It’s Only Rock & Roll

Where there’s an arena, there seems to be a musician queueing up to be photographed in it, play an open air gig there, or name their band after it. Excellent acoustics and ready made seating and stage sets clearly play a part.

It used to be just opera using these structures as a backdrop for their grand and imposing productions. It had to follow that when rock music aspired to the grand and imposing, it would start colonising ancient buildings. Spoiler Alert - it’s almost inevitable that this will at some stage involve Sting (See Senlis). This section explores how and by who.

If any site has claims to a rock & roll connection, there will be a section at the end of the blog page.

Featured Artists and Amphitheatres

Pink Floyd/ David Gilmour/ King Crimson/ Travis Scott - Pompeii

Rory Storm and the Hurricanes - Saintes

Jon Hiseman and Colosseum - The Colosseum

David Gilmour/Duran Duran/Sting/Dua Lipa/Simple Minds - Pula

Chuck Berry/The Cranberries/Kool and the Gang/James Taylor - Nice

Radiohead/Slipknot/The Pretenders/Sam Smith/James Blunt/Simple Minds/Dua Lipa/Avril Lavigne/Metallica/Franz Ferdinand/Placebo/Nine Inch Nails/Sting - Nimes

George Benson/The Manhattan Transfer/Gregory Porter - Avella

Bruce Springsteen/Paul McCartney/ Elton John/Radiohead/Pearl Jam/Zucchero/Simple Minds, King Crimson/Mark Knopfler/Duran Duran (coming in 2026) and er.. Pooh - Verona