By Duncan Mackay

Spice Girls at London 2012January 3 - A series of concerts in the Olympic Stadium featuring some of the world's biggest acts is being lined up to help celebrate the first anniversary of the Opening Ceremony of London 2012.


The full line-up is due to be announced in the next few weeks, but it is anticipated that it will include leading names. 

"We have the opportunity to put on some major events in the [Olympic] Park - some music events and festivals and an anniversary weekend on 27 and 28 July," Dennis Hone, chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation, told BBC London.

It is hoped that the concerts will give people the opportunity to visit the Stadium before it is closed for renovations so that Premier League West Ham United can move into it for the start of the 2016-2017 season. 

The acoustics of the Stadium were widely praised during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, which featured acts like Paul McCartney, the Arctic Monkeys, the Spice Girls, the Pet Shop Boys, Underworld and The Who. 

The Who at London 2012Roger Daltry (left) and Pete Townshend of The Who perform at the Olympic Stadium during the Closing Ceremony of London 2012

It has been reported in the music press that Live Nation, which worked with London 2012 Tier One sponsor BT to stage concerts in Hyde Park and Victoria Park during the Olympics, will be responsible for arranging the events in the Olympic Stadium.

Live Nation last year lost the tender to stage concerts in Hyde Park from 2013 to 2017, with the contract being awarded to rivals AEG.

"There's a little project that's been bubbling away for a while and I'm really excited about it," said John Probyn, the chief operating officer of Live Nation UK, told the NME.

"It's within London, but it's completely different to Hyde Park."

If the concerts are a success then it is predicted that the Olympic Stadium could rival Wembley and The O2 as a venue for major concerts on a long-term basis. 

Hyde Park has been criticised as a music venue, with claims of poor sound quality and inadequate facilities from fans attending gigs by Blur and Madonna.

The Park's strict curfew has also caused concerts Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul to be cut short when they played there.

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