Point Theatre
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- For other uses, see The Point.
The Point Theatre (originally dubbed The Point Depot, and often referred to simply as The Point) is a concert and events venue in Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the North Wall Quay of the River Liffey, amongst the Dublin Docklands. It is one of Ireland's largest indoor concert arenas, having a seating capacity of up to 8,500. After its redevelopment, the capacity will be over 14,000. As such it is larger than any other fully-equipped indoor venue in the country and now it can be described as one of Ireland's premier music venues.
The Point has been noted for its flexible seating configurations - over the years it has not only served as a venue for many different varieties of music concerts, but has also been turned into an ice rink, a boxing arena, a conference hall, an exhibition centre, a wrestling ring, a theatre, an opera house and a three ring circus.
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[edit] History
The building was constructed in 1878 as a train depot to serve the nearby busy port.
In the late 1980s, after many years of neglect and disuse, it was bought by local developer Harry Crosbie and fitted with new balconies, offices and backstage facilities.
Before it was renovated, U2 recorded part of their 1988 album Rattle and Hum there. It was opened in 1988. Huey Lewis and the News were the first act to play there. U2 played four nights at the Point near the end of their Lovetown Tour in 1989. The December 31 concert was broadcast around the world and the show that took place the previous day became notable for Bono's prophetic comment regarding U2 having to "go away and ... and dream it all up again."
On the 19th June 1992 - Def Leppard kicked of their 7 Day Weekend Tour of Europe in the Point Depot in support of their multi million selling record Adrenalize. The show was the first time Def Leppard had brought their 'In The Round' stage show outside of America. The Stage was set in the middle of the arena and featured a revolving drum kit which could move to any point around the stage. This was also the first time any band had brought an 'in the round' stage show on an international tour. It was also the first full show the band played with new guitarist Vivian Campbell. [1]
In the Nineties, the Point became a familiar setting to millions of European television viewers, as it was the venue for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, 1995, and 1997, becoming the only venue to have hosted the final three times.
The Point thus also served as the first place the dancing sensation Riverdance was performed, being in the interval act of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.
The 1999 MTV Europe Music Awards was also held there.
Tragedy struck the theatre in the May of 1996 at a Smashing Pumpkins concert. Due to overcrowding and moshing, 17 year old fan Bernadette O'Brien was crushed to death.
David Gray's live performance video, David Gray: Live, released in 2001, was recorded at The Point in December 1999.
Kylie Minogue made a triumphant return to the Point (after a 14 year absence) in May 2005 with her Showgirl Tour. She played six nights at the Dublin venue, just weeks before she was told she had breast cancer.
Bell X1's live album Tour De Flock was recorded at their live concert here in 2006.
Oasis have played several concerts in the Point, most recently in December, 2005, where they referred to Dublin as 'the second greatest city in the world'. Footage from one of the 2005 gigs is to be included in Oasis' upcoming rockumentary, Lord Dont Slow Me Down.
Pearl Jam opened their first European tour in six years at the Point Theatre. They were originally to play the Leeds and Reading Festivals first and then come and play at Slane Castle however Pearl Jam felt the Point was the perfect place to begin their tour. The concert gained wide radio play in the U.K and Ireland.
Celtic Woman performed their debut concert in Ireland at the Point Theatre in February 2006 following a lengthy and enormously successful North American tour. While their first performance in Ireland was technically at The Helix in Dublin (which was filmed for PBS), the Point performance marked the group's first unveiling of the theatrical show that had taken America by storm.
Beyoncé recently played two dates in the Point, which closed the first leg of the 'Beyonce Experience Tour'. During both concerts, Beyoncé commented on how she loved coming to Ireland for the Irish shows, telling the audience how she 'bragged' on them to her band/crew. At the end of the second Irish show, Beyoncé cried, giving an emotional conclusion to the first leg of her tour.
Several other acts will play the Point throughout Summer 2007, before its renovation, including Keane, George Michael, and Norah Jones.
David Bowie filmed his live Reality DVD in The Point in November 2003
R.E.M. filmed and recorded their live double CD/DVD set R.E.M. Live in The Point in February 2005.
Tiësto performed in 2007 as part of his Elements of Life World Tour.
In 2007 the Irish boyband Westlife played 12 times in The Point.
[edit] Future
The Point was closed in the summer of 2007 to be rebuilt and refurbished to a design by HOKSVE architects and Buro Happold engineers. The wall closest to the city will be knocked out and will be extended out to create an arena with the capacity of over 14,000. Also on the site of the carpark and other surrounding land there will be an underground carpark, a cinema, a shopping centre, a small 2000 seater theatre, a hotel and a 35 story tower with offices, retail and 150 residential units.
The final event to take place in the venue before the refurbishment began was a boxing card, featuring local boxer Bernard Dunne on 25 August 2007.
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
| Preceded by Green Glens Arena Millstreet |
Eurovision Song Contest Venues 1994, 1995 |
Succeeded by Oslo Spektrum Oslo |
| Preceded by Oslo Spektrum Oslo |
Eurovision Song Contest Venue 1997 |
Succeeded by National Indoor Arena Birmingham |
