National Bowl facts for kids
Muse performing at the Bowl in 2023
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| Former names | Milton Keynes Bowl (1979–1992) |
|---|---|
| Location | Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Owner | Homes England |
| 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. It was later filled in and shaped into a natural amphitheatre using soil from new building projects nearby. The National Bowl can hold up to 65,000 people. It's an open-air grassy area, so there are no fixed seats.
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History of the National Bowl
The National Bowl first opened its doors in 1979. Some of the first artists 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 and built a very large permanent stage for concerts. However, they left in 1996 because they felt it wasn't making enough money.
Later, in 2000, English Partnerships bought the site. This organization later joined with the Homes and Communities Agency in 2008. From 2006 to 2010, a group of companies, Gaming International and Live Nation UK, managed the venue.
Plans for the Bowl's Future
Over the years, there have been many ideas for how to develop the National Bowl.
Early Development Ideas (2006)
In January 2006, Gaming International and Live Nation won a new agreement to manage the Bowl. They suggested big plans for new developments at the site. However, Gaming International gave the Bowl back to Milton Keynes Partnership in late 2010. This meant that most of the plans from 2006 were not carried out.
Sports Training Plans (2013)
In December 2011, Milton Keynes Council approved ideas to make Milton Keynes an "International Sporting City." These plans included turning the National Bowl into a top-level sports training base. It would be a place for international sports teams to train when they played in the UK. It was also planned to be a permanent home for the MK Dons football team.
The council planned to help pay for this training complex. This was part of a property deal with Inter MK, a company owned by the MK Dons chairman. However, these plans were stopped in early 2014. This happened after some local residents raised concerns about the funding plan.
Water Park and Sports Facilities (2014)
In February 2014, news reports said that an investment company wanted to build new things at the Milton Keynes Bowl site. This included plans for the UK's largest water park. It also suggested new sports facilities and improvements to the concert arena. But in July 2015, the company leading this idea announced that they would not go ahead with the plan.
New Training Ground Plans (2019-2023)
In June 2019, Milton Keynes Council changed its goals for the Bowl. Instead of "Revitalise MK Bowl," their new goal was to "Support the MK Dons in delivering a high-standard training ground and academy."
This change allowed a deal to be made in September 2019 between Milton Keynes Council and Inter MK Limited. The agreement was to change the National Bowl into a sports training ground. This project would be partly paid for by money from other commercial and leisure developments nearby.
This plan was similar to the ideas from 2013 that had not been pursued. In February 2023, Inter MK announced that they had received permission to build two full-sized football pitches and training areas at the site. They also stated that they still plan to hold concerts at the Bowl in the future.
Famous Recordings at the Bowl
Many famous concerts have been recorded at the National Bowl.
- Queen released a DVD and double CD of their 1982 show called Queen on Fire – Live at the Bowl.
- Status Quo filmed their "End of the Road Concert" here in 1984. This concert was released on two VHS tapes.
- Michael Jackson performed at the venue for 60,000 fans on three nights. Parts of his performances were recorded.
- Erasure performed their "Wild! Tour" here on September 1, 1990. More than 60,000 people attended this show. It was broadcast live on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Television.
- Metallica performed their "Wherever I May Roam Tour" here on June 5, 1993. This concert was also broadcast live on BBC Radio 1.
- Green Day's album Bullet in a Bible and its DVD were recorded at the National Bowl in 2005.
- Linkin Park released Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes. This CD/DVD set was from their first ever UK Projekt Revolution show on June 29, 2008.
- The Prodigy released their first live album and second DVD from their 2010 show. It was called World's on Fire.
- Swedish House Mafia held their last UK show of their farewell tour in July 2012. Scenes from this concert were used in their music video for "Don't You Worry Child".
Location and How to Get There
The National Bowl is located in the south-central part of Milton Keynes. It is at the corner of Watling Street and Chaffron Way, just north of Bletchley. Parking at the site is very limited. Because of this, visitors are encouraged 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 use Sustrans National Cycle Route 51 from the south side of the station building.
See also
In Spanish: National Bowl para niños
- List of contemporary amphitheatres
