National Bowl facts for kids
Muse performing at the Bowl in 2023
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| Former names | Milton Keynes Bowl (1979–1992) |
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| Location | Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Owner | English Partnerships |
| Operator | Gaming International/Live Nation UK |
| Type | Stadium Amphitheatre |
| Capacity | 65,000 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1979 |
| Renovated | 2012 |
The National Bowl is a large outdoor concert and event space in Milton Keynes, England. It used to be called the Milton Keynes Bowl. This special place was once a clay pit, where clay was dug up for making bricks.
Workers filled the pit with soil from other building projects. This created a big bowl-shaped area, like an amphitheatre. It can hold up to 65,000 people. The area is open-air and has grass, so there are no fixed seats.
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History of the Bowl
The National Bowl first opened in 1979. Some of the first music acts to perform there were Desmond Dekker and Geno Washington.
In 1992, a company called Sony/Pace bought the venue. They changed its name to the National Bowl. They also built a huge permanent stage for concerts. However, they left in 1996 because it wasn't making enough money.
Later, in 2000, English Partnerships bought the site. This group helps with land development. From 2006 to 2010, another group managed the Bowl.
Plans for the Future
Over the years, there have been many ideas for what to do with the National Bowl. People have wanted to make it even better.
In 2006, there were plans for big changes. However, these plans did not happen. The company managing the Bowl handed it back in 2010.
Later, in 2011, Milton Keynes Council had new ideas. They wanted to turn Milton Keynes into a "Sporting City." Part of this plan was to make the National Bowl a top sports training center. It would be a place for international sports teams to train. It could also become a permanent home for the MK Dons football team.
This plan involved selling some land to help pay for the training center. But this idea was stopped in 2014. Some local people were worried about how it would be funded.
In 2014, another company suggested building a huge water park at the Bowl. They also wanted to add more sports facilities. But this plan was also canceled in 2015.
More recently, in 2019, the council decided to focus on helping the MK Dons. They wanted to build a great training ground and academy. This brought back some of the ideas from 2013.
In 2023, it was announced that the Bowl got permission to build two full-sized football pitches. It will also have training areas. The good news is that they still plan to hold concerts there in the future!
Famous Recordings at the Bowl
Many famous artists have performed at the National Bowl. Some of their concerts were recorded and released for fans to enjoy.
- Queen released a DVD and CD from their 1982 show. It's called Queen on Fire - Live at the Bowl.
- Status Quo filmed their "End of the Road Concert" here in 1984. This show was meant to be their last big tour.
- Michael Jackson performed for 60,000 fans on three nights. Parts of his shows were recorded.
- Erasure had their "Wild! Tour" finale here in 1990. Over 60,000 people watched this amazing show. It was even broadcast live on Radio 1 and BBC Television.
- Metallica played their "Nowhere Left to Roam" show in 1993. This concert was also broadcast live on Radio 1.
- Green Day recorded their album Bullet in a Bible here in 2005. The DVD also shows their two-night performance. The Bowl also appears in the video game Green Day: Rock Band.
- Linkin Park released Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes from their 2008 show. This was their biggest "Projekt Revolution" show ever.
- The Prodigy released their live album World's on Fire from their 2010 concert.
- Swedish House Mafia played their last UK show here in 2012. Scenes from this concert were used in their music video for "Don't You Worry Child".
Location
The National Bowl is in the southern part of Milton Keynes. It is located where Watling Street meets Chaffron Way. This is just north of Bletchley.
Parking at the Bowl is very limited. It's best for fans to use public transport. You can take shuttle buses from Milton Keynes Central railway station. It's also an easy walk of about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the station. You can follow Sustrans National Cycle Route 51.
Images for kids
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The stage at the Bowl in 2006.
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The stage set for a performance by Muse in June 2023.
See also
In Spanish: National Bowl para niños
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
