The Day the Music Died

Alongside the incredible array of sporting memories over 130 years there was a halcyon period when huge music concerts came to town. Over a 25-year period from the mid-1980’s Lancaster Park attracted some of the world’s best musicians and attracted capacity crowds to revel in thunderous pop music. There was Billy Joel on his Encore Tour in 1987. U2 attracted record crowds during their Lovetown and Zoo TV tours in 1989 and 1993. Tina Turner also visited twice during the 1990’s, with her What’s Love tour in 1993 and Wildest Dreams tour in 1997. The biggest crowd on record was probably the 64,000 fans who saw Dire Straits play in 1986 during their Brothers In Arms tour. Dire Straits returned in 1991 with their On Every Street tour. And in the latter years there were significant turnouts for Meat Loaf in 2004, Roger Waters in 2007, Bon Jovi in 2008 and Pearl Jam in 2009. But February 22, 2011 was the day the music died.