Concerts have been held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, since the stadium's opening in 1999. The musicians who have played at the stadium include Tina Turner, Beyoncé, Spice Girls, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, Madonna and Rihanna. The highest concert audience at the stadium was 73,354, who saw U2 in 2009. In 2018 Ed Sheeran performed for a record-breaking 4 nights at the Stadium on his ÷ Tour. The stadium's total seating capacity for sporting events is 73,434.

History The first concert held was on New Year's Eve 1999 when the Manic Street Preachers headlined Manic Millennium, followed two days later by a concert for the BBC's Songs of Praise programme, with Cliff Richard performing his UK number-one single "The Millennium Prayer". This event attracted an attendance of 66,000.

During 2003, the stadium established a new in-house promotions and events department to attract major concerts to the stadium, taking over from SJM Concerts. The stadium's General Manager Paul Sergeant at the time said of the change, "We looked at the current way our business was run, (and) realized that if we do it ourselves and have direct contact with the event owners and promoters...we will be able to offer an improved service".

At the end of January 2005, the stadium hosted a Tsunami Relief Cardiff, a tsunami relief concert, in aid of victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with Eric Clapton headlining the event. On 22 August 2009, U2 played at the stadium as part of their European leg of their U2 360° Tour, playing to a record-breaking concert attendance for a concert at the stadium of 73,354.

In 2005 the stadium installed an "Arena Partition Drape System" – a 1,100 kg black curtain made up of 12 drapes measuring x – to vary the audience from a capacity of over 73,000 down to between 12,000 and 46,000, depending on the four different positions that it can be hung. The curtains can be stored in the roof of the stadium when not in use. The £1m cost of the curtain was funded by the stadium, the Millennium Commission, its caterers Letherby and Christopher (Compass Group) and by the then Wales Tourist Board. The curtain was supplied by Blackout Ltd.

It was feared that music concerts and sporting events would take business away from local shops. However, David Hughes Lewis, chairman of Cardiff Retail Partnership, said in 2005 that "Despite initial concerns that major events in the Millennium Stadium hit trading in the shops, it now believed such events had a positive impact...When people come to Cardiff for the concerts, they more often than not arrive the night before and they'll spend the morning shopping".

Concerts Concerts Year Day/monthHeadline artistName of concert, tour or event Supporting artists Notes Ref(s)199931 DecemberManic Street PreachersManic Millennium Super Furry Animals, Feeder, Shack, and Patrick Jones.20002 JanuaryCliff Richard Millennium Songs of Praise.Bryn Terfel, Daniel O'Donnell, Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Band of the Welsh Guards. 9 JulyTina TurnerTwenty Four Seven Tour Lionel Richie 200117 JuneBon Jovi One Wild Night TourMatchbox Twenty, Delirious 14 July Robbie Williams Weddings, Barmitzvahs & Stadiums Tour Toploader 15 July 21 JulyStereophonics A Day at the Races The Black Crowes, Ash, and The Crocketts. 20 OctoberAtomic Kitten Showtime @ The Stadium S Club 7, A1, Steps, Charlotte Church, Sinéad O'Connor, Petula Clark, Russell Watson and Damage 200320 DecemberStereophonicsYou Gotta Go There to Come Back Tour Feeder, Ocean Colour Scene, and Adam Masterson 200423 June Red Hot Chili PeppersBy the Way Tour James Brown and Chicks On Speed 2005 22 JanuaryEric ClaptonTsunami Relief Cardiff Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Badly Drawn Boy, Camera, Charlotte Church, Craig David, Embrace, Feeder, Goldie Lookin' Chain, Katherine Jenkins, Aled Jones, Kelly Jones, Keane, Lemar, Liberty X, Lulu, Manic Street Preachers, Brian McFadden, Raghav, Heather Small and Snow Patrol. 29 JuneU2Vertigo Tour The Killers and Starsailor 10 JulyR.E.M.Around the Sun Tour The Zutons, Idlewild, and Jonathan Rice10 DecemberOasisDon't Believe the Truth Tour Foo Fighters, Razorlight, The Coral, The Subways, Nic Armstrong & The Thieves, and Yeti 200621 June Take ThatThe Ultimate Tour Sugababes and Beverley Knight25 June EaglesFarewell 1 Tour 30 July MadonnaConfessions TourPaul Oakenfold 29 AugustThe Rolling StonesA Bigger Bang Tour The Kooks20077 July Rod StewartRockin' In The Round TourPretenders 19 October The PoliceReunion TourMr Hudson and the Library, Fiction Plane, and Coco Sumner200814 JuneBruce Springsteen& E Street BandMagic Tour 19 June Neil Diamond2008 World Tour 23 August MadonnaSticky & Sweet Tour 200912 JuneOasisDig Out Your Soul TourKasabian, The Enemy, Twisted Wheel and The Peth 16 JuneTake ThatTake That Present: The Circus LiveJames Morrison and Gary Go 17 June22 August U2U2 360° TourGlasvegas and The Hours 201026 JunePaul McCartneyUp and Coming TourManic Street Preachers and The Joy Formidable 29 SeptemberShirley Bassey Welcome to Wales Katherine Jenkins, Lostprophets, Only Men Aloud! and Shaheen Jafargholi 2011 14 June Take That Progress Live Pet Shop Boys 15 June 8 October Beyoncé(on a live video link), Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green Michael Forever – The Tribute Concert Jackson Brothers, Alexandra Burke, Yolanda Adams, 3T, Alien Ant Farm, Pixie Lott, Diversity, Craig David, JLS, Ne-Yo, Jamie Foxx, Gladys Knight, La Toya Jackson, Leona Lewis and Smokey Robinson. 201310 June RihannaDiamonds World TourDavid Guetta23 July Bruce Springsteen& E Street BandWrecking Ball World Tour 20155 JuneOne DirectionOn the Road Again TourMcBusted6 June 201630 JuneBeyoncéThe Formation World TourDJ Magnum20173 JuneBlack Eyed Peas2017 UEFA Champions League Final 21 JuneRobbie WilliamsThe Heavy Entertainment Show TourErasure 30 JuneJustin BieberPurpose World TourHalsey11 JulyColdplayA Head Full of Dreams TourAlunaGeorge and Embrace 12 July20186 JuneBeyoncéJay-ZOn the Run II Tour DJ Tom Clugston15 JuneThe Rolling StonesNo Filter TourElbow21 JuneEd Sheeran÷ Tour(Divide Tour)Anne-Marie22 June23 June24 June201927 MaySpice Girls Spice World - 2019 UK TourJess Glynne 8 JuneTake That Greatest Hits LiveRick Astley 20 JuneP!nk Beautiful Trauma World TourVance Joy, KidCutUp, Bang Bang Romeo 202226 MayEd Sheeran+–=÷x Tour(Mathematics Tour)Maisie Peters, Dylan27 May28 May17 JuneStereophonics We’ll Keep A WelcomeTom Jones, Catfish and the Bottlemen18 June30 JuneRammsteinEurope Stadium TourDuo Abélard8 OctoberAJ TraceyFIM Supercross World Championship British Grand Prix 202317 MayBeyoncéRenaissance World Tour 6 June ColdplayMusic of the Spheres World TourCHVRCHΞS, Elana Dara, Hana Lili, Bridgend Male Voice Choir, Kelly Jones (guest) 7 June20 JuneHarry Styles Love On TourWet Leg 21 June20245 MayBruce Springsteen& E Street BandSpringsteen and E Street Band 2024 World Tour 11 JuneP!nkSummer CarnivalGayle, KidCutUp, The Script18 JuneTaylor SwiftThe Eras TourParamore25 JuneFoo FightersEverything or Nothing at All TourWet Leg, Himalayas9 AugustBilly JoelBilly Joel in ConcertChris Isaak202519 JuneChris BrownBreezy Bowl XXBryson Tiller23 JuneLana Del ReyUK and Ireland Tour 2025 4 JulyOasisOasis Live '25 TourRichard Ashcroft, Cast5 July11 JulyStereophonicsStadium Anthem Summer '25 TourBlossoms 12 July19 JulyKendrick LamarSZAGrand National TourMustard1 AugustCatfish and the BottlemenCatfish and the Bottlemen: Stadiums 2025Travis, DMA's 202616 June Take That The Circus Live – Summer 2026 The Script, Belinda Carlisle28 JuneMetallicaM72 World TourGojira, Knocked Loose Cancelled concerts Year Day/month Headline artist Name of concert or tour Supporting artists Reason for cancellation Ref(s)200127 OctoberColdplayFarmAid 2001 Reef and Toploader. 200628 January The Strokes One Earth Concert Manic Street Preachers, The Darkness, Super Furry Animals, Elbow and Embrace.200825 AugustR.E.M. European Tour 2008 Editors and Guillemots 201616 June RihannaAnti World TourThe Weeknd and Big Sean202014 JuneRammsteinEurope Stadium Tour202116 June17 DecemberStereophonics We’ll Keep A WelcomeTom Jones, Catfish and the Bottlemen18 December

See also Music of Cardiff List of events held at the Millennium Stadium List of concerts at the National Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park List of highest-grossing concert tours

Notes

External links

Upcoming events at the Millennium Stadium website