London’s O2 to host full capacity crowds at ‘Welcome Back Shows’ starting with Burna Boy

London’s O2 arena is set to host a series of full-capacity ‘Welcome Back Shows’ kicking off in August with Afrofusion star Burna Boy.

Fresh from his Grammy win for Best International Artist, Burna Boy’s ‘Twice As Tall’ event will kick off the series on Friday 27 August 2021. 

Taking place across several months, the series of concerts will mark the first time that The O2 has seen full-sized crowds since the pandemic put live events on hiatus in March 2020.

Also part of the ‘Welcome Back’ lineup is Ministry of Sound Classical, which will take place on Saturday 13 November 2021, marking the 30th anniversary celebration of the famous dance brand.

The event will feature the 50-piece London Concert Orchestra along with special guest DJs including DJ Paul Oakenfold, who played the opening night of the South London club in 1991.

The third Welcome Back show to be announced so far is UK comedian Mo Gilligan + Friends and ‘The Black British Takeover’, which is set to take place on 8 December 2021.

“The Welcome Back Shows mark a really exciting moment for The O2 and for our fans, as we get ready to welcome full capacity crowds back to the venue after such a long period,” said Emma Bownes, VP of Programming for AEG Europe, the owner and operator of The O2. “We’re planning a stunning string of events that will bring the best in comedy, dance, afrobeat, rock and pop to London and give fans what they’ve been waiting for. We’re delighted to be launching our return season with the very best of British comedy and know that hearing The O2 arena roar with 20,000 laughs is the tonic we all need.”

Fans using the O2 Priority app will get exclusive access to buy tickets for each show 48 hours before anyone else.

The O2 recently hosted the BRIT Awards with a reduced attendance of just 4,000, as part the UK government’s Events Research Programme, which is aimed at supporting the return of live events.