OVO Hydro

 The OVO Hydro is the largest entertainment venue in Glasgow, with a capacity of 14,300 people. When discussing the gig scene in Glasgow, it would be hard to miss out. This venue is hugely flexible, holding many live events from concerts, conferences and other large scale events. One of the most famous and significant events that was held at the Hydro was the 2014 Commonwealth Games, highlighting that this expands further than gigs. 

It hosts over a million visitors each year and many of the most famous international stars have played here and brought thousands of Scots together to watch their performances in the infamous venue. For example, Taylor Swift, Kylie Minogue, Rod Stewart, Arctic Monkeys, Prince and many more. Taylor Swift and Arctic Monkeys are both artists who went on to selling out much larger shows in Scotland after playing the Hydro. 


Photo Above: Prince playing his last Scottish gig at the Hydro 2014

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Furthermore, the Hydro is claimed to look like a 'flying saucer that crashed next to the Clyde'!

What do you think?


Post Above: OVO Hydro in Glasgow

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To be transparent, the Hydro isn't my favourite venue in Glasgow (which may be clear from my Barrowlands Ballroom post!) however I absolutely appreciate the significance it brings to Glasgow and can admire the artists that perform here each year. I do like the design of the Hydro and the lights bring a spectacular ambience, although I much prefer the culture and uniqueness of some of the smaller venues in Glasgow. 

With that being said, I have been to some of my favourite gigs in the Hydro. A few artists I have been to in the Hydro include, Liam Gallagher, Khalid and The Cure, all of which had a fantastic atmosphere and the sound system of the Hydro is absolutely phenomenal.




Photo Above: Liam Gallagher at the Hydro, Definitely Maybe Tour 2024 

Many people will know the Hydro, not by its now name the OVO Hydro, but by the SSE Hydro. The famous venue changed its name in 2021, the reason behind this change simply being that they had taken on a new sponsor being OVO. The new sponsor comes with new opportunities and focuses including honing in on sustainability initiatives and making the venue more environmentally friendly. I believe the change of sponsor was a positive move for the Hydro, as the venue had a significant involvement with the recent COP26 Summit which took place in Glasgow, and also highlights their commitment to keeping up with important societal changes.

It is clear that the Hydro has had a significant impact on the music industry and gig scene in Glasgow and continues to do so, bringing some of the most iconic stars from across the globe, and allowing individuals to create fabulous memories at gigs.



Sources:

https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/hydro-glasgow-10-years-birthday-taylor-swift-prince-best-gigs-ovo-4341147

https://www.ovohydro.com/about

https://biggestdisco.com/place/ovo-hydro-arena-glasgow/#:~:text=The%20arena%20was%20initially%20named,making%20the%20venue%20more%20sustainable.

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