Summer 2012 was our chance to show the world everything we've got. Many sat back and laughed about how feeble and lacklustre our Olympics will inevitably be but were eventually proven wrong once the event arrived. We experienced joy, tears, the Mobot, Hoy becoming the greatest British Olympian of all time, Danny Boyle actually pulling it off, more success than we expected and the Queen jumping from a helicopter. To commemorate this triumph, the venues once filled with life and emotion were to be left empty and locked up for the foreseeable future.
For anything to be held in the venues again serious work was going to have to take place to downsize each area, especially the Olympic stadium. Rumours have circulated from West Ham Football Club attempting to buy the venue from 2016 to American Football games taking place in a deal with the NFL.
By the last few months of 2012 many thought the venues would stay as a lasting reminder, much like a pyramid containing the soul of the 2012 Olympic Games. All this could be put to rest with news today that rock concerts could be held at the Olympic stadium by summer 2013.
With controversy surrounding London's largest open venue Hyde Park due to sound levels and noise restrictions, note the infamous Springsteen and McCartney fiasco, shows from there could be moving to the stadium. Westminster Council has been gently decreasing crowds, noise levels and the number of concerts which take place in Hyde Park so this change could be a dream come true for live music lovers. Sound restrictions and crowd capacity would be higher in the Olympic stadium whilst still retaining the feel of an outside venue.
The Paralympics Closing Ceremony (read as Coldlympics Closing Cereplay) showed that live music can do wonders in a venue of that size. As unimpressed as many were that the closing ceremony became a celebration of Chris Martin and his minions instead of the Paralympics itself, the show displayed what could be possible from future concerts.
Officials are hoping to announce which shows will take place in the stadium over the coming weeks. Hyde Park currently holds Wireless and Hard Rock Calling festivals during the summer. Musical legends Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney were cut short at last year's Hard Rock Calling festival due to noise restrictions. Boris Johnson, arguably one of the biggest winners of summer 2012, stepped in and criticised the decision by saying the band should have been allowed to "jam in the name of the Lord".
By moving concerts and the two festivals to the stadium, organisers could kill two birds with one stone. Instead of having a derelict, unused memorial in East London the venue could be harnessed to hold new, vibrant shows which could rival the giants of the O2 and Wembley arenas.
Sport will inevitably be the true home of the Olympic stadium. But while contracts are negotiated and decisions made, live music needs a change in London from the unsatisfactory venue of Hyde Park.
Whilst at the Springsteen show the sense of disappointment among the crowd once they were cut off killed the memories of an otherwise fantastic day and jaw dropping show. Complaints of low noise levels at the Olympic Closing Ceremony Concert were rife as Blur headlined to 60,000 people. Most of London was meant to be celebrating a great triumph, not keeping quiet in case we woke up the neighbours. I for one cannot wait to get into the now iconic Olympic stadium for some, hopefully, incredible concerts this summer.