Ed Sheeran is set to take the stage at the Stadium of Light on June 3 and 4, with 115,000 fans expected to fill the crowd across the two dates - but the singer isn’t the only star who has rocked Wearside since the stadium opened in 1997.
The Sunderland venue has welcomed a string of big names over the years, with Oasis kicking things off in 2009 right up to the Spice Girls in 2019. The stadium has also seen the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi and Beyoncé delight fans as they made stop-offs in Sunderland on their world tours.
With superstar Elton John also visiting the Stadium of Light this June as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour this June, there’s no doubt that Wearside is a popular destination for some of the world’s most famous music stars. Here are 11 of the biggest names that have played at the Stadium of Light.
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Oasis - 2009
Oasis made history as the first big music gig to play at the Stadium of Light on 10 June 2009, supported by Kasabian, The Enemy, and Reverend And The Makers. The indie icons came onstage to Rock ‘N’ Roll Star, much to the delight of their 50,000 Wearside fans.
Take That - 2009 & 2011
Take That kicked off their tour for their fifth album The Circus at the Stadium of Light. They returned in May 2011 supported by the Pet Shop Boys, this time reunited with former bandmate Robbie Williams on stage with them.
Once again they chose Sunderland as the place to begin their Progress tour, making Wearside the first place to hear the band perform as a group of five since 1995. Only two dates were initially announced at the Stadium of Light, but a further two were added after incredible demand from fans.
Pink - 2010
Pop sensation Pink began the UK leg of her tour in Sunderland as she brought her Funhouse Carnival Tour to the Stadium of Light in a sell-out June 2010 show. The tour lived up to its name, featuring the singer taking part in stunning aerial acrobatics and a visual feast of daring circus-style acts.
Kings of Leon - 2011
The US band rocked the Stadium of Light in June 2011 as they toured their Come Around Sundown album. The Sunderland gig was their biggest ever in the North East, seeing 50,000 fans packed in to see the Sex On Fire superstars.
Coldplay - 2012
Metro strikes and a rainstorm couldn’t stop tens of thousands of fans flocking to the Stadium of Light to see Coldplay as they made their only stop-off in the North to tour their Mylo Xyloto album. The pop heavyweights were supported by fellow singing sensations Rita Ora and Robyn.
Performing a string of their famous hits, from Paradise to Yellow in a visually stunning set, frontman Chris Martin also had a heartfelt message for their Wearside fans. “I know you’ve been through the biggest kind of hell to get to this concert, the train strikes and the rain - don’t think we don’t appreciate it,” he told the roaring crowd.
Bruce Springsteen - 2012
In his first time playing in the North East for 27 years, the rock legend took to the Stadium of Light stage in an electric 28-song set that lasted almost three hours. The Born To Run singer was touring his Wrecking Ball album, visiting more countries than he ever had before on a tour.
“Who needs 75 degrees and sunny?” Bruce said as he strode onstage at a rain-soaked Wearside. “This is what I want from Sunderland!”
Red Hot Chili Peppers - 2012
Their appearance at the Stadium of Light in June 2012 was the first North East gig for the Chilis since 1990, and marked one of only two UK appearances on their world tour for their I’m With You album. The Californian rockers came onstage dressed in red and white specially for the occasion.
Bon Jovi - 2013
Bon Jovi proved that they hadn’t lost any of their magic after 30 years in the business as they brought their Because We Can tour to Wearside. The Stadium of Light was treated to some of their most iconic anthems, from Livin’ On A Prayer to You Give Love A Bad Name.
Rihanna - 2013
Global pop superstar Rihanna visited the Stadium of Light as part of her Diamonds world tour, dazzling her legion of Wearside fans with hits like Umbrella and We Found Love. Supported by David Guetta who warmed up the crowd with his dance anthems, Rihanna was set to return to Sunderland in 2016 but sadly cancelled due to “logistical reasons”.
Beyoncé - 2016
One of the biggest stars on the planet graced Wearside with her presence back in June 2016, asking her 50,000-strong Stadium of Light crowd: “did you come here to slay?” as she took to the stage during her Formation world tour. Performing some of her biggest hits from Run The World and Crazy In Love, Beyoncé left Sunderland mesmerised with her performance.
Spice Girls - 2019
The Spice Girls sent fans into a frenzy back in 2018 when they announced that four of them would reunite for a huge stadium tour, which saw Ginger, Baby, Scary and Sporty Spice visit the Stadium of Light in June the following year. Jess Glynne was the support act ahead of a nostalgic set that saw the band perform their greatest tunes including Viva Forever and Who Do You Think You Are.
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