the Hard Rock brand, presumably an ideal synergy for those who like to eat to the beat.

Among the other acts calling from Hyde Park were Texas, Razorlight, Starsailor, The Zutons, The Lightning Seeds, Primal Scream, Robert Cray, and Suzanne Vega.