Congratulations to the Bonus Arena for its one year anniversary!
Since Van Morrison first took to the stage for an exceptional opening night, the venue has exceeded all expectations. In the last 12 months it has hosted acts such as George Ezra, Noel Gallagher, the Courteeners, and Stereophonics, with the Kaiser Chiefs set to perform later in the year.
"The Bonus Arena continues to put the city of Hull on the map - not just locally, but on the world stage too."
Amongst the concerts, there have been a number of sporting events such as the Seniors Snooker Championships, and the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team. Hull FC have also hosted their Player of the Year awards banquet in the arena.
Transformation of the 3,500 capacity arena has been designed to be seamless, as shown in the timelapse below.
This unique adaptability is made possible through retractable seating in the ground and upper tiers, a sliding acoustic wall and adaptable stage units.
The seating and stages aren’t the only thing that can be configured based on audience.
A little known fact: the toilet configuration can be changed depending on the gender ratio at the event. There are two sets of pods with five unisex toilets each that, with a sliding door that locks into place, can be used as male or female toilets.
If a concert is 80% women, both sets of pods can be set within the women’s toilets, reducing the overall waiting time and keeping everyone happy.
The toilets took centre stage in preparation for opening night, where 140 people were invited to flush all the toilets at the same time in a Grand Flush.
Within the arena itself, artist Joseph Cox has created a mural entitled ‘Iconic Hull’ that incorporates 250 references to Hull including its buildings, musicians and local icons.
Some of the buildings found within the mural are the Ferens Art Gallery and The New Adelphi Club. Amongst these are allusions to Luke Campbell, Calum Scott, Roland Gift, and Mars guitarist Mick Ronson.
Earlier in the year, the sustainable roof was found to be the home of a family of ducks. With the help of SPCA, the mother and ducklings were released into the river. Proof, if needed, that green roofs really do make a difference by opening up space for nature.
"We knew the Bonus Arena would be special, but it has far exceeded our expectations. The awards its won, the diversity of events it has hosted, and the way in which the Hull community has embraced it is testimony to that. We’re very pleased and look forward to future events."
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